Robert's Dance Party: Going With Another Date

Jodie Landon watched from a comfortable distance, leaning on a locker as her bubbly blond 'friend' Brittany Taylor acted on her earlier suggestion of asking Robert out to the dance.

"Even though the fight she and Kevin are having is just plain stupid." Jodie muttered to herself as Brittany spoke to the Navajo born boy and Jodie waited for Brittany to come back all happy and excited.

Then Robert said something that surprised even her.

"I'm sorry Ma'am," Robert said sheepishly, "But I'm already going with someone else."

"What?!" Brittany exclaimed in her squeaky toy voice.

Robert smiled nervously, "I've been seeing someone for a while and this is going to be our big coming out."

Jodie saw Brittany began to shake and started to fear for Robert's safety, she had seen the happy cheerleader use surprisingly skilled ninja moves to break the bones of guys three times her size before.

Then Brittany started to cry and ran off in the other direction.

Jodie sighed and followed as quickly as she could.

Robert did his best to ignore the stares and walked away.

Even in the distance Robert and his date could hear the music coming from the High School's gym.

Robert pulled his Mustang into the parking lot and found a space quickly.

He took a deep breath and looked at his date and said, "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. We're both sick of hiding, and I've always wanted to go to a dance."

Robert chuckled, "Well I'm not a very good dancer..."

He was silenced with a kiss.

"It's ok, I don't care if you're Isadora Duncan reborn or if you are the worst dancer in the history of the art form. I just want to be with you, openly. You know?"

"Yeah," Robert said back softly, "I want that too."

"Well then my big lug," his date said with a laugh, "Let's go."

Robert played with his string tie briefly while standing just outside the gym's front doors, before offering his date an arm and smiled big as they walked in together

He thought to himself that the decorations were pretty cool looking under the flashing lights and the thump of the music coming from the DJ booth where Upchuck was at the turn tables.

"People are beginning to notice." his date commented as they went straight for the dance floor.

Robert stomped on his nerves like he did before a big game and said, "Good, let them."

His date laughed as the whispers grew with the song being changed to 'Rollercoaster of Love'.

They both heard what was being said.

"Oh my god!"

"Did Robert come stag... Oh that's his date!"

"I didn't know that they were gay!"

Thankfully the song picked up and drowned it away, Robert looked deep into the eyes of the first person to ever make him feel at peace with who he was and said.

"I love you Ted."

"I love you too Robert." Ted DeWitt-Clinton replied before pulling him into a long, deep kiss.

After pulling away Ted yelled, "Let's dance!"

"Yes sir." Robert replied with a sly grin.

It didn't matter that Robert had all the rhythm of a stick figure. As long as Ted was having fun that was all that mattered to him.

Come what may.

FIN