Fakir still didn't know how he had been dragged into this. He guessed it all started three weeks ago, when the ticket sales for Homecoming started.

It was all Mytho's fault really. He was the one who started going with Rue last year. He was the one who actually wanted to go to Homecoming. He was the one who could never say no to his conniving miscreant of girlfriend.

See it was all her idea to set this up. He was fine to go alone. Hell he didn't even wanna go that much in the first place. And wasn't like he didn't have any options, he was a handsome guy, he could've got a girl to go with him if he wanted to. He just didn't want to. But Rue's friend didn't get asked either and she's 'such a lovely girl' and the two of them 'would get along so well' and now here he is in the front seat of Mytho's car on their way to Rue's house to pick them up.

Ahiru Waters. She had moved there about 10 months ago. Fakir knew of her vaguely. They were in English together, he thinks. Nice enough girl, bit of a dope though. Always late and flustered, red hair in dishevelled braid. Yeah, maybe she was a little rough around the edges, but he couldn't really understand why no-one had asked her.

The car stopped, pulling him out of his thoughts. "We're here." Mytho opened the door waving to Rue as she came into the garden to meet them. Fakir was closing his own door behind him when Ahiru came out of the house, apologising about something to do with her purse.

Rue looked gorgeous, more so than usual. Her dark curls were pinned up on the top of her head, spilling down across her bare shoulders. And with the dark ruby off shoulder dress she was she looked like something out of a classic 1950's flick. Ahiru came up beside her in a strapless mint number that came down to her knees. "Sorry about that." She grinned.

Mytho kissed Rue's cheek. "We ready to go?"

"Pretty much, but Mom wants pictures."

And so they spent the next 20 minutes on Rue's front lawn posing in every god-damn position the woman could think of. Fakir raised an eyebrow at Ahiru as if to say "How much longer?" She just gave him a sympathetic shrug in response.

"My cheeks are going numb." He said through his teeth as the four of them stood with their arms around each-other.

Ahiru never took her eyes off the camera as she told him "They're our ride home."

"Good point."

Finally it was over and they were free to go. Rue lived ten minutes from Kinkan Highschool. Frankly, they could've walked it, but both the girls were in heels and they already had the car anyways. Rue and Mytho chatted away in the front while the two hanger-ons sat awkwardly in the back. Fakir stared out the window as Ahiru fiddled with the ends of her elaborate french-braid. They had nothing to say to each-other. Yeah they had spoken before, but nothing of real substance and never alone. Good God, this was going to be his whole wasn't it? He hated being the third-wheel. Scratch that, he hated the fact Mytho felt the constant need to try and set him up with people. He just didn't seem to understand the concept that a person could be alone without being lonely.

Ahiru finally spoke up, "Mytho, I forgot to say congrats about you guys winning the championships."

Ah, who could forget the Kinkan Knights victory against the Ravens? Led by none other than their star quarterback 'Prince' Mytho Siegfried.

"Thanks Ahiru." That was when Rue gave him a conspiring look. "But uh the real person you should be congratulating is Fakir. He's just taken the fencing team to state."

Ahiru turned to Fakir. "Really? Congratulations! That's so cool!"

"Yeah. It's not that big a deal." He shrugged, not really used to the attention. Half the school didn't realise they had a fencing team.

She grinned. "Are you kidding? It's a huge deal! You should be proud."

"Well uh thanks."

"Well you're very welcome."

And with that the two fell back into a more comfortable silence. And although neither of them could tell Rue and Mytho were sharing a knowing look.

You know, for the same place where Mr. Cat warned them with graphic of the dangers of unprotected sex, the Kinkan High-school gym cleaned up pretty nice. This year's theme was the very original 'A Night Under the Stars'. Massive black sheets covered the walls and bleachers while stars of varying sizes hung front the ceiling. By the main door stood a massive silver moon set piece for students to get their picture taken at. Confetti was scattered allover the place all in all giving the impression of a beautiful night sky.

After waiting to get their pictures taken yet again, they were finally able to find a table and put their stuff down. Ahiru had no sooner put the silver shawl she had been wearing on the table before Rue was dragging her off onto the dance-floor. Mytho waved them off as the two boys sat down.

Mytho glanced at Fakir. "So Ahiru's pretty nice isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's cool." Fakir unloosened his navy blue tie, not really paying attention.

Mytho sighed. He loved Fakir, he really did. He was like a brother to him. They'd known each-other since they were in kindergarten. Which is why he had the right to say "Look, I know you don't really want t one here but it wouldn't kill you to be a bit more civil. You could actually have some fun tonight. Hell you could even strike up a conversation with the girl." Fakir didn't reply. Mytho let out a sigh and gave him a couple of hearty claps on the shoulder as he stood stood. "Good talk buddy, now if you excuse me, I've needed a piss since Rue's house."

"Please keep me in the loop." Fakir called after him as he headed towards the door.

"I plan to!" Mytho waved back.

Some pop song blasted out from the speakers as the two girls danced hand in hand.

"So are you having fun yet?" Rue yelled above the music.

Ahiru nodded enthusiastically as she spun Rue around under her arm. It really was nice. Everyone looked so pretty and the decorations were amazing and Pique said they already had a betting pool going for how long it was until the punch got spiked (Rue had 5 dollars on 40 minutes). It looked like it was going to be a great night. She looked over to their table and saw Fakir talking to Lilie's date Autor, a bespectacled boy who kept mostly to himself. There were worse people to be thrown together with. At least they had something in common - neither of them were happy about the situation.

You see Ahiru didn't really want a date in the first place. She just wasn't interested in anyone and she didn't want to accidentally lead some poor guy on. So she told them that she was already going with someone. The problem with that plan was that she was left with the obviously non-existent date. That's when Rue suggested going as a foursome with Mytho's buddy Fakir. Problem solved.

And if their time at Rue's said anything it was the fact that they both had the same expectations for tonight. Absolutely squat.

Rue held her hands they swayed back and forth to the music. "I know you think we're just trying to force you guys together. But we're not. You're important to us and it only makes sense for the two of you to get along." She shrugged. "I'm not saying you'll be best friends with him, Christ knows I'm not, but Mytho stands by his belief that despite being rough around the edges he's a nice guy. You know, deep deep deep down." The two of them laughed at that. "Just try and get to know him, it's me dislikes not you."

Ahiru laughed it off. Rue was always complaining about her and Fakir's spats. It was kind of amusing after awhile. "You don't mean that.""

"I do, we have a rocky relationship at best." She nodded.

"Why?"

Rue's expression turned cold, "You do not want to know."

Ahiru did not push the subject any further.

His phone reads 8:30 when Ahiru finds him at their table.

"You having fun?"

He was going to say "what do you think?" But then he remembered Mytho's comment about being civil and kept it to himself. "Could be worse." He looked over at the punch-bowl. "They spiked it yet?"

She sat down beside him. "Not yet."

"Crap, I just lost five bucks."

She giggled.

"Where's Rue?"

She pointed to the middle of the dance floor. "Mytho stole her off me."

"The bastard." He said in mock indignation.

"I know right?" She reached across the table and grabbed her purse. She pulled out a variety of its content: her phone with its duck-covered case, a tune of lipstick, ticket stubs and stick of gum. Finally she pulled out a back of Hershey's kisses. She took one herself before offering the bag to him. "Want one?"

He chuckled and took a few. "You little rebel." He joked.

"I know. I'm disgrace to my family. It's really sad actually."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that."

She let out an overdramatic sigh."I know, but what can I do? A Hershey's kiss today, tomorrow a Red Vine. Where does it end?"

He popped another one in his mouth. So, she was funny. How was she friends with Rue again?

Ahiru started putting her stuff back in the purse. "You know I never mentioned it, but I really liked that short story you did for the assignment a few weeks ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "You did?"

"Yeah, you're really good."

"Well thanks."

"Do you write a lot?"

"Yeah, in my free-time."

"What do you write about?"

"Lots of things. People, places. I've kind of hit a patch of writer's block lately though."

She scanned the room. "You could write about here, about us." Her face lit up at the idea. "I could turn into a magical princess and fight evil with the power of dance."

He snorted at the mental image that was forming in his mind. "Seriously"

"Hell yeah, deadly serious. I'd read that."

He looked at her and smiled to himself. Mytho was right, she was a kind of fun to be around.

She wiggles her finger at him. "But when you become a bestseller I expect to be credited."

"Oh of course, I wouldn't dream of not doing so." He leaned towards her starting to play along in a totally platonic manner. "And what were you thinking of?"

She sat up straight and pushed her braid behind her shoulder, gaining confidence. "A dedication at the very least. Maybe a cut of the profit. Tickets to the movie premiere definitely."

He took her tiny hand and shook it. "Consider it done."

And for the next half an hour they discussed this magic princess of her's and her wacky adventures. Of course Mytho would be the handsome prince, saving the day. Rue would be a beautiful maiden, tragic and powerful, willing to give up her life for her loved ones. And Fakir would be the heroic sword-wielding knight, loyal to a fault. They'd fight monsters and shit, the details were still kinda sketchy on that front.

It was a story that was rather rough around the edges but then again so were they. Fakir found that he was actually enjoying himself. The girl was odd, no doubt about it, but she had a certain charm about her. They threw banter back and forth. He was definitely not flirting with her. And as they sat watching their classmates dance the thought strikes him.

"Hey." He looked up to the ceiling, his tone non-chalant as he asked. "You wanna dance?"

Ahiru blinked at him, mildly surprised and smiling, she shrugged. "Why the hell not?"

They music began to slow not long after they had come on to the dance-floor. It was one of those Sam Smith ones he thought, or at least something in that vein.

His left hand was on her waist and his right was in her and they began to move side to side. They made small chat for a while before falling into a comfortable silence. They stayed like that for awhile until she spoke up.

"Hey Fakir?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks." She kept her eyes on his tie, not looking him in the eye. "I've actually had a pretty good time tonight. And I just wanted to say thanks and stuff."

She couldn't tell in the dim light, but his cheeks turned a shade darker. "Don't mention it." He shrugs. "Besides, if the two of them hadn't orchestrated this, we'd never have come up with the idea for our kick-ass novel."

She grinned. "It is pretty kickass huh?"

"Miss Waters it will kick more ass than other book has before."

And at that Ahiru burst out into a fit of laughter, leaning her forehead against his chest. "My God we are such dorks."

"The dorkiest." He concurred, ignoring the burning of his skin.

Across the crowd, with Rue in his arms, Mytho spotted them and winked at him.

Fakir flipped him off.

When the clock strikes ten they're all ushered out of the gym and into the parking lot. They walked side by side as Rue and Mytho walked on ahead talking Lysander, the boy who one the betting pool at one hour and thirty-five minutes. They were nearly at the car when Ahiru casually mentions.

"You know, a bunch of us were gonna go to that Denny's on Main, if you wanted to come along."

He looked at this girl at his side, all blue eyes and freckles in the moonlight and he had to admit that he was pretty goddamn smitten. Not aloud. Not yet anyway. And so instead he just let out a laugh and said.

"Fuck it, let's go to Denny's."