Lizzie's POW
I am so excited, at school this year we are having a father-daughter dance. At my old school, we had these dances, but I never got to go. Dad was really not there and I never really wanted him to go. However, I was always sad the next day when all of the girls talked about the dances, how their dads took them out to dinner, how they danced together and how they always had pictures of them and their dads in heart picture frames it always made me so mad when I went to my friends houses.
Although George is a super nice guy, I didn't know if I wanted him to take me. While he is my step-dad, I was not sure that I knew him well enough to get a picture of him and me together.
Unfortunately for me, my mom found out about the dance before I had a chance to decide whether or not to ask George to go with me. If he went it would seem like he would be replacing Dad. Even though Casey's and my dad was never around, and when he was it was horrible, I still love him, simply because he is my dad.
I heard knocking on my door; my mom was holding the newsletter that my school sends out each month.
"Honey, when were you going to tell me about the father-daughter dance?"
"Well, I don't know if I want to go yet."
"Well, I asked George and he said that he would love to take you if you want to go? Mom said
"Well I guess, I don't know though…"
"Honey, you always wanted to go to these at your old school, why don't you go to this one, you will have fun, I promise."
"Ok"
"Lets go dress shopping, we only have four days until the dance."
The Day of the Dance
So, my first father-daughter dance is tonight, a Friday night in our school gym, I had seen the decorations while I was leaving school. There was a lot of pink and red, it made me so excited that I was finally going to get to go.
My excitement however, was limited. When I got home, I got ready. I was so excited that it did not matter that the dance was still hours away and that I would be sitting in my dress for hours before that.
Mom came into the living room, I had been watching TV. with Derek, Casey, Marti and Edwin.
"Lizzie, I have some bad news, George had to go to another city for a case he is trying and his flight was cancelled, he won't make it tonight, I am so sorry, I knew how much you were looking forward to this…"
This is all I heard of here…I was running up the stairs as fast as I could in this dress. I knew that this was too good to last, I knew that I would never get that father-daughter dance experience. If my real dad couldn't take the time to go with me why would George, who was just my step-father?
Mom was knocking on my door, she was trying to talk to me, she said that we could go out for dinner another night, that there would be other dances, but I knew that there would not be. Next year I would enter junior high, at that time dances were for boys and girls, not fathers and daughters.
Casey came into my room and tried to reason with me, Sometimes she gets on my nerves, she got to go to a few of those father-daughter dances, she really is too perfect sometimes.
I looked at the clock, it was 6:30, the dance started at 7:00, there was a dinner before that, the menu was chicken courdon bleu. I liked fancy chicken.
I was just about to get out of my dress, when there was another knock on my door,
"Leave me alone" I shouted at the door.
I swear, if Mom or Casey tries to comfort me one more time I would scream.
I heard the door opening "I didn't say you could enter…"
I turned around and there was Derek, he was dressed up more then usual for his Friday night dates.
He shut the door behind him.
"Here's the deal." He said, "You and I could go to the dance, I know I am not your dad, but I am a much better dancer then Dad is anyways, it could be fun, we could go over soccer plays. Something that no one else in this house would appreciate. I know some moves that could really help your soccer team"
I looked at him with awe, he never was mean to me like he was to Casey, this was something that he would do for Marti, but not for me.
"Why are you doing this for me, just this morning you were bragging about your date. Did mom put you up to this?"
"No, I just felt like dancing. I promise you the best Derek treatment that is available."
Everyone was watching TV when Derek and I walked downstairs,
"Lizzie where are you going?" Mom asked
"Lizzie and I are going to the dance," Derek answered "well be back by midnight."
As the door closed, I could hear Casey yelling at mom, why would she go out with him. I know that Casey would never approve, but Derek and I got along enough that I was willing to go with anyone at this pint.
While Derek was not my dad, he made sure that I had a great time, (even though there were awkward silences) I realized that he was not so bad, it was then that I realized that maybe this move wasn't so bad.
Now when my friends come over, they look at my picture from the father-daughter dance. It is in a heart frame, even if it is just of me and Derek making faces at the camera. It showed me that you can count on some guys. Even if they are your annoying step-brother. Derek and I now hang out, which makes Casey mad sometimes, which is ok every once in a while.
