music notes, the song that Lukas sings (which as much as i wanted it to be is NOT can't take my eyes off of you) is "Out of My League" by Fitz and the Tantrum, except I imagined it to sound more or less like the cover version by Ryan Sill and Jake Allen on YouTube. The song that Kiet and Erikur are talking about is "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith. Because have you EVER been to a dance where they didn't play "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith? Thought so.
the song was just a random choice. i knew i wanted a scene like that for a while, but i wasn't sure what song to even use. i didn't wanna completely rip of 10 Things (that may be for a later fic), but I didn't wanna use the "Can't Help Falling In Love" song either, which was for a while the only option. The lyrics fit well enough, I think. Shrugs. If I could change it, maybe, but I won't muse on it.
shrugs shoulders forever because i have nothing to say.
The Five Fabulous Suspects
Prom Night, Part II
"Are you okay?" Kiet whispered as Erikur downed another cup of punch. Erikur nodded, leaning closer to hear Kiet over the loud bass of the hip hop song that was currently playing. "You look good." Erikur flushed as Kiet grinned. "I'm glad you came. Are you sure you're up to it?"
"I'm glad I came now," Erikur whispered back. "Not only do I get to slap the shit out of Alfred, I get to spend time with you." Erikur watched as Kiet smiled, leaning closer as Erikur laughed. Something vibrated against his leg and Erikur groaned, pulling his phone out.
"Who is it?" Kiet asked.
"Lukas," Erikur said. "He's backstage right now. Did you tell Jan?"
"Jan's got it worked out. Chaperones will be so busy with that whole mess that they won't notice him sneaking Timo in through the back door." Kiet kissed Erikur's cheek as Erikur stood up. "Going to help Lukas?"
"Go get Mathilde in position," Erikur said. "I'll be right back." Kiet nodded as Erikur helped him to his feet. Kiet smirked, going up onto his toes to kiss Erikur before quickly dashing into the crowd of teens. Erikur inhaled sharply, making his way in the opposite direction, towards the stairs that led up to the back of the stage.
Kiet reached Lien and Mathilde, who were chatting up against the wall of the gymnasium as Jan stood next to Lien, scowling. Kiet winked at Jan, who smirked. "I'm gonna run to the bathroom."
"Whatever," Lien snorted, looking at Kiet who just grinned. "God, Kiet. You look like you just… well, I don't wanna think about it." She nudged him. Kiet rolled his eyes, turning towards Mathilde.
"Let's dance, girls!"
"Why?" Mathilde asked. "Where's Eri?"
"He's, uh, he went to the bathroom too." Mathilde scowled as Kiet grabbed her and Lien by the hands, pulling them towards the center. "It doesn't matter," he said. "He'll be back. Why? Do you want a dance with my boyfriend?"
"No, I…" Mathilde frowned. "You two are up to something. You and Eri." She turned to Lien. "And you! You're so obviously in on something!"
"True," Lien deadpanned. Kiet elbowed her side and she shrugged. "No point in keeping it a secret now!" she exclaimed, growling as Kiet glared at her. "She's gonna find out soon."
"Find out what?" Mathilde asked. "Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on right the fuck now or…"
The music cut off as everyone around them began to exclaim. Lien smirked. "You're about to find out right now, Mati." The DJ looked confused as he tried to start up his music again, but to no avail. The speakers crackled a bit as everyone looked around. Mathilde looked over as Kiet leaned into Lien, whispering something as she giggled quietly.
forty days and forty nights
i waited for a girl like you to come and save my life
"Who is singing?" someone behind Mathilde asked as they looked over at the stage. The curtains slowly opened just enough to reveal someone standing with his back to the audience, dressed in flannel and jeans as the teens around them began to chuckle and stare in awe. A backing track started up and Mathilde frowned.
recall the days i waited for you
you know the ones who said, 'i'd never find someone like you.'
"No fucking way," Mathilde hissed, grabbing Kiet and pulling him close to her. "That's not…" She looked over at him and saw the smirk that answered all her question. The teen turned around and Mathilde rolled her eyes. "This has your name written all over it, Kiet."
"Right?" Lien sneered. "He's seen 10 Things I Hate About You one too many times."
Kiet flushed and Lukas looked over at the trio. Mathilde huffed, turning bright pink as she looked away. "But you were out of my league, all the things I believed…" Lukas sang out as he walked across the stage, as if he was some pop star at a concert. Everyone awh'd and laughed, clapping as Lien rested her chin against Mathilde's shoulder.
"He means it," she whispered. "He likes you enough to do this. Don't think he'd do it normally."
"You were just the right kind…" Lukas grinned as Mathilde finally looked up, cracking a half-smile as Lien giggled in her ear. "Yeah, you were more than just a dream…"
The backing track began to fade and everyone looked around, groaning loudly as the track cut off, leaving Lukas to finish the chorus acappella. Mathilde looked over as Willie glared, with the math and French teacher walking toward the stage.
"Oh shit," she whispered. "Guys…"
"Fuck," Kiet inhaled. "Okay, come on, they'll be running around in the back." Lien nodded as they ran around to the other backstage entrance, the sound of a microphone falling to the ground echoing in the gym as the crowd busted out into cheers and raucous laughter. Lien whistled as Jan ran up to them.
"I shoved Timo in a pantry," he said loudly, panting as Lien slapped him and shushed him.
"Uhm… okay… we'll figure this out." Kiet looked around. Lukas flung the curtains open as Kiet waved him over. Lien smirked, pulling Jan close to her as Mathilde glanced at the pair.
"We got this. Scram, the French teacher almost made the Olympic track team," Lien said with a smirk, turning to Jan. Kiet nodded, and yanked Lukas forward, pushing him down the stairs towards the back door that led to the school's basement. Mathilde followed, looking at the pair before giving them a thumbs up.
"Uhm, what are you planning…?" Jan asked.
"Shut up and kiss me," Lien commanded. "And put your hand up the slit of my dress. Willie will be so distracted by us trying to procreate, he'll forget the real reason he came back here."
Jan's eyes sparkled. "I think I'm gonna marry you, Lien Trinh Nguyen."
x x x
"Did you see that?"
Kiet walked back upstairs to find Erikur at the top of the stairway smiling down at him. Kiet nodded. "Where's Willie and the other two teachers that ran back there?"
"Saw Jan and Lien and gave them a warning, but said he's still on the lookout for Lukas, since he 'looked suspicious.' He wasn't 'dressed for prom.'" Erikur rolled his eyes. "Where's Thilde?"
"Down with Lukas. She said she had to fill him in since he's been MIA," Kiet muttered with a smirk. He doubted that. Erikur held out his hand as Kiet reached the top of the stairs. "Anything suspicious yet?"
"Besides the shit Lukas pulled that we may have been involved in? Nope," Erikur answered. "Maybe we can sit back and enjoy prom for a bit. Svea said that she's gonna go find Mathilde and Lukas and then we'll expose his ass."
Kiet smiled at Erikur as he led him back into the gym, muttering, "Oh, we're not attending prom to expose assholes and play matchmaker?"
Erikur rolled his eyes as he pulled Kiet towards the dance floor. "I owe you a dance. More like seven dances," he explained. The beats from a song by the Weekend played loudly as Kiet shrugged.
"I don't mind. After all, this is a lot more entertaining than last year," Kiet explained.
"You didn't go," Erikur shouted over the music.
"I know," Kiet simply said.
The two laughed as the music drew to a close and the DJ laughed into his microphone. "Alright, kids! Let's slow it down a bit, what do you say?" A few chords began to play through the speakers as Erikur rolled his eyes.
"I hate this song," he grumbled. Kiet frowned slightly and Erikur looked over at him. "It's such a stereotypical high school slow dance song," he explained. Kiet shrugged, still looking a bit dejected. "What?"
"I don't know, I like it," Kiet muttered. Erikur could barely hear him over the vocals of the lead singer of Aerosmith crooning out the first verse as Kiet added, "I always loved this song. Mom used to play it for me, and I always thought…"
Kiet looked away and turned bright red. Erikur tilted his head, grabbing his hand and pulling him closer. "What?" he whispered, resting his right hand on his waist to the best of his ability, trying to ignore how awkward the cast made things. Kiet smiled, placing his hands on his shoulders.
"Well, like, when I got married, I always wanted it to be my first dance," he admitted. Erikur resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the cliché option his boyfriend admitted to wanting.
"That's cool," he simply said as they began to move in time with the music. "Your mom sings?"
"She plays guitar too," Kiet added. Erikur pulled Kiet closer as the music seemed to grow louder, and to avoid bumping into anyone around them. "You're still judging me."
"Oh," Erikur chuckled. "Hell yeah. Kind of a basic song, even for you." Kiet rolled his eyes. "But, I guess since your mom sang it to you and all, it makes up for it." Kiet smiled, wrapping his arms around Erikur's neck tighter. "Whatever, I'm still gonna judge."
"Just because you're some indie loving piece of shit…"
Erikur leaned down and kissed Kiet, half-in the moment of the song, half-in an attempt to shut him up. Kiet smirked, closing his eyes as they stopped moving. Erikur pulled away as the song faded out and Kiet smiled.
"Hey, you know…" Kiet began. Erikur paled, turning Kiet around as Mr. Willie approached them. "Hi, sir," Kiet squeaked out. "Uhm, is this about… because we won't…"
"Uh, Erikur?" he asked, as if he was unsure as to who Erikur was. Erikur clenched Kiet's shoulder as he nodded. "Your, uh… your mom is here." Erikur froze and Kiet looked back at him, before turning around to face Willie again.
"He's not going near that woman!" Kiet protested. Mr. Willie opened his mouth to protest but Kiet shook his head. "Absolutely not!" Erikur nodded as his hand dropped down towards Kiet's. "And if he has to, you need to call my mother and the cops, because as far as I know, she's not allowed to be around him!"
"No!" Erikur shouted. Kiet blinked. "No, I'll… I'll go talk to her." Kiet turned around, shaking his head as he screamed 'no!' at Erikur. Erikur leaned down. "It'll be okay…"
"She put you in a hospital!" Kiet shouted.
"Trust me." Kiet scowled, but allowed Erikur to pull him away as they followed Willie into the hallway. Erikur stopped in the doorway, watching as his mother turned around from examining a trophy case, snorting as she examined the two.
"Mrs. Steilsson," Mr. Willie spoke. "Uh, I do have to say that the reaction I received from them when I said you were here was… disturbing… and there are legal facts I was oblivious to… and that I will have to ask you leave…"
"You can't tell me I'm not allowed to see my son," she spat. Erikur frowned and Kiet tightened his grip on his hand. "Well, I see you're still going through your little phase. Disgusting."
"Go home," Erikur hissed. "I will have him call the cops. The only reason I came to see you is because I know you," he stated. "And I know you're too chicken shit to do anything to me by yourself."
"How dare you?" she shouted. "First, you go behind my back with… him! And then you insult me! You ungrateful little…!"
"And for that, you had dad do this!" He held up his right arm, showing off his cast. "Trust me, I haven't forgot. I'm only here because you can either apologize to me or I can get you arrested again."
"Why would I apologize to you, when you're the disgusting, backstabbing son?"
Erikur smirked. "Hit me then." Kiet snapped his head towards Erikur as Mr. Willie gaped. His mother sputtered, before Erikur said, "You're chicken shit. You never fought. You always had Dad do it for you. You're a wicked, evil woman, but you never wanted blood on your hands…"
He waved her off as she stepped back. "Get lost. You're not suppose to be around me. Mr. Willie?" he asked. His mother's eyes narrowed as Mr. Willie stepped forward.
"Oh, you're going to let him be a misbehaved little shit?" she asked. "I bet his boyfriend is in on whatever he's planning on doing!"
"Yeah, probably," Kiet said. His voice was monotone and held little emotion. Erikur snorted as Mr. Willie frowned. "Mr. Willie, what exactly is she blabbering about?"
"Nothing," he said quickly. "Now, excuse us. I must go speak with Mrs. Steilsson in my office… uh, go back and enjoy prom… but please… keep your public displays of affection to a minimum."
Erikur smirked, pulling Kiet into a side embrace. "It's gonna be hard to keep my hand to myself." His mother's eyes narrowed and he laughed, leading Kiet away from her.
"You are a fucking idiot," Kiet snapped.
"She never would hit me. She knew if they ever got caught, she'd get off easier if my blood wasn't on her hands. I knew she was just here to yell. She won't hit or stab or whatever…"
Kiet rolled his eyes as Erikur shrugged in return. There was a quiet vibrating sound and Erikur reached into his pocket. He looked down at his phone and frowned.
"What's up?" Kiet asked as another slow song started up.
"Rain check on this dance," Erikur whispered. "Svea says backstage, ASAP."
x x x
Svea huffed as she made her way down the dark hallway, pressing her hand against the wall as she held up the skirt of her dress with the other. "Of course, they're not backstage, when I fucking asked…" she grumbled, crossing her arms as her skirt fell back to the ground.
She walked across the back part of the stage, the sounds of music muted by the heavy curtain as she walked towards the center. She examined a big, wooden wardrobe piece from the fall production of the Narnia play and yawned. She was lucky to break free of Alfred for the time being, as he had seemed sour and was incredibly rude all night.
Turning her back to the wardrobe, she hummed quietly to herself as the door opened, a hand grabbing her shoulder. She screamed, covering her mouth as she turned around, slapping the hand away as she realized that the black hooded figure was Timo. Timo pulled down his hood, frowning as Svea huffed.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Jesus, don't scare me like that!"
"Oh, joy, I thought you were Jan. He told me to wait here and he'll be back…" Timo huffed. "And now, I'm stuck with you!" he snapped. "You know, you're lucky I'm even here!"
"Yeah, because last I heard, you were going to be arrested if you came near the school." Svea frowned as Timo scoffed. "Wait!" she said, grabbing his arm as he stepped out of the wardrobe, trying to storm off. "Can we talk?"
"No." Timo huffed. "I told you what I needed to say and you made it pretty clear…" Svea shook her head.
"No! I panicked," she admitted. Timo rolled his eyes. "I mean… it doesn't change how I acted. What I did. But…" Svea bit he lips. "Timo, listen. I should've been honest with you about… things." Timo shot her a dirty look and she gulped. "But… I…"
She gulped, adverting her gaze as she looked down at the ground. "Are you gonna explain, or…?" he asked, shaking her hand from his arm. "Because I don't have time. You don't have time."
"Timo, I…" Svea stepped back. "Timo, you know what I come from. My dad struggles financially, and he always wants to… provide and help me and I always feel so bad because I feel like we just never have enough, so that's where I picked up the job at the diner…"
Timo crossed his arms. "Does this story have a point?"
Svea nodded. "And so… when I started dating Alfred…" Svea inhaled. "I like, he knew and he held it against me and so we fell short on money and… well…" Svea bit her lip. "He offered and… after that…"
Timo blinked, his expression briefly softening. "What the hell are you babbling about now?"
"Timo, I…" Svea hesitated. "Alfred… he paid me to sleep with him… and…"
Timo's eyes narrowed and Svea snapped his mouth shut. "So, that makes you sleeping with him and whoever else so much better. Because they paid you? And it makes me feel even better that it was only because of…"
"Timo, I really like you!" Svea snapped back. "And don't you think that I didn't… it wasn't about money! You're just saying things because you're hurt, and that's not fair to me!" Svea shouted. "You refuse to listen to me!"
Timo stood there as Svea huffed. "Timo, you said you were upset because you were jealous. Because you liked me," she continued on. "And the other guys meant nothing. And Alfred still means nothing. He never really meant anything, even when we were together.
"And… and it pisses me off! You sacrificed prom because of me and you wouldn't talk to me and… it sucks, yeah. I had to go with the absolute worst male ever," Svea said with a dark laugh. "But… I just want you to listen and talk and work with me, Timo!"
Timo's gaze fell to the floor at some point. Svea inhaled, trying to calm herself down when she realized she was practically vibrating in anger. "I'm sorry… I just… I should have been upfront with you, but… I'm not taking your shit anymore."
"I…" Timo licked his lips, stepping closer. "You like me too, huh?"
Her expression softened. "Wasn't it obvious?" she asked. Timo shook his head.
"You had better options," Timo grumbled, turning slightly pink. "You know… I'm really sorry about what I said. I just… I felt rejected and I handled it… uh, pretty bad." Svea shrugged. Timo glanced at her finally, a small smile on his lips.
"The dress looks good," he whispered. "Didn't know it was a two piece. I like this, uh… off-the-shoulders thing…." Svea rolled her eyes as another slow song played quietly in the background. "Blue looks good on you."
"You did say it was too pretty for me not to be asked," Svea responded. Timo placed his hands on her hips, his thumbs brushing over a bit of her exposed midriff.
Timo chuckled. "I meant you were too pretty to not be asked, but… the dress is pretty too." He shrugged. "So, where are the others?"
"I texted them," she explained. "I just… not sure where they are…"
"Oh, Svea, at this rate, they're being removed from this dance."
Svea jumped and Timo pulled away. Timo scowled as Svea turned around. "What the hell do you want, Alfred?"
x x x
Mathilde peered into the dark hallway, humming as she opened the door to the art room. "I'm surprised they left this door unlocked," she whispered. "But… looks like no one is down here so…"
She turned to Lukas, who just kept on staring, a bemused look on his face. "What?" she asked.
"Uh, the dress… it's a…" Lukas cleared his throat. "It looks like it's swallowing you…"
Mathilde groaned and sat down on the ground, the skirt expanding around her as if tulle threw up. Lukas chuckled as Mathilde shot him a dirty look. "Well, thanks. You know, fuck off."
Lukas knelt down next to her as Mathilde huffed. "I think you look good, just… not the dress I imagined you in," Lukas admitted. Mathilde rolled her eye.
Mathilde said, "I always imagined my prom would be spent on the dance floor with a dapper young man in a tux, not… sitting in the art room with some kid looking like he raided Kurt Cobain's closet."
The two chuckled and Lukas sat down, crossing his legs as he folded his hands together, resting them on his ankles. He hummed quietly, before piping up, "Uhm… about the…"
"Your little PDA thing you planned?" Mathilde asked. "How did so many people know and I didn't? And why the fuck did you think…!"
"I just went off of Kiet's suggestions," Lukas snapped back. "I worked hard to get that together. You could appreciate the effort." Mathilde huffed as Lukas shrugged his shoulders. "Or you know, you can be a bitch about it."
"Yeah, well," she mumbled, playing with the tulle of her dress. "It was cute. Even if it was really fucking stupid…" She blushed and Lukas smirked. "But, uh… that doesn't change what happened."
Lukas shifted on the floor, so that he was now sitting in front of Mathilde. "I… listen, I have my shit to work through," he said, running his hands over the skirt as Mathilde frowned. "And I'm by no means… okay. But… you weren't the issue. I don't deal with things well…"
Mathilde shot him a look that told him 'I knew that' as Lukas scowled. "Okay, hold on. Jesus, you try to apologize…"
Mathilde smirked. "You were saying?"
Lukas sighed. "And it's because of how I deal with things… I panicked. You just… you were so outspoken and involved and you stood up for me and… your life was so normal, compared to mine. At least you had Rosie and…"
"Blah, blah, fucking blah," Mathilde interrupted. "Please, get to the point."
"I'm not good enough for you."
Mathilde snorted. Lukas frowned. "It's true. Mathilde, I'm… I got a lot f baggage to work through. And my temper can be… meh, and sometimes I say things without thinking and I run my mouth," Lukas explained. "And you're always so composed and you care about people and you give your all for everyone and I'm selfish and…"
Mathilde leaned over, pressing a finger against his lips. "Shush," she whispered. "I can't change you. You have serious fucking issues, Lu. Like… major. And it's not like I'm a licensed psychiatrist…" Lukas nodded. "But," she added, "I don't like that stupid 'I'm not good enough for you' excuse. It makes me feel like you're making decisions for me."
"Well," Lukas muttered. "I'm afraid if I don't say it you'll date me and then it'll just…"
"I want to make that decision myself," Mathilde reiterated. "Like I said, I'm not going to be able to make all your problems go away. You have your vices and your own things, and ultimately, you decide on those. You decide how you handle that."
She leaned closer. "Like I decide who is good enough for me and who isn't good enough." She took his hands in hers. "You and I have a lot of work to do for us. Like, a lot, a lot of work. But… that's the best part. You won't be alone, right? And neither will I!"
Lukas sighed. "Does that mean you forgive me?"
Mathilde's smile faded. "I mean, you essentially told me I was so bad I drove you to drink your weight in wine and vodka."
"It wasn't you, it was stupid of me to blame you."
"Yeah, but that's kind of an issue…" Mathilde looked down at their hands. "I'm afraid if something goes wrong, I'm gonna take the blame. I don't wanna be a scape goat, you know?" Lukas shook his head.
"No, you shouldn't have to be," he agreed. "And… well, it was stupid of me to treat you as such. Mathilde, I… fuck… you deserve better. That's what I was saying."
"You brought my math grade up, defended me against my bitter friend, supported me when my stepmom started in on me, drove drunk to try and apologize to me, and to top it off, you embarrassed yourself in front of the school."
"Only to make it up to you."
Mathilde flashed Lukas the brightest smile he had ever seen. "It was cute. But… you can't do something like that every time you fuck up!"
Lukas leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, smirking. "So, you did like it, huh?" he asked. Mathilde flushed.
"I never said…"
Lukas cupped her face, pulling her in for a quick kiss. Mathilde rolled her eyes and leaned back, crossing her arms. "Okay, you definitely can't do that every time we have an argument, either!"
"Whatever. Come on, let's get you off the floor," Lukas said. "I have a feeling that is a two people job…"
"In a minute," she whispered, leaning forward and resting her hands on his shoulders. Lukas smirked as he pulled her forward. Mathilde laughed against his mouth as the door opened behind them. Mathilde turned around and Erikur smirked.
"Glad it worked, but this little reunion is getting cut short," he declared. "Alfred's backstage with Svea and Timo."
"What?" Lukas asked, jumping to his feet as he leaned over, grabbing Mathilde's hands as he helped her up.
"Oh yeah, he's about to pull some shit," Erikur said. "I saw him interrupt their little moment and last I saw was Timo about to go on the offensive. If we don't get upstairs soon, Timo's got a spot lined up for him in juvenile hall…"
"And we all could face expulsion," Lukas whispered.
Mathilde huffed. "Let's go!"
