Disclaimer: I do not own Hart of Dixie

5. The Back-to-school Dance

Zoe lay in her bed and could not sleep. Four days she'd spent listening in on every conversation that Hannah had and following her every footstep. She'd even gone so far as to document her actions and she'd come up with nothing. Nothing to make anyone doubt her intentions. She'd even googled her name; Hannah Lewis, and came up empty. Not a single file about this particular Hannah. She'd found that a bit odd, but there were probably thousand Hannah Lewis' in the States and it's not like everyone does something to make them pop up on Google, so she'd dismissed it.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a noise outside. She sat up in bed and looked outside her bedroom window. It was Wade coming home. She wondered what he'd been doing at this ungodly hour but quickly dismissed it. It was Wade. She knew what he'd been doing. Though he'd been acting a bit differently lately. She'd spotted him a couple of times when she'd been following Hannah, but she hadn't payed him much attention. He was just the typical, annoying boy next door.

She looked over at her alarm clock. Only two more hours until she had to get up.

Zoe had just finished applying her makeup for the day when her phone rang. She looked at the screen. It was Annabeth. Zoe's face lit up. She hadn't talked to or even seen a glimpse of Annabeth since their shopping date last Saturday.

"Hey, AB! What's up?"

"Hi, oh I'm fabulous, so excited for tonight's dance. It will be amazing!" Annabeth said, squeaking with excitement.

"It better be. You and the rest of the Belles have been so busy planning all week. I've barely seen a glimpse of you all week, not even in sociology, and I thought you'd be caught dead before you'd miss Mr. Matthews' class" Zoe said teasingly. Mr. Matthews was a young, new teacher that had all the girls in the school drooling.

"Well, if I'd gone to his class I would've been dead. Lemon would've killed me" Annabeth said laughing. "She's got us all working our buts off at all hours"

"That's Lemon for you"

"Yeah, I guess" Annabeth said thoughtfully and both girls stayed quiet for a moment.

"Oh, I can't believe I almost forgot the reason I called you. You are so not going to believe the news I got for you"

"What? Common, spit it out girl!"

"Well, you remember last weekend how I was feeling down 'cause nobody had asked me to the dance yet?"

"Yeah, I remember. And I also remember my brilliant advice about how you don't need a guy" Zoe said impatiently.

"Well, there's no need for that, I got asked to the dance"

Zoe squeaked of joy for her friend. "AB, that's amazing news. I knew someone would. The boys at our school are dumb, but not that dumb. So, who is it ?"

"Simon Donner" Annabeth said, bursting with pride.

"Wow. Simon Donner. He's HOT! Plus, he's the back-up QB. AB, that makes you like the back-up queen of the school!"

"Slow down for a minute girl. Let's not talk ridicule here. Everyone knows that Lemon is the Queen Bee of the school and seeing as George Tucker is not the QB, that makes the girlfriend of the starting QB the queen. Plus, he's not my boyfriend, he only asked me to one dance. Maybe he won't even like me"

"Annabeth, that boy likes you. Why else would he have asked you? And if he does not want to be your boyfriend he is even stupider than I thought. And to be honest, I don't think that's possible. I'm sorry, but that boy is seriously close to brain death" Annabeth burst out in nervous laughter.

"Fine. I guess he likes me. But I wont hear another word about his brains" she said in a fake stern voice.

"Sorry, won't happen again. Hey, are you doing anything before the dance? Want to get together and get ready?"

"Oh, Zoe, I'm sorry. The Belles are all required to get ready at Lemon's. But I'll see you at the dance, ok?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you tonight"

Zoe hanged up the phone and sighed. She could ask Claire to meet up before the dance but she didn't really want to. She hadn't been clicking with her friends recently. Besides, she wasn't really excited for the dance. She and Jonah hadn't been spending much time lately and when they did it was mostly arguing or awkward silences. She took a last look in the mirror and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Wade walked out of his house five minutes before school started. He had been debating on wether to actually show up to school and use the time to try and find out more about Hannah, but he decided against it. He'd already blown off a lot of school for that this week and it had gotten him nowhere. The girl did nothing other than work. She'd twice stopped at the Dixie Stop on her way home but hadn't bought anything. He had hit a dead end. Maybe there actually wasn't anything there and he'd just been imagining things.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Zoe Hart sitting at the end of her driveway. Weird. Her annoying boyfriend usually picked her up way before school started, she was such a dedicated student, and he was popular so he could turn up early to meet up with friends.

She looked up when he stopped in front of her. Her eyes were a bit watery, like she'd been half-crying. Man, now he'd have to ask. He wasn't that much of a douche to just walk away.

"What's wrong, princess? Brake your glass heels?"

Yeah, he couldn't just walk away, but he was still going to remain himself. He could not stand that girl.

"Shut up" Zoe said and wiped her eyes.

"Isn't like you to miss school. Which, by the way, you will do if you don't make a run for it. Reckon the bells gonna ring in about two minutes"

"You don't know me"

"Please, I've lived next to you for all our lives. I know you plenty"

"Whatever" Zoe said as she got up, picked up her bag and walked away towards the school.

Wade looked after her. It feel stupid to walk just behind her, but he didn't wanna walk with her. His dislike of her was mutual. He decided to take the longer route to school. Mrs. Trent wouldn't mind if he was a few minutes late. She couldn't resist the Kinsella smile.

He was right. He walked in Mrs. Trent's classroom half way through the class, but he just snuck in the back and gave her a dazzling smile. She turned bright red and fumbled as she found her place again. He heard a snort from his right. There sat Zoe Hart. That was odd. She was usually sitting near the front, so caught up in the class that she wouldn't notice if an earthquake hit. Now she was in the back, arms crossed and staring out the window. Whatever, he though. So there was trouble in paradise. Not his bloody problem.

But he was intrigued. He scanned the room looking for Jonah. He was sitting in his usual spot, in one of the back rows surrounded by fans. It didn't look like there was anything bothering him. Not that it was surprising. His true nature was just finally catching up with Zoe. Little miss perfect Zoe Hart just probably thought she could change him, make him a better man, or whatever bullshit she'd been telling herself and it had bitten her in the ass. Serves her right, he thought with a smile and went back to sneaking glances at Mrs. Trent to ensure he could continue showing up late.

Zoe was getting her gym clothes out of her locker. Only one class left and then this horrible day would be over, she thought and sighed. Then suddenly she was hugged from the behind and a kiss planted on her neck.

"Hey, beautiful"

"Hey, Jonah" Zoe said bitterly as she turned around to face him.

"What's with the tone. Something got you down?"

"Hmm. I wonder what?" she said statistically as she broke out of his embrace and slammed her locker closed.

"Hey, wait, what?" Jonah said as he caught her hand as she was about to leave.

"What? Are you joking? You didn't come pick me up this morning, which by the way would be alright, it's not like I can't get to school on my own, but a heads up would've been nice so I wouldn't have to stand in my drive waiting, looking like an idiot. Then all day you haven't so much as even glanced at me, and it's not like you didn't have the chance, we have most of the same classes"

Zoe finished her rant and looked around. She hadn't been screaming or anything, but a few people had noticed her outburst.

"Whoa, listen, I didn't come to pick you up because the coach had an extra practice this morning 'cause of the game tomorrow. And about today, it's not like were always holding hands or something at school"

"I know" Zoe said to her shoes. She felt stupid, having blown up like that.

"Listen" Jonah said, taking her hands in his, "I've got to go to class, and then there is after school, and it's gonna run late 'cause the coach really wants us to win tomorrow, so I'm gonna be running late and wont be able to pick you up, but I'll meet you at the dance, alright?"

He didn't wait for an answer, just planted a light kiss on Zoe's forehead and bolted down the hallway, leaving Zoe standing there, looking totally lost.

Zoe stood in front of the mirror in her new dress. She'd put on a flaming red lipstick to match it and she wore red sandals with endless heels. She hated how short she was. She'd decided to let her hair fall freely, with just a few light curls at the ends. She knew she looked good. She heard a light knock on the door and then her dad's head appeared.

"Hey honey, you look great"

"Thanks, dad." Zoe said and smiled at her dad.

"So, when is Jonah picking you up?" he asked with a teasing grin.

"He isn't. I am just going to walk"

"What? No, you are not going to walk there, that is out of the question. I'll drive you" Harley said as he came over to stand beside his daugher.

"Dad, I love you, but you are not going to drive me. I am not ten years old anymore."

"Ten or seventeen, doesn't matter, you'll still be my little girl" he said as he hugged his daughter.

"I know, but letting my dad drive me to a dance is social suicide. And god knows I do not need it"

Harley looked at her daughter with concern. He knew she wasn't the most popular girl, but he always thought that it was her choice. Now he was a little worried that maybe it wasn't.

"Dad, wipe that worried look off your face, I am fine. A little exercise will do me good"

"Fine. But I am not happy about this" Harley said as they descended the stairs together.

"Neither are my heels, but you gotta do what you gotta do"

Zoe opened the front door, kissed her dad on the cheek and walked out.

"Don't stay out too late" Harley called after her as she made her way down the driveway.

Wade could hear the music blasting from the school gym where he was in the backseat of his car. He was already on to his second girl. The other one had been hot enough, but she wouldn't go any further than a slow dance with light kisses. Wade wasn't really expecting sex from every girl he hooked up with, after all they were still in high school, but common, at least some tongue and a bit of a feel. So he'd gotten rid of her and found a new one. That wasn't unusual. He was used to at least two different girls at each dance.

His make-out session, that had been turning into something more, was cut short by an argument taking place just outside of his car.

"What the hell, Jonah?" Zoe shouted. "You said you'd be running late, not showing up three quarters into the dance, looking like shit"

"I said I was sorry. I was at practice"

"Yeah, yeah. Practice. You know, call my crazy, but I thought that maybe, just maybe, I, YOUR GIRLFRIEND, might mean more to you than football"

"Are you serious? You know that I can't just not show up?"

"Why not? It's not like your the quarterback or anything"

Ouch, Wade thought. Yeah, it was true. Jonah would never be a football star, but that didn't mean he needed his girlfriend to tell him he sucked.

"Jonah, come back, I'm sorry" Zoe pleaded. "It wasn't fair. I'm sorry, it's just been a bad day, common, let's just call it a night, we can maybe snuggle up to a movie or something?"

"Yeah, sure, that sounds good" Jonah said, unconvincingly.

Wade heard them walk away, and for some reason felt happy after hearing their argument and he didn't know why. He just shrugged it off and turned his focus back to the now topless girl sitting on top of him.

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