Chapter 75B Seeley's POV
Seeley reluctantly took the tux out of his truck and headed into Wendell's house. He didn't want to go to the dance at all. Truth be told, he wanted to camp out at Tempe's new house until she came home, and then spend the rest of the night with her. Doing anything, they could play Parcheesi or battleship for all he cared; he just wanted to be with her. Just him and her, no one else barging in, texting, calling or anything, he was going to see her tomorrow if he had to sacrifice something to Billy to do it.
He just walked on into the house and followed the noise to Wendell's downstairs bedroom. He had the whole bottom floor to himself, something he used to use to his advantage. However, since the whole upheaval of their group, he'd been the only one down there and it was becoming more of a man cave than ever before.
"You have got to be kidding me?" Seeley heard Angela before he saw her, walking around the corner, she was holding a bright orange Speedo on the tip of her finger and was standing in a barely there slip and bra in front of Wendell. Seeley put his hand over his eyes and said, "Whoah, sorry, I'll go upstairs and wait until you're changed." Turning to look at him, she said in a surprised voice, "Why? Haven't you ever looked at a playboy?"
Surprised, he cocked his brow and moved his hand and said slowly, "Yes"
"Well dummy, this is what they look like when they wear clothes" she said, flinging the banana hammock at Wendell. "I don't even want to know why you have that Wendell Bray, but don't ever wear it around me, that's just wrong" she winked at Seeley and walked into Wendell's hijacked bathroom where she'd spread more cosmetics and hair supplies than most major retailers carried.
Lowering his voice Seeley looked at Wendell lounging on his bed with his tux pants and suspenders and said, "She doesn't know you swim?"
"She doesn't know I swim" he said. Leaning back onto his headboard with his arms behind his head he sighed and said quietly, "I hope everything works out tonight. No matter what happens, just play along ok? I really don't want hurricane Angela swamping my shores, if you know what I mean?" Wendell's wry grin was just a little shaky. Snorting, Seeley said, "is woo afwaid of woos's girlfwiend?"
"Yes" he answered seriously and then laughed.
The two of them broke into laughter and Seeley went over to the other side of the bedroom to change into his own tux. He pulled it out of the bag and looked at it, Angela had gotten him a vest in a light blue color, it had a silver back and some sort of design was printed on the material, but subtly so the design only appeared in the right light. When he asked why that color, she'd told him that it brought out his eyes. Wondering how a color so close to no color could bring anything out, he didn't question it. He dropped his jeans and slid on the black slacks, leaving them unbuttoned while he pulled out his shirt, the barest glimpse of his abs was all Angela saw as she came back in to grab something out of her purse. Seeley wasn't paying attention to her, he was making sure the buttons lined up on the shirt and she just stared, her jaw slack and her mind reeling. She couldn't believe what Temperance had under wraps with this guy.
Wendell cleared his throat and she brought her head around sharply, his eyebrows were raised and there was a tiny grin on his face as he stood watching her ogle Seeley. "Like what you see?" he asked softly and without malice. She looked at him, standing in just an undershirt, suspenders and grey slacks. His hair tousled, muscles tight as he leaned against the wall, his hands pulling the suspenders to the middle of his chest. Wendell had deep, bedroom eyes and with that square jaw she was hooked, harder than she'd ever intended in fact, she walked seductively over to him and stood in front of him, putting her hands on his shoulders, she breathed, "Just because a girl does some browsing at the window doesn't mean she's going to purchase the merchandise, I happen to like what I've already got" and she leaned up and kissed him softly before he wrapped his arms around her and said, " Good, because it's only going to get better" and then he spun her around, tapped her on the butt and said, "finish already would you?"
Looking at Seeley, who was now tucking in his shirt and buttoning up he said, "I'm starving, I'm going upstairs, I'll be down in a sec, Seel-you want anything?" he walked past him to the stairs.
"Nah man, I'm good thanks"
"Okay, I'll be back"
As Wendell hurried upstairs Angela came out of the bathroom, fully dressed her hair done and dynamic makeup on. Looking up as he pulled on his vest, Seeley exhaled sharply. He knew that next to Tempe Angela was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen in real life; he just never expected to see her like this. She was beautiful. Her acid green dress was soft and draped her slender figure perfectly, she looked like the dress had been poured over her and then arranged to cover the most pressing bits. She was wearing 4 inch green stiletto heels which would make her just about the same height as Wendell, although, he would still always be bigger than her. Seeley just stared, he moistened his lips and dry swallowed a couple of times, "You look nice Angela, really, reaaaally nice" he finally sputtered.
"This old thing? Eh, it was just lying around" secretly pleased, but knowing that once he saw his Bone Lady she wouldn't even register on his radar she smiled at him her full 100 watt smile. He smiled back but it didn't reach his eyes, he was thinking that Tempe should be getting ready with Angela and they should be giggling and having fun, instead she was out shopping and Angela was getting ready with the Hardy boys in a basement. Shaking his head and reminding himself he only promised an hour, he started to put on the bow tie that matched the vest when Angela spoke up from where she'd sat on Wendell's bed, watching his internal struggle.
"No tie, just the vest, open up the top two buttons on the shirt that looks a lot better."
He looked in the mirror about Wendell's dresser and said, "Are you sure? It seems like that's how I should look at the end of the dance, not the beginning"
"Trust her man, I never thought I'd be wearing suspenders either, but when I get the shirt and jacket on, I feel like Cary Grant" Wendell said, around a mouthful of PB&J.
"That's just gross Wendell" Angela said rolling her eyes at him.
"That's not what you said earlier" he said back, winking and smirking.
"Um, that's enough you two; let's just finish getting ready please?" Seeley didn't like to even think about the kinds of things that went on between them, neither one of them was very conventional. Even though Fischer was his weirdest friend, he'd bet his paycheck that Wendell could out do all of them as far as experience was concerned. The two of them looked at him and then each other and she said, "Okay boys, 10 minutes than I'm leaving without you and you'll be on your own" she said as she grabbed a silk wrap and a small purse and she went upstairs.
Wendell finished his sandwich, brushed his teeth and put his own shirt and jacket on. He had a grey fedora to wear as well. Seeley pulled on the jacket, glad that he'd gone with the French cuffs on the shirt after all. Payton had always said they seemed ridiculous, but he'd always wanted to try them. Putting his black belt on, he snapped the silver belt buckle closed and then checked his face in the bathroom, used a spare toothbrush that Wendell had for him, Fischer had one too, the guys used to come over a lot before recent events and ran his fingers through his short brown hair and then he said, "ready when you are" as he left the bathroom.
Wendell grabbed his wallet and the two of them went upstairs where Angela was waiting by the door, keys in hand ready to take them to the dance. The Aston wasn't built for 2 larger than average high school boys and her, so she was driving the Escalade. Seeley leaned back in the leather seats and wondered what it would be like to live like this all the time. Angela was spoiled, but she didn't flaunt it. Payton's parents were well off, nowhere near Billy, but still not doing bad and she acted like she was the richest girl on the planet. He' always had to work for what he had, as did Pops, and his dad, everyone in his family was blue collar to the core, but he'd never change it. He hoped that Angela and her dad wouldn't change Tempe too much. He was glad that she'd never have to struggle through life, but he couldn't bare it if she became a mini me of Angela. As much as he liked her, he liked Temperance for who she was. Sighing, he leaned his head back and began to count the minutes until he could leave.
All too soon they were at the school and the three of them walked in and took a look around. There were about 50 round tables scattered about, some with small votive candles floating in bowls, some had picture frames with black and white pictures of students in them, some had cameras of their own on them. There were great big silk tapestries hanging from the ceiling that were swaying softly from the breeze of the air conditioners. There was a balloon arch over where the photographer was set up, along with the snowflake imprinted background. Herding the boys over to the photographer, Angela said, "I want a picture with the hottest guys here, let's go" Both boys groaned but went with her, neither wanted to risk her wrath; she'd been amped enough in the car as it was. Standing in between the two of them, she smiled broadly and the two of them got into character as well. They both looked like James Bond stand ins as they stood on either side of her, jackets slung casually over their shoulders and hooked in their fingers. Wendell pulled the hat down rakishly and barely smiled, Seeley smiled what Tempe called his, "I've got a secret" smile and then the photographer raised her head from the camera and said, "I wish there'd been guys like you in school when I went to school"
After she took the picture she told them when it would be ready and Angela told them both that was their Christmas present from her, "If you're lucky, I'll autograph it and then it'll be worth something" she teased as she went to see if her surprise was ready. Wendell knew about it already, he and Fischer had met the band earlier in the day, and we're suitably impressed. For a multi platinum band, they, like Billy were surprisingly down to earth.
Wendell and Booth heard Fischer calling their name and turned to look at him as he crossed the floor. There were very few people there that early, mostly underclassmen and some of the less popular kids. Most of what used to be their crowd, and the majority of their senior class would be showing up over the next hour or so. Both of them turned to Fischer and both laughed right out loud. He was wearing a baby blue tux with black piping, a white ruffled shirt straight out of the 70's, his hair, always unruly was trying vainly to escape from the liberal amount of gel he'd put on it. Looking down, he had on his blue Converse sneakers. He called them his dress shoes and only wore them for special occasions. Alana was wearing a plum, chiffon dress her long dark hair pulled back with a matching headband. She was cute in a freshman kind of way, and it was obvious the two of them had many things in common, fashion outcasts not the least of them.
"What's shakin' bacon?" He asked approaching them "Is everything ready to go?"
"Looks like it, we're just waiting for the rest of them to get here, and then we're a go" Wendell said, constantly watching to see just where Angela was flitting about. She was staying behind the scenes until her big number and he didn't want her to trip over any of the cables or props back there.
Slowly, the room began to fill and Wendell and Seeley went to find a table as Fischer met with Angela and Chelsea to go over what would be happening. Sensing a change in the room dynamic, Seeley turned towards the door just as Payton, Mack, Caroline and Hester entered. Daisy brought up the rear; she apparently had elected to go stag. Payton was wearing a dress that in the past would have been on the floor of Seeley's truck in no time, but now, it just made her look like she was trying too hard. She stared down her nose at everything and acted as if this was just a kid's birthday party, instead of the biggest event of her winter calendar.
Seeley knew that the two of them were on the ballot, he'd even teased Tempe at one time about voting for himself as King, in the end, he voted for Mark. He just hoped against hope that enough people would want her to fail and wouldn't have voted for her. Or him either for that matter, he wasn't interested in being the king of anything unless Temperance was involved. The two of them sat there silently, each lost in separate thoughts of how the night was going to go when the house lights dimmed and Chelsea Cole began to speak into the microphone. Seeley listened to her introduce Fischer and started to get a little apprehensive. He wondered just exactly what they had in store for the night; he'd stopped paying attention to the details about their plans right about the time they'd started planning to do something.
Wendell stood and tapped him on his shoulder, "come on man, its show time" and he reluctantly went up to the stage to pass the baton as it were. Realizing too late that he would have to stand on the stage with her, he was furious. He was going to take this out on Fischer too. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to get them together; after all, he'd just pressed stalking charges against her for crying out loud. Trying to maintain and keep his cool, he stood just slightly behind her and waited for this fresh round of hell to be over. Fischer announced the winners of the junior court and then spent a few minutes creating tension by talking and joking with the crowd. He must have received an invisible signal because he started to announce the winners of the King and Queen and then stopped to clarify with Chelsea. Seeley's stomach dropped, he knew what was going to happen before it did.
Sure enough, when their names were called, he wasn't surprised at all. Payton looked at him with a victorious look on her face, smug; sure it was all a matter of time. She bent down to get the flowers they were giving her, and let Chelsea put the tiara on her head. Starting to put the crown on his head, he stopped her and just held it in his hand, even during the requisite photograph. He would play along for only so long before he would be done and he was just about at that point when the music changed, the lights started to blink rapidly and all of a sudden, Angela was striding across the stage.
Seeley watched her and the crowd's reaction. He was still mad, but knew that she must have something spectacular planned to show up at that exact moment. She joked around with Fischer for a couple of minutes and then addressed the crowd. The longer Seeley listened to what she was saying, the more he was sure that Tempe and Angela were destined to be together just as he and Tempe were meant to be. When she was talking about what Payton had done to her, his blood began to boil again and he was reminded of how much pain and humiliation she caused. Sensing movement to his left, he saw three uniformed police officers come to the edge of the stage and he realized that Angela was going to call Payton out in front of everyone. Feeling somewhat better, when he realized that Payton was trying to escape, he brought himself back to what Angela was saying. He stopped Payton from edging off the stage and told her that it was her turn to pay. Thinking that was it, he was more surprised than anyone when the curtain raised and Three Doors Down and Billy Gibbons were on the stage. He was dumbfounded, and if he'd turned around even just a few seconds later, he would have missed her entrance.
The spotlight shown on the back of the room and at first he wasn't sure what he was seeing was real. It appeared as though Tempe was gliding in on Grayson's arm. When his brain registered that what his eyes were seeing was real, he was finally able to breathe. Temperance was ethereal, already beautiful day in and out, seeing her in the ice blue sheath, her hair and makeup professionally done all he could think of was how lucky he was to have met her on the football field just a little over a month ago. His chest couldn't hold his heart as it swelled when he saw her. His throat was dry and he had to moisten his lips and exhale carefully. He was only half listening to Angela now; his entire focus was on the one girl who'd captured his heart, body and soul.
Angela came over and told him that it was his chance, and he wasn't going to waste it. Tossing the ridiculous crown to the side, he jumped off the stage and hurried to where Grayson had stopped, he reached out to touch her to make sure she was real and then said, "You're beautiful Temperance, just beautiful" he couldn't take his eyes away from hers, he felt everything that he could reflected right back at him. Shyly and softly she said, "So are you." He looked at her for another moment and then pulled her in for a kiss, soft and gently he explored her lips and barely teased her with his tongue, but then the room erupted in cheering and he pulled back slightly and left a chaste kiss on her lips.
"I love you Tempe" he said when their mouths parted, "I'll never let you go"
"Don't ever let me go Seeley, I love you too" she told him, putting her hand on his chest. It burned through his clothes and shot straight to his heart, he didn't know how a simple touch could feel like a brand. He began to sway softly back and forth and she matched his movement with her own, pulling her close, he asked if she wanted to leave, and even though he would have been happy to leave and go spend the rest of the night together alone, he wasn't surprised that she would want to stay. It was her first dance, and he decided that they would make it the best one she'd ever experience. Bending down to kiss her again, Angela broke up the moment and told them they could do that whenever they wanted. Fischer and Alana came up to the group, and looking around, Seeley realized that these were the best friends he was ever likely to have, and no matter how high school had started out, he was glad the way it was ending, he couldn't have chosen a better night to spend with them, or with her. Always with her.