A warm smile crept onto Mr. Fenton's face.
"Yes, Donna."
The blonde replied, "The answer is b." She placed her hand back on her desk quietly.
"That's correct. Can you tell me why?"
As Donna proceeded to explain her reasoning, Mr. Fenton got lost in her face: The gentle bustle of her hair across her shoulders; the way her small, beautiful mouth moved when she spoke; the constant fidget of her hands as she enlightened the class; and her wide, innocent blue eyes crowned by her thick lashes.
"Is that right?" she asked timidly.
"Yes, Donna. Your answer is right indeed." He turned his back on the class and began writing out the next multiple choice question on the blackboard.
--
Mrs. Keppel cracked the door of Donna's bedroom and poked her head in. Donna was perched at the desk with her headphones plastered to her head, the pencil in her hand scribbling feverishly. After weaving through the maze of book piles, projects, and papers strewn all over the floor, Mrs. Keppel tapped her daughter on the shoulder.
Donna started at the unexpected contact. "Oh, Mom! It's you…" she took off her headphones.
"You know, you should really clean up this mess. I can barely move in here!" she scolded.
"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" she joked, cracking a smile.
"Claire's on the phone for you."
Donna took the telephone from her mother and thanked her.
"Hey Claire."
"Football game. Tonight. Eight o'clock. You have to go with me!" she exclaimed.
Donna's gaze fell upon the pile of schoolbooks on her desk.
"I don't know, Claire. I've still got a load of homework…"
"Oh, Donna! You have all weekend to do that! Besides, maybe if you write Mr. Fenton a love letter he'll let you skip out on a couple of assignments…" she teased.
"Shut up, Claire!" she snapped. "For the last time, Mr. Fenton does not have a crush on me! He's a grown man!"
Claire chuckled on the other end of the line, "Crush or no crush, you're coming to this game. Michael's going to be there, and I don't want to go alone."
"Ah, so the plot thickens," said Donna. "Why not? You'd probably have a better chance of having some one on one with him if I wasn't tagging along. Plus, I hate football."
"Pleeeeeease Donna? I really need a wing-girl!" she plead. Donna laughed at both her desperation and horrible use of vocabulary.
"Oh, fine! Just let me ask, okay? I'll call you back."
"You're the best!" Claire said, and the phone clicked.
--
The refrigerator door slammed shut. Richard Fenton sighed and walked into a room at the end of the hall.
The girl really does her homework. She aces every test that I give her. There's something about her, something special. She's going to go places.
Richard sat on his bed and leaned against the headboard. He grabbed a book from the bedside table and began to read it. But his eyes are all that saw the words across the pages.
She answered that question perfectly today. I couldn't have explained it better myself.
He flipped the page, and realized that he hadn't really even read the one before. Frustrated with his distant mind, he slammed the book back onto the nightstand.
Richard skulked out into the living room, plopped into his favorite rocking chair, and turned the television on to the local news station.
The headlining news anchor said, "And now we go to Christina Velazquez who is standing outside of Bridgeport High School's football field. What's going on down there, Christina?"
"Well Steve, it's a mad house down here tonight! Bridgeport High School attendees, and alumni alike, are swarming to the benches to witness this sure-to-be historic game. The Bridgeport Vikings are to face off against the Greenville Bears tonight, the team that they have never won a game against."
"Why don't you tell us more about it?" asked Steve.
Christina replied, "Steve, the Greenville Bears are known throughout Gleeson County for holding an unbelievable winning streak of 5 years straight. The Vikings are almost as highly esteemed, only when they reach the playoffs, they can never seem to jump the Bears' hurdle. As for this year, though, the Vikings have collected an unstoppable force and the outcome of this game is totally unpredictable."
"Well, that sounds like it will be an exciting game! Christina will be covering the highlights tomorrow in our afternoon program. Thank you, Christina. In other news, wildfires are spreading across the state due to an arson attack…" the anchor continued. By this time, Richard had stopped listening. He was already in his coat and rushing out the door.
--
Both familiar and unfamiliar faces swarmed all around. Donna gave her best friend a concerned look.
"I don't know about this. We don't even know half of these people…"
"What? Are you allergic to social gatherings? Just because we're freshmen doesn't mean that we have to miss out on all of the fun!"
Donna furrowed her brow. "I just don't see how this is going to be any fun. I don't really recognize anyone we know from class."
"Well, try to see this as an opportunity to meet new people! It's a new day and age, starting today. Embrace it Donna!" Claire threw her arms up into the air.
Donna laughed and struggled to smother her. "You're attracting a lot of attention! I don't think that's the best way to meet new people."
"Let's just go find the snack stand, you recluse," Claire teased.
Soon, the two girls had reached the opposite end of the football field. A long line of hungry people had formed in front of the small snack stand. At the very front of the stand just so happened to be the Michael that Claire had her eye on.
"Oh no…" she whispered breathlessly.
Troubled by her friend's abrupt uneasiness, Donna asked, "Hey, you alright?" She placed a hand on her shoulder. Claire grabbed Donna by the arm and yanked her behind the burly boy standing in front of them in line.
"I just saw him…"
"Who?" Donna asked. Claire rolled her eyes.
"Michael! He's right up there!"
"So what? You came here to see him, didn't you?"
Claire's eyes widened. "Not this soon! I figured I'd have more planning time, you know… That I would have the chance to get my game up before we actually saw him…" Donna found Claire's sudden lack of confidence surprising, but still a bit comical.
"Well, we don't have to talk to him now. We could always find him later if you want to."
"What? That's crazy! What if we can't find him later? What if we lose him…" she babbled.
Donna tapped Claire on the face gently. "Come on, girl! You're being ridiculous. He hasn't even noticed us. But he will if we don't stop freaking out and acting like dweebs!" She pulled Claire back up to her feet.
Donna stood on her tiptoes to try and catch a glimpse of this 'Michael' character over the line. She just had to see what exactly it was that Claire was freaking out about.
"He's wearing the varsity jacket! The one with that smooth brown hair and those perfect lips…"
"Okay!" Donna snapped, not having wanted to hear Claire's innermost fantasies publicized.
At the window of the snack bar, a tall boy was turning around with a hot dog and a bag of potato chips.
"Do you see him? Isn't he adorable?" Claire drooled.
"Yeah, I see him. Who's that he's with?"
After popping her head out from behind the brawny guy to observe, Claire answered, "Oh. That's Steven. Interested, are you?"
"I don't know. From back here I might be."
"That's Rick Leland. He's a star quarterback for our dear Vikings," she explained.
Donna twisted up her face. "That's just what I need; someone who doesn't know squat beyond football."
"Well, he's pretty hot. That should compensate for his lack of brains, right?"
"I don't know. He probably wouldn't be interested in me anyway."
Claire scoffed at her friend's pessimism. "Oh, yeah right! You're great. He just doesn't know yet."
"Thanks."
"So we're going to bring light to your situation."
"Yeah… wait, what?" Donna's heart began to race.
"You heard me. Come on!" she snatched Donna's wrist and dragged her along after her, right behind Michael and Rick.
"Wait, Claire! What about Michael? You need more time to spell out your game, remember?" she tried to convince her. What had happened to the cowardly girl who was hiding behind the husky boy in line? Where did this sudden burst of assurance come from?
"I have my plan."
"Oh no you don't!" Donna tried to resist Claire's persistent jerking, but to no avail.
Sooner than she had hoped, Donna found Claire and herself only a few feet behind the boys.
"What now?" Donna whispered to Claire. She looked at Donna, winked, and disappeared into the jungle of people looking for a seat. Not having expected her best friend to vanish, Donna felt a feeling of remorse creep over her. She took a deep breath, and began making her way through the crowd.
Every flash of brown hair made her heart skip a beat, but there was no sign of Claire anywhere. What could she be up to? How dare she leave her best friend stranded in a mass of bodies that she did not recognize at all?
After trying to politely squeeze between two large ladies in the aisle of the bleachers, Donna caught sight of a girl with brown hair out of the corner of her eye. She immediately rushed towards her friend.
"What is your problem-" she began, but was cut to the quick by Claire.
"There you are! I was just asking these if they would be so kind as to help me look for you! I thought I'd have to watch this game alone!" she giggled. She wrapped her arms around Donna.
She could feel her palms moisturize themselves with nervousness. She looked to her left, and right beside Claire was Rick Leland, the cutie she had been looking at. Hot blood rushed to Donna's face as she struggled to wring out a believable smile.
A/N: Yay! My first chapter of my new Prom Night fanfiction. I'm feeling quite confident in this fanfiction. I have a great story plotted out in my head. But nothing keeps me going like what you have to say! I appreciate criticism and, of course, compliments, if you can manage them. ) Please, let me know what you think!
All characters, locations, and names are copywrighted to the film Prom Night. However, the idea and plot is mine!