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School Dance
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It was the day. The accursed day. The day of the first official school dance, junior prom.
Rachel stood in front of the full-length mirror in her parent's bedroom, critically observing her dress from every angle.
It was a long midnight blue gown; just long enough to hide her feet, but not sweep the floor wherever she went. Her whole torso up to her neck was covered, revealing only her arms, but even they were partially covered by dark blue, translucent sleeves. It would probably cover more of her skin than any of the dresses that were currently in fashion, but she felt more comfortable that way.
She usually wore baggy hoodies with the hoods up 24/7 to cover her face, which aggravated many teachers; like she cared. So this was a great letup, just by uncovering her face.
Her mother quietly entered and stood beside Rachel and the mirror, unnoticed.
"You look beautiful."
Rachel swung her head around so fast that her black hair fanned around her face.
"Oh, hi mom." Rachel said, inwardly sighing with relief. If it was her father…she didn't want to think about it.
"No makeup?"
Rachel shook her head. "No. I'm not going to please anyone but Kori, and she knows exactly how I look."
"Ah. I suppose it doesn't matter. I'm quite sure you'll find a partner there. You're much prettier without makeup anyway."
"Mom. I'm not interested in boys." Rachel said decisively, crossing her arms. "They're immature pinheads."
Her mother, Arella, merely smiled. "Maybe it's just as well you're not interested yet."
A pained look gathered around Rachel's eyes. "How can you even talk about boys when Dad…what he does to you?"
A graceful smile lit up Arella's face. "Because some are worth it, and you have better judgment of character than I."
Rachel turned away, pretending to adjust the hem of her dress so the sorrow reflected in her dark, purple tinted eyes could not be seen. "I think it's almost time for Kori to arrive," she stated quietly, and gathering up her possessions, left the room.
Rachel stood by the half-empty punch bowl, staring blankly at the packed dance floor of the school gym. The night was almost over, or so she hoped. Kori had run off with her date, Richard, almost the moment they had arrived.
Rachel was regretting letting the redhead convince her to come here. But she knew she couldn't have just ignored her best friends coercing, coaxing, persuading, begging and tearful puppy eyes. Curse those clear, round emerald eyes of Kori's! No one could refuse those.
"Hi, Rae!"
A severely cheery voice cut cleanly through her thoughts.
"Hi, Garfield." she said without even turning her head, though she was glad to see one of her clan here in the midst of dancing couples.
He came to stand right next to her, glancing down at her.
"Where's your date?" he asked.
Rachel, who was about to look at him, stopped herself and glued her line of sight back on the dance floor. "I don't have one."
Garfield's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "What? You're here without a date?"
"Yeah. I know. Kind of stupid of me, isn't it?" she replied, misinterpreting his remark.
Her lips quirked into a bitter half-smile. "But Kori begged me to come with her. You know how she gets. She seems a bit preoccupied right now though," she said, shrugging her shoulders to the direction of the dancing Kori and Richard.
But Garfield had already started running.
He leaned against a tree, slightly panting from his run. Rachel, Rachel Roth didn't have a dance partner this night. And he hadn't asked her because he thought she would already have a date.
Why should he have thought she wouldn't have one? She was pretty, no downright beautiful, smart, elegant, and she had a positively amazing dynamic irresistible personality. Who cared if she was a mite irritable and dark sometimes? It only added to the beauty and mystery.
Wait, he could still ask her. He didn't have a partner himself, he had only come because it was either this or go to some weird, boring conference with his father. He ran back, picking a rose from a nearby rosebush as he went.
"Okay, that was weird." Rachel muttered to herself, considering whether or not the lurid pink punch in the punch bowl beside her was safe enough to drink. She decided something that pink was too unsafe to risk drinking. She instead examined the (pink) cookies next to the punch, wondering how the whole table could be a health hazard.
"You're too beautiful not to have a date, Rae." A voice behind her murmured. She didn't recognize the voice. She spun round, immediately on guard.
Garfield stood there, a red rose in hand.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, bowing deeply with a flourish, before offering the rose to her.
Rachel's face felt suddenly hot, but she didn't understand why her blood began to rush at impossible speeds through her bloodstream.
"Uh…s…sure," she managed to stutter, her hands accepting the rose before she could think the matter over in her head.
Garfield grinned, and Rachel couldn't help thinking it was sweet how his canines stuck out a little when he smiled. He carefully tucked the already de-thorned rose in her hair and cocked his head to the side.
She chanced an uncertain smile.
He took her hand and held it for an unbelieving moment before dragging her to the couple-covered floor.
Rachel was almost disappointed when the last song died down and the night had ended; long after she had gotten into her pajamas and slipped under the covers, she could still feel her feet dancing and see Garfield's sweet smile.
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Totally jumping on the bandwagon. I know there's an overdose of high school fics here, but as I have not written anything for And He Said yet, I thought I should post something here....and this was sitting in my Documents folder....
I shall try to write And He Said as soon as I can.
Comments & Criticisms please! All feedback is more than welcomed. :)