A/N: So last night I was Lady GaGa and I had some Ridiculous Misadventures of my own. Tonight, my dad doesn't want me going out because school tomorrow (boo) and so he ditched his nasty girlfriend and stayed in with me (yay). We carved pumpkins and watched movies. He even watched MIOBI 1x16 Save the Last Dance with me. Then I started writing. Can't think of a better way to spend the night.

This fic has nothing to do with Halloween, but have a good one!

Spoilers: a sort of R/L rewrite of 1x16 Save the Last Dance

Dance so Good

"Please. I would never work here. I would never even eat here."

Razor is instantly drawn to the spunk in her voice, complete honesty mixed in with disgust. He laughs even before he looks to see who had said it. He gives the girl a quick look over, momentarily distracted by her yellow pants paired with a turquoise parka and a white scarf. Cute. Blonde. Made Damon look and probably feel like an idiot. He had liked her instantly.

"Oh, so I've got good news. Guess what." The blonde pauses for dramatic effect. "We're going to prom!" Her hands fly and her mouth parts in an excited smile. The complete opposite of the way Emily looks. "You know. Corsages. Pretty dresses. Dancing. Like a real live John Hughes movie!"

Razor smiles. He's seen Home Alone once. That movie's the shit.

Emily immediately shuts her down and Razor looks right over at the petite blonde, draping his skinny, navy blue scarf around his neck and started to put on his jacket.

"When are we ever going to get a chance to go to a real prom like normal girls?" the blonde asks.

"I was hoping never," Emily replied bluntly.

"Come on," Razor says. He can't help, but cut in as he straightens the lapels of his jacket. He continues to talk as he walks around the counter. "Proms are a right of passage. Ah, you really can't miss out on it."

"Did you go to your prom?" the blonde asks. Razor sees Emily and Carter in the background, looking less than enthusiastic, but when the pretty little blonde is looking at him so expectantly; it's almost too easy to forget his co-workers even exist.

"Well…" Razor pauses to think about it. "No."

He stands there, feeling a little awkward, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. At that point in high school, Razor might not have exuberated the confidence he does now. He might have been a little shorter, not what one would consider "popular" and had yet to perfect the awesome that he calls his hair. Needless to say no one asked him and he spent the night playing video games and eating junk food with his then-bandmates in someone's basement.

"Well, you're in luck then," the blonde says. "We need dates. What are you doing tomorrow?"

Razor gives her a 'are you kidding look?' or better, his face asks 'are you asking me?'

"Ha," he says, tilting his head and looking thoughtful. "Looks like I got a date to the prom!"

He doesn't miss the way the tiny blonde smiles to herself and nods her head approvingly.

Razor walks out of the Pizza Shack with a grin. He already knows what he's wearing.

-XX-

After basically telling Emily that Damon loves her and her chasing after him could only mean that she loves him back, Razor feels this dull sort of ache in his chest, but he can't say that it's heartache. After all, to have your heart broken you have to give your heart to someone first and Razor never did that. He had been willing to give his heart to Emily Kmetko, but that didn't exactly happen and maybe it's for the best.

Needing some time to think away from the chaos that is a high school prom, he lingers on the outskirts of the building and that's when he spots that blonde girl who invited him to this thing in the first place. Lauren. At least, that's what he thinks Emily said her name was. He isn't about to shout it across the way and make an idiot out of himself. As if he didn't do enough of that already when he was up on stage.

"Well, if it isn't my prom date," Razor says, walking over to her.

"Really?" she snaps and Razor almost turns right around and walks in the opposite direction. "Ten minutes ago, onstage, I think you said Emily Kmetko was your prom date, the girl in the pretty, expensive dress he mother totally could never afford on her own."

Razor blinks. Jeez, what's this chick's deal?

Instead of following his instincts and walking away, Razor takes a couple steps closer.

"Someone doesn't sound like they're having much fun," he says carefully. Before he can stop himself, he uses his singsong voice. Sometimes he just can't help himself. "Just so you know, this, what you're feeling right now is totally apart of the prom experience. It has its ups and downs."

"And how would you know that?" she asks. "I thought you never went to prom."

"I didn't," Razor laughs. "But I'm assuming that we've both seen enough movies. My personal favorite is that one where high school kids are at prom and being terrorized by a psychopathic killer. Instant classic."

He's standing right beside her now, smiling gently. It's only when he's that close to her that he sees the extent to her sadness. She's leaning against a pillar with her glossy lips turned down in a frown. None of her friends are anywhere nearby. She's standing outside in the dark and all by herself. There's something so beautiful yet so sad about the way she looks right now. It makes Razor feel sympathetic yet intrigued all at once.

"You want to talk about it?" he asks.

"No," she firmly replies.

"Cool." Razor nods, leaning back against the other side of the same pillar. "If it makes you feel any better, my prom experience isn't exactly what I thought it'd be either. I mean, I didn't have very high expectations, but I didn't think I'd be taking myself out of the race for Emily Kmetko's heart. Officially. By choice."

"But you were trying so hard to impress her," Lauren says. A part of it sounds like a genuine observation, but Razor can easily pick up on the hints of sarcasm in there. "So hard in fact it was almost pathetic."

Razor laughs. There. That feisty girl from the Pizza Shack peeks out just then.

"Yup. All for nothing," Razor chuckles, kicking at the gravel. "Looking like a fool for a girl – not fun."

Razor expects sympathy or maybe agreement when he chances a glance in her direction. He's surprised to find that when she's looking back at him, there's something in her big, brown eyes. It maybe the low quality lighting, but Razor likes to think it's understanding.

"I will never forget my prom," Laruen says with a bitter chuckle, staring out into the dark. Razor can't tell if she's really talking to him or just musing miserably. "Because it sucked."

Razor gives a noticeable, dramatic wince.

"I didn't even get to dance," she says, sounding so soft in that millisecond. "Carter tried to use me to get back at Kaylie again. Also, oh, and you're going to love this. I found out my dad is dating Emily's mom. And at first I thought my dad was dating Emily, but it turns out, things are even more tragic. He's dating Chloe Kmetko. I know for a fact that he bought her that dress and I got stuck wearing this…"

Razor looks over at her. His eyes start from the silver tiara stuck in her hair, follows her loosely curled blonde locks, down to her naked collarbone and bare shoulders until he sees the little, strapless black dress she's wearing. His gaze then goes back up to meet her eyes and he can't for the love of God understand why she looks so down on herself.

"Well, for what it's worth, I think you look beautiful," Razor says. His voice is low and honest.

Lauren looks away – a clear sign of disbelief.

"You don't even know my name," she points out.

Razor gives her a smile. "Well, I want to. What is it?"

"Lauren," she replies. "Lauren Tanner."

"Hello there, Lauren, I'm Razor," he says with a charming grin. She giggles and for some reason Razor feels it's about more than his attempt to lighten the mood.

"What kind of name is Razor?" she asks. Her giggles turn to full out laughs.

"A self-given one," he replies.

"And what's your real name?" Lauren asks. She leans in closer and looks at him with this expression that's almost a smile on her face.

Razor grins. "I don't usually start giving out the personal info till at least the second date."

"Oh and this is a date?" she asks.

"Well, you did ask me, didn't you?" Razor says, working his charm that bloomed late.

Lauren just looks down at her toes, trying to hide a smile.

"Listen, Lauren, I can't really help you with Carter or your dad, but there's one thing I can change," he says. Razor moves in front of her, straightens his back and holds out his hand. "Care to dance?"

Lauren laughs miserably. "There's no music…considering you're the band and you're out here with me instead of inside like they're paying you to be."

Razor playfully winces and tugs on the collar of his tuxedo t-shirt. "Whoops."

She looks away before the actually laughs at what a goofball he is.

"Come on," Razor urges her. "We'll improvise."

Pursing her lips, Lauren looks like she actually considers his request. "Just know that I will not be your rebound."

Razor laughs. "It didn't even cross my mind."

Lauren then slips her hand into his extended one and Razor gently pulls him into his arms. He keeps his hand right on the small of her back and ample space between them because he's a gentleman like that. It may seem a little weird because there is no music and they are strangers, but Razor can see that she needs it. She's just a girl who's been hurt and to see this and walk away would be harsh. It's obvious that she needs someone. Maybe, just maybe he needs someone too.

When they gently start to sway, Lauren starts laughing.

"Okay, this is too weird—"

And then Razor takes a shaky breath and starts to sing.

I remember when you lost your head
Sometimes I wonder how you stay so sad when you're so beautiful

And when he sings, he looks directly at her like he's singing to her. And he kind of is.

And I remember every word you said
How you were scared because you never been somewhere so beautiful, so beautiful

Somehow they draw closer and Lauren lays her head on his chest, her arms around his neck. Still swaying gently, Razor continues to hold her close and lull her into a safe place with his voice.

So tell me why we're talking when we dance so good
So tell me why we're talking when we dance so good
And I know you can't stay but I wish you would
Yeah I wish you would, I wish you would

Even as his voice fades and they're left in the quiet, Lauren doesn't pull away and neither does Razor. Gulping loudly, he allows himself to enjoy the moment, enjoy the feeling of a warm body pressed up against him, but most importantly, the feeling of being wanted.

"So was this like a real life John Hughes movie or what?" Razor asks after some time of simply being connected in the silence.

Laughing gently, Lauren looks up at him and gives him a real smile. "Close enough."

A/N: For those who asked, yep, I wrote those lame ass lyrics in Lullaby for a Muse, but not this time. The song was Dance so Good by Wakey!Wakey! and suggested by LCTD. Listen to it. It fits so well with this story, I think. And I have bad taste in music. If it was up to me it'd probably be set to Three by Britney Spears and I'd throw a little Faith Giancana in there. Lol Kidding.

Show me the love if you love Razor/Lauren. Review!

xoxo