Very soon came the big night of the winter dance.

Carmine looked at himself in the mirror in his new red tuxedo. He brushed his hair like there was no tomorrow. His hair was getting awfully long. It already reached a couple inches past his shoulders.

"Think you're gonna cut your hair any time soon?" said Sanjay, fixing his tie.

"Nuh uh. My dad used to keep his long." Carmine said. "I wanna let mine grow to look like his."

Carmine turned to face his friend.

"You look great, Sanjay." said Carmine. "Lucy is one lucky lady."

"Thanks." Sanjay said, brushing back his hair. "If all goes well, she could be my new girlfriend."

"Congratulations, buddy. What do you think of my outfit? Too flashy?"

"You look perfect. Caroline would have to be crazy not to think you look red hot."

Carmine chuckled at his friend's attempt at a pun. He was so excited for tonight. He couldn't wait to see Caroline in her dress. Carmine had no doubt she would be beautiful. She could be in overalls, and he would still think she was the most beautiful girl at the dance tonight.

Of course, no date to the dance was a proper date without a corsage for the lady. Luckily, Carmine picked up a thing or two from all the times he'd sat by and played with Fluffy while his grandmother was sewing new garments. So, he managed to piece together a purple silk rose just for Caroline.

Carmine's phone went off, and the boy looked at it.

"Time to go."


Carmine held the corsage in his hand as he headed over to the ballroom where the dance was taking place.

The ballroom looked amazing! The whole place sparkled with blue, silver, and white decorations. Snowflakes, icicles, little white and blue reindeer, snowdrop flowers, and music was playing as lights flashed.

Carmine and Sanjay walked in together and were amazed with how beautiful it turned out.

"Wow, look at this place!" Sanjay said.

"It's amazing." Carmine gasped. He looked around, hoping to spot his lady. "I wonder where Caroline is."

"I'm sure she's around." Then he spotted someone. "Oh, Lucy. Hey, girl."

Sanjay excused himself to go greet his date, while Carmine continued to look around for his. There were people everywhere. Guys with their ladies, groups of friends, but he didn't see Caroline among them.

Carmine sighed. I knew it. She'd never go for someone like me.

But as Carmine turned to leave, he stopped and looked up. The whole rest of the room seemed to turn dark as a sparkling light filled the room in the form of Caroline. She wore a sleeveless cobalt blue cocktail dress with diamond sequins all over the bodice, her hair tied back in a ponytail instead of its usual bun.

"Sorry I'm fashionably late." said Caroline.

"Whoa..." was all Carmine got out as he gazed at her beauty.

"You look so handsome." Caroline smiled.

Carmine shook himself out of his trance and smiled back nervously.

"You-you look...wow."

Caroline giggled when she saw how much Carmine was blushing.

"Uh... I made this... for you." Carmine said, presenting the corsage and placing it on Caroline's left wrist.

Caroline was so touched when she looked at the lovely corsage. It looked so perfect, and she couldn't say she'd met a lot of guys who would go to such lengths to make tonight such a memorable night.

"Oh, Carmine. It's beautiful. Thank you."

"Would you... care to join me in a dance?"

Caroline smiled and took his arm saying, "I'd be happy to."

Carmine and Caroline walked to the dance floor and began dancing together along with the other students. The music was so fun and upbeat, and this time Carmine was definitely trying to impress Caroline with his moves. Other students who noticed Carmine dancing with Caroline were impressed and a bit surprised. Most knew him as a very shy kid who almost never talked to anyone, and any time he sang, he did it fairly quietly.

"You got the moves like jagger, Carmine." Caroline commented.

"This is nothing." Carmine said, acing a turn and tossing his hair back. "Compared to how you dance. The teachers should be begging you to teach the classes."

Suddenly, the lights softened a lovely blue, and a slow song began to play. A familiar song that had played when Carmine and Caroline danced together in social dance class.

The day we met,

Carmine blushed really hard as Caroline wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Frozen I held my breath
Right from the start
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart
Beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone?
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

Carmine slowly wrapped his arms around Caroline's waist and moved in a little closer to her and slowly swayed with her to the music.

One step closer
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Slowly, Carmine turned Caroline and began to slowly waltz with her. It felt as though no one existed but them.

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this

They'd danced gracefully together in every dance they'd done together for classes, but this was entirely different. It felt more magical than that because they'd chosen each other on their own, and they were no longer mere schoolmates in this scenario. Two friends, they started out when they walked in, but they felt something inside of them growing. Something wonderful.

One step closer
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

I'll love you for a thousand more
Ohh

Carmine looked into Caroline's eyes. They sparkled like the twinkling snowflakes surrounding them.

One step closer
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Caroline could see so much joy in Carmine's eyes as they continued to dance. It could have been just that she was enjoying the moment, but she could swear that somehow his glasses made that look in his eyes stand out even more.

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

One more turn, a perfect end to the song. But a true big finish for this dance was when Caroline leaned closer to Carmine and closed her eyes, Carmine doing the same. And this time, his and Caroline's lips... touched!

Carmine felt like his heart just ignited into a plethora of fireworks as he and Caroline kissed. This was the last thing he'd expected to happen tonight and not just because it was their first official date. And although it may sound cliche, somehow Carmine just knew he'd met the woman for him.

"Wow." Carmine and Caroline gasped as they pulled away.

"Mind if I cut in?" said a familiar voice, pushing Carmine aside.

"Um... yes." Caroline said, seeing Carmine on the floor. "Carmine, are you okay?"

"Nothing hurt but my dignity." Carmine said, getting up from his sore rear. "And my derriere."

Caroline started to walk back to Carmine, but Derek grabbed Caroline by her wrist.

"Come on, Cary. You know you'd rather dance with a real man."

Caroline yanked her hand and said, "Carmine is more real of a man than you will ever be."

"Come on. You're seriously gonna pick Four-Eyes over me?" Derek said. "Don't tell me you need glasses now too."

"Even if I did," said Caroline. "I don't need perfect eyesight to know the difference between a real man and a self-centered playboy. And don't call me Cary."

"Oh, come on, Cary." said Derek, trying to touch Caroline again... until Carmine stepped between them.

"You heard the lady. She doesn't want to date you." Carmine said angrily.

Derek got up in Carmine's face and growled. "You want me to break your glasses again?"

"I wouldn't have to look at your ugly mug if you did." said Carmine.

"You're not qualified to dance with a broom." Derek mocked.

"Only one way to find out." said Carmine. "Right here. Right now."

The deejay immediately saw what was happening and called out, "Clear the floor, it's a DANCE OFF!"

Everyone cleared the floor as a fanfare began to play to start the dance off between the two boys.

Carmine and Derek psyched themselves up and positioned themselves to dance.

Are you ready? Ha!

Derek made the first moves. He could move very smoothly and swiftly, and looked slick doing it.

It's time for me to take it
I'm the boss right now
Not gonna fake it
Not when you go down
'Cause this is my game
And you better come to play

Carmine made his move with some quick turns and moves here and there from hip-hop class.

I used to hold my freak back
Now I'm letting go
I make my own choice
'Cause, I run this show
So leave the lights on
No, you can't make me behave

Carmine got close to Derek and turned quickly, hitting Derek in the face with his hair. Then Derek started dancing again. The two boys started dancing at the same time.

Uh, huh, huh
So you say I'm complicated
That I must be out my mind
But you've had me underrated
Rated, rated

Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?

Derek tried pushing Carmine down, but the latter caught himself and did a back kickover, landing perfectly on his feet.

Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?
Uh, huh, huh

It's time to get the chains out
Is your tongue tied up?
'Cause this is my ground
And I'm dangerous
And you can get off
But it's all 'bout me tonight (Tonight)

The two boys kept dancing and dancing, their moves getting crazier and crazier every second.

Uh, huh, huh
So you say I'm complicated
That I must be out my mind
But you've had me underrated
Rated, rated

Uh, huh, huh
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being
What's wrong with being confident?

The boys even went as far as dancing on the tables. But Carmine didn't give up.

Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being confident?

Derek then tried a really hard move, but ended up slipping and landing roughly on the floor, hurting his leg.

Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being (Yeah)
What's wrong with being confident?

Carmine, on the other hand, leapt with a perfect turn in a big grande jete, and he finished off in a perfect split!

Uh, huh, huh (Yeah)

People cheered as Carmine was declared the winner of this dance off while Derek was taken to a medical droid to treat his injury.

"You really showed that jerk who's boss tonight." Caroline smiled before dipping Carmine and kissing him again.

Carmine felt like he was going to faint at that moment, and not just because that dance-off took a lot of energy from him.


After the dance, Carmine and Caroline soon went on a second date outside of school one weekend.

"Agh! That's the third time in a row!" Carmine groaned as Caroline beat him in Dance Prance Revolution.

"I'm sure you'll get it next time." Caroline giggled.

"It's only because I'm used to dancing on a real dance floor and not just stomping criss-cross in one space."

Things got really great between Carmine and Caroline ever since the dance. When winter break came along, the two of them video chatted to wish each other a Merry Life Day, and for the rest of the school year, they spent as much time together as possible. They studied together, ate together at pretty much every meal with each other and their friends, and went on dates whenever they could.

And, having worked in the school before, Carmine found a special spot for him and Caroline where they could just make out with no one bothering them. That, they never told anyone about, not even their roommates.

A couple years went by, and Carmine was going to be in for a ride when Caroline invited him and his mother to come meet her family for Life Day.