Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

AN:I should be studying. But i was tempted to write. ergo, your next 5 chapters

Chapter 36

It was the night of the dance, and Kate was standing by the punch bowl. She knew the minute she moved from there, someone would spike the drinks. As much as she wanted them to have a little fun, she sure as hell didn't want to get fired.

She had come to the college rather early and had left her make up to be done just before the party started. She knew she was the centre of attraction tonight, cause almost every guy who passed by did a double take, not willing to believe she was one of their professors. Kate didn't want to overdo it, s she'd just out on one of her dresses, but it was enough to make every guy stare. She didn't care. She was used to this. What she cared about was where her boyfriend was, and what time he was planning on reaching here and whether he was going to walk in alone or... he wouldn't bring someone along, would he?

Kate tried to push that thought to the back of her mind. She texted him,

"Where are you, this party's getting boring."

"I've almost reached, missing me much?"

She smiled and replied "get here ASAP, I feel like I haven't seen you in days"

"It was just a day, and you chose that, I told you to come see me"

"I'm sorry, i told you the principal assigned some work that i had to finish. By the way, are you all better now?"

"I'm fit as a fiddle"

Kate was about to reply when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She turned to find none other than Josh Davidson

"Mr. Davidson" she acknowledged.

"Professor Beckett, I must say you look gorgeous"

"Why thank you, you look..."

Kate didn't know what to say. He was suited up, but she didn't want to massage his ego

"You look tidied up" she said

"A man's got to look good to impress a woman like you"

"Now now, Mr. Davidson. I suggest you keep your lines for the girl you've brought to the dance" Kate said as she saw one of her students walking up towards them her eyes on Josh. The girl linked her arm through his and said

"I though you said you were getting me something to drink"

"I was, I was..." Josh stammered as he nervously went ahead pouring a drink for the girl. Kate hated these kind of boys. Just then someone at the entrance to the hall caught her attention.

Rick hadn't told her about this, and he was a little worried about how she'd react. He hoped to get a chance to explain to her before she gets too upset.

"Rick, thank you so much for accompanying me. I wasn't even going to come to the dance if i didn't have a partner" said Marilyn Stewart, holding on tighter to his hand.

Rick smiled at her "hey, don't worry about it, it's our last year, you shouldn't miss the dance just cause you didn't have a partner"

She gleamed up at him, then her attention drifted to a few of their classmates on the dance floor

"Kyra's here, let me go say hi" she said

Rick suddenly spotted Kate standing by the punch bowl, and she had her eyes on him, but the minute they're eyes met, she looked away. He saw it. The way her jaw was set, the way she was avoiding looking his direction. He knew at once he needed to explain.

"uhhh, Marilyn, can I get you something to drink?"

"Yes please" she said "I'll be right there, got to have a word with Kyra."

Rick walked over to where Kate was and when he stood before her he said

"Hi"

She looked up at him

"Mr. Castle, how nice to see you"

"Professor Beckett, I think you look rather extraordinary tonight"

Kate looked away. The sincerity in his eyes was tempting. He looked tempting. Suited up with that smart little bow-tie at his neck. His hair so neatly combed, and that cologne. He'd never worn it before, but it was dark, and sweet and strong, and so manly and it was doing things to her insides that she didn't need right now. She wanted to kiss him, and tell him she got all dressed up only for his eyes. That she picked out this dress just for him, that she spent half an hour on her hair and make up only to look good for him, but. He was here with someone else.

And she knew somewhere in her mind she'd instructed herself to be prepared for something like this, but she hadn't really prepared for it.

She didn't say a word in return. Rather kept her gaze looking over his shoulder towards the dance floor,

"Kate, I can explain"

"I'm listening" she said. Her arms folded before her, and her lips tightly set together. He loved how her body expresses her emotions without her even realizing it

"You don't need to be so upset you know" he said with that charming smile of his.

"I'm sorry, you waltzed in here with a girl on your arm, now, and I get it if you didn't want to come alone, but the least you could have done was warn me" she half whispered, half yelled.

"I didn't think it would be such a big deal" he had this look of amusement on which Kate couldn't understand the reason for.

"Are you kidding me right now?" she finally looked at him. "I thought we're a thing. And you didn't think this would be a big deal"

"Kate…" he said with a wider smile

"You know what I don't even want to hear it, just go, enjoy your night"

"Kate she's a lesbian" he said with a chuckle. At first she didn't pay attention. But then it hit her. And she looked at him in confusion

"What?"

"Marilyn, the girl I brought with me, she's not into guys"

Kate now looked towards where Marilyn was, talking to some of the other students and then looked back at Rick

"You could've told me sooner" she said as she realized how insecure she'd just gotten.

"Where's the fun in that" he said with a wink. "Her girlfriend's out of town, and she doesn't have a lot of guy friends in college, and all of her other female friends had their boyfriends to come with, so I told her I don't mind accompanying her."

Rick looked around to see that no one was watching, and then stepped a little closer and softly said

"I have this urge to kiss you. Because I think you look absolutely splendid tonight"

A blush rose up to her cheeks, and she had to look away to train her features.

"How about you meet me in the hallway in about 15 minutes" he said to her

She bit her lip and said "I can't, I'm supposed to be keeping an eye out for students trying to spike the punch"

Rick laughed. "You've never done this before have you? Chaperoned a seniors' party?"

"No, why?"