CHAPTER NINE: OPERATION D.A.N.C.E.
With their new friend group in tact, Francine and Sue Ellen seemed to make strides towards recovery. They had to ignore their old friends completely, but seeing that none of them empathized with their predicament, they could care less about those past acquaintances fading away. Sue Ellen was just upset that Maria and Jenna had a few of her books, just as Francine was mad that Muffy had one of her favorite hockey jerseys, but the girls would get over this. They had a new life to begin with their new friends, and they planned to live life to the fullest.
The school year pushed on, and as spring neared, posters about an upcoming boy/girl dance began to cover bulletin boards throughout Elwood City High. Francine eyed them carefully, wondering if she and the group should go. Before she could even ask, Molly and Sue Ellen sat down with Becca and Holly, a dress magazine between them.
"Okay, so the boys are completely uninterested, but I was thinking we could all go on our own," Sue Ellen squealed, pushing the magazine towards Francine, "And I'm going to make this dress in my sewing class."
"And I'll be making this one," Holly pointed, the red dress in the picture sparkling on the page. Francine was stunned as she looked over the pages.
"Information overload!" Becca grinned. "Okay, how do you feel about the dance? We can talk about dresses in a minute because you look totally overwhelmed right now," Becca laughed.
"Yeah, I am overwhelmed," Francine admitted. "I'd love to go to a dance, but one of these dresses? There are more, right?"
"You don't even have to wear a dress. I'm going to wear a denim suit of my mom's. Well, it needs some work to save it from the eighties," Molly grinned, "but if Sue Ellen and Holly think I can get away with it, then we can find something else for you too. I want us to all look amazing, and when the boys ask us to dance, we'll ignore them," Molly said.
Holly giggled, "This is going to be epic, Francine. Come on, we'll work something out for you," she said as the bell rang overhead. Sue Ellen finished her sentence for her, "After class though. Come on, let's get moving."
A few days passed, but Francine was still unsure of what she'd wear. To be honest, Muffy usually decided these things for her, even if they made Francine very unhappy in the end. She trusted Sue Ellen and the other girls to make the right decision for her, but these girls were less power-hungry. Francine would have to make the final decision on her own, and she honestly didn't know if she could do that.
The week before the dance, Sue Ellen and Francine followed Holly to Becca's house, where they would leave from to go shopping at Elwood City's mall. Francine was obviously nervous, and Sue Ellen was trying to take her mind off of the dance by discussing a baseball game she'd watched the night before. Francine had seen it too with her father, but she just couldn't think about sports right now. In fact, she almost felt sick as they rang the doorbell.
Becca answered, her mom, a trained opera singer, singing in the background. Sue Ellen smiled, stepping into the cultured home and taking a seat in their den. Francine chose the remain standing beside the couch, eying the trinkets on the wall and trying to imagine she was in the exotic places they'd come from.
"Okay, Francine, we know you're having a hard time deciding," Holly said, tapping her arm to get her attention, "and Becca and I have come up with a solution. Pick one of us. We'll tell you exactly what to wear, but you still get a choice because of who you're going to pick," she grinned.
"Um...give me a hint about what you're planning first," Francine stammered.
"Well, I am in love with hot fashion trends right now. I also love the color red, so my outfit will probably be a red number in a familiar yet trending style," Holly said.
Becca went next, "I want your outfit to be relaxing yet feminine. I haven't decided the entire thing yet, but it won't be so girly that you puke up glitter for weeks," she laughed. Francine grinned too and turned to Sue Ellen.
"Oh, I wasn't a part of this, but I can come up with something. I know you don't like anything too revealing, but you want to be fashionable when you can. I want us both to look amazing at the dance, just so we can be really happy," Sue Ellen smiled.
Molly wanted to stay out of this, barely trusting her own fashion instincts. The girls piled into Becca's mother's minivan and headed towards the mall. Sue Ellen and Holly namely needed sewing supplies, but after searching around, they found something for Francine as well. All she had to do was pick the person she trusted the most.
Because Francine knew her the best, she decided to pick Sue Ellen. She picked out a yellow dress and had her try it on. Holly and Becca were nervous, both of them being unable to wear yellow ensembles at all. But when Francine emerged...
"Oh my god, you look gorgeous!" Holly squealed, squeezing Sue Ellen's arm. "You should totally be a fashion designer one day, or at least one of those people who tells celebrities what to wear," she grinned.
Francine was so happy with the choice, and it was within her budget. So, the girls left the mall with their finds, eager to attend the dance the following week. And they were happy to go on their own too, setting them apart from their classmates, many of whom suffered from tantrums the week before due to a lack of dates.
When the day came, Sue Ellen's mother drove the girls to Elwood City High. The girls walked into the gym, looking over the crowd. Not many people had actually showed up, but in the middle of the dance floor, there were several familiar faces jamming to the beat.
The tallest person on the floor was Prunella, who was dancing with an older male classmate. Nearby, Buster was dancing with Maria while Arthur stood nearby getting punch. Francine and Sue Ellen exchanged glances as they claimed a spot along the wall.
"So, did he come with Maria or did Buster come with her?" Sue Ellen whispered. Francine shrugged, watching the two leave the dance floor as the song changed. Becca and Holly moved quickly to the dance floor, and after grabbing a snack, Molly joined them as well. Francine and Sue Ellen maintained their positions, eying the crowd.
"I don't think she's with him anymore," Francine noted, seeing Buster and Maria holding hands as they took a spot in the bleachers. They were sitting very close as well, too close.
"Hey, there's Fern and Muffy," Sue Ellen said, watching as they darted across the floor. When they got to the group, Arthur stood, his arms stretched for a hug. Sue Ellen and Francine watched, nearly holding their breath, as the recipient extended her arms...
"Muffy?!" Francine cried. "Are those two dating now?"
"She would do something like that," Sue Ellen scowled.
On the dance floor, their friends noticed their anguish and dragged them onto the floor. This night was about their friendship, not some stupid boy. Sue Ellen and Francine internally disagreed, exchanging glances as they began to dance. Arthur was important to them, and if he was with Muffy now, they deserved to know.
But the night concluded without any real information, and with the end of the school year nearing, the girls needed to focus on their studies and not petty gossip. The evidence was clear though, and as the students departed Elwood City High for summer vacation, one thing was very clear: Muffy and Arthur were definitely an item.