The Last Dance
"Here, could you hold on to this for me?" he asked, pressing a small black velvet box into Sly's hand.
Sly grinned at seeing the box. "You're not gonna..?"
Lucky nodded, "Yeah, I am."
"Why d'you want me to carry it? Don't you need it?"
"She'd most likely feel it in my pocket, and that'd ruin the surprise."
"Maybe she should keep her hands out of your pockets."
"I can't risk it, man."
"Yeah, yeah, I understand," Sly flipped open the top. "Wow, pretty impressive!"
"Yeah, so if you lose it, you're dead, you understand?"
"I'd say so," he said, closing it and slipping it into his pocket. "I'll keep good care of it."
"I'm counting on you."
"C'mon, you gonna keep your girl waiting forever?" he pulled Lucky toward the door.
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Lucky gave Liz a soft kiss on the cheek and put his arm around her waist when they rejoined the group.
"What took you so long?" she asked him, eyeing his cousin suspiciously.
"Oh, nothing," they both said.
"Yeah, uh-huh, I believe that one," she grinned.
"Sly!" Deenie said, out of breath as she caught up to the group.
"Hey, baby," he said, giving her a kiss.
"I'm sorry I'm late, I hope I didn't keep you waiting," she giggled.
"No, we were just about to head to the ballroom!" Emily said.
"We do need to get to the dance," Liz said, linking arms with Lucky. "But I'm going to figure out what's up between you and Sly," she whispered to him.
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The three couples danced for about an hour and a half pretty uneventfully.
At about nine thirty, Deenie asked, "Sly, honey, what's in your pocket?"
"Umm...nothin, Deen, nothing important," he tried to explain.
"A present for me?" she smiled.
"Umm...no...."
"For some other girl??" she asked, taking her hands off his shoulders and putting them on her hips.
"No, baby, well, yeah, but not from me!" he knew there was no way to explain without telling her. "Come out here," he said, pulling her out the door into the hallway.
She followed as he pulled her arm. He led her around the corner into a back hallway where no one was. He fumbled in his pocket before pulling out the velvet box. Deenie's eyes widened when she saw the box.
"Now, promise me you won't tell anyone," he said, looking her in the eyes.
"I promise, I swear! Open it, Sly!" she said, excited.
Sly slowly flipped back the top.
Deenie gasped when she saw it. "That's one big rock!"
"Yeah," he laughed. "I couldn't believe he bought this for her."
"Who?"
"Take one guess."
"Lucky? Oh my God! He's gonna give this to Liz! He's going to propose to Liz! Tonight! This is so exciting! Oh, Sly, they're so perfect for each other, they're the perfect couple!"
"Yeah, Lucky did good," Sly said. "Don't tell anyone, I swear, if Liz finds out..."
"Yeah, I promise, Liz won't find out...okay, Sly, we gotta get back in there before someone misses us!" Deenie snapped the box closed and slid it into Sly's pocket.
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Emily watched as Sly and Deenie reentered the ballroom.
"What's up with them?" she wondered out loud.
"Huh? Who?" Juan asked.
Emily pointed, "Sly and Deenie, the left outta here about fifteen minutes ago, he was dragging her and she looked mad. Now they've come back and they've both got these mischeivious smiles on their faces."
"You don't think?"
Emily playfully slapped his arm, "No, Juan!" She shook her head at him. "I'm gonna go find out what they're up to."
"Oh, okay," he shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the group of guys he was talking with.
Emily weaved her way through dancing couples over to Deenie and Sly.
She grabbed Deenie by the hand and pulled her out the door again.
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"Lucky, what's up with your cousin and his date?" Liz asked as they danced.
"Huh? I haven't noticed them," Lucky said.
"A little while ago, Deenie looked all mad at Sly and they left the ballroom, then they came back all smiles. Now Emily just went over and jerked Deenie back out of the room!"
"Oh, I dunno..." he said, wondering what his cousin was up to now. "Umm, excuse me a minute, I've gotta go talk to him." Lucky left Liz on the dance floor.
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"Geez, this seems to be happening to me a lot tonight!" Deenie said once out in the hall.
"Yeah, I saw. What was that about?" Emily asked.
"I can't tell, Em," Deenie said, pressing her lips together.
"That's why I brought you out here. We all know Sly can keep a secret better than anyone, but you're a whole different story."
"Are you trying to say I can't keep a secret?"
"Deenie, you couldn't keep your mouth shut if your life depended on it!"
"Could too!"
Emily just laughed. "So, why did you and Sly leave?"
"I felt something in his pocket," she said simply.
"And?" Em prodded.
"It was a box."
"What kind of box."
"Em!!!"
"A jewelry box?"
Deenie squeezed her lips tighter and shook her head "no".
"I'll take that as a yes. And what kind of jewelry."
"I can't tell you Emily! I PROMISED Sly I wouldn't tell!"
"A necklace?"
Deenie shook her head "no".
"A bracelet?"
Deenie shook her head "no" again.
"A ring???"
Deenie shook her head "yes" with her lips still pressed together.
"Wow! A ring! For who? He's not going to give you a ring, is he? He wouldn't have told you about it then..."
"No, it's not for me, it's not even from him!"
"Then from Lucky, I bet, they were talking outside after everyone else had come into the hotel when we first got here. Lucky's having Sly hold a ring for him..." Emily podered this.
Deenie shook her head "yes".
"Deenie, you don't think....he wouldn't....at Prom!....Lucky bought Liz a ring....and he's going to give it to her tonight....oh my God! Deenie, what *kind* of ring??? C'mon, tell me, you've told me everything else!!!"
"A diamond," she said quietly.
"A DIAMOND!!! DEENIE!!! Oh, this is so exciting!!! Lucky's gonna!!! Oh, he's gonna ask her to marry him!!!" Emily was jumping up and down.
"Shhhhhh!!!! Em, you can't tell anyone!" Deenie said.
"I promise, I won't! Oh, this is so great! Liz will be so happy!"
"As long as the surprise isn't ruined."
"I promise, she won't find out! C'mon, let's get back in there!"
The two friends went back to the ballroom.
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"Sly, what's going on? Liz said you and Deenie left and came back with big smiles on your faces! You didn't...?" he said, about to get really mad at Sly.
"I couldn't help it, man, Deen felt the box, just like you said Liz would if you kept it, I had to tell her!"
"This better not get back to Liz. If Deenie tells everyone, which you well know she is capable of, it'll all be YOUR fault."
"She promised she wouldn't tell."
"Deenie? Promise she won't tell something? Yeah right, you know your girl better than that. I bet she's out there spilling everything to Em right now."
"Lucky, I'm sorry, okay? Your evening will not be ruined, I promise, Liz won't find out, okay?"
"You better hope," Lucky was obviously not too happy with Sly. "I've gotta get back to Liz before she starts suspecting something's up, keep Deenie's lips shut, okay? Don't let her out of your sight again."
Lucky took off across the floor to Liz.
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As Deenie rejoined Sly, he could tell by the smile on her face what she'd done.
"You told her, didn't you?" he asked.
"Not in so many words...she guessed most of it....Sly, I'm sorry, I couldn't help it!"
"As long as it's only her, I know Emily, unlike you, can keep a secret." Emily pulled Juan away from his group of friends.
"Where'd you go for so long?" he asked.
"I was just talking with Deenie," she said, grinning.
"About what? Did you find out where her and Sly went off to?"
"Yeah....can you keep a very very important secret?"
"You know I can for you," he smiled.
"Sly's carrying the engagement ring Lucky bought for Liz. Lucky's gonna propose to her tonight!" she whispered in his ear.
"Wow, that's one big thing to keep quiet! I guess loose-lips-Deenie spilled to you, huh?" he asked.
"She tried her best to keep it in, but she couldn't resist sharing!"
"Figures."
"C'mon, let's dance!" she said, pulling him out onto the dance floor.
The next few hours flew by as the happy couples danced. They were finally interrupted by the screech of the microphone.
"Attention students! It is now time for the announcement of Prom King and Queen. I'd like to introduce our Senior Class President, Miss Emily Bowen-Quartermaine, to crown the winners at this time," the principal announced.
Emily smiled at Juan and made her way to the mic. The principal handed her the envelope with the winners.
Emily stood at the microphone and said, "I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight and making Prom 2000 such a success! We're all Kings or Queens at some point in our life, but tonight there is only one King and Queen. Following the crowning of King and Queen, everyone will need to clear the floor so that the King and Queen can share the last dance. And, the Prom King and Queen are..." she smiled as she slowly opened the envelope and read what it said. Smiling even bigger, she announced, "Lucky Spencer and Elizabeth Webber!!!"
Lucky and Liz made their way up to Emily hand in hand, smiling at each other.
"Congratulations, guys, you deserved it," Emily said as she positioned Lucky's crown on his head.
As Liz was having her tiara pinned into her hair, Sly discretely passed the ring back to Lucky, who carefully slid it into his pocket. Lucky whispered something to Sly who went over to the DJ and whispered something to him. The first few notes of a song floated out across the dance floor as Lucky took Liz's hand and led her out to the center. The lights dimmed and the only light was the light that reflected off the spinning ball that they danced under. The room was silent as they watched the newly crowned couple.
Life may not always go your way
And every once in awhile you might have a bad day
But I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
The sky turns dark and everything goes wrong
Run to me and I'll leave the light on
And I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
For as long as I live
There will always be a place you belong
Here beside me
heart and soul baby you own me
And I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
It's still gonna snow and it's still gonna rain
The wind's gonna blow on a cold winter day
And I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
You're safe from the world wrapped in my arms
And I'll never let go
Baby here's where it starts
And I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
Here's a shoulder you can cry on
And a love you can rely on
For as long as I live
There will always be a place you belong
Here beside me
heart and soul baby you own me
And I promise you now you won't ever be lonely
No no you won't ever be lonely
As the song ended, everyone clapped for Lucky and Liz, but then silenced when he bent down on one knee.
"You won't ever be lonely, if you'll be my wife. Elizabeth Webber," he said, pulling out the small velvet box, "will you marry me?"
Liz's hand flew to her face as he opened the box. "Yes, Lucky, of course, yes," she said, wiping away tears.
Her hand shook as he put the ring on. She held her hand up to look at it. "It's beautiful, Lucky, thank you," she whispered. She kissed him and then rested her head on his shoulder has he hugged her close.
"I love you," she whispered as the crowd cheered.