(9:45)

Well, this night could have gone a whole lot better. What was supposed to be spending a dance with a very close friend of mine, has descended into mad chaos. It got so bad that me and Ronnie Anne leave before it went off the deep end, which is why were now awkwardly sitting at a booth at Jean Juan's French Mex Buffet. Our faces brighter than fresh tomatoes, hands sweating which poured like Niagara Falls, the silence of an empty graveyard. My suit had been torn down the middle, slightly giving a glimpse of my small muscle-less chest, one of my sleeves ripped off, a gaping hole in my left pant leg at the knee, and my right shoe was missing.

Ronnie Anne looked like she'd seen better days, the dress a shriveled mess of its former glory, still soaked with grape punch with her eye shadow now dripping. Her gloves were now missing fingers, and her arm had a piece of her dress wrapped around in a makeshift bandage.

Suffice to say our date was a total failure.

(earlier)

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne showed up at the dance, a couple feet apart but had their hands connected. It was still awkward for them to be on this date of sorts, but they were going to finish what they started. "So, what would like to do first?" Lincoln asked with a stiff face.

Ronnie Anne scouted the gym of her old school, where kids were either hanging out, dancing, talking, or whatever people do at dances. The only dance she ever really went to was the Sadie Hawkins dance before she moved, and that was to find Lincoln to go to the arcade. Only to find he had 4 dates, he explained that his sisters had set him up with girls, without consulting him or each other. Ronnie Anne gulped, "Uh, let's just get some food."

"Yeah, sure."

The two kids slowly made their way to the snack table, with big awkward grins on each of their faces as they trudged through the dance hall. They had a simple plan, just stay low-key and not draw any attention to themselves while they're together at the dance. A sizable portion of the students still believe that rumor about them being an item, this date would just bring all that drama back.

'Almost there', Lincoln thought as he guided Ronnie Anne to the snack table, "Hey, Link." 'DOH!' he stopped and gulped before turning to see Stella in a nice modest black dress with a corsage bracelet. Ronnie Anne getting pulled back from the sudden stop of her date.

"Oh... (clears throat) Hey, Stella." Lincoln let out as a bead of sweat threatened to seep out.

Stella looked down to see his hand interlocked with someone else's, "So, care to introduce me to your...…" the girl gave her a glare as if challenging her to finish that sentence.

Lincoln realized what she was getting at and said, "Oh uuuuh, Stella. Meet Ronnie Anne, my friend who moved to the city a while back." she lightly kicked him in the shin, which he still grimaced from "And also, my date." he then turned to Ronnie Anne, "Ronnie Anne, this is Stella. She's new to our school."

"So you're the famous Ronnie Anne I've heard about?" Stella wondered.

"What of it?" Ronnie Anne challenged through narrowed eyes.

Stella put her hands up defensively, "Woah look, you don't have to worry about me and Lincoln. I already let him down gently." Ronnie Anne sent a glare to Lincoln, who looked away with a blush. "He's told me about you, how you can be a little rough around people."

"Only my enemies." she said.

"Well, that's nice... I think." Stella said a little uneasily. "I'll just leave you to catch up with your boyfriend, enjoy the dance." she said before walking away from the two.

"I'M/HE'S NOT HER/MY BOYFRIEND!" Lincoln and Ronnie Anne exclaimed, he music drowning out their voices as Stella disappeared into the crowd. The two just got back on their trail.

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne were now sitting in one of the bleachers, each with a plate of food. Lincoln had a few cocktail weenies and a couple carrot sticks with dip, and Ronnie Anne a finger sandwich and a side of pudding. The two didn't speak after their encounter with Stella, making this night more awkward than it already was.

Lincoln took a bite of the weenie before tossing the pick into a nearby trashcan, "So... how are things?"

Ronnie Anne took a scoop of chocolate pudding and ate some, "Fine. How are things with you?"

"Fine."

Awkward silence rained again.

"So what did she mean about letting you down gently?" Lincoln froze as a dip covered carrot stick was inches from his mouth, he wasn't ready for that question. Ronnie Anne looked to him with a suspicious look.

"Uuuuuh, uuuuuuum, You see... the thing is...…" suddenly the music changed songs, "Ooh they're playing that new popular song come on!" he dragged her to the dance floor as a super hip and energetic song played. Ronnie Anne glared at the dancing boy, not content till she gets the answers she wants.

TBC