iDream of Dance, Redux

Shelby Marx was having a typical morning. Her return to competitive mixed martial arts was still several weeks off, though that didn't particularly help matters. Wendy had taken her change of plans about as well as could have been expected. It still meant that she began her evening on the sofa before Wendy had sufficiently cooled down to the point where the redhead would allow her back into the master bedroom.

Shelby propped her feet up on her desk, much the way she scolded Megan for doing to their coffee table at home. She had earned a day off. The plain and simple fact of the matter was that she was tired. She had an awful lot on her mind and Wendy's temper tantrums – though well-meaning – didn't help things.

She shut her eyes briefly, inhaled, then exhaled. Though self-employed, she felt overworked and underpaid. She was stressing unnecessarily.

The Fight. Wendy. Sam Puckett. Megan. She felt as though she was being pulled six ways from Sunday. A few deep breaths later, Shelby was herself again. The upcoming cage fight was nothing compared to the stress she felt at home.

Her little girl planned to go to the Prom.

MEANWHILE, AT RIDGEWAY HIGH…

David Sharkey munched on a less-than-appetizing, over-processed cheeseburger. There was a significant drop in quality, when you compared the food at Ridgeway to the food at Briarwood, but he didn't care. He was far happier here than he had ever been at Briarwood. The Briarwood Set were the sons and daughters of high-priced CEOs, jetsetters, and Trust Fund Babies. They knew nothing of real life – what it meant to live comfortably, but within your means. His mind wandered back to the game the previous weekend. It was a non-conference game, pitting the Ridgeway Bulldogs against the Knights of Briarwood Prep. He sat in the stands, decked out in Bulldog blue and red for the first time, surrounded by girls. He could not have been happier – until the cheers started from the Briarwood faithful.

"…That's alright… That's okay… You're gonna work for us someday…"

He had wanted to vomit, but, thankfully, did not. He had gotten through the experience, despite the contempt of his former schoolmates. A line had been drawn. He simply made the choice that allowed him to sleep comfortably at night.

"…Hey… you're, like, zoned out…"

It was Melanie. His dear, sweet Melanie. He had loved her all of his life, even though he knew that her heart beat for someone else.

"What? Oh, sorry…"

The pretty blonde smiled.

"I asked if you had a date for Prom yet…"

David felt color and heat fill his cheeks. He didn't have a prom date yet, nor did he even know if he wanted to go. If he was going to spend that kind of money on something as trivial – he thought – as a dance, there was only one lady he wanted on his arm. The problem was that the lady he valued above all others was intent on attending on the delicate arm of Bridget Xi. He didn't care, he truly did not. He had loved Melanie Elizabeth Puckett all of his life, but he respected her for her dry wit and razor-sharp mind above all else. The fact that she made his heart skip beats was solely an added bonus. He flashed her his million-dollar smile.

"Nah... I don't really know too many girls here who aren't, well… you guys…"

It was the first time the entire lunch period that he even acknowledged Ashley, Megan, or Bridget. Mel's eyes were so deep and blue; he thought he might well drown in them.

"Stop undressing my girlfriend with your eyes…"

The words fit perfectly inside Megan Marx's mouth, yet they had come from Bridget's instead.

"What? I… nothing…"

"Oh, stoppit! You had her mentally stripped down to her little 'I Heart Yakima' – …"

Melanie flushed deep raspberry. Only two people in the world had ever seen her in those – her sister and Bridget. It was embarrassing as hell.

"Stop…"

Megan Marx voiced her own disapproval.

"Great… like I needed that visual. I think I'll wake up screaming every night 'til I die…"

Ashley laughed. Bridget laughed. Melanie, again, felt uncomfortable.

"Can we please discuss something else other than my… you know…?"

Bridget apologized in Korean. Melanie fussed, also in Bridget's native tongue, but they both knew everything would always be okay. Melanie took Bridget's hand under the table, discreetly out of view.

MERCER ISLAND, LATER THAT EVENING…

Carly was in the kitchen, working on dinner when Melanie bolted through the door, pulling Bridget by the wrist. The quiet Korean girl was obviously distressed. Carly decided to speak up.

"Sweety…"

It was all over in a little blonde blur. Melanie and Bridget rushed past before Carly could get a word in edgewise. All she could hear was Bridget's pained protests.

"Oww… oww… oww… oww…"

She knew it was her and Sam, all over again.

MOMENTS LATER, IN THE BEDROOM…

Melanie slammed the door. They needed some privacy. She gave Bridget a shove, the little Korean girl landing on her butt at the bottom of Melanie's bed. She was not hurt, but she pouted nonetheless.

"Um…. Oww…what gives?"

Melanie was able to finally give Bridget her 'Disappointed Girlfriend' face with full effect.

"You're on my list, young lady…"

Bridget knew that Melanie was only half-serious. The exchange between her and David at lunch today had rattled them both, but they knew that they would be okay. It would just take a little while to take a few deep breaths, refocus, and get back on with life.

She batted dark lashes in Melanie's direction, speaking in a quiet little girl voice.

"Please, don't be mad at me…"

Melanie's shoulders slumped. She wasn't. She was overwrought, and the thought of people who were not Bridget picturing her in her tiny, hip-hugging 'I HEART YAKIMA' panties embarrassed the chizz out of her. Ashley saw them because they shared a bedroom. Bridget had earned the right to see them because she was Bridget. No one else had the right to picture Melanie Elizabeth Puckett in her unmentionables.

"I'm not mad at you, Sweety… I just… why can't you be afraid of that word, like my sister is?"

Bridget didn't get it.

"Nevermind… I'll explain later."

Bridget got to her feet and inched closer to Melanie, waiting to be invited.

"Oh, c'mere already! I love you…"

Bridget Xi blushed and buried her head in Melanie's chest. She was home. She knew they belonged together. Prom was coming up. She knew it would be a night to remember.