Epilogue

Rose sat on the benches watching her friends dance. Kylo was twirling Rey around and was even managing to crack a smile. Rose guessed there was a first for everything. Finn and Poe, well, they were doing some parody of dancing. They looked like they were having fun anyway.

Rose fiddled with her empty punch cup. Paige had brought her as her date and Rose had been thrilled. Paige could have picked anyone and they would have said yes, but instead she had brought her sister. But it hadn't been long until Paige had disappeared off. It hadn't been so bad while everyone was stood around talking, but now they were dancing Rose felt like the biggest gooseberry on the planet. But wasn't she always?

True, she'd found her crush on Finn less heartbreaking once it came out he was gay, but she still felt on the periphery now her two best friends had found 'real' boyfriends. And Paige was leaving for college soon.

The bench creaked as someone sat down beside her, handing her a new cup of punch.

"Budge up, misery loves company."

Rose looked up to find Hux giving a somewhat wan smile, took the punch and allowed him to sit down.

"Thanks."

"I see you've been abandoned by your date, too." Hux looked down at her. Rose was struck by how tall he was, but she remembered that he fit in with Kylo and Phasma and they were both freakishly tall. "Might as well be lonely together."

"I came with Paige. She's probably just talking to her friends."

"I came with Gwen—Phasma, but turns out she'd arranged to meet up with someone else here. Pretty shitty thing to do to your boyfriend at his senior prom."

"But she's not really your girlfriend, right? You were like Finn and Rey right?"

"Something like that, at least for her."

Rose turned fully towards him. "But you're gay, too, right?"

"Not really. Gwen is full lesbian. Strictly no cock zone, but I've been in love with her since kindergarten. God knows why. She's always been a bitch to me. Treat 'em mean, keep them keen I guess."

"But you and Poe? You and Finn?"

"Oh, Poe was just lust. Finn, I thought he would be sweet. I felt ready for a bit of sweet—thought it would help me get over Gwen after someone caught her eye. Stop me being so bitter. But hey ho, I guess that's something we have in common—looking in the wrong places?" He bashed cups. "Cheers."

"Yeah, I guess we have been." Rose took a sip and coughed. "What's in this?"

"Vodka. I brought it for me and Gwen but she doesn't deserve it. Let's drown our sorrows, hey?"

Rose smiled and shrugged. After a minute of silence she whispered, "I'm going to miss Paige when she goes. We've never been apart, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Gwen's going to the same place. I guess we should have split up as soon as I knew were we going to different colleges but she convinced me. Didn't want her parents to suspect anything until she was away." Hux took a big drink and then disappeared off to get more punch. Surprisingly he came back to sit with Rose again after. Guess he was really lonely.

"You say you love Phasma—sorry, Gwen—but it was a cover for you, too, right? You like men?" Rose asked a question that had been playing on her mind.

Hux pulled a face. "Pfff, I'm not so easily defined. I fall in love with the person, not the gender. Although you could say Gwen was more male than most men!"

"Oh, so you like women, too?"

"Persons, not gender. Although so far my track record seems to say I have terrible taste, male or female. I'm tired of picking the wrong ones. Do you know what I mean? Maybe I'm ready for someone right." He looked out at the dance floor.

"Yeah. Yeah, I can get that." Rose drank. "So it wouldn't matter if that person was male or female? And you wouldn't keep it secret regardless? Even it was a man?"

"Of course not. My parents have known for years. My father wasn't happy but then I don't think he liked me even when he thought I was straight." Hux smiled sarcastically. "I think the only person that will miss me when I go is my cat. Gwen clearly couldn't give a shit."

"Maybe you'll meet someone at college?" Rose felt so sorry for this poor broken man. She'd never realised, just lumped him in with Kylo. She wished she'd spoken to him sooner. "So where are you going? To college, I mean?"

"M.I.T."

"Really great engineering programme." Rose and Hux said in unison.

Rose beamed. "That's where I want to go!"

"Yeah? Maybe you can come visit? I can show you round, let you know what it's like. Make sure it's what you want."

"Yeah. Yeah, thank you."

A comfortable silence fell, until Rose sighed, looking out at the happy couples.

Hux stood. "This is my senior prom. We should dance." He turned and held his hand out to Rose.

Rose smiled uncomfortably. "It's okay. You don't need to pity dance with me. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're sad". Hux pushed his hand closer. "And it's not a pity dance. Maybe I'm asking because I've always thought you were cute? And a nice person. And maybe I'm asking because you look beautiful in that red dress tonight?"

"Really?"

"Really. And besides...no one puts baby in the corner."

Rose got to her feet, taking his hand and grinning from ear to ear. "Dirty Dancing!"

"Patrick Swayze—oh my God!"

"I know, right?"

Hux held her tight and she put her arms around his shoulders as best as she could given the height difference. Rose's cheeks flushed as her curves pressed up against Hux's hard body.

Now she looked at him, she began to appreciate that he had something about his face that she really did quite like.

"So what's your cat like?"

"Millicent? She's a total diva, a grand old lady. I've had her since she was a kitten."

"Can I meet her?"

Hux gave a hesitant smile. "You want to?"

Rose grinned. "Yeah. I do. I always wanted a cat but my dad has allergies."

"So does mine." Hux grinned. "That's why I got her."

That night, Rose had her first kiss on the dance floor with her future husband and father of their three adorable children. And yes, they did both sing Hungry Eyes at each other. Hey, don't hate on it. It's a classic!