Professor Bhaer's school was having a winter dance. Or a social. Whatever his school called them.

Jo knew this because she was going to be a chaperon at this particular dance/social/whatever. Apparently, they'd been having a hard time trying to find chaperones for it so Jo volunteered herself.

For some reason she though his school was going to be like Little House on the Prairie. She knew it was a small school for rich people's kids and was a bit old fashion. Wherein the kids learned Latin and Greek Mythology and all that stuff.

Alas, this meant Jo needed another dress. Luckily, she'd had forewarning about this dance and had bough herself a dress. One that did not make her feel like a street walker.

The school was sort of way out of the city. It set by itself on a little backroad, but the building was large. It looked almost like a castle made of red brick with the entrance sunken in behind two large pillars.

Sort of large for a school that supposedly had such a small number of students.

Jo grabbed her bag and locked the car, heading up to the building. It looked sort of foreboding in the dark of night. She wasn't even sure if she went in the right door.

The sound of thumping music led her to the gym. A huge gym, really, with two floors of stands and a large open space. It was decorated with navy streamers and paper star cutouts hanging from the high ceiling.

Jo would blend right in with the decor. Her dress was navy and cut to the knees. This one had straps, which made her feel much less exposed.

Hardly anyone was there, save the people she figured were volunteers like her. And most of them looked older than the building itself.

"Jo!" Professor Bhaer called from across the way. She spotted him standing near a long line of tables setting out food.

Jo rushed over to where he was, "Hey," she said. "Need help?"

"Yes, please," he smiled. She sat her bag down on a nearby table and helped him unwrap a vegetable platter. "So you found the school okay?"

"What?" Jo asked, "Oh, yeah. Yeah. How were classes today?"

"No one wanted to pay attention. All anxious about the dance I suppose," He began pouring punch into a large glass bowl. "I've been here since five a.m."

"Sound like you need a drink," Jo suggested. "I guess one of my jobs is to make sure no one spikes this?" She nodded at the hot pink punch.

He nodded, "And to make sure no one does anything reckless, really. Other than that," he gestured to the table, "free food."

"My type of shindig," Jo said grabbing a pretzel stick. "Hey," her arm rested on the plastic table cloth, "I thought this was supposed to be a small school. This place is only small compared to the Taj Mahal."

Professor Bhear laid out the last few plates, "Big place but not many students really. You'll see. They should be getting here soon."

"Awesome," Jo bit into her pretzel and took a seat near her bag. "So am I just sitting here tonight?"

"Or you could dance. Whatever you like."

"Dancing?" Jo's eyes lit up, "I am pretty fantastic at the Macarena, I'll have you know."

Professor Bhaer grinned lightly, sitting down across from her, "I look forward to it."

He wasn't wearing anything too fancy himself. Just one of his raggedy suits he always wore for school.

Maybe it was the light then. The dim light of the gym and the flashing dance lights.

Maybe it was the atmosphere.

She couldn't put a finger on why, but he looked really handsome. Like, boy of your dreams handsome.

Or maybe he'd always looked like that but she was just now seeing it.

She always thought his dark hair sort of scraggly but not it seems charming. His bright eyes seemed to peer right into her, seeing into her thoughts.

Jo then realized that they'd been holding eye contact for a really long time and decided to look away.

She kept sneaking glances, just to see if he still looked as handsome. Just to see if she was imagining it.

He still did. Every time it surprised her.

Part of her wished he would go back to how he was just a few minutes ago.

She didn't have much time to think on it because soon students began coming in to the dance. The Professor was needed elsewhere and got up, leaving her alone at the table.

Oh well. At least she was close to the food.

She even ended up doing a few of the dances that night. Professor Bhaer was right about the small number of kids. There were no more than one hundred at most. Such a big building for such a small group.

Towards midnight most of them had left. Just a few spare students had decided to stay until it was all over. Jo imagined that they were the seniors wanting to soak up every moment of their last year that they could.

She was one of those seniors at one time. She and Teddy had stayed all the way until the end of their senior prom and then went out for shakes afterward.

Never did she think she'd say this, but things were so much easier in high school. Everything was laid out for you. You always knew what you were going to do and when you were going to do it. There was no guessing. No trial and error.

The real world was hard. The real world was confusing. You woke up each day not knowing what was going to happen or who you were going to be.

Or who you were going to think was handsome.

In high school, Jo knew she was going to be a writer. She didn't know anymore. What good was a writer who could come up with any ideas?

The DJ played one last song for the night. Some popular slow song that Jo didn't know the name of but knew she had heard before.

A few of the other volunteers began cleaning up the gym.

I should be helping them, she thought.

"Jo," Professor Bhaer said from behind her.

"Christopher Columbus!" She swore. "Don't sneak up on me like that! You scared me to death!"

"Sorry," he backed up a bit from her. "I was just wondering if-"

"I know," she stood up, straightening out her dress. "I'll go over and help with clean up."

"No," he said with a smirk. "I wanted to know if you would like to dance with me."

No one had ever asked her to dance before. Not once. Not at any prom. Well, Teddy had, but he didn't count really.

Shit. She thought. What am I supposed to say? Witty. Say something witty.

"I thought you didn't dance," Jo said. Great, I'll just throw myself out this window now.

He smiled, "I said I wasn't good at it. I never said I didn't."

"Oh, okay," she nodded. "I mean yes. Yes, I'll dance with you."

"Great," Professor Bhaer said, taking her hand. Jo grasped his nervously. "What is this song anyway?" He asked, placing a hand on her waist.

"No idea," Jo placed her hand of his shoulder. Suddenly, she claimed down. It didn't feel awkward at all, really. It felt as it always did with him. Just natural. "Just be thankful that it isn't a Taylor Swift song."

He laughed and they swayed in time, "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah," Jo nodded. "Did you see me dominate the Macarena? I dominated it."

"I did," He chuckled. "And I don't think it was a competition, Jo."

"That's just what losers say to make themselves feel better."

Professor Bhaer looked down for a minute then back at her, "Why haven't you be writing, Jo?"

"Oh," Jo bit the inside of her lip. "I don't have anything to write, really. My stories were never that good. No one liked them-"

"I liked them."

"Thanks," Jo muttered. "They just felt stupid after...Beth. I want to write something that means something. My mom always said to write what you know. I don't know what I know. Who wants to read about me?"

"I do," Professor Bhaer said without any hit of nerves. "I think you are an amazing woman. Everyone else should get to know you too."

Jo felt something in her. It was some stupid fluttery feeling that made her brain not want to work and her stomach feel nauseous.

"Thank you," Jo couldn't think of anything better to say. She noticed that the crooning of whatever song had been playing had cut off yet they were still standing together. "Uh, the music's turned off."

"Oh, yes," He said as they backed up at the same time. "It looks like everyone else got the cleaning done."

"Hope they don't think we're slackers," Jo laughed nervously, picking up her purse. "I guess I should be getting home. You heading out too?"

"Later," he said. "I've got to get some papers out of my room."

"Grading again?" Jo teased.

He shrugged, "Alas, yes. Aren't you going out of town tomorrow for your sister's party?"

"Yep," Jo remembered. "And I'm staying in Concord for the rest of the break."

He swiftest a bit, "Oh. So I won't see you for a while?"

"You'll see me tomorrow," Jo smiled. "No goodbyes yet, Professor."

"Yes," he backed up again. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

...

"Hello?"

"Ugh, Teddy, what are you doing on the phone? Where's Amy?"

Jo heard a slurp sound through the phone and knew he was drinking something.

"Nice talking to you too, Jo. And she's in the shower," He swallowed. "Something wrong?"

"No," Jo said quickly. She was still in her navy dress. She'd fallen right onto her bed when she got in her apartment and hadn't moved since. She'd just been sitting there. Thinking. "Yes. I tried calling Meg first but she didn't pick up."

"What's wrong?" Teddy's tone was intense.

"Nothing. Nothing important or dire. Just..." She sighed, running her hands through her dark hair. "I don't know what's going on with me and I needed someone to talk to."

"I'm all ears."

"It's about Professor Bhaer," she admitted, thinking it would change his mind.

"I've made my peace with that," he added. "Tell me what's up. You used to tell me everything."

"Fine," Jo scowled. "I just feel weird. It's like I'm happy and sad all at the same time and I know it's all his fault. It's almost a good feeling but I also kind of feel like The Incredible Hulk just punched me in the stomach and ripped out my intestines."

"It's called love."

"It sucks. I feel stupid," Jo said, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Teddy laughed, "Jo March is in love. Never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Teddy! This isn't funny! I knew I shouldn't talk about this with you! I knew you'd just mock me and-"

He sighed, "Calm down. I won't laugh anymore. Does he like you too?"

"Probably not. I'm not flirty or girly or anything like that," Jo muttered.

"True, but you're clever and you're funny. Those go a long way," Teddy added.

"I don't know. I won't see him for two weeks. Maybe I just need to think."

"No," he said, dragging out the 'o'. "You'll just overanalyze it. Just don't think about it too much and see what happens."

"Whatever," Jo replied. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. How are you doing?"

"Ugh!" He whined. "Amy has bought nearly all of Concord for her party. Everything is yellow. All the decorations are yellow. It looks like Big Bird thew up on the house!"

"Yellow?" Jo laughed. "Why yellow?"

"Because it's 'in this year'," he said in a bad imitation of Amy. "I'll be happy when this whole thing is over."

"Laurie?" A quiet voice called from somewhere in Teddy's room. "Who are you talking to? You're supposed to be helping Marmee with streamers!"

"Shit," he whispered. "Gotta go, bye! Love ya."

Jo smirked, "Love ya too. See you tomorrow if Amy doesn't kill you."

"Well, if I'm missing tomorrow, you know what happened."

The phone clicked and Jo felt a smile growing on her face.

Perhaps Teddy was right and she was thinking too much about everything.

Tomorrow would be a new day. Back in Concord. Back to where her family was.

Amy would be having a birthday party.

Oh crap.

Jo hadn't bought her a present.