April 13… The Cotillion Ball

Like mothers all over The Burg, my mom decided it was absolutely essential to my upbringing as a good Italian, Burg girl to be put into Cotillion classes this year. It was supposed to teach me decorum, grace, and manners. The twenty week course ran every Tuesday and Thursday night and was capped off with a huge ball we were graded on.

Girls were dressed in the most god awful white, fluffy dresses ever designed. I looked in the mirror and frowned. I looked like I fell off the top of a wedding cake. The dress had a tight bodice that enhanced the fact that my breasts were only an A cup, huge puffed sleeves that fell off my shoulders, and a full skirt that attached to the bodice with a sash that tied in a giant bow on the top of my ass. It was hideous.

My mom was flitting around, fussing with my hair and grumbling about how unruly my curls were. I'd always hated my curls, probably because she complained about them so much, but over the last twenty months every time I saw my crazy curls in the mirror I thought about the night on the beach when my first love fingered them and told me he loved my curls. It always made me feel all warm inside when I thought about him. Granted most of the time I spent thinking about him was in the dark, in my bed, with my hand between my thighs, but ladies don't give details on things like that, right? Maybe they should have addressed that in Cotillion classes.

So now I was just waiting for my 'date'. Most of the girls were being escorted by members of their families or close family friends that were also taking the class or had completed it in the last few years. Mom was going to make me go with my cousin Vinnie, gross. I won't even get into why spending a night having to touch Vincent Plum was only slightly better than being burned with flesh eating acid. Yes, Vinnie cooties were that bad. Finally my mom relented when I was asked by one of the boys from school. I still don't think she liked that I was going on a date or the fact that his dad was picking me up in their new Impala, but I was ready to get away from the Plum madness for a few hours.

When the doorbell rang my mom actually squealed and bounced toward the door, gushing about a first date. Yikes. I walked into the foyer, smiling as Eddie Gazzara grinned back at me. He was wearing a white tux jacket and black pants with a black tie. It made me realize that maybe my dress wasn't so bad. "Hey Steph, you look real pretty," he said nervously.

"You look good too, Eddie." I meant it, Eddie had his dark hair slicked back off his forehead so you could see more of his handsome face. He had friendly brown eyes and a nice smile. He was never the kind of guy that could melt my socks with a grin or ruin my panties with a smoldering look, but he was cute.

"Thanks. I got you a wrist flower thing. My mom said pins could ruin the fabric of your dress or something," he said waving around a white box from the floral shop.

"Oh, how sweet, Eddie," Mom gushed as she watched him open it. He awkwardly slipped the flowers onto my wrist. It was an arrangement of light pink and white roses with some tiny greens and white lace ribbon.

"Wow, that is pretty," I smiled at him. "Thank you."

He shrugged. "Paper route money well spent. They look good on you." That made me blush a little. Mom got out her camera and took pictures of the two of us and the flowers before we finally escaped.

"She's going to show those to everyone. They'll have us engaged by ten tonight," I warned him.

"Would that be so bad, Steph?" he laughed back at me. I slapped his arm as he opened the back door of his dad's car for me.

"I hope we get put into a group with Mary Lou. It would suck to have to dance with a bunch of gross bitches," I told him.

He laughed back with a nod. "Which means you still owe me for not having to go with Vinnie."

"Ugh, you want me to help with your paper route?" I would have done about anything to not have to go with Vinnie.

"Nah. I was kidding. You don't owe me anything. There's no price for friendship, right?"

"Right." He took my hand and held it. I smiled at him. It wasn't the kind of touch that sent sparks or tingles through my body, but it was comforting and sweet. He had large, warm hands that made me feel dainty, it was kind of nice. At my height there weren't a lot of guys my age that could make me feel like a woman. Eddie was one of the few who had a growth spurt over the school year. He was now an inch taller and a good thirty pounds heavier than me. He also seemed to have grown into his hands and feet a little more too, filling out nicely.

His dad dropped us off at the door to the banquet hall. Eddie got out first, opened the door for me and offered his arm as he escorted me into the ball. Perfect Cotillion manners were on.

The hall was decorated in lots of white flowers and spray painted white branches with white twinkle lights on them. The ceiling was draped in white lights and a canopy of sparkly material. It had a magical glow about it. "I wonder if there is cake," I whispered in his ear making him laugh.

"If not, we'll go to my house. My mom made a chocolate cake today," he grinned back at me. I kissed his cheek happily. We looked up our names on the chart and found our table. The three other couples we were seated with would also be in the group we danced with tonight. Grace Gooley and her brother Sam were seated to our right and Cynthia Hawser and her cousin Gary were seated to our left. The seats directly across from us were left empty until just before dinner was served.

We'd all been having a good time, talking and joking about the way Dougie Kruper had farted on the teacher during the last class just as she was talking about remembering our manners. Then the air shifted and I looked up as Joe Morelli pulled out the chair for his sister Cathy. He met my eyes as he sat down in his chair.

Joe was a sophomore in high school, drove a Camaro he'd just bought last month after he'd gotten his license, and dated a slutty mob princess. He also lived around the corner from me and had been torturing me since I was in diapers. It had started with him taking away my Curious George stuffed animal, repeatedly. Then he'd moved onto hair pulling or spit balls that ended up stuck in my curls. Then when I was about to go into second grade I went to his house to play choo choo. Little did I know that meant he was going to put his train, aka finger, into my tunnel, aka vagina. I'd been too stupid and curious to tell him no.

When I noticed he'd been staring at me as I thought about that my cheeks turned bright red. He smiled that stupid heart stopping smile that could definitely melt the socks off any girl in a fifty foot radius. "What you blushing about, Cupcake?" he teased.

"Nothing." Asshole, I added in my head.

"Joey, mom said you had to be on your best behavior tonight," Cathy whined at him.

"I didn't even do anything. Besides, I'm going to have some fun one way or another even if I have to spend the night hanging out with you dorks." Clearly someone as cool as Morelli was above hanging out with middle school kids on his Saturday night.

"Awe, and poor Terri probably had to find some other jerk to keep her busy tonight," I said with my best Burg death glare. Maybe it was a low shot, hinting his girlfriend was out whoring, but I didn't care.

"Yeah? You volunteering to keep me busy tonight, Cupcake?" he shot back.

"Morelli, don't speak to my date like that," Eddie told him in a firm voice.

He laughed, a full deep laugh. "Gazzara, are you getting some from Plum here?"

"Steph's a lady," Eddie said with a frown. I reached over and took his hand in mine. He was sweet for defending me.

"A lady?" he laughed again. "I heard she likes trains."

"Asshole," I shrieked at him while giving him the finger.

"Miss Plum, do we have a problem?" Mrs. Zobo asked. I looked up at the chaperon and shook my head no. "Good, I don't want any problems at this table tonight," she said looking directly at Joe and then me before she walked away.

Morelli snorted. "You going to flunk Cotillion class, Plum? That'd be just like you. Never were a proper Burg girl were you? Jumping off garages and running around with the neighborhood boys," he shook his head. "Your poor mother must pray for you."

I felt my temper boiling, about to burst really. "Don't pay attention to him, Steph. We're going to have a good time tonight. Remember, desert at my house, alright?" Eddie whispered in my ear. I smiled and nodded at him before kissing his cheek. Morelli laughed again and shook his head, but he didn't say anything. I still maintain that he's an asshole.

We used our proper manners and the right silverware for the meal we were served. I may have let little moans escape my lips as I licked my fingers, the sauce was delicious. When I looked up Joe was staring straight at me, his eyes were like molten chocolate and damn if that wasn't a smoldering smile that made my panties a bit damp. I looked back down at my plate, silently cursing him for having that effect on me.

After dinner we all found our spots in line outside the ballroom. The staff cleared away some of the tables and added more chairs for our parents to sit. I was sure my mom and Grandma Mazer would be here, they'd gone to Val's dance. Hopefully I didn't embarrass her tonight or I'd never hear the end of it.

Eddie was a perfect gentleman, holding my hand as we joined the group. Luckily Mary Lou and her cousin Jimmy were in our group, lined up four couples ahead of us. We hugged and laughed at one another's dresses, lost in best friend gossip about some of the other couples. I didn't notice Morelli slip up behind me. He pulled on my curl and whispered in my ear. "Don't trip on your heels, Plum."

Mary Lou used her best Burg death glare on him as he filed into line with Cathy a few couples behind Eddie. "That guy his such a dick," she grumbled. "Too bad he's so hot." I nodded back to her, my thoughts exactly. "Best ass ever." I laughed then, who could argue? He's still an asshole, nice ass or not.

Thirty minutes later our group of twelve was called to the doorway. Each couple entered while the director introduced us. "Mr. Edward Gazzara escorting Miss Stephanie Plum."

I tucked my hand around Eddie's arm and smiled at him. "Show time, Steph," he grinned. He led me in a circle around the dance floor so all the mothers could get a good look at us. I stood tall and straight and pulled off poise pretty well. We found our spot in the group and struck our starting position.

"Mr. Joseph Morelli escorting Miss Catherine Morelli," the director called. I couldn't stop myself from watching him lead her around the room, totally full of himself. Asshole. They stopped and struck their starting pose a few spots down from us.

The music started and Eddie led me into the waltz we'd been practicing as our opening number. It was comfortable and easy spinning in his arms, his hands held me steady and I was happy to be there, but I knew that was about to change. He spun me into position, until we were all in a large circle. It was time to leave Eddie's embrace. The girls moved around the outside of the circle, each guy spinning her to the next partner. The fourth man was Joe Morelli. I glared at him when I realized that he would be my partner for the next two minutes. He just smiled at me like he'd been given extra dessert, oh boy.

I was dancing with Joe Morelli, unbelievable. He moved with ease, like the steps were second nature to him. He towered over me, standing around six feet tall, making me feel small and girlish in his arms. I felt the muscles in his upper arm bunch as I held onto him, wow. I was caught in his force field and had nowhere to flee. Crap.

I looked up into his face, studying him. He had started to shed the boyish looks I was so used to seeing on him. His jaw was a little stronger now, there was evidence of facial hair that had been recently shaved, and his adam's apple was prominent only inches from my nose. Oh, god, this man was touching me and I couldn't get away. The worst part was I didn't know if I wanted to get away.

His warm hand felt like it would burn through the satin of my bodice causing me to flush a little. "Relax, Cupcake," he told me as he stroked little circles on my wrist with his thumb while his fingers tightened over mine. I nodded slightly. He pulled me against his body, not leaving the six inches between us that we were taught were proper. In this position his lips were at my forehead and mine at his collar. I felt like I wanted to just lean into him a little, nibble on his neck, just to see what it tasted like. Instead I leaned into him, inhaling his scent, yum. He spun me once more and dipped me as he bent over my body, looking into my face. He grinned at me and said, "You want me bad, Cupcake."

He'd pissed me off, reading my mind like that. As he lifted me to my feet and moved to allow me to spin back to Eddie I took a quick second to kick him in the shin. He missed a few steps and spun Robin Russell slightly off course, making Becky Sklar miss her step, and poor Cathy crash into Dorothy Rostowski. The entire side of the circle collapsed, but I kept going, moving into Eddie's arms as he swept me back into the dance.

When I caught my mother's glare I knew she'd seen what had happened, but I'd deal with that later. The rest of the dancers had recovered enough that the dance was finished without another huge disaster. We all moved off the floor to applause as the next group was introduced. "What did you do to Morelli?" Eddie finally whispered in my ear.

"He pissed me off so I kicked him in the leg."

He laughed and shook his head at me. "I'll never understand what happens when the two of you are near one another. It seems to have the potential to either be world war three or a live porno."

"Gross," I assured him. He kissed my nose and smiled.

After the introductions we were left on our own to waltz in groups or chat at the tables with punch and cookies. I tried to keep Eddie busy on the dance floor until my mom left. It took over an hour before she must have taken the hint. I figured I'd still get it when I got home, but at least she didn't bother me in front of everyone.

When the coast was clear, Eddie and I snagged a pocket full of cookies and a couple drinks. We snuck off into the garden and found a bench to sit on. Mary Lou followed without her date, but Lenny Stankovic was close on her heels. I laughed, she'd been unsuccessfully trying to lose him for two years. She never should have kissed him after that picnic.

"I cannot believe you kicked Joe Morelli. He'll get you back, Steph," she babbled as she grabbed my cookie. Being my best friend she was the only person I wouldn't kill for taking my cookie, but I still frowned at her.

"He deserved it. He got all touchy on me and told me I wanted him. As if," I said rolling my eyes.

"Girls don't say no to Joe Morelli," she answered. It was true by all accounts of the Burg grapevine.

Eddie laughed and slipped an arm around me. "Well, Steph's foot did." I smiled back at him. He could appreciate my kind of justice.

After a few minutes Mary Lou and her puppy, Lenny, headed back leaving me alone with Eddie again. "I like your guts, Steph," he told me. "And you look real pretty under the moonlight."

He started to lean into me like he was going to kiss me. I'd never felt that way about Eddie, but I'd only ever kissed one boy before, a boy I longed for and knew I'd never see again. Part of me knew I'd never be kissed like that again. There could really only be one perfect first kiss, but I needed to move on. So I looked at Eddie, past the little lump in my heart, and decided to go with it.

I slipped my hands behind his head as I moved toward him. He pressed his lips to mine shyly, not at all like the other boy I'd kissed. I guessed he'd never done this before so I took the lead. Remembering how I was led in my first kiss. I moved my lips over his gently, deepening the kiss until he responded. I moved my tongue against his bottom lip until he opened for me. That was all it took, Eddie's arms came around me as his tongue slipped against mine, and we kissed.

When we broke apart he was grinning like an idiot. "Holy crap, Steph, where did you learn that?"

I laughed as I leaned my head against his shoulder. "Would you believe I met a wizard at the beach once?"

"With you I'd believe anything." I smiled to myself. It wasn't a bad kiss. I just didn't get the butterflies and tingles that I had with the wizard. There was no chance of losing myself in the sensations like I had with that first kiss either. I guess I just didn't feel that way about Eddie after all, which was really too bad. He was a really good guy.

We joined the others inside, dancing and having fun. At the end of the night Joe Morelli took my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor. "Is this payback for the kick?" I grinned at him.

"Nah, I just thought I'd try to figure out what's gotten that stupid look on Gazzara's face tonight. You pop his cherry outside?" he smiled back at me.

"Gross."

"I saw you kiss him. I'm intrigued." He pulled me closer until his thigh was between my legs.

"By what?" I said trying to pull back.

He stepped back and took my hand, leading me out a door at the back of the hall. He pushed me down a blind hallway and leaned against me. "I'm intrigued by you, Cupcake."

Then his hands were on my hips, pulling me against his body as his lips met mine. I struggled to push him away for about ten seconds, but even before I gave up my tongue was in his mouth. He was all hands, before I knew it my dress was pushed up and he was cupping my ass, lifting me up the wall. I hung onto him, wrapping my legs around his hips. His lips left my mouth, kissing a trail down my neck while we moved our hips against one another. I was in a serious state by this point. To say I was not aware of anything around me was an understatement, so when he dropped me to the ground suddenly, spinning me away from him so my skirt fell back down and I was tucked into a doorway, I was stunned. "Mr. Morelli, what are you doing down here?"

"Just trying to get a break from the crowd, Mrs. Zabo," he answered.

My breath caught for just a second hoping I wouldn't be caught. "Well, let's join the others. The last dance in next." I heard their footfalls and waited until I figured the coast was clear.

"Come on, Plum," I heard him call down the hall. I hurried along the hall and popped back out to an empty corridor.

"Thanks." I meant it, he could have ruined me in that second, but he'd tucked me away. Maybe he wasn't such an asshole.

"No problem, after that let down with Gazzara I figured you needed a real man between your legs."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I've had better Morelli," I grinned at him, teach him for that almost-charming shit he always pulled on me.

"I could tell someone broke you in, but I could have shown you a few things if we'd had another five minutes."

"Five minutes? Doesn't seem all that impressive, Morelli."

He took my elbow, leading me back to the ballroom. "Another sixty seconds I would have had you moaning my name, Plum." Then he was gone.

Eddie gave me a look, then looked over at Joe who was collecting his sister from her chair. "Problem?"

"He's an asshole," I explained.

Eddie smiled. "He is a Morelli."

We took the floor for the last dance and waited for Eddie's dad to pick us up outside. Morelli pulled up to pick up his sister and lifted a hand at me. "See ya around, Cupcake." I flipped him the one finger salute in response. Asshole.

That night I shed my gown and slipped into pink satin boxer shorts and a matching tank top. I washed the make-up from my face and let my curls spring down around me. Why was I attracted to such a butt head? Why did he like to play with me? All my life he'd been playing with me, driving me crazy with his attention, then he'd turn it around and laugh at me for it. When would I ever learn someone like Joe Morelli didn't fall for a girl like me?

Why couldn't he look at me the way RC had? Why couldn't RC be available? Then maybe I wouldn't feel so completely helpless. What kind of girl had such physical reactions to two different men? True Joe didn't make my entire being tingle like RC had, but he did make a certain important part tingle if you know what I mean. At the time that felt like enough. I sighed to myself, it was probably time to forget about RC and the way I felt with him. It was probably a once in a lifetime thing. How would I ever date anyone if I compared them all to him? Not that I was thinking about dating Joe Morelli, yikes.

I heard the ping of stones hit my window. I looked down and saw Eddie waving up at me. I snuck down my usual path out the bathroom window. "You didn't get your cake," he said holding up a Tupperware container. I could help smiling at him.

We settled ourselves against the side of the garage and ate the cake with our fingers. When we finished he leaned in and kissed me again. He must have noticed I didn't kiss him back like earlier. "This isn't going to happen is it?" he asked. I shook my head no. "I'm not a wizard?"

I couldn't help, but laugh. "I've already met mine, but I've no doubt you'll be someone's wizard."

He put an arm around me and held my hand. "Thanks for tonight, Steph."

"Thank you, Eddie. You know I love you right?"

"Yeah, love you too, Steph. Friends for life."

"Friends for life." We hooked our fingers in a pinky swear.

"Stay away from Morelli. He's no wizard either, he just likes to play games with people." I nodded back and smiled at Eddie. He kissed my forehead and squeezed me against his side a little tighter.