Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.
Always Been You
Queen Of Swing
7/6/04
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"No, Neb! I don't want to go!" Zenon Kar forcefully told he best friend, who was busy trying to convince the blonde to go to the party major of the year.
"Zee, come on! It's a huge party, and it will be fun! Microbe is being generous major to host this thing! They'll all be there, Proto Zoa too," Nebula countered, raising her eyebrows.
Zenon stopped fighting for a moment and dropped her angry face. "Proto Zoa?" she asked.
"Yeah, Proto Zoa. Not to mention a whole lot more! Come on, Zee! Let's go! I know we didn't get invitations to just throw them out!" Nebula pleaded.
Microbe was the most thermal band ever, in both girls' minds. They had recently wrapped up another successful tour, which always amounted to an awesome end party. Of course, Microbe was a rock and roll band, and for the most part, they behaved like it. The members—except for Proto Zoa it seemed—and Lester, were all very promiscuous, with trashy women throwing themselves at the men. Zenon and Proto Zoa had been talking back and forth, more and more seriously, until she had gone backstage to a show and saw an extremely voluptuous blonde draping herself over him. Without waiting for an explanation, Zenon turned on her heel and walked out, and they hadn't talked since. Zenon was too proud to give in and call him, and he wanted to give her the space he felt she needed. Over the past 4 months, he'd picked up his zap pad over and over again; so many times he wanted to call her, but couldn't. Going out on a limb, he personally sent both Zenon and Nebula an invitation to their bash. Zenon's invitation differed slightly from Neb's, but only by one word. At the bottom of the small card, a small but important word was scrawled in his lazy handwriting; 'Please?'. Honestly, she longed to go and see him again; there was scarce a night that his face didn't appear in all her dreams with a happy ending. Still, she didn't want to believe that he was truly willing to commit to her.
"Hello? Zee?" Neb asked, snapping her fingers in front of Zee's face.
"Huh? Oh, what?" Zee replied, snapping out of her dream like state.
"Look Zee, as your roommate and bf, I refuse to let you keep doing this to yourself. Your prom dress is still in the closet, right next to mine. We're going to that party, and we are going to look stellar major," Nebula stated evenly.
"What do you think is going to happen there, Neb? We just see one another and bam the fireworks will be back? Hate to break it to you, but I doubt it," Zenon said, mournfully.
"Only one way to find out," Neb replied, pulling Zee's dress from the closet.
"Isn't that a little too fancy?" Zee questioned doubtfully.
"It says formal on the invitation, and I'll be wearing something just as fancy," Nebula said, pulling her dress out too. "Here Zee, put it on. We're going."
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An hour and a half later, Zenon and Nebula pulled up to the valet in Neb's light blue bug. The servicemen opened the doors for the ladies, assisted them with getting out, and walked each to the stairs. The pair linked arms and started to walk in. At the coat check, the girls chose to leave their shawls, and walk in bare shouldered.
Just before they got to the main doors, Zenon grabbed Nebula's arm. "Neb, whatever is going on in here, if I want to leave, promise that you'll let me?" Zee asked, genuinely.
"Sure, Zee," Nebula said softly. With that, the pair pushed past the double doors.
Motion around the entrance fairly stopped as the duo walked in. Nebula was wearing a strapless a-line tulle gown, in the color of burnt orange, with ornate beading around the bust and skirt. Her hair was curled into ringlets, secured into a loose ponytail by a clear elastic.
Zenon really stole the show, though. Her dress was an intense light blue, teamed up with her eyes. The skirt was full, organza giving it a perfect shape. Its spaghetti straps showcased her fair shoulders, hidden by her long blonde hair, curled at the ends. A small sapphire stone on a silver chain hung on her neck, appropriate for the gown, but slightly too reminiscent of the past months. Nebula forced her to wear it, against her will, though she slowly grew to the idea of wearing the gift Proto Zoa had given her for her 19th birthday.
After people turned back to their previous conversations, some shooting Zenon and Nebula looks of contempt, Zee pointed out, "Neb, these girls are in dresses cut to their stomachs! They're all falling out! We don't belong here, let' go."
Just as she spoke, the lights dimmed and soft music began to play. Looking up, Zenon saw people begin to pair up and twirl around. A young man came and whisked Nebula away to the floor. Scanning her surroundings, she noticed a face she had been scared and excited at the same time to see. Proto Zoa was making his way towards her, staring her in the eye as calmly as can be. Her first instinct was to run, but she stood firmly rooted to her place on the floor.
He finally reached her, after what seemed an eternity. Looking her in the eye, he asked "Dance with me?" She was inexplicably compelled to take the hand he offered and go to the dance floor with him.
They spun even though the music stopped, waiting for the other to slow. Finally, they stopped, still in the dance hold, his hand around her waist, his other holding hers, while her free hand was placed gently on his neck. The moment was a healing time for both of them, as they just stared at one another. The party around them had silenced, and were watching the two in the middle of the room. Her blue eyes searched his weak face. His brown eyes stared at her, silently begging for the chance he deserved.
Zenon bit her lip as he began to speak.
"Zenon, please?" He asked quietly.
"Is it really me, Zoa?" She asked, pain in her voice.
"It's always been you," he replied, before pulling her to him into a crushing kiss that would last in their memories forever.
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That night, the party ended, but the relationship went on for the rest of their lives.
The End