People Will Say That We're in Love
Chapter Four
Notes: Wow. I am astounded. I really didn't expect anyone to like this fic, as I figure am more or less incompetent at writing. Thanks for the reviews! By the way, if things get too schmaltzy or mushy (is that redundant?), let me know. Thoughts are offset by italics.
"Hey, Tuck!" Danny, spying his friend standing by the refreshments table, sauntered over to chat. Sam joined them after shooting an malice-filled look at a glamorous Paulina, dressed in what appeared to be a glorified pink slip and green sash, handbag slung around shoulder.
As Sam draped an arm over Danny's shoulder, causing his eyelid to twitch with nervousness and his face to flush at the contact, she inquired, "Do you know who Tucker's here with?"
"Nope. As far as I know, all the girls he'd asked had turned him down. Cruel but merciful.," he replied with a chuckle as his face cooled. Upon hearing the melodic giggle of his date, he felt as though he'd liquefy on the spot. If this keeps up, he thought, she'll have to carry me home in a Ziploc bag!
"Hey, man." Tucker said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"So, Tucker, who'd you blackmail into coming with you?" Sam asked.
"I'm here with Valerie."
"Well, then where is she?" Sam and Danny asked simultaneously. Briefly, their eyes met, before they turned away by a subconscious mutual consent. Tucker cocked an eyebrow, but merely shrugged when both turned back to him.
"She's freshening up in the bathroom."
"Translation: You spilled punch on her dress," said Danny.
"Something like that." Tucker paused and shot a fake glowering look at Danny, who returned it, before continuing, "I don't know why she's so worked up about it. I mean, it added a beautiful abstract design to her dress."
"And you wonder why you don't have success with dates, Tucker?" Sam taunted, "Why'd she come with you, anyway?"
"Her boyfriend stood her up, and she wasn't about to miss her prom."
"You're pathetic, Tucker." Danny and Sam shot, echoing each other again. Danny sensed a blush creep up his cheeks and a tingle spread throughout his body, more severe than even his ghost sense.
After giving them a strange, unnerved look, Tucker retorted, "Maybe so, but I'm here with a hot date. Who cares why? And don't you two make the cutest couple?"
"Aw, shut up, Tucker. We are not a couple." Danny's heart leapt uncomfortably in his chest. Sam had abruptly turned away as he said this, but not before he'd managed to catch a glimpse of her expression. Was that sadness in her eyes? Maybe she feels something, part of Danny's mind chirped. Maybe I ought to stop hallucinating, the rest of his mind responded.
"Augh! These stupid gloves! I've got to fix my hair, and this isn't going to work!" Sam had taken out her hairpin and taken off her gloves, setting them on the table. "I'm going to run to the restroom. Be back soon."
"I'll go, too. If you see Valerie in there, and she's still furious, warn me, okay? I'd like to live past tonight." With that, the two headed off, leaving their friend to his introspection.
"Dammit!" Danny slammed the table. I might as well face it, he thought, I'm smitten with my friend, who'll probably never even think of me as a romantic entity. But, being the idiot that I am, I can't stop loving her. Loving her... I -love- her, don't I? But...ARGH! Why'd I have to fall for my best friend? Just my luck. Dejected, Danny picked up Sam's hairpin and gloves. Still, he held on to a glimmer of hope. That look she gave him, it couldn't have just been his imagination, could it? He fingered one of the red roses on her hairpin, before subconsciously removing it and fastening it to his tuxedo's with the pin he'd left on the inside of his sleeve cuff. Why didn't I notice it before? I bought her red roses, for heaven's sake, and didn't figure out I'd done that because I love her? He mentally kicked himself for being in denial for so long, after looking back through all the times they'd spent together, and realizing it had started in his freshman year. That dance... Holding her hands in his... The warmth flowing through his body...
Sam steadied herself with her hands on the sink, feeling as though if she didn't, she'd collapse. The bathroom was as odiferous as always, lending its putrid smell's power to her growing headache. Valerie had just stormed out, and Sam had had no time to warn poor Tucker about the thunderhead headed his way. Now, she was all alone in the restroom. The stillness unsettled her, but she resigned to stay, as she couldn't go back out. Not like that. She needed to clear her head. Why had she run off, flustered, when Danny denied them being a couple?
Lifting her head, Sam stared intently at her reflection in the mirror hanging above the sink. In her lavender eyes, she saw an distinct, though faint emotion, but she couldn't decide on what it was. Dammit, Danny, she thought, what is it that you are making me feel? Is it love? No. It can't be. Sam was no fool; she'd never fall in love with someone who'd never return her feelings. No unrequited love for this girl. However, a part of her, the same one that had piped up earlier, again voiced dissent. You could deny it a million times, and all you'd do is make yourself ever the more infatuated. Sam shoved this thought into a recess of her mind, and, with a vehement shake of the head, walked out the door and into the hall.
She spotted Danny, still standing by the table, caressing something before fiddling with it, fixing it upon his tuxedo. His aquamarine eyes seemed to sparkle, light dancing upon his features, a confused thoughtfulness crossing them. From her viewpoint, he was the most stunning person in the room. As she walked closer, she noticed that he'd pinned one of the roses from her hairpin onto his outfit, and was clutching her gloves.
"Danny, what'll people say when they notice you holding my stuff for me? Is that a rose from my bouquet?" Sam prodded jokingly, but failed to keep an undertone seriousness out of her voice. After all, what would people say?
"Um..." At his laconic response, Sam peered around the room. Sure enough, there were people staring at them, gossiping.
"Here?" The naive, bewildered look on Danny's face filled Sam with that unnamed emotion. He's so adorable. The thought entered unbiddingly into her mind; she had to will it to go away.
"Thanks, Danny. And, for the record, I think that that was very sweet of you," said Sam, wanting to make him smile. Sure enough, Danny positively beamed at her. A murmur rippled through the dance hall, and people shot glances at them. "Great," she sighed, muttering exasperatedly under her breath, "There goes the rumor mill."
AN: Not my best, and I know it. I was working on integration of the styles I'd been practicing, but that backfired, resulting in a rather bland chapter. Don't worry, the unjust torture of reading this will be over soon! I only planned two more chapters, so the end is nigh.