Note: A lot of people made mention of their own high school's take on prom. I hope all of you guys fight the system. Collins would be proud. Another thing, I'm going on vacation for a long time. A week…away from the computer. I might not make it. Te he. But as soon as I get back I can guarantee you I'll be posting many fics and many more chapters. Have a good week guys. (Gives teddy bear to PrettyBoyFrontManLove) Love ya all.
All of their plans were in motion. Collins had successfully asked Angel to the prom, making it clear that she would have to borrow one of Dawson's suits for an hour or so. Maureen had asked Joanne to go with her although Collins could tell Joanne was hesitant about the whole switching idea. Mark had even asked Lori, after talking to her on the phone for the first time. Whenever Collins asked Mark about the phone call the filmmaker just blushed. Roger was the only hold out. So the gang decided to give him no way out. They organized a trip to New York for dress shopping and invited Mimi along. It was more than a kick in the general direction. First, they had to meet at Angel's house…which was hard for some to handle.
"I think I might cry." Joanne mumbled getting a look at the inside of Angel's house for the first time. "Look…" She pointed to the chandelier, "Doesn't someone need those."
Roger shrugged, "Those shoes have been there as long as I can remember…so I guess not." Joanne grasped her elbows, probably resisting the urge to clean. Mark patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry we're just waiting for Angel." Mark said offering her an encouraging smile. He then glanced over to Joanne's cousin, Lori. She nervously brushed a piece of dark brown hair behind her pierceless ears. Although she was Joanne's cousin, she seemed nothing alike her minus the skin tone. She had barely said a word minus the numerous thank you's towards Angel for letting her stand inside of the house. Once she even mispronounced house and said hose causing the girl to blush for a good five minutes. It was easy to see the girl was painfully shy.
Mimi laughed at Mark's comment while spinning one of Angel's little sisters, "Do you know Angel, Mark? That might take years."
Mark frowned, "Good point." He glanced over at Lori again who was biting her lip watching Collins roll on the ground with the two ninjas. Mark cleared his throat and said specifically to Lori,"Do you want me to take a walk with you?" Joanne shook her head thinking she was the main focus of the conversation.
"I'll walk with ya." Roger said heading outside to wait on the porch with Mark who looked back at Lori. The girl raised her eyes to meet Mark's and then went back to the ground immediately.
"Um…I'll go too." She said in barley a whisper, "I'll see you outside, Jo." Mark held the door open for her. A huge smile spread across Mimi's face as she watched Mark and Lori leave.
"Collins, be careful!" Joanne called to him after watching one of the ninjas push him on the ground. Collins rolled into a coffeetable banging his head and sending a porcelain pug onto the ground. Joanne gasped and ran to get the boys away from the glass, but then she saw it intact on the ground.
"But it's…porcelain…" She murmured with wide eyes.
Collins laughed picking it up and putting it back on the coffeetable, "Sybil and Peter know their kids. There ain't a damn thing that's breakable in this house." Joanne came over to her friend and took of his cap.
"Except maybe your skull." She tried to look for a cut.
Collins ripped the cap from her hand and put it back on his head, "I'm fine Joanne. Chill, girl. It's a real good thing we didn't get married…no offense."
Joanne sighed rubbing her temples, "No offense taken, Col." She looked up and frowned deeply. Collins followed her gaze and saw Maureen twirling her hair with her pointer finger. She also seemed to be having an intimate conversation with Andrea. Angel's sister giggled seeming engrossed with the high school senior.
"Collins!" One of the ninjas…probably Leo called out, "Let us beat you up again!" The other ninja nodded with a smile on his face.
"Leo! Kiefer! Leave him alone!" Angel called out coming down the stairs while putting her gypsy sized hoops in her ears.
"Awww…" The ninjas and Collins said in unison.
Joanne's eyes were still glued on Maureen seeming to be frozen until Angel took her hand.
"You ok, sweetie?" She asked her, "I know you're kinda a neat freak but…" Angel looked down at Collins who tilted his head towards Maureen.
"Andrea!" Angel called to her sister whose attention finally left Maureen, "Mom's calling you. Go." Andrea headed towards the kitchen with a smile clueless to the fact on what was truly going on.
Maureen watched her go and then smiled to Angel, "You never said your sister was cute."
Joanne's hand slipped out of Angel's, "I'm gonna go wait outside with Lori." She stormed out of the house almost running into Mimi in the process.
Mimi frowned, "What's wrong with her? The clutter finally get to her?"
Maureen shrugged and played with her hair, "Must be." Angel and Collins shared and look. They would have to talk to Maureen. It seemed like her flirting was getting to Joanne…and Maureen was clueless as to how it was bothering Jo. They would have to intervene.
"Ok we can go in a minute." Angel said motioning for Mimi, Maureen, and Collins to follow her, "I just want to show you guys something." Angel ran over to the steps and brought over a canvas covered in a white pillowcase.
"My daddy made it." She revealed an abstract painting. Streaks of all different thickness and colors were everywhere. The focal point was the only concrete thing in the whole painting, an outline of a pregnant woman's belly. Maureen raised her eyebrow, "What the heck is that?" Mimi smacked her friend's shoulder.
"Angel's dad made it." Mimi repeated. Maureen shrugged looking at the painting again.
"Looks like my brother's finger painting to me." Maureen popped in a piece of gum and headed outside to join everyone else. Angel tried to hide her disappointment. She bit her lip and looked down at the painting.
"I think it's pretty." Angel said quietly. Mimi nodded and rubbed her best friend's back.
"Oh it is sweetie. It is. You know Maureen…unless she made it or something…but it's real nice." Mimi glanced through the front hall window seeing Roger run his hand through his hair. Looking back at Angel she said, "I'm gonna go outside and wait ok, chica?" Before she got an answer she headed out.
Angel watched her go and sighed, "Mimi's sweet, but I don't really think she likes it either." Collins got closer to her and gently took the painting from her. He smiled a bit and pointed to the woman's belly.
"That's you isn't it?" He asked her quietly. Angel smiled and nodded.
"I've always thought that at least." She whispered to him. Collins grinned and made note of the signature. Just as messy as the painting but he could make out an "A. Schunard".
"Were you named after your father?" Collins asked pointing to it.
Angel shook her head and then paused, "Kind of. His name was Angelo. My mom just dropped the O, and added on her maiden name, Dumott."
"This is definitely you then. Which means it's gorgeous." Collins murmured kissing her gently. Angel giggled putting the painting back in the pillowcase carefully and setting it on the steps.
"Is it gonna be safe there?" Collins asked pointing to it with his eyebrow raised.
Angel nodded slipping her arm across Collins' waist, "It's the only safe place in this house." She stood on her tiptoes to give him another kiss.
"Ew!" A ninja voice called out, "Collins was so cool before he started kissing!"
Collins and Angel laughed heading outside to meet the rest of the group on the porch. But their laughter faded when they saw Joanne and Maureen glaring at one another. Both Mark and Lori looked like they saw ghosts.
"Umm…is everything ok here?" Angel asked carefully.
"No Angel, everything is not ok." Maureen said crossing her arms, "Joanne doesn't trust me. She thinks I'm cheating."
Joanne rubbed her temples again, "It's not that I think you're cheating…I just wish…you wouldn't flirt with every person you come in contact with."
Maureen let out a bitter laugh, "I do not flirt with everyone, missy. I never flirt with Collins and Angel!" Collins let his shoulder's droop thinking that she better find better examples.
"Oh good you don't flirt with the gay men. That's smart Maureen!" Joanne yelled walking down the porch and heading for her car. Her girlfriend ran after her.
"Oh would you just drop this elitist crap! Just because you think that you are better than me because you live in a big house with rich parents doesn't make you any better than anyone else here." Maureen practically screamed her hands on her hips.
Joanne shook her head and got in the driver's seat slamming the car door, "You can drive with Collins." She said flatly, "Lori, Mark?" Lori slipped into the car with Mark at her side.
"I cannot believe her!" Maureen called out as Joanne drove off, "I just cannot believe her. She's…she's delusional! Do you know what I gave up to just be with her?" Angel went over to her and patted her hand.
"It's ok honey, let's just go to the city ok?" She helped Maureen in the backseat and then called out, "Shot gun!"
Roger gulped glancing at Mimi whom he was soon to be sharing the miniscule room in the back of Collins' wagon with. Angel grinned deeply, she wanted nothing more than two of her closest friends to bet together. Maureen sighed resting her elbow on the window and gazing out at nothing in particular.
"Alright all." Collins mumbled, "Take your seats. Fasten your seatbelts and let Roger do his magic." Roger rolled his eyes while Mimi giggled.
Roger took a deep breath, "So Mimi-"
"Yes." Mimi said with a nod.
"Yes?" Roger asked with a few blinks, "I didn't even-"
"Well when a boy asks a girl a question it's usually wanna go out on a date, or be my date for prom. Or a marriage proposal." Mimi explained precisely.
All of the color drained from Roger's face, "Oh well it wasn't the last one."
Mimi smirked, "I doubted it. But yes I'll go to prom with you."
From the front seat Angel clapped and turned around to see her friends, "You guys are so cute! I know you'll work out! Just like me and Collins!" She said giving Collins a hug.
"Umm..baby?" Collins mumbled.
"Yeah."
"I'm kinda trying to drive." He said as the car veered to the side of the road. Angel let got of him quickly.
"Oops. Got excited there." She giggled and then clapped her hands again, "Prom's gonna be sooo much fun!" Collins smiled deeply, the wheels in his brain working at full speed.
Mark sighed and cleaned his glasses, "How many dress stores can they go to? I mean…are there that many types of dresses?"
Roger nodded flipping through a few paintings in the thrift store, "Short ones, long ones, dark ones, light ones, slinky ones, poofy ones. It's a thing."
Collins chuckled and looked at his watch, "Well they've been at it for three hours. If we wanna get home before dark they better find their tiaras so we can get out of here." He put his hands in his pockets and said quietly, "I just hope Maureen and Joanne make it through the night."
Mark put his glasses back on, "Do…do you think they're gonna break up?"
Roger shrugged pulling out a still life with a naked woman in the background, "Maureen seemed authentically upset…"
"Yeah. Joanne was real spacey. Lori actually asked her on many occasions if she'd rather her drive." Mark smiled gently. Collins nudged him gently. He was actually proud of Mark. When the problems with Maureen and Joanne started to show themselves, Collins wondered if Mark would go back to drooling after the drama queen. But it seemed like he found someone who held his interest more.
"Whoa. This is…confusing." Roger said pointing to a large painting. Collins looked over expecting to see some sort of naked woman as those were the only paintings Roger found interest in, but it wasn't. The canvas was covered in streaks of all different colors and sizes. And in the middle was two practical stick figures holding hands.
"That is…odd." Mark agreed coming over to get a look himself. Collins rushed over to the painting and took it out of Roger's hand. Glancing down at the right bottom corner he saw a familiar signature. Without even a word to his friends he went straight to the cash register. He heard Mark mumble to Roger, "Well…I guess Collins liked it."
"Guys!" Mimi called out coming in the store her hands filled with bags, "Guys we're finally done! Maureen finally found a dress that properly eventuated her features." Mimi said laughing as if it was an inside joke.
Maureen sighed, "I'm sorry I don't want to wear something that completely covers up what the good lord gave me. And anyway, I don't like being boring like some people." She smacked her gum.
Joanne took in a deep breath, "I told you I'll get big jewelry." Lori looked wide-eyed at her cousin and gently took her hand.
"It'll look pretty." Lori said gently. Joanne calmed from the simple words and nodded looking away.
Angel smiled and put her arm around Joanne's shoulder, "Don't worry darling. Once I've gotten my mitts on you, you will look hotter than hot. And guess what!" She looked to the boys, "I got a poofy dress!" She squealed a bit.
Roger shrugged, "Like we really expected anything different." Angel swatted his shoulder even though she was still smiling.
"Where's Collins?" She asked looking around the shop. As if on cue Collins came up to her with a canvas covered in paper.
"Oh what you buy?" Angel questioned.
Collins sighed, "Anniversary present for my parents. I know stupid to celebrate a marriage of connivance but it must be done."
Mark wrinkled his nose, "You bought them that thing?" Collins gave him a glare and Mark frowned.
"Oh…it…it wasn't that bad." Mark tried rubbing the back of his head. Collins caught Lori starting to smile from behind Joanne.
Post: I officially have no life and actually went online to pick out everyone's dresses. If anyone is interested in seeing them just pm me or ask in a review and I'll e-mail them to you. You'll get to see them even before the boys. (wink) Like I said I will be gone for a week but I'll send them to you as soon as I get back. Next Chapter: Maybe the dinner with Collins' fam…yeah that sounds about right.