Author's Note: Hope you like it. Please Review. Enjoy!

"Put something nice on for the dance, god damn it! I want nice pitchers!" Sheryl's yell echoed threw out the house.

Dwayne was lying on his bed trying to ignore her when she let out an earsplitting yell, trying to get him to unlock his door. Dwayne laid the book he was reading on his face and plugged his ears with his fingers. Sheryl had been yelling herself horse for the last hour trying to get him to dress up. He was not going to fucking dress up for this school function that Hannah was forcing him into. He glanced at his clock. She would be here in a few more minutes.

He got up and looked out the window. It was just there normal street. A brown car drove by, then a red Honda, then Hannah's car appeared and stopped at the end of there driveway. He dashed to his door and threw it open, shocking Sheryl who had stopped yelling to help Olive find her favorite socks.

He got to the front door just as Hannah reached the front steps. "Hello!" Hannah said reaching the front door. Dwayne just smiled. Hannah was wearing a pretty red strapless dress that had black flowers and black fishnet poking out from the bottom.

"Dwayne!" Sheryl screamed from inside the house. "You had better change into something nice or your grounded!"

"Better go get ready." Hannah teased as she walked past him and into the living room.

Did I invite you in?

"Ha, ha very funny." Hannah said poking him in the stomach as she went to the couch.

"Dwayne, change Now!" Sheryl yelled from a back room. He had no choice but to follow her orders, so he stalked to his room while Hannah giggled at him from the couch. He quickly changed into a blue button up shirt he had never worn before, but was sure ha had had it for at least two years, and a large brown jacket. It didn't fit him too well, but he just had to have mom see him leaving the car in it and he would be good to go.

When he was ready he went to the living room only to find it empty. He heard Sheryl humming in the kitchen while she made dinner. A rare moment in the Hoover household. So he knew Hannah wasn't in there, Sheryl never hummed when she had an audience.

So he wondered around the house looking for her. He did find her eventually. In Olive's room, where Olive and Hannah were jumping up and down on the bed laughing. Dwayne smiled as he saw them, and in that moment he realized something. He didn't just like Hannah, he was in love with her.

He left the doorframe and laid himself flat on the wall next to the door, trying to catch his breath. Why did he do these things that he did to himself? He was just making the inevitable ten times harder for himself. How was he going to be able to ask her out now? He knew he would let the L word out with a slip of his pen, and she would freak out, think he was a weirdo. Why did these things always happen to him?

"What are you doing out here?" Hannah asked as she came to the door seeing him sitting on the floor. "I like that jacket. Just one question? How many people are you smuggling in it?" Hannah asked giving him a hand up.

They made it out of the house roughly ten minutes later only after at least 10 forced pitchers by Sheryl, a hunt for the car keys, and Sheryl gushing over how handsome he looked. Hannah liked that part. Dwayne scowled at her.

They pulled up to the school five minutes after eight. There was already a long line to get into the cafeteria where the dance would be held. Sheryl must have asked them 20 times on the way there if they still had there tickets, but she just couldn't resist asking once more.

"You have your tickets?"

"Yes, there in our hands."

"Now you kids have fun. Don't party too hard, and I'll be back at eleven to pick you up." They opened the doors and started climbing out of the back seat of the little neon, that was about to be sold because Richard couldn't afford the payments. "Dwayne, have fun."

Dwayne shut the door and looked at the little car just sitting there, waiting to get out of the packed parking lot.

"Ready?" Hannah asked as they started walking up towards the school. Dwayne shrugged. They hadn't taken but a few steps when someone stepped out of the shadows towards them.

"Hey trouble makers." Seth said taking a drag off his cigarette and letting the smoke drift upwards towards the starry sky.

"You know your not supposed to do that on school property." Hannah said in a tattle tale voice.

"Does it look like I fucking care. Are you going to tell on me, narc?"

"I thought I told you to stop. It's a filthy habit and…"

"I'll get lung cancer, mouth cancer, brain cancer, testicular cancer, ass cancer, exploding kidneys."

"I never said half of that."

"Yeah, but I know you were thinking it." Seth said taking another drag before tossing it to the ground and crushing it with his shoe. They wondered over to the line while Seth and Hannah argued some more.

"I told you, I'm trying to quit. But it's very hard."

"I know, I know. But I think you need to try a little harder."

As they neared the doors they could already hear the music pumping from inside.

"So who's your date Seth?"

"No one. I'm flying solo tonight. Unless Dwayne wouldn't mind sharing his date?" Dwayne shrugged as he stood on his toes trying to see over the sea of retards in front of them.

"Yay, I have too dates." Seth wrapped his arm around Hannah's shoulder and Dwayne rolled his eyes as they took one step forward. "You know you smell like an ash tray." Hannah said pulling away from him to stand next to Dwayne.

"I feel like an ash tray."

They made there way to the front of the line and Dwayne handed there tickets and ID's to the woman behind the folding table. She looked at them and checked something off a list and handed it all back to him.

They were in the hallway that ran along side the cafeteria, and the music was even louder in here. Groups of people stood here and there, and Dwayne handed Seth back his ticket and ID, keeping Hannah's since she didn't have any pockets, coat or purse.

They walked into the Cafeteria, which was darker with only a few neon lights here or there. There was a huge DJ stand set up, the room was already pretty crowded, but Dwayne knew they were early and that it would get fuller soon. The music really was overly loud, and he could feel it vibrating threw his chest. Even worse, it was bad Rap music that was being played.

Hannah put her hands over her ears and dashed to the other end of the room where it was less crowded. It was also where her Drama friends were hanging out, along with the other kids in school who were less popular. This was where they belonged.

Dwayne took off his coat and tossed it on one of the few table they had left standing.

You know I think they need to turn the music up, I can't hear it!

"That's a good one." Seth said taking a seat at the table Dwayne had tossed his jacket on. Hannah returned moments later grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on you guys, it's a dance. Let's go dance!" Seth ignored her and started drumming his fingers on the table. Dwayne shook his head no and sat down next to Seth. "Come on Dwayne. Dance with me. Your not such a bad dancer. I bet we could teach Seth too."

I don't feel like making an idiot out of myself in front of people I know.

"Oh come on. You've never had a problem with making an idiot out of yourself before!" Hannah stomped her foot, pouting that no one would dance with her.

"I'll dance with you." Seth said getting up. "I don't care what people think of me."

Hannah went out into the dance area to dance with Seth and left Dwayne fuming all alone. When the song ended they came back and Hannah drug him out onto the dance floor.

Even though they hadn't been there very long, they were already burning up. The place was like a sauna.

"It's roasting in here." Seth said when they were dancing all together. Dwayne nodded as he did the robot. Hannah always laughed when he did it. He really was sweating though. He had already unbuttoned the cuffs on his shirt and pushed them up.

"I'm in a dress with my hair up, and I'm still really hot." Hannah complained tugging on her pigtails and started fanning herself with her hands.

Change of Perspective. Rewind.

"I'll dance with you." Seth said getting up and stretching his legs. "I don't care what people think of me." And he really didn't. Seth wrapped his arm around Hannah and led her to the dance floor. He noticed that she looked back at Dwayne.

"I still maintain the fact that he doesn't like me, yet, anyway."

"Oh, he's in love with you. He told me so. Gust give him a little more time." Seth said as they began slow dancing.

"Maybe your right, but I'm just tired of waiting. If he likes me like you say, why hasn't he done anything?"

"Because he's shy."

"We all know that. But… I just don't know. I'm just not sure if I want to wait around forever."

"Just give it a few more days. Trust me." Seth said as the song stopped and they walked back to Dwayne who didn't look too happy with him. The angrier Dwayne got the faster he might make his decision. "Thanks for the dance I promised in that letter." Seth whispered when they were still out of Dwayne's ear shot.

"No problemo."

Another hour and a half went by and they were hotter than ever and also tired from busting moves. They had pulled there chairs in a little half circle by the table they had put there coats on. They talked quietly about a few things, but mostly listened to Seth's impressions.

"You can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man. No time to talk." They laughed as Hannah took a sip of the water she had gotten from the fountain outside. Seth saw someone coming towards them out of his peripheral. It was Ricky Velt. He tapped Hannah on the shoulder, whom wasn't paying attention to her atmosphere, and asked her for a dance. It also sucked that it was a slow song that was currently playing.

Hannah gave Dwayne and him a questioning look, as if asking them what to do. They gave her pleading looks. She ignored them and said yes to there enemy. Dwayne look like he was about to explode as he watched Hannah trot off to the dance floor with the person he hated most. Seth was with him on that one. This wasn't right. He bet that Hannah was just trying to make Dwayne jealous. She was doing well at that, if that's what she intended. But what is up with Ricky? Why was he suddenly interested in Hannah?

We should do something.

Dwayne had his fists clenched, he was very angry. They did have to do something. "I have an idea. Follow my lead, and stand about there." Seth pointed out the mark for Dwayne and walked directly towards where Hannah was giggling because Ricky had told her some sort of joke. Soon the joke would be on Ricky.

They didn't notice him as he approached, he tapped them both on the shoulder to get there attention. Ricky looked like he was about to deck him, Hannah smiled.

"May I cut in?" Hannah smiled. Her eyes twinkling.

"Why should I let you?" Ricky asked in that voice of his.

"Because I'm her date." Ricky didn't get a chance to respond because Hannah let go of Ricky and started dancing with him instead. Seth stuck his tongue out at him as they waltzed away.

"What the hell is this about?" Hannah asked threw a fake smile.

"Just this," Seth said suddenly stopping. "I'm parched. I need a drink. Here, dance with Dwayne." Hannah gave a genuine smile as he passed her off to Dwayne. "You kids have fun." Seth said patting them on the shoulder before dashing off to the drink stand. He got what looked to be raspberry punch, but was actually spiked raspberry punch. It tasted good either way.

He stood on the edge of the crowd admiring his work when Ricky turned up next to him, also sipping the spiked punch.

"What the fuck was that about Maxium?"

"Just doing my job. Making sure who's meant to be together is together."

"I don't think there meant to be together. She disserves more than that pussy."

"Oh Ricky, your just upset because she likes Dwayne more than you. So, Suck It Looser!"

"I'm warning you Maxium. You and Hoover better not get in my way."

"What way is that? You want Hannah? Well get in line."

"This isn't over! She will be mine."

Seth tossed his punch right on Ricky's white shirt. "Well, look at that. I didn't see you standing there."

"Your dead Maxium!"

"I don't think so, it was an accident. I tripped." Seth smiled at him, knowing he wouldn't touch him when there were teachers swarming the place.

"You better watch your back. Yours and Hoover's." Ricky marched away.

"Yeah, you better run! Jackass." Seth smiled to himself as he watched Hannah and Dwayne, not knowing that the peace they had all grown used to was about to go up in flames.