Once Burned, Twice Scarred Chapter 23: I No Cat TJ's in Dove With Spinelli, a recess fanfic

Ah, the chapters the entire fic's been leading up to… The dun, dun, DUN Prom/Dance-y Thingie…

I don't own Washington High (their school, I think…), Matchbox 20, or the song I'm Gone. Matter of fact, I can't really remember why I chose that song anyways. Nor for that matter do I own T.J., Spinelli, Jared, Mikey, Gus, Gretchen, Vince, or the Ashleys. I don't own Helaine, but I do own her name. Oh, and I own Jack Fitzgerald…

Thanks for all the reviews. Especially The Next Political Dynasty, who's reviewed like every freakin' chapter… Thanks a lot!

Thanks to everyone else who has reviewed. Those reviews mean a lot to me.

Man, doesn't Spinelli get into a lot of hi-jinks? Lol. She has terribly bad luck, but I guess we all do sometimes, don't we? And she really, really, really sucks at lip-reading. Poor girl. She's having a bit of a rough time.

Oh well, just makes it more fun for me… By the way, this chapter is kind of song-fic-y, even though it's not a song-fic, but it's prom, and there's got to be music…

Anyways, on with the story…

T.J. parks the car in the parking lot, and we both get out of it. The dance is already in full swing. I guess we're "fashionably late". I drop my cigarette on the ground, grinding it under my heel. I take a deep breath, dreading this night more than ever, but T.J. shoots me a look, and so I nod, exhale and walk inside. T.J. follows.

I glance at T.J.

"Well, I guess we're supposed to dance, right?" He asks, sounding somewhat nervous.

It's almost as if… Nah, it can't be. I won't let it be. He grabs my hand, dragging me out unto the dance floor. Hmm, it's some Matchbox 20 song playing. Wonder why they're called Matchbox 20 anyways?

I think I've already lost you
I think you're already gone
I think I'm finally scared now
You think I'm weak - but I think you're wrong
I think you're already leaving
Feels like your hand is on the door
I thought this place was an empire
But now I'm relaxed - I can't be sure

Okay, T.J. is giving me some seriously weird looks, and I think I know what they mean, I just really hope that I'm not right. Really. I don't even want to think about what it means if I'm right. But of course, we are slow dancing, so it could just be a proximity thing, to tell the truth. At least, I hope it's a proximity thing.

I think you're so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think I'm just scared - I think too much
I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing

The looks are, if this is actually possible, getting worse. They're intensifying. It's that same puppy dog look from before, and I really don't like it. It's making me nervous.

If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home
There's an awful lot of breathing room
But I can hardly move
If you're gone - baby you need to come home
'Cause there's a little bit of something me
In everything in you

I sincerely hope that I'm not being paranoid, but I dunno about this. I swear, everyone is staring at me and T.J. Okay, yeah, I get that everyone knows that we hate each other and that now we're dancing together, really close, and this has to look seriously bizarre, but that doesn't mean that they should stare at me because of it. What, do they honestly think that I want to do this? Because I really don't. But what else can I do? Teej has yet to tell me when I'm supposed to go kiss Vince. Which I still don't want to do, as I think I've covered that base more than enough.

I bet you're hard to get over
I bet the room just won't shine
I bet my hands I can stay here
I bet you need - more than you mind

"T.J.?"

Hey, it's Jared!

"Spinelli, you know this guy?" T.J. asks, tilting his head towards Jared.

I nod, smiling at Jared.

"Teej, I can't believe you don't remember Jared from fourth grade!" I exclaim.

Jared smiles at me.

"Nice to see you again, Spinelli," He grins.

T.J.'s scowling a little. Wonder why. I just hope he's not…

But then, T.J. smiles, breaking the dance, and turning to Jared, patting him on the back.

"Jared, man, it's great to see you! How've things been going for you?" T.J. says enthusiastically.

Jared shrugs.

"Same as ever, T.J. So, where is everyone else?" Jared questions.

T.J. shrugs.

"Around, I guess."

I think you're so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think I'm just scared - that I know too much
I can't relate and that's a problem I'm feeling

Mikey's hanging out by the refreshment table, Gus is off somewhere, dancing with someone, and there's Gretchen and Vince over there, in a corner, making out. Great.

"Look, I'm gonna talk to Jared here, so, uh, if you see Vince leave the room, go after him, okay?" T.J. whispers.

Okay, whatever. I'll get some punch. Hope it's spiked. The aspirin's startin' to wear off. So, I walk off the dance floor, pushing past the gaping Ashleys. Sheesh, they ought to have realized by now that I clean up nice. I get myself a glass of punch, looking out at them. Vince and Gretchen are now dancing, but Jared and T.J. appear to be talking in a corner.

I think I can read their lips.

Hmm, T.J. looks kinda angry, but it looks like he's tryin' to hide bein' angry. Hmm. Jared looks kinda hopeful.

Hmm. Jared's saying something… Luck, T.J., I no cat you are in dove with Spinelli, but I… He's turned away now. But that doesn't make any sense. Luck, T.J.? I no cat? In dove with Spinelli? Okay, I suck at this. I seriously do.

Maybe he said… No, he couldn't have. At least, I hope he didn't.

T.J.'s shaking his head, denying it. No. That I can make out clearly. Hmm. Ooh, he looks angry. Hmm, but he's shaking it off. Whatever he's saying seems to make Jared really happy. Hmm, I wonder…

Helaine walks over to me, smirking, drink in hand, though I don't notice.

"Drinking alone, Spinelli? Is that what this has come down to?"

I turn around, startled.

I think you're so mean - I think we should try
I think I could need - this in my life
I think I'm just scared - do I talk too much
I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing

"Helaine! Hi!" I exclaim, shocked.

Helaine smirks. She's done a lot of that lately. She sips her own cup of "punch".

"Hey, Spin, enjoying the view?" Helaine asks smugly.

She thinks…? Oh, no. Don't even get me started.

"What view?" I say, turning away.

Helaine's rolling her eyes behind my back, and I gulp down some more punch.

"Oh, you know perfectly well who you were staring at," Helaine insists bossily.

I turn around, rolling my eyes.

"Look, I wasn't staring at HIM. I was staring at Jared. They were talking about something and I was trying to read their lips. I have no idea what they were saying, really," I say, lying to some degree.

Helaine shoots me a look, drinking a little more of the punch.

"So, Spinelli, I didn't see you much at the parties last night…" She replies sneakily.

She's baiting me. I don't even want to THINK about last night. She knows something happened. But, then again, she didn't see me much, or, for that matter, see me go home.

"Well, I was otherwise engaged being anti-social. I walked home," I snap, trying to maintain a sense of calm.

Helaine rolls her eyes, sipping some more punch.

"Right, Spinelli, I totally believe that," She mutters sarcastically.

Suddenly I see HIM, and everything stops. Now, I'm not talking about T.J. No, I've seen him more than enough over the past few weeks. No, I'm talking about Mr. Fitzgerald, Jack, Fitzy, whatever… A chill runs through me and I turn back to Helaine, feeling his gaze on my back, downing the rest of my drink. There isn't near enough alcohol in it.

I gulp, but Helaine misses my discomfort, merely figuring it as stress over T.J. He's coming.

- Loren ;

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Rock on!