Disclaimer: Nope, not ours.

A/N: Second chapter time.

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"This is so stupid," Kristen declared as the two friends exited the auditorium, slowed by the huge throng of students around them. "Any idiot can get their own date to a school dance. Who says you need a date for a dance, anyway?"

Claire shrugged and absently tugged at her overgrown bangs.

"I dunno. It could be fun."

"So you're going to do it, then?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"CLAIRE! KRISTEN! Wait up!"

The two girls turned to see a tall, tanned boy shove through the crowd and grab their thin wrists. He looked flushed, like he had run a marathon, and his caramel blonde curls hung in his startling bottle green eyes.

"Hey Dempsey," Claire greeted, punching his toned, muscular shoulder. "What's up?"
Dempsey Solomon was, in Claire's opinion, one of the only guys worth talking to at WPA. He used to be rather heavy and a "drama geek", earning him the nickname 'Humpty Dempsey" by Massie Block. But, after returning from his trip to Africa during the summer, where he helped his parents rebuild houses, he came back looking GORGEOUS- and was even on the coveted "HART list" written by the girls of the A-list group. But even though his hair and body had improved, he had kept his sweet demeanor.

"Eh. Not much," he shrugged and slung an arm over both Kristen and Claire's shoulders. "God, this is getting insane. Parents are really desperate to get their kids out of the house if this is what the school's come to."

"Tell me about it," Kristen said immediately, and blushed slightly at Claire's knowing smirk. It was no secret that Kristen liked Dempsey. Actually, everyone in the school seemed to know it- with the exception of Dempsey, of course.

"The first dance I feel comfortable enough to go to, and I don't even have the freedom of choice to ask the person I want? What has the world come to?" he shouted dramatically. Claire and Kristen giggled and smacked his shoulder.

"Well," Claire shrugged, "You have to take a survey, so you'll get matched up with someone who has similar interests and personality. Since you're sweet, kind, and friendly, you probably won't," she scrunched up her nose in a disgusted manner, "get matched up with someone like Massie Block. Ugh."

"Oh. My. God. I just had the best idea!" Kristen squealed, then lowered her voice when people began to stare. "Okay Dempsey, how about, since you want someone to be comfortable around, you and either me or Claire take the personality quiz at the same time! So, then, we can put in answers that will automatically put us together!"

"Brilliant!" Dempsey grinned lopsidedly and Kristen beamed.

"I dunno, Kris," Claire said skeptically. "Isn't that totally missing the point of the match system?"

"Suit yourself," Kristen shrugged, but looked a bit too pleased. "So, Demps, you and me?"

"Heck yeah!" he tried to high five her with his left hand, and failed. "Damn, I still can't do it! Hold on," he raised his right hand and slapped it to Kristen's.

"Cool!" Kristen smiled, and the three of them made their way to Homeroom, where everyone was buzzing about the latest announcement. They took their seats in the middle of the classroom and waited expectantly as a young, flustered man stumbled into the room, and waved his hands, signaling silence.

"Hello class. I'm sure you heard the announcement about our principal's decision to match you up for the upcoming school dance."

"It sucks!" a boy shouted from the back of the room, and most of the class nodded and muttered in agreement.

"Settle down, settle down," Mr. Tyrell said in a tired, but firm voice. When everyone was quiet, he spoke again. "Now, the school wants to ensure that everyone takes this personality survey. So, I'd like you all to come up here, grab a laptop from the cart and log in. I'm writing the website up on the board, and all of you will take the quiz. Right now."

The class grumbled, but got up and took a laptop back to their desks. Claire logged on, and went to the school website, and clicked a tab marked "Dance Survey". There was an enormous list of questions, ranging from age to music preferences to hobbies to favorite food. She groaned quietly and began to fill it out.

Name: Claire Lyons
Grade: 10

"Mr. Tyrell!" Dempsey shouted. "This is such a screwed up test! They ask for your physical appearance! That's practically racist! How can they do something like that? So, they're choosing your date according to how good you look with them? I protest!" The teacher sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Mr. Solomon, it's just part of the quiz. Please be quiet and finish the survey."

Dempsey swore under his breath and went back to his survey. Claire found the physical appearance section and began to fill it out.

Physical Appearance: 5'3''. White blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin.

"Mr. Tyrell?" Kristen asked, raising her hand. "So, if we have, like, the same answers as someone else on the survey, we'd be more likely to get them as a date, right?"

"Not necessarily, Ms. Gregory. The system won't always match you up with someone with the same exact interests. Sometimes, they do the whole 'opposites attract' type of thing."

Kristen frowned and began typing again, while Claire giggled. Obviously Kristen had counted on getting 

Dempsey as a date. Now, she couldn't be too sure.

Hobbies: Photography, swimming, water color painting, reading, writing, and mountain biking.

Favorite food: Chocolate ice cream

And for the rest of the 45 minute block, Claire filled out the survey and clicked send. A small window popped up.

"Thank you for completing the survey. Your code will be given to you on Saturday, December 15th."

Claire frowned suddenly and raised her hand.

"Mr. Tyrell, why do we have to wait until the day of the dance to get our code?"

"Well, the school doesn't want to take any chances with students skipping the dance based on who their date is," he answered delicately.

"Meaning," a girl hissed behind Claire. She turned to see Massie leaning forward in her seat, a malicious glint in her eye. "The school doesn't want the poor sucker with the misfortune of getting you as a date to runaway or commit suicide before the dance."

Claire opened her mouth to retort, but the bell rang, and everyone began packing up for their next class. Massie smirked and shoved everything in her purple and gold Juicy Couture messenger bag before flipping her reflective hair over her shoulder.

"Later, LBR."


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