Do You Want to Dance
For Amber Lechar and Spawnspectre: Young hearts, be free tonight, time is on your side-Rod Stewart
Authors note: I saw this video on YouTube and I felt the need to write something. It was a mash up of Ariel and Jim Hawkins set to a Michelle Branch song and it moved me something wicked, dear readers, so I hope you enjoy.
Magic Kingdom High-Prom Night
Ariel sat on the metal folding chair as the disco ball flashed squares of fractured light on her white prom dress. He stood her up, Eric; captain of the football team had stood her up. She got all dressed up tonight and expected him to pick her up. He feigned some excuse, stomach flu he said. But there he was, dancing next to Jasmine, one of the cheerleaders. She wanted to sock him in the face and pull Jasmine's pony tail but right now everyone was busy dancing to Lady GaGa's "Born This Way" and she didn't want to cause a scene.
"Mind if I sit next to you?" a voice said. Ariel looked up; there in a white tuxedo with a red carnation was a boy she had seen before.
"Sure." She said.
"I can't believe she would do that to me." The boy said.
"Who?" Ariel said.
"Jasmine. She broke up with me on Prom Night would you believe that?" The boy said.
"My date stood me up, but yet here he is, dancing with your girl. My name is Ariel by the way." She said.
"Jim Hawkins, I am president of the anime club here." He said. Ariel smiled. The boy had deep blue eyes, his brown hair was tied into a singular pony tail, and he had a small gold hoop through his ear. Ariel somehow felt at home with him. The two of them made small talk, they found they both liked "Soul Eater" and both had a deep love for music. When Jim suggested in the middle of Katy Perry's "Firework" that they get some punch Ariel obliged. Pouring a ladle of punch into their cups Jim raised his and looked at Ariel.
"To new beginnings, may this day, mean something more than our shortcomings." Jim said.
"Cheers," Ariel said and sipped her punch. She grimaced. "There's booze in this." She said. Jim sniffed the cup.
"I guess the football team did this. I saw Gaston sneak in a bottle of cheap vodka." Jim said and poured his back into the bowl, Ariel followed suit. Pink's "Glitter in the Air" started up. Jim held out his hand.
"Care to dance?" He said. Ariel took his hand and they walked out onto the floor. Ariel wrapped her arms around his waist, together they moved across the floor. Jim's scent filled her nose. The mixture of the flower on his tuxedo and his cologne, Ariel rested her head on his shoulder as the song ended. Jim smiled.
"Hey Ariel?" Jim said.
"Yes?" she said.
"Let's get outta here, I know a nice spot near here, it's a clear night, maybe we could look at the stars?" he said.
"I would love that." Ariel said and walked outside the gymnasium with him.
Sitting on a hill on a blanket, sat two complete strangers. Looking at the bright moon and the twinkling stars, they felt love. This night would lead to many things. After college degrees and student loans, there was a wedding. A baby followed named Fabian, and a daughter Sophia a year later. There were birthday parties, anniversaries, high school and college graduations, and grandkids. 80 years later Ariel left this earth, Jim did soon after. Standing at the gates, they kissed, and looked back at the night when what they thought was love, and wasn't , turned into something more.