A/N: Sorry I took so long, but you will be rewarded for your patience!!!
"James? Mind handing me that box over there?" Lily asked. James ran across the platformed stage and handed her the cardboard box. Their hands touched briefly and she gave him a grateful smile.
It was late Thursday night, and the band, a co-ed group from the States called Sweet Charity, was about to do their first sound check. James caught just little scraps of Lily's conversation with Leola and Missy as he set up the lights and the little pools around the stage (A/N: Think the most romantic scene in She's All That, except with a smaller pool).
"I decided I would dump him two days ago, but he hasn't been around. Every time I try to talk to him, though, he almost literally runs away."
James didn't know who was speaking, and couldn't check, because the lead singer of Sweet Charity needed a bit more on the amp.
Lily sighed. "I just don't know what to do."
Missy and Leola each gave her a comforting smile.
"I guess I have to go to with the dance with him after all." She said finally.
"Look, Lily! The apple race!" Mia exclaimed. Lily and her friends rushed over to sign up.
"Here are the rules!!! Each contestant has been assigned to a team. Team Red or Team Blue. Each contestant will have their hands tied behind their backs and are to pass the apples with their mouths. Whichever team's apple gets back to it's original departure location will split the prize: Each person will get to dedicate and extra special request at the dance tomorrow night!" The Head Boy announced.
Lily and her friends got their hands tied with blue bandanas, the other team got their hands tied with red bandanas. Among the members of Team Red were James, Aphrodite, Peter and Ronan. Lily flashed a smile.
The apples were being raced down the line. Lily passed hers as quickly as possible. When she was done, she looked over at the other line and saw that Team Blue was winning. Emphasis on WAS.
If James and Aphrodite weren't so wrapped up in lip-locking, the apple would have been at the end. But no, Lily thought as the apple came her way again, Team Red was winning. Correction, Team Red won. Lily and Team Blue threw a scowl in the direction of the two lovebirds, but they didn't seem to notice.
However, they were noticing. Both hoping Lily was watching. Both hoping she was jealous, too.
"One is lavender, one is pale blue, and, voila! Just finish the white streak and you're done, chica!" Charity said. Charity was the lead singer of Sweet Charity, and she was a whiz with hair.
"Thanks, Charity!" Lily exclaimed, looking oh so glam with the palest make-up that made her eyes and lips shimmer and the glitter on her cheeks sure made her look like the genuine five-star experience.
"You're not done!" Charity insisted. "Something's missing."
"I know." Lily chimed. She reached for a sleek white box and opened it. What seemed like millions of little light bubbles collected around her, sending a breeze around her white chiffon dress and her hair. She tapped the box with her wand and it turned into a sleek, hard handbag.
"Perfect." Charity said. Lily smiled serenely. Charity skipped off to her concert. About five minutes after Charity left, Mia, Clarisse, Leola, Diana, Jennifer and Coco came in, ready to wait.
The girls surveyed each other in silence. Clarisse had dug up this old hot pink halter dress covered in sequins, and found matching sparkly gloves and had done up her hair. With light pink lipstick, black fishnet stockings and a pair of hot pink high heels, she looked like a lounge singer.
Diana had gone with something lime green. She had gotten this leather green mini-dress, some white pantyhose, white platform shoes, and this cute white leather cap. She had curled the ends of her light brown hair and with the cap, she had successfully turned herself into a go-go dancer, with sparkly make-up that made her features pop.
Jennifer decided that her dark brown hair would be a great contrast to the shiny red devil-tress costume she had found for a party during the summer. She had been right.
Leola and Mia found something yellow would contrast nicely- Mia had bright orange hair like Lily had had once when she was younger. Leola had this cinnamon-brown skin and raven-black hair that would be a fantastic counterpart to the gowns that they both selected long yellow dresses, like ones princesses wore to a boring social event. In fact, they had crowns and those little baton-thingies with fake jewels on them and they looked, indeed, quite bored.
Just as Lily had predicted, Coco looked ravishing in her dress. Her black hair was crimped and spread out on her shoulders and she looked like something from a fairy tale.
Finally someone spoke.
"If one of us doesn't win the prize, the judges are either nuts or blind." Mia said matter-of-factly. The little bubble lights sent another breeze through Lily's hair.
"I still have to go with David." She said with an air of depression.
"Isn't he your boyfriend?" Clarisse asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, but I don't want him to be." Lily said quietly. "He's hopeless."
"Break it to him easy after the dance. You don't want to humiliate him, do you?" Leola asked sweetly, trying not to talk to loud.
"I guess not." Lily pouted. "Let's go."
"Lily!" Munguldus exclaimed, taking a good overview. "You look fantastic!"
Lily smiled as her friends passed her. "Thanks." With that, she selected one of the lighted bubbles from around her and handed it to Munguldus. "For that special girl tonight."
Lily floated onto the dance floor, greeting friends and smiling at everyone. When she passed James, he had to take a double-take.
"What's wrong, Jamie?" Aphrodite cooed in his ear. He was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera and she was a very bad-looking Christine.
"Nothing.. Lily's accessories are amazing." He half-lied. Aphrodite gave a tiny scowl.
"Yes, yes.. She was always good at that. Her hair is really quite creative, and the dress is a knock-out, but other than that she has no real beauty. It was all earned. The old-fashioned way. Me? My daddy paid every single penny for my flawless beauty. I don't know why some people hide it. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Aphrodite chattered, but James was still staring at the bubbles. With a small smile, he looked back at Aphrodite and pretended that he cared what she was saying.
"David!" Lily exclaimed, looking him over. His costume looked fantastic, but he wasn't really creative. He was the Muggle-idea of a vampire.
"Lily, darling, please.." He began, but the music struck up.
"Come on, silly, let's dance." She begged, pulling on his arm. Neither David nor Aphrodite were matches for Lily and James's dancing skills, but they sure did try. Several dances later, David was practically on his knees, begging for Lily to stop.
"But I love this song, darling!" She protested. Aphrodite was sitting this one out as well. James offered and Lily waved at her nervous boyfriend as she and James began to take over the dance floor.
"So.."
"Yes, James?"
"A vampire?"
"I know! So uncreative! But you.. I like this whole Phantom of the Opera thingy."
"I like it myself. If only Aphrodite could match."
"I was going to say that..."
"I know."
They continued to dance in silence, but then Lily looked up from her feet and looked into his eyes. "Whatever made us stop?"
"Stop?" He asked innocently.
"Whatever made us stop being friends?" Lily asked.
"You got mad at me for kissing you."
"Oh yeah."
"Though I'd do it again. Even if you had your shoe."
Lily gave a fake and very uncomfortable laugh. The song ended.
"Well, I guess this is it." She said wearily.
"I guess this is it." He repeated quietly. "Have a nice night."
"Lily!" David's voice came on the microphone. Her head snapped up in David's direction. She rushed over to the stage, not caring if her dress was dragging in the pool.
He jumped down from the stage as she set her purse onto it. Her hand went up instantly to it, as if securing her balance. She seemed a little dizzy.
"Lily, dear.." David whispered, getting down on one knee.
"What the hell are you doing?" She hissed.
"Proposing." He said confusedly. "Or I think I am. Lily darling.."
"Huh?" Lily sputtered inarticulately.
"Lily, darling.. Will you--.." He began, but she did the first thing she could think of. She bopped him over the head with her purse.
"Lily, please--.."
Bop. Lily had gotten her purse and was repeatedly whacking him on the head with it with full force.
"Darling, stop..."
Bop. Bop.
"Lily--.."
Bop. Bop. Bop.
"Darling, please.."
Bop. Bop. Bop. Bop.
"Lily, stop--.."
Bop. Bop. Bop. Bop.
"STOP!"
Bop. Bop. Bop. Bop. Bop.
"What was that for?" They both asked at the same time, Lily climbing onto the stage.
"Are you out of your mind? I am sixteen!!!" Lily shouted, making the other dance patrons look up.
"You would've married Snape!" David protested.
"Family obligations!"
"This is the obligation of your heart!"
"Says who?"
"Why can't you marry me?"
"I'm a virgin."
"That can be fixed."
"Don't have a dress."
"I'll buy you one."
"Can't dance."
"I'll teach you."
"Your family won't like me."
"They love you!"
"My family doesn't like you."
"You hate Claire."
"Don't have a house."
"I'll buy you one."
"For Merlin's sake, I'm washing my hair!" She shouted, being picked up by a mic. The Gryffindors started to laugh insanely. Lily jumped off the stage and rushed off crying.
"Don't go man, if you want to live." Sirius said to David, who was trying to go after her.
"Lily?" James asked, looking up the tree.
"Go away."
"Are you okay?"
"Go away, David."
"I'm not David."
"Oh. Come on up, then."
James climbed up the tree and sat himself beside Lily. "You okay?"
"Somebody I was about to break up with asked met to marry him." She pouted, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her hair was damp and covered in leaves.
"You were going to break up with him?" James pondered absentmindedly.
" He's boring." Lily said, defending herself. "I mean, honestly.. How can you stand macaroni and butter?"
"Hm."
"You know what the worst part is?"
"What?"
"His breath smelled like macaroni and butter, white, dry, tasteless chicken and water." Lily pouted. James laughed really, really hard.
"You were true to your heart- There is nothing better than that." He whispered, giving her a squeeze. "Night, Lily."
"Night James."