A/N: Okay everyone, the people who read my other ff are gonna kill me because I've been spending so much time planning the end of this, but I had to finish it sometime. tear Anyway, this is absolutly my last chapter. I wanna thank everyone who reads this. Thank you for waiting through the cliffies. Okay, here you go...
Act:XV The Dance and a Chance Almost Missed
Fillmore walked up to Ingrid's door, it was Monday, the first time that they were walking anywhere. They had finally convinced their parents to leet them walk as long as they were together. To Fillmore's suprise, it had been Ingrid's idea.
"I don't like being driven everywhere," she had told him Friday when he walked her to her door after school. "I know it's nice of your mom to drive us, but I WANT to walk I NEED to walk. Can you help me talk to my dad?"
"Sure, walking's fine with me."
So they had spent almost an hour on Saturday covincing their parents to let them walk. And now it was Monday, Fillmore had walked all the way up to Ingrid's door and rung the bell. He usually met her down the street at the corner, or at the very least on the sidewalk in front of her house. But-for some reason which he either did not know or did not want to admit-he had come all the way to the door today and now, he waited.
"Fillmore? What are you doing here?" Ingrid asked when she answered the door.
"It's Monday, I was gonna go to school."
Ingrid rolled her eyes, "I know that Fillmore, I mean, why are you HERE? Here as in on my porch."
"Well I...uhhhh," Fillmore had no idea how to answer that.
"Look, Fillmore, I know you're still worried, everyone is still worried, but I have to get back to my normal life. And I can't do that with a best friend who acts like a bodyguard."
Fillmore smiled. Ingrid hadn't changed at all. "Well, would you like me to walk down to the corner now, and you can come in five minutes?" He asked sarcastically.
Ingrid rolled her eyes, "no, but if you're here tomorrow, I'll seriously think about it." So they walked to school together. And, for the first time since Ingrid's return, it felt just like old times.
Fillmore thought back to what Vallejo had said, "The opportunity WILL present itself, I'll make sure of it." Fillmore sincerly hoped not, he didn't want anything to mess this up. No one else was dating Ingrid, so what was the rush? There was no chance of losing her anytime soon. Besides, there was still no new opportunity. Unfortunately, he was wrong on both accounts.
Later That Day
"WHAT???" Fillmore stood shocked, staring at Vallejo who was just standing there with a triumphant smirk on his face.
"I told you, I'd make sure you had the opportunity," Vallejo crossed his arms confidently.
"But why? Vallejo, man, why are you doing this to me? I don't want-"
"But it's what you NEED."
"How do you know what I need?"
"I just do. Fillmore, trust me on this one. For once, please, just listen to me. And remember, you can't tell Ingrid."
"Like I'd do something stupid like that." Honestly, did Vallejo think he was stupid? "Out of all the things you could have done, a dance?"
"A welcome back dance for Ingrid, why not? There's extra money in the budget, Folsom okayed it, Ingrid deserves it, and...well-"
"I know, 'I NEED IT'" he said curtly.
"You'll thank me later. Just find a way to get Ingrid into the Gym at 6:00. Now hurry up, before she gets suspicious."
Fillmore walked out, slamming the door.
"What was that all about?" Ingrid asked him with raised eyebrows.
"He was giving me another lecture about the budget."
Ingrid nodded although she didn't completely believe it. Why would Vallejo call him in his office, just to talk about the budget? Why not do it out in the open? He had before.
That Evening
Fillmore stood in front of the school, waiting for Ingrid's dad to drop her off. He had called Mr. Third earlier that day, he had told him to find an excuse to get Ingrid dressed up, but then to bring her over to the school when he called back. So now he stood there, dressed to kill, in black slacks and a blue silk dress shirt, waiting for Ingrid. All the while he was pondering how to handle the night, and regreting the promise he had made to Vallejo. Finallly, Ingrid's car pulled up.
"Fillmore, what's up?" Ingrid asked seriously, but Fillmore didn't answer right away. He'd never seen Ingrid in anything but her black dress. Now she was wearing a black off the shoulder sweater and a black skirt. "Fillmore?"
"What? Oh, uhhh I don't know, they didn't tell me. They just told me to call you and then come to the gym."
"Oh," sid Ingrid, raising her eyebrows. She highly doubted that, Fillmore alwaays seemed clued in on everything. Well at least now she could tell him what she had wanted to since they wouldn't be talking about the details of the case to come. They had begun to walk and were already halfway to the gym, she didn't know when she get her next chance. "So why are you so dressed up?"
"We were going to have family pictures taken, how about you?"
"We were supposed to go to some fancy restaurant." Well at least now she could tell him what she had wanted to since they wouldn't be talking about the details of the case to come. They had begun to walk and were already halfway to the gym, she didn't know when she get her next chance. "Uhhhh Fillmore?"
"Yeah?" He answered slightly uptight. Maybe he had blown it, he knew she suspected something, he should have had a better excuse.
"I ummm I met this guy, at the university. He's a freshman at the high school and..."
She had paused, Fillmore looked over at her. "What?"
"Do you hear that?"
Oh no, she had heard noises from the gym, he had to keep her talking. "No, uhhhh what were you saying?" They were almost to they gym.
"Well, this guy, Aaron, we've been talking a lot lately and-" She stopped again, "are you sure you don't hear anything?"
"No, so about Aaron?" All they had to do now was turn the corner and walk 5 ft. down the hall and they'd be there.
"Well, we've been talking a lot lately and he's only two years older, and he asked me to-" She gasped, they had reached the gym. "Fillmore!" She exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "What did you do?"
"Nothing," said Fillmore honestly, all to aware of Ingrid's hand on his arm. "It was really-" But he couldn't finish, because before he knew it...
"Thank you!" Ingrid hadn't bothered to listen to Fillmore's explanation, and she hadn't hesitated in going completely out of character to show her appreciation by throwing her arms around him.
Filllmore was about to melt, "Uhhh Ingrid, people are watching you," he pointed out laughingly. And the two walked in to join the party. Ingrid was quickly engulfed by a swarm of people who had missed her and still not gotten much of a chance to talk to her since her return, so Fillmore walked unnoticed over to Vallejo.
"Hello Fillmore," said Vallejo smiling. "I'm glad to see you've already told her.
"I haven't," Fillmore mummbled.
"Then why the hug?" He said slyly, obviously not believing Fillmore.
"It was a thank you, she thought I organized this. And she didn't listen when I tried to explain it was you."
Vallejo went pale and almost dropped his glass of punch. "This is bad, Fillmore. Really bad."
"Man don't worry about it Vallejo, I'll tell Ingrid it was you later. You'll get the credit."
"No Fillmore, this really ISN'T good. I uhhh I invited all of Ingrid's friends. ALL of them, including the ones from the university. Well, that was fine until..."
"What?"
"Well, one of her friends came up to me and told me that he has a crush on her, that he asked her out last week and that she said she'd give him an answer the next time she saw him. Fillmore, this is the next time. She's going to answer him tonight!"
"What?!"
"Well, he's not here yet but you've got to do something!"
"What? What can I do? What's his name? What's he look like?"
Fillmore concentrated hard, trying to remember. If only he had Ingrid's photographic memory. "I can't remember his last name, his first name is Aaron, he's got black hair, brown eyes, he's about 5'5", and he's sort of muscular I guess."
Fillmore sighed, "how can I compete with that? Ingrid was telling me about him on the way down here, I think she was about to tell me what he asked her when we got here."
"Well you better do something quick, you and Ingrid were late, it's already 7 o'clock. We only have the gym until 8, Aaron said he couldn't be here until a quarter till. So you have 45 minutes to work up your courage, find a quiet place and tell her."
"Maybe I just won't tell her," Maybe that's all there was to it, maybe it just wasn't meant to be. No, he knew that wasn't true, he knew it couldn't be true, he needed this. That's what Vallejo always said.
"Fillmore, if you don't tell her, you're going to lose her. Now, you've never quit on anything before. I know you didn't fight so hard and believe so long to have Ingrid back just to let this happen."
Fillmore, who had been staring at the floor looked up. "No, I didn't." And with that he ran out of the gym. Vallejo thought he was running away but Vallejo was wrong. He ran out of the school, he wasn't supposed to walk anywhere alone, but he didn't have time to call his mother, and he didn't want her to give him that it's-so-sweet-that-you've-got-your-first-girlfriend, talk. Besides, what if she said no, he didn't want to tell her about that. He ran to the jewelry store, Fillmore had taken to carrying his entire savings with him, and he was prepared to use it all right now.
15 minutes later he walked out of the jewelry shop wth only three dollares left. But now he had a personally engraved silver locket. He ran all the way back to the school. He had made great time, it was only 7:40, but then he realized he couldn't give Ingrid an empty locket. He ran to HQ and spent the next 15 minutes scanning ang resizing the picture he had on his desk of himself and Ingrid. After finally getting it into the locket he raced to the gym. He arrived at the gym at 7:55. Just in time for the last dance, he quickly found Vallejo and showed him the locket. Vallejo found a microphone and stepped up on the gym's speaking platform. While Vallejo got everyone's attention Fillmore searched for Aaron. He didn't see him, had he missed him? But then he heard Vallejo's announcement.
"Okay everyone, since this is the last dance I think that Ingrid should dance with the one who organized this all. So let's hear it for Ingrid Third and Cornelious Fillmore."
"What?" Thought Fillmore, "I didn't do any of this." But then he realized what had just happened and made a mental note to thank Vallejo.
Fillmore quickly found Ingrid and the music began to play. It was a slow song, thanks again to Vallejo. "Look, uhhh Ingrid, I wanted to tell you something. And I know about Aaron and everything but I was thinking, if I could just tell you this one thing before you answer him then-"
Ingrid looked up, "Fillmore, I already answered him."
Fillmore's heart sank, "you did?"
Ingrid nodded, "yeah, I told him no. I said we couldn't go out because it wouldn't be fair because I think I have feelings for someone else."
Fillmore sighed, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. "Well, have you told this person yet?"
"No, I'm afraid he feels differently, and I don't want to ruin what we, I mean myself and this person, already have."
Well at least she hadn't told the guy yet, Fillmore decided to give it a shot. "Ingrid, I know this isn't really fair to you, but I'm a selfish person, and well, maybe if you know this before you tell that person how you feel then...Ingrid when you were gone I got to thinking. And I really missed you. No wait, this is all wrong, I mean I-I thought about some stuff and..." He looked down and saw that, for once, the brilliant Ingrid Third was clueless. "Look, I'm rambling and, you know I can't always say what I mean very well and...Ingrid," he rached into his pocket. "I wanted to give you this, hopefully it will say everything I can't. You don't have to wear it, heck you don't have to keep it. But, if you don't want it, please, don't give it back. I couldn't stand it." He handed over the locket.
Ingrid took it and read it, on the front it had their initials intertwined, inside it read "To a friend who may be more" and on the back it said "Love always Fillmore." Ingrid just looked at it for a long time before handing it back to Fillmore and turning around.
Fillmore grabbed her arm and spun her back around, heartbroken. "Ingrid, please, flush it, throw it, I don't care. Just please, I don't want it."
Ingrid looked extremely surprised and then shook her head and said, "Fillmore, I want you to put it on me. Please?"
Fillmore smiled, "really?"
She smiled and nodded, "yeah, really."
Fillmore put the necklace on her as the song ended and the realized everyone was watching them.
Fillmore grabbed Ingrid's hand, "Let's go outside." Once outside, Fillmore asked what he had been dying to ask through their whole last dance. "Ingrid, that guy you said you had feelings for, who is he? Anyone I know?"
Ingrid stood silently for a moment before leaning over and giving Fillmore a short but very sweet kiss on the lips which lingeredlong after she pulled away. "I think you know him very well."
A/N: Okay, I tried not to make to sappy or fluffy, obviously I failed. I told you I'm a hopeless romantic! Anyway, I'm going to take a break for a week or two before writing another Fillmore fic called "The Art of Love" In that down time I expect tons of reviews and it would help me if you include the following in them if you don't mind.
1)Rate the story from 1-10 (ten the highest)
2)Tell me your favorite chapter and why
3)Tell me anything I can do to improve
4)Will you read my next story
5)Do you want a part in my next story
Okay that's about it, thanks. Oh and if you have any questions put them in your review and I'll make a "prologue" a.k.a. author's note chapter to answer them. Oh I DO NOT own Fillmore nor am i in anyway affiliated with Fillmore characters logos blah blah blah or Disney characters logos blah blah blah. Ok, thanks to everyone. Luv ya!!!
Act:XV The Dance and a Chance Almost Missed
Fillmore walked up to Ingrid's door, it was Monday, the first time that they were walking anywhere. They had finally convinced their parents to leet them walk as long as they were together. To Fillmore's suprise, it had been Ingrid's idea.
"I don't like being driven everywhere," she had told him Friday when he walked her to her door after school. "I know it's nice of your mom to drive us, but I WANT to walk I NEED to walk. Can you help me talk to my dad?"
"Sure, walking's fine with me."
So they had spent almost an hour on Saturday covincing their parents to let them walk. And now it was Monday, Fillmore had walked all the way up to Ingrid's door and rung the bell. He usually met her down the street at the corner, or at the very least on the sidewalk in front of her house. But-for some reason which he either did not know or did not want to admit-he had come all the way to the door today and now, he waited.
"Fillmore? What are you doing here?" Ingrid asked when she answered the door.
"It's Monday, I was gonna go to school."
Ingrid rolled her eyes, "I know that Fillmore, I mean, why are you HERE? Here as in on my porch."
"Well I...uhhhh," Fillmore had no idea how to answer that.
"Look, Fillmore, I know you're still worried, everyone is still worried, but I have to get back to my normal life. And I can't do that with a best friend who acts like a bodyguard."
Fillmore smiled. Ingrid hadn't changed at all. "Well, would you like me to walk down to the corner now, and you can come in five minutes?" He asked sarcastically.
Ingrid rolled her eyes, "no, but if you're here tomorrow, I'll seriously think about it." So they walked to school together. And, for the first time since Ingrid's return, it felt just like old times.
Fillmore thought back to what Vallejo had said, "The opportunity WILL present itself, I'll make sure of it." Fillmore sincerly hoped not, he didn't want anything to mess this up. No one else was dating Ingrid, so what was the rush? There was no chance of losing her anytime soon. Besides, there was still no new opportunity. Unfortunately, he was wrong on both accounts.
Later That Day
"WHAT???" Fillmore stood shocked, staring at Vallejo who was just standing there with a triumphant smirk on his face.
"I told you, I'd make sure you had the opportunity," Vallejo crossed his arms confidently.
"But why? Vallejo, man, why are you doing this to me? I don't want-"
"But it's what you NEED."
"How do you know what I need?"
"I just do. Fillmore, trust me on this one. For once, please, just listen to me. And remember, you can't tell Ingrid."
"Like I'd do something stupid like that." Honestly, did Vallejo think he was stupid? "Out of all the things you could have done, a dance?"
"A welcome back dance for Ingrid, why not? There's extra money in the budget, Folsom okayed it, Ingrid deserves it, and...well-"
"I know, 'I NEED IT'" he said curtly.
"You'll thank me later. Just find a way to get Ingrid into the Gym at 6:00. Now hurry up, before she gets suspicious."
Fillmore walked out, slamming the door.
"What was that all about?" Ingrid asked him with raised eyebrows.
"He was giving me another lecture about the budget."
Ingrid nodded although she didn't completely believe it. Why would Vallejo call him in his office, just to talk about the budget? Why not do it out in the open? He had before.
That Evening
Fillmore stood in front of the school, waiting for Ingrid's dad to drop her off. He had called Mr. Third earlier that day, he had told him to find an excuse to get Ingrid dressed up, but then to bring her over to the school when he called back. So now he stood there, dressed to kill, in black slacks and a blue silk dress shirt, waiting for Ingrid. All the while he was pondering how to handle the night, and regreting the promise he had made to Vallejo. Finallly, Ingrid's car pulled up.
"Fillmore, what's up?" Ingrid asked seriously, but Fillmore didn't answer right away. He'd never seen Ingrid in anything but her black dress. Now she was wearing a black off the shoulder sweater and a black skirt. "Fillmore?"
"What? Oh, uhhh I don't know, they didn't tell me. They just told me to call you and then come to the gym."
"Oh," sid Ingrid, raising her eyebrows. She highly doubted that, Fillmore alwaays seemed clued in on everything. Well at least now she could tell him what she had wanted to since they wouldn't be talking about the details of the case to come. They had begun to walk and were already halfway to the gym, she didn't know when she get her next chance. "So why are you so dressed up?"
"We were going to have family pictures taken, how about you?"
"We were supposed to go to some fancy restaurant." Well at least now she could tell him what she had wanted to since they wouldn't be talking about the details of the case to come. They had begun to walk and were already halfway to the gym, she didn't know when she get her next chance. "Uhhhh Fillmore?"
"Yeah?" He answered slightly uptight. Maybe he had blown it, he knew she suspected something, he should have had a better excuse.
"I ummm I met this guy, at the university. He's a freshman at the high school and..."
She had paused, Fillmore looked over at her. "What?"
"Do you hear that?"
Oh no, she had heard noises from the gym, he had to keep her talking. "No, uhhhh what were you saying?" They were almost to they gym.
"Well, this guy, Aaron, we've been talking a lot lately and-" She stopped again, "are you sure you don't hear anything?"
"No, so about Aaron?" All they had to do now was turn the corner and walk 5 ft. down the hall and they'd be there.
"Well, we've been talking a lot lately and he's only two years older, and he asked me to-" She gasped, they had reached the gym. "Fillmore!" She exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "What did you do?"
"Nothing," said Fillmore honestly, all to aware of Ingrid's hand on his arm. "It was really-" But he couldn't finish, because before he knew it...
"Thank you!" Ingrid hadn't bothered to listen to Fillmore's explanation, and she hadn't hesitated in going completely out of character to show her appreciation by throwing her arms around him.
Filllmore was about to melt, "Uhhh Ingrid, people are watching you," he pointed out laughingly. And the two walked in to join the party. Ingrid was quickly engulfed by a swarm of people who had missed her and still not gotten much of a chance to talk to her since her return, so Fillmore walked unnoticed over to Vallejo.
"Hello Fillmore," said Vallejo smiling. "I'm glad to see you've already told her.
"I haven't," Fillmore mummbled.
"Then why the hug?" He said slyly, obviously not believing Fillmore.
"It was a thank you, she thought I organized this. And she didn't listen when I tried to explain it was you."
Vallejo went pale and almost dropped his glass of punch. "This is bad, Fillmore. Really bad."
"Man don't worry about it Vallejo, I'll tell Ingrid it was you later. You'll get the credit."
"No Fillmore, this really ISN'T good. I uhhh I invited all of Ingrid's friends. ALL of them, including the ones from the university. Well, that was fine until..."
"What?"
"Well, one of her friends came up to me and told me that he has a crush on her, that he asked her out last week and that she said she'd give him an answer the next time she saw him. Fillmore, this is the next time. She's going to answer him tonight!"
"What?!"
"Well, he's not here yet but you've got to do something!"
"What? What can I do? What's his name? What's he look like?"
Fillmore concentrated hard, trying to remember. If only he had Ingrid's photographic memory. "I can't remember his last name, his first name is Aaron, he's got black hair, brown eyes, he's about 5'5", and he's sort of muscular I guess."
Fillmore sighed, "how can I compete with that? Ingrid was telling me about him on the way down here, I think she was about to tell me what he asked her when we got here."
"Well you better do something quick, you and Ingrid were late, it's already 7 o'clock. We only have the gym until 8, Aaron said he couldn't be here until a quarter till. So you have 45 minutes to work up your courage, find a quiet place and tell her."
"Maybe I just won't tell her," Maybe that's all there was to it, maybe it just wasn't meant to be. No, he knew that wasn't true, he knew it couldn't be true, he needed this. That's what Vallejo always said.
"Fillmore, if you don't tell her, you're going to lose her. Now, you've never quit on anything before. I know you didn't fight so hard and believe so long to have Ingrid back just to let this happen."
Fillmore, who had been staring at the floor looked up. "No, I didn't." And with that he ran out of the gym. Vallejo thought he was running away but Vallejo was wrong. He ran out of the school, he wasn't supposed to walk anywhere alone, but he didn't have time to call his mother, and he didn't want her to give him that it's-so-sweet-that-you've-got-your-first-girlfriend, talk. Besides, what if she said no, he didn't want to tell her about that. He ran to the jewelry store, Fillmore had taken to carrying his entire savings with him, and he was prepared to use it all right now.
15 minutes later he walked out of the jewelry shop wth only three dollares left. But now he had a personally engraved silver locket. He ran all the way back to the school. He had made great time, it was only 7:40, but then he realized he couldn't give Ingrid an empty locket. He ran to HQ and spent the next 15 minutes scanning ang resizing the picture he had on his desk of himself and Ingrid. After finally getting it into the locket he raced to the gym. He arrived at the gym at 7:55. Just in time for the last dance, he quickly found Vallejo and showed him the locket. Vallejo found a microphone and stepped up on the gym's speaking platform. While Vallejo got everyone's attention Fillmore searched for Aaron. He didn't see him, had he missed him? But then he heard Vallejo's announcement.
"Okay everyone, since this is the last dance I think that Ingrid should dance with the one who organized this all. So let's hear it for Ingrid Third and Cornelious Fillmore."
"What?" Thought Fillmore, "I didn't do any of this." But then he realized what had just happened and made a mental note to thank Vallejo.
Fillmore quickly found Ingrid and the music began to play. It was a slow song, thanks again to Vallejo. "Look, uhhh Ingrid, I wanted to tell you something. And I know about Aaron and everything but I was thinking, if I could just tell you this one thing before you answer him then-"
Ingrid looked up, "Fillmore, I already answered him."
Fillmore's heart sank, "you did?"
Ingrid nodded, "yeah, I told him no. I said we couldn't go out because it wouldn't be fair because I think I have feelings for someone else."
Fillmore sighed, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. "Well, have you told this person yet?"
"No, I'm afraid he feels differently, and I don't want to ruin what we, I mean myself and this person, already have."
Well at least she hadn't told the guy yet, Fillmore decided to give it a shot. "Ingrid, I know this isn't really fair to you, but I'm a selfish person, and well, maybe if you know this before you tell that person how you feel then...Ingrid when you were gone I got to thinking. And I really missed you. No wait, this is all wrong, I mean I-I thought about some stuff and..." He looked down and saw that, for once, the brilliant Ingrid Third was clueless. "Look, I'm rambling and, you know I can't always say what I mean very well and...Ingrid," he rached into his pocket. "I wanted to give you this, hopefully it will say everything I can't. You don't have to wear it, heck you don't have to keep it. But, if you don't want it, please, don't give it back. I couldn't stand it." He handed over the locket.
Ingrid took it and read it, on the front it had their initials intertwined, inside it read "To a friend who may be more" and on the back it said "Love always Fillmore." Ingrid just looked at it for a long time before handing it back to Fillmore and turning around.
Fillmore grabbed her arm and spun her back around, heartbroken. "Ingrid, please, flush it, throw it, I don't care. Just please, I don't want it."
Ingrid looked extremely surprised and then shook her head and said, "Fillmore, I want you to put it on me. Please?"
Fillmore smiled, "really?"
She smiled and nodded, "yeah, really."
Fillmore put the necklace on her as the song ended and the realized everyone was watching them.
Fillmore grabbed Ingrid's hand, "Let's go outside." Once outside, Fillmore asked what he had been dying to ask through their whole last dance. "Ingrid, that guy you said you had feelings for, who is he? Anyone I know?"
Ingrid stood silently for a moment before leaning over and giving Fillmore a short but very sweet kiss on the lips which lingeredlong after she pulled away. "I think you know him very well."
A/N: Okay, I tried not to make to sappy or fluffy, obviously I failed. I told you I'm a hopeless romantic! Anyway, I'm going to take a break for a week or two before writing another Fillmore fic called "The Art of Love" In that down time I expect tons of reviews and it would help me if you include the following in them if you don't mind.
1)Rate the story from 1-10 (ten the highest)
2)Tell me your favorite chapter and why
3)Tell me anything I can do to improve
4)Will you read my next story
5)Do you want a part in my next story
Okay that's about it, thanks. Oh and if you have any questions put them in your review and I'll make a "prologue" a.k.a. author's note chapter to answer them. Oh I DO NOT own Fillmore nor am i in anyway affiliated with Fillmore characters logos blah blah blah or Disney characters logos blah blah blah. Ok, thanks to everyone. Luv ya!!!