The dance is in less than an hour and I've finally finished getting ready. I think I look blatantly Jewish, but Jack assures me that I look just fine and he and David go back to attempting to coax Spot out of his bunk.

"Spot, come on. This is the last big thing of the year. You don't want to be remembered as the kid who his in his damned room while everybody else was out having fun."

"Besides," David pipes up. "Racetrack's going to be there. You guys can hang out."

Spot gives David an icy glare over the guard rail of his bunk, and I feel actual physical pain just from looking at it.

"What's going on with you and Race, Spot?" Jack straightens his tie in the mirror and then turns back to Spot.

"He's an asshole and we aren't friends anymore. In short, I am never speaking to him again." Spot huffs out a sigh and turns over to face the wall. "Plus, he's going with that dumb bitch Caroline."

"What's wrong with her?" David asks. Sometimes this kid can be such a dumbass. "She's sweet. I like her."

"She's a slut," Spot snaps.

Jack sighs. "Fine, Spot. Suit yourself. Let's go, Dave."

Jack and David walk out and I look up at Spot. He turns over after a moment and looks back at me. "What?"

"You've got to go, Spot."

He groans. "Damn it, Specs, not you, too."

"Spot, you have to show him he doesn't phase you."

"But he does phase me. He and his stupid, bi-curious, I-like-chicks-but-I'll-suck-your-cock-for-fun attitude phase me."

I sigh. "I know, but you can't let him know that you feel like that. Now come on, you've still got time to get ready. You can tag along with me and Skittery and Bumlets and Pie."

Spot pulls the blanket over his head. "No. Don't want to. Just leave me alone, Specs."

I start to protest further but there's a knock on the door. I open it to find my three dance companions smiling and waiting.

"You look great," Bumlets says. "Now let's go. I want to see who won the contest."

A cold line of sweat trickles down my back as we walk down the hall.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

I've been walking around the commons for maybe a good hour or so with Skittery, and so far, it's been pretty fun. Everybody's all dressed up and the commons is actually decorated. I like seeing everybody's artwork, and I even know a couple of the people who have their stuff on display. Plus, I haven't seen a trace of certain people who I really don't want to see tonight.

Then Pie Eater has to come up and ruin all my fun.

"Keep your eyes peeled," he says. "Sarah Jacobs is on the warpath and you're number-one on her list."

Skittery snickers. "Man, what'd you do to piss her off?"

I shrug. "I don't know... nothing... I mean, what could I have done? I don't even talk to her."

Pie Eater is smirking. Skittery and I just look at him.

"Somebody told her about you and Dutchy, and now she and Dutchy are on the outs, and she is not happy with you."

I just stand there with my mouth hanging open. Skittery grins.

"Who told her?"

Pie shrugs. "I figure it was probably Morris DeLancey. He's had a major hard-on for her since the day he met her."

"Yeah, that would make sense." Skittery nods.

Bumlets trots up, grinning. "Hey, Specs," he says, grabbing me by the arm. "Come with me. I got something to show you."

He drags me over to a display case and pushes his way through the small crowd of people gathered around it.

"Bumlets, what is this?"

"Just look."

I roll my eyes and look at the pictures inside the display case. There are several photographs of couples inside, some boys and girls together and some of other couples, including a pair of girls holding hands and one of Jack and David laughing together. In the center, though, are two photographs that really pop.

On the left is one of me and Dutchy, sitting on his bed. Dutchy's arm is wrapped around me, and we've both got these huge, goofy smiles on our faces. My eyes well a little, so I look to the picture next to it. It's just of me, and I'm laying down in the grass in the courtyard. My face is all sweaty, but my eyes are closed and I'm smiling. I didn't even know that picture was taken.

Beneath the photographs are scribbled the words "Love" and "Free." There's a plaque affixed in the case.

Johannes Visser, Jr.

Winner, Overall Excellence, Photography

"Wow. Bumlets, I--" I turn to the side to face Bumlets, but he isn't there anymore.

Dutchy is.

"Hey," he says."

I shove my hands into my pockets and swallow the hard lump in my throat. "Um, hey."

He's wearing a suit. He looks so damned good in a suit. As if it weren't hard enough to be mad at him after looking at those pictures, no, he had to go and look so fucking adorable. Bastard.

"Can I tell you something?"

I sigh. "Please don't tell me you're sorry again."

"Wasn't going to." He looks around, and I follow his gaze to see his father standing next to Dutchy's display, a cold, hard look on his face.

"Well, then, what is it?"

Dutchy stands for a moment, staring at his father. "Oh, fuck it," he says, turning to me and staring me straight in the eye. "I'm not confused anymore."

And he kisses me.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Ladies and gents (if there are any gents), it's over. But fear not, for a musically-inclined woman of a hefty build has not appeared yet. So sit back, relax, and wait - though you won't have to wait long, seeing as I have a bunch of work done already. Thank you all so much for your love and support during this fic, and I hope to see you come back for more! -Layne