Here it is everyone, just as I promised, the final part of The Dance, as well as the final chapter of The Newcomer. It's been a long time since I've started this story and I never thought this day would come. But now that we've reached this point, I hope every one of you enjoy this chapter as I have and I really hoped that the wait for this conclusion was worth it.
Without further ado, here is the final chapter of The Newcomer!
The Newcomer
An Amazing World of Gumball Story
By NeoNimbus
Chapter 76-The Dance: Part 2
The day of the dance has finally arrived and Brian, Mike, Gumball and Darwin were heading to the Paxton residence to pick up their dates. Olivia was driving the group with her super spacious van that could easily carry everyone. The guys were all dressed up and clean but didn't go overboard with it after Rhonda assured them the girls wouldn't do the same as well. The purple fox wore a green buttoned-up shirt and a pair of khaki pants. Gumball wore a red plaid sweater and a pair of black khakis. Darwin was wearing a red bow tie and blue sneakers and Mike wore a black sweater, brown cargo khakis and grey sneakers. All four were each carrying a flower with them, intending to present them to their dates once they reached their destination.
The mood in the van was quiet, as all four of them were nervous in varying amounts. Mike was the calmest out of the group, followed by Brian and Darwin, with Gumball practically on the verge of freaking out. With the tension of the car becoming extremely tense, the purple fox decided to lighten up the mood.
"So..." the purple fox began. "Looks like each and every one of us got some new threads. You're looking sharp right there, Darwin."
"Thanks Brian." the two-legged fish happily accepted his friend's answer. "It's not much, but it's all I got."
"I don't think Rachel will really care too much." Mike chipped in. "The bow tie alone shows you're willing to put effort in. I'm just glad that we've all agreed to a light formal arrangement. No reason for us all to overdo it just for an end of school dance, right?" Mike concluded.
"Yeah." Brian agreed, keeping the conversation alive. "It's also easier to dance when you don't have to worry about overheating from the clothes."
"A-At least we got everything ready for the dance." Gumball nervously commented.
"Gumball, you need to calm down." Darwin whispered to his brother. "You don't want to blow this after all the effort you made asking Penny out, do you?" Darwin tried his best to calm his brother.
"I just don't want to make a misstep." Gumball gloomily said.
"That's what the earpieces are for." Mike reminded the blue feline. "I'll be monitoring your date through the transceiver and offering you advice as you go." Brian then realized something.
"Mike, what about your date?" Brian asked, concerned for his friend.
"True, I won't be giving advice the whole night, but I'll make sure to help Gumball when I can." Mike assured the purple fox.
"Just try to balance things out when we're at the dance." said Brian.
In the middle of their conversation, the four didn't realize that they finally reached their destination until Olivia turned to inform them of their arrival.
"Alright boys, we're here." Olivia informed the boys. "Don't leave your dates waiting."
"Thanks, Mom!" Mike said as the kids all got out and Olivia put the van in park to wait.
"Alright, you guys..." Brian began, as he and his friends made their way to the front door. "Now remember, as soon as we meet our dates, we greet them, hand them our flowers and let them into the van first. Are we clear on that?" The three nodded, showing they understood, as the purple fox walked up to the door and rang the doorbell and waited.
A few seconds later, the door opened and right in front of them were their respective dates; each radiating with beauty. Rhonda wore a violet button-up shirt, a pair of light khaki pants and red sandals. Rachel had her hair down, and she was wearing a yellow and white sweater, green skirt and white boots. Carrie had a ponytail, revealing both of her eyes and she also wore a new hair clip that was now the shape of a winged being. Penny had on a new pair of blue sneakers and white wristbands. They each had a different scent of perfume and they all smelled really good to the boys, as they were left dumbstruck by their dates, though Gumball took it the hardest, as he passed out and promptly fell down the stairs. The girls gasped as the blue feline fell to the walkway below, while Brian face palmed at his friend's immediate failure.
"Great start." Brian commented through his hand.
"Is he okay?!" Rhonda asked, as Penny ran down to him.
"He's been through much worse." Mike explained, as if nothing happened. "That was equivalent to getting hit with a thimble. He'll be back up swinging in no time."
"Let's just hope he won't repeat this when we're at the dance." Darwin stated.
"Oh yeah." Mike remembered. "This is for you." the maroon badger handed Carrie a white rose, which caused her to blush heavily. She wasn't expecting this gesture from Mike so soon.
"Thanks Mike, that was so generous of you." said the young ghost, before gently taking the rose from the maroon badger.
"Anything to make you happy."
Likewise, Brian and Darwin remembered that they had flowers as well, as they quickly revealed them to the girls: for Rhonda, it was a beautiful orchid and for Rachel, it was a nice purple dahlia.
"Wow Brian, that was so thoughtful of you!" Rhonda praised her boyfriend, as she happily accepted the orchid from the purple fox.
"Just wanted to make this night special." Brian said to his girlfriend, as he grinned.
"Darwin, this is very beautiful. Thank you so much!" Rachel thanked the two-legged fish, gently taking the dahlia from his flipper.
"I really want to see you smile and I'm glad that happened." said Darwin, as he made a wide grin.
"Did I just die and go to heaven?" Gumball muttered, as the blue feline was starting to regain consciousness.
"Gumball! Are you okay?!" Penny asked, truly concerned.
"Y-yeah I'm fine!" Gumball insisted, his entire face red. "Oh! This is for you!" the blue feline managed to save the flower from his fall and handed it to Penny.
"Gumball, this is amazing! How thoughtful of you!" Penny thanked the blue feline, as he gently handed it to the excited antlered peanut.
"Well now that we've got the preliminary pleasantries out of the way, I trust you girls are ready?" Mike said as he seemed to be actually excited. Though whether it was real or not was something Brian couldn't determine.
"As ready as we'll ever be!" Rhonda happily replied, with Rachel, Carrie and Penny nodding their heads in agreement.
"Then let's go because my mom's starting to look impatient." said Mike, as he pointed to the van with his mother looking at him, annoyed.
"Right, let's get a move on!" Brian informed the entire group. The group all packed into the van comfortably and Olivia drove them to the school, just a little after it started.
Elmore Junior High was bustling with life, more so than usual, as every student, along with their chosen dates, made their way into the school gym for the anticipated school year end dance. Olivia pulled up a few minutes later with everyone ready for their dates...for the most part.
"Alright kids, be on your best behavior." the older badger informed the group.
"Thanks, Mom!" Mike responded in an annoyed tone.
"C'mon on Mike, I was kidding around. Of course none of you would do that." Olivia said to her son. Mike took a quick glance at Gumball, as he held the door for his friend and his date to get out before looking back at his mom.
"Of course not." said Mike, knowing it was a blatant lie.
"But seriously, I'm glad to see you in a good mood. I haven't seen you this happy in such a long time." said Olivia.
"Thanks, Mom! See ya!" Mike called out, as he shut the door and Olivia drove off.
"Hey Mike, it looks like the dance is going to start without us." Darwin called out to the maroon badger.
"So? We're only five minutes late." Gumball reminded him.
"Yeah, they don't shut the doors until after an hour." Brian added.
"I just wanted to remind everyone, that's all." the two-legged fish explained to his friends.
"It's fine, Darwin." Rachel added. "I wouldn't want to get locked out after coming this far."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Carrie asked.
"Let's go inside and have a good time." Rhonda suggested. "The sooner we have fun, the better."
With that said, the gang immediately made their way inside the school gym and as expected, the atmosphere inside was lively and active and everyone was having a good time. Some people were chatting with each other, and a few others were dancing on the dance floor or enjoying some of the food available. The entire gang couldn't help but be amazed by how energetic the dance has become and they couldn't be any happier than they already were.
"Wow! This place sure is lively!" Brian said, clearly impressed.
"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Rhonda agreed, before she heard a very good song from the background. "C'mon Brian, let's get to the dance floor."
"Wait, right now?!" asked a surprised Brian, before his girlfriend grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him off to the dance floor.
"Looks like Rhonda has a good idea." said Carrie, before turning her attention to Mike. "What do you say Mike? Want to dance?"
"Already?" Mike seemed pleasantly surprised. "This can't be the Carrie I know." Mike said with a smirk.
"Oh come on!" Carrie shouted, as she floated to the dance floor.
"Alright Carrie, I'm coming with you." the maroon badger said to his date, before the two headed off to the dance floor, leaving just the Watterson brothers, Penny and Rachel on their own.
"Darwin, I don't feel like dancing just yet. Do you mind if we can have go talk somewhere?" Rachel suggested.
"Sure Rachel. To be honest, I also don't feel like dancing just yet either." Darwin replied, before he and his date headed off to another part of the gym.
"So..." Gumball and Penny began simultaneously, before they realized what they just said and blushed in response.
"...Do you want to get some refreshments?" Gumball eventually asked the antlered peanut.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Penny agreed, before she and the blue feline headed off to get something to quench their thirst.
"Gumball, can you hear me?" Mike asked through the earpiece.
"Yeah." Gumball quietly replied. "I can hear you," Gumball had to make sure he talked quietly enough so Penny wouldn't catch on.
"Just wanted to make sure." Mike informed the blue feline. "Anyway, I'm in front of the speakers right now, so I'm not going to be able to hear everything you're saying,"
"Thanks for the heads up, Mike." Gumball quietly said to the maroon badger. "Just a quick question: how do I get Penny to kiss me?"
"Don't be in a rush, Gumball. You need to take the situation slow and steady," Mike replied to his worried friend. "Just be calm, take a deep breath and be yourself. The best time would be after you two have hung out for a bit and then had a slow dance. That's your best window of opportunity. But don't do it on the first dance. Second or third would be better unless you can see she wants the kiss,' Mike explained his plan to Gumball.
"Alright. Thanks, Mike." Gumball thanked his friend, before he turned his attention to his date. "So Penny, what do you want to drink?"
"I could go for some fruit punch." the antlered peanut replied.
"Alright then. Here, let me get some for you." said Gumball, as he made his way to the drinks.
"Good move. You sure you need my help?" Mike asked from the other line, unsure if Gumball needed the help.
"Yes I'm sure!" Gumball responded, as he poured two drinks and returned shortly afterwards with them in his paw, handing one to Penny. "Here you go."
"Thank you, Gumball!" Penny thanked with a smile as she and Gumball both took a sip. They immediately stopped drinking and spit out their drinks into the nearest trash can.
"What's in this punch?!" Gumball shouted as he looked into his cup.
"Ugh, it tasted like lake water with food coloring!" Penny spoke in disgust.
"What kind of moron uses lake water and food coloring as drinks?!" Gumball complained.
"Note to self: avoid punch bowl." Mike commented through the speaker.
"You're not helping." Gumball whispered back.
"I beg to differ." Mike stated matter-of-factly. "I'm helping my own date." Gumball grumbled in annoyance, before looking to Penny.
"Sorry about the bad drinks." the blue feline apologized to the antlered peanut.
"It's alright, Gumball. The night is still young, so we still have enough time to have some fun." Penny assured her date. "Though let's avoid the "punch" bowl from now on."
"Agreed." said Gumball, hoping that he still had enough time to finally to get a kiss from the girl of his dreams.
Meanwhile on the dance floor, Brian and Rhonda were having a great time dancing together. Both can be heard laughing as they danced around, competing to see who can dance the craziest.
"You call that a dance? My grandpa could do better than that." Brian jokingly asked his girlfriend.
"And I suppose that hopping all over the place counts?" Rhonda playfully remarked.
"The Hop was the best dance I could think of." the purple fox happily replied.
"Oh it's the best dance, alright...twenty years ago!" Rhonda joyfully retorted, before the two laughed their heads off from their banters.
"Who would have thought that a year ago, I would be here right now, with you as my girlfriend, as well as a bunch of friends that we go on adventures with?" Brian couldn't help but recall how his first day in Elmore went. He never imagined that the moment he stepped inside the school would be life changing for him.
"I know, right? It's hard to believe that we got to this point and managed to make it through here together." Rhonda commented. "Whether it would be you, Gumball, Darwin and Anais sneaking inside Elmore Academy to that chipmunk-"
"We swore not to speak of that incident again." Brian suddenly spoke, cutting his girlfriend off, as he still hadn't forgotten about his traumatic experience with the chipmunk.
"Sorry about that." Rhonda apologized. "But seriously, meeting you was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I couldn't imagine what life would be like without you."
The purple fox was stunned to hear the mouse's admission to this, as he felt his face blushing like mad. But deep down, he was quite touched, happy to know that he had made Rhonda quite happy since they first met. With that in mind, he took a deep breath before facing Rhonda, ready to tell her how he felt about her.
"I can't imagine my life without you either." Brian told his girlfriend. The distance between the two began to close, but before they could finish, a dancer got a bit too out-of-control and slammed into the couple, interrupting the near kiss.
"Hey, watch it!" Rhonda shouted at the dancer before turning to Brian. "Brian, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, though the same can't be said to my pride." Brian replied, disappointed by this turn of events, as his girlfriend helped him up to his feet.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Rhonda sighed. "I think I've had enough dancing for a bit,"
"Same here." Brian agreed. "Say, do you want to get something to drink?"
"Sure, I do feel a bit thirsty." Rhonda replied, before she and her boyfriend left the dance floor and made their way to the refreshments, as Brian went and pour Rhonda and himself some punch, before walking back to his girlfriend and giving her a cup. Brian and Rhonda both took one sip and just like Gumball and Penny before, spit it out almost immediately.
"Yuck! Why does this punch taste like unfiltered lake water with food coloring?!" Brian angrily shouted.
"I don't know, but I'm heading to the restroom." Rhonda informed her boyfriend.
With that, the mouse immediately left the refreshment area, while Brian followed after her but remained near the bathroom, just to make sure she's okay.
'This is not how I imagined my night was going to go.'
The moment Darwin and Rachel left to find a place to talk with each other privately, the two looked around their surroundings, hoping that no one was behind them. Once they were certain that there was no one tailing them, both Darwin and Rachel made their way underneath the bleachers, the last place that anyone would think to look for them.
"Not the best place, but it'll do." Rachel commented.
"At least no one will be bothering us now." Darwin noted, before facing the blue humanoid. "So how's everything?"
"It's going a lot better than I thought." Rachel admitted to the two-legged fish. "Ever since I stopped being friends with those harpies, eighth grade was quite eventful. That and I made a lot of more friends thanks to you guys." Darwin was glad to hear this news, though he hoped that he helped the most.
"I'm glad to know that you're happy. Say, remember when we first met?"
"Yeah, I remember that day. The party didn't turn out the way I had imagined until you showed up to help me out of that mess. I was just glad that mom and dad weren't there to see it." Rachel explained, recalling the incident where she met Darwin for the first time. "I'm glad you were there when I needed help the most and I appreciate it very much."
Darwin felt his face blushing, all the while silently thankful that Rachel was grateful for his help.
"T-That's good to hear. So Rachel, what do you plan to do for summer?"
"I haven't thought that far, but if it'll make you feel better, I want to spend most of it with you."
"You really mean it?!" Darwin excitedly asked.
"Of course I do, Darwin," Rachel replied, reaffirming her previous statement. Darwin felt really happy that he needed to get some of the energy out.
"Would you like to dance with me?"
"I would love to, Darwin!" Rachel answered the two-legged fish's question, before the two left the bleachers and headed straight to the dance floor.
For Mike and Carrie, being in each other's company helped them be at ease on the dance floor, as the two were having a good time. At the same time, the maroon badger was doing his best to help Gumball out, wanting to make sure that the blue feline didn't end up making a fool out of himself in front of Penny.
As Carrie was so busy rocking out to the music, Mike was secretly listening to Gumball's date while dancing to sell his illusion. From what he can gather, Gumball seemed to miss one opportunity after another, even though the blue feline listened very carefully to his instructions, from making corny jokes to using cliche lines that the maroon badger suspected came from some very cheesy romance films...or the back of a cereal box.
"Gumball, what are you doing?! Are you trying to mess things up?!" Mike scolded his friend.
"I'm trying my hardest!" Gumball called back, trying not to alert Penny.
"Your hardest? Who writes your pick-up lines?" Mike asked.
"I thought they would work like in the movies." Gumball sheepishly explained.
"No one would ever say those kinds of things in real life!" the maroon badger retorted. "Seriously, 'I'm the love of your life'? I think you've got it backwards!"
"How was I supposed to know that wouldn't work?!" Gumball responded.
"I'm about ready to hang up and leave you for dead." Mike warned the blue feline, emphasizing his annoyance.
"Please Mike! I really want to make this work!" Gumball pleaded to his friend.
"Then try harder!" Mike almost shouted.
"Alright, I will." Gumball obliged. "So what should I do now?"
"Just let her know how you feel, minus the cheesy lines." the maroon badger explained to his friend. "All you have to do is be yourself and take the direct approach." Mike then noticed the music changing to a slower song. "And dance with her too. I've got to go for a bit." said the maroon badger, before turning the earpiece off, much to Gumball's annoyance.
"Ready for this moment, Mike?" Carrie slyly asked her date.
"I didn't know you were into slow dancing." Mike joked. "I always pictured you as the rocker girl."
"Only when I'm in the right mood." Carrie happily said to the maroon badger. "Do you want to have the honor?"
"More than anyone." Mike responded.
With those words spoken, the two clasped their own hands together and soon, they start to dance with each other to the music, wanting to enjoy the moment.
"S-So Penny, want to dance?" Gumball nervously asked the antlered peanut.
"Sure Gumball, I would love to." Penny happily replied, as she and the blue feline headed to the dance floor, before something came to her. "Gumball, are you feeling alright?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Gumball lied, as he felt his head began to sweat.
"You've been acting way weirder than usual..." the antlered peanut began. "You've said lines that I swear came from some cheesy romance films, the jokes were corny, and your manners were a bit off. It's as if someone is giving you advice from behind the scenes and you can't really interpret it well." Gumball gulped at how she managed to get that all right.
"I'm sure it's just a coincidence." the blue feline feverishly said to his date.
"...Alright, if you say so." Penny reluctantly agreed, deciding not to pursue the matter. "Right now, let's just have some fun." Gumball offered to take Penny's hand which she gladly accepted.
'Alright Gumball, you can do this. Don't blow this one like you did like the last eight times.' the blue feline thought to himself, wanting to make this dance memorable.
Brian and Rhonda were now walking back into the gym when the purple fox noticed it was a slow dance song. The moment he heard the song, he instantly realized that this was another chance to make up for his previous attempt.
"Rhonda, may I have this dance?" Brian asked his girlfriend.
"The honor is all yours." Rhonda replied to her boyfriend, accepting his offer, as they made their way to the dance floor. The two began to dance slowly to the music, their eyes locked at one another as the two happily smiled and before long, the distance was slowly closing in. But just as they were about to make contact...
"Having fun, fur ball?" asked a certain carnivore, prompting Brian and Rhonda to turn around and see Tina right behind them, dismayed that she just ruined another moment.
"Brian..." Rhonda informed her boyfriend, as they were now worried about what might happen to them, as Tina and her friends walked closer towards them, until...
"Carrie!" Mike shouted, as the young ghost possessed Tina, while Mike tied up Jamie and Anton in streamers and sent them spinning into a trash can. Carrie drove the carnivore through a wall and out the door, before returning back to the dance by Mike.
"Thanks for the help, you guys!" Brian shouted to his friends.
"That'll be thirty dollars!" Mike joked as he held out his paw for payment. "I only take cash, though."
"Very funny, Mike." the purple fox sarcastically remarked. "But seriously, thanks."
"No problem guys." Mike said before he realized that Carrie wasn't next to him anymore but instead was at the refreshments table.
'I wonder why she's there.' Mike thought. "Hey I'll talk to you guys later, okay? And stay out of trouble!" Mike shouted, as he ran over to Carrie to the refreshments. The young ghost, meanwhile, had just finished pouring in a drop of the ghost potion to make Mike part ghost.
"I hope this works." Carrie said to herself.
"Hey Carrie!" Mike made his presence known in a happy tone. "You want something to drink?"
"A-Actually I thought you could use a drink after what just happened a bit ago." Carrie managed to get out almost fluently.
"I do feel a bit thirsty." Mike admitted to his date, before a thought occurred to him. "We're not getting some drinks from the punchbowl, are we?"
"Why? What's wrong with the punch?" Mike forgot that Carrie was unaware of what the punchbowl had in it.
"Nothing, just a bit curious." the maroon badger calmly replied.
"Okay..." Carrie accepted the answer, despite her suspicion. "Besides, I already have a drink ready for you."
Before Mike knew it, the young ghost pulled a cup behind her back and offered it to the surprised maroon badger, to which he took it from his date. Mike inspected the cup, as well as the content, wanting to know what Carrie did to the drink; it didn't appeared to smell like tap water with food coloring, yet it gave off a mysterious but fruity aroma. Whatever it was that Carrie concocted, the maroon badger, despite his hesitation, decided to accept the drink from his date.
'It's still probably better than getting some drink from that "punch" bowl,' Mike thought, as he took a sip from his drink. Surprisingly, it tasted much better than he imagined. "Not bad, Carrie, I like this. What is it?" Mike asked as he drank more of the strange drink.
"You'll find out soon enough." Carrie replied under her breath, satisfied that her date accepted the drink. Mike seemed confused as he set the drink down; now fearful that he might have drank something he shouldn't have. He suddenly made a ghostly like noise before coughing a little.
"What did you make me drink? Poison?" Mike asked fearfully.
"What?! No!" Carrie replied, hurt by the accusation. "What would make you think that?!" Carrie seemed offended.
"Sorry, Carrie..." Mike said shamefully as he calmed down. "I should have trusted you. You just said that in such a weird way that I thought you might have done something to my drink."
"...It's okay, Mike. Sorry if I got you upset. I should have chosen my words more carefully." said the young ghost. Mike then thought about what they could do next. Suddenly, a slow song played right after another slow song.
"Are they playing slow songs back-to-back?" Mike asked confused as he looked to the dance floor. "Is this a party or a snooze fest?"
"Honestly, I don't understand it either." Carrie admitted.
"Well Carrie ,I know this might not be your style but would you like to dance again?" Mike offered. Carrie seemed happy at the offer.
"I would love to." the young ghost replied, before she and the maroon badger made their way back to the dance floor.
"Well, Rhonda?" Brian asked his date. "Care to resume our dance?"
"Of course, Brian. Let's pick up where we left off." Rhonda replied with a smile, as she and her boyfriend danced once more.
While the couple was dancing away to the music, just a few feet away, Gumball and Penny were also dancing as well, though the former remained a bit nervous on his next move, especially since he was unable to make contact with Mike.
'What's taking him so long?! I could use his help right now!' the blue feline angrily thought, before a certain antlered peanut spoke up, bringing him back to reality.
"What's wrong, Gumball? You seem quite tense," Penny asked, concerned.
"I-It's nothing." Gumball replied, though Penny was far from convinced.
"Gumball, you can tell me anything, okay? It doesn't matter what it is, I won't have any problem with it,. Gumball felt a little better but he needed more conformation.
"You promise?" Gumball asked. Penny nodded before smiling sweetly.
"Just be honest with me, that's all." Penny assured her date. Gumball sighed before deciding it was time to fess up.
"Truth is, I-I've been receiving help from Mike for the last few days, Penny." Gumball pulled the speaker out of his ear and showed it to Penny, who was surprised how far he was willing to go for her. "It probably seems bad of me to need someone to walk me through my own date but...I just didn't want to screw it up for us both."
Penny didn't respond right away, still taken aback by what Gumball just told her. At the same time, however, what her date did an hour ago added up, whether it would be the cheesy lines or the corny jokes he tried using. Once the truth became clear to her, she turned to face Gumball once more, ready to speak.
"Gumball, I have to be honest, that was very brave of you for coming clean with me. Truth is, I was also having the same problems just like you were." Penny lamented.
"What are you talking about?" asked a confused Gumball. Penny then pulled a speaker out of her shell and showed it to Gumball, who was left dumbstruck, before Penny pointed to the stands where Leslie and Teri were sitting with binoculars.
"Let's just say desperate minds think alike." Penny replied before hugging Gumball.
"I couldn't agree more." said Gumball, happy that this night didn't turn out so bad after all. Though Gumball started to notice the night sky stars surround them again but this time, he was ready for them. As the music became silent, Penny and Gumball released the hug. Gumball looked at Penny's face to see her staring lovingly at him. He could feel his heart beating at a hundred miles an hour as his chance finally came.
"Penny..." Gumball began.
"Gumball..." Penny spoke back.
Before long, the distance between them was slowly closing itself, as the two inched much closer, until finally, after what felt like an eternity, Gumball and Penny managed to lock lips with each other, finally getting the kiss they have sought out for a long time. The kiss was quick but the power they felt from it was amazing, sending them straight to cloud nine. As the two broke off from the kiss, it was only Gumball's love-struck demeanor that prevented him from screaming with joy. He and Penny resumed hugging as they slowly danced to the peaceful song.
Darwin and Rachel were dancing to the music the moment it was played and much to the surprise of the latter, her date turned out to be quite a great dancer. She knew that Darwin was good, but nothing like this, least of all in a few days, but she glad to have him as her date and couldn't imagined anyone else she would dance with. The two stared lovingly at each other…or whatever bizarre face that Darwin was making.
"Darwin, are you alright?" asked a concerned Rachel, as she noted the unusual look on her date's face.
"Yep! I get to dance with you, Rachel! What could possibly be wrong?" Darwin happily asked. Rachel could feel her heart start to melt at the kind words of Darwin.
"Darwin, that really meant so much to me." Rachel began to close the distance between her and Darwin as the starry scenery reappeared.
"What is this weird feeling all of a sudden?" asked Darwin, unaware that it was his own heart beating faster than usual.
"Come a bit closer and I'll show you." Rachel suggested.
Before long, Darwin noticed that his date was leaning much closer to his face and for some reason; he couldn't help but do the same thing as well, deciding not to resist the strange reaction. By the time they finally closed the distance, their lips have made contact with each other. Darwin had no idea what was going on, as the kiss seemed to empty his mind completely. All he could figure out is that he felt really good.
"So how was it?" asked Rachel.
"It...felt good. Really good. I haven't been this happy since...ever!" Darwin excitedly replied.
Rachel couldn't help but giggle, but privately, she was glad to hear this from Darwin, before she and Darwin resumed dancing once more, both ecstatic how their night was turning out for them.
Awkward wasn't the right word that Mike would want to describe for his dance with Carrie; if anything, it felt very strange for him. Mike never imagined himself in a social event like the school year-end dance, mainly because it never came to his mind. But now that he was here and dating Carrie of all people, there was something else missing, something Mike thought should make this event a lot better compared to the music he and his date were forced to dance to.
"I don't think I like how this dance is going." Mike commented. Carrie seemed to think it had to do with her until her date dispelled those thoughts. "It's too slow right now. They're playing too many slow songs in a row. This feels like the third one." Carrie felt relief after hearing Mike's reasoning.
"So what do you think we should do about it?" Carrie asked her date, prompting Mike to think very hard, before an idea came to mind. "Are you going to ask the DJ to play a different song?" Carrie continued, perplexed on what Mike was planning.
"No I was thinking more along the lines of hijacking the DJ's booth and showing him how to throw a good party." Mike replied with a mischievous grin.
"You wouldn't." Carrie chuckled in surprise to hear this, before a grin formed on her face as Mike's smile grew wider. "Count me in then." Carrie said in a devious tone. The two made their way to the DJ's booth, ready to liven up the place. They both snuck up behind the DJ, knocking him out and tying him up before taking over the booth.
"Let's crank this volume up!" Mike declared.
"You took the words out of my mouth." Carrie added, before she and her date changed the slow and dead song into that of one filled with life and energy, surprising every dancer on the floor before they started to feel alive, dancing like they have never danced in their whole lives. Mike laughed as he saw and felt the room fill with energy and turned to face Carrie to comment on the new feeling of the room.
"I can't believe this wo-" was all Mike said before he was cut off by Carrie, who immediately kissed him. The starry scenery returned as Mike's brain tried to reboot. Carrie's lips left a cold feeling on Mike's but it had a sort of feeling that was completely alien to Mike...but it felt surprisingly good. There was a kind of passion that Mike had never felt before. After what felt like a very long time, Carrie finally let go of Mike, the latter dumbstruck by what had occurred just now.
"So Mike, how was it?" Carrie slyly asked.
"Well, I, um..." Mike was at a loss of words, unable to form a single sentence, before his date interrupted him from his stupor.
"C'mon Mike, let's get back to dancing!"
"Y-yeah..." Mike said, still unable to form complete sentences...or walk straight as his mind tried to keep up.
Brian and Rhonda were amazed by the sudden change on the dance floor; one minute, everyone were like lifeless corpses, but now that the music changed, everyone was excited to dance. The two of them danced to the flow as well, both eager to make this night last as long they can.
"Now this is more like it!" Brian happily shouted.
"Agreed! This is how a real party should be!" Rhonda joyfully added. They then noticed just who was behind the DJ's table. "Is that...?" Rhonda wasn't too sure given how dark the gym was.
"Yep, that's Mike," Brian sighed as he smiled.
"That would explain why the song became so lively," Rhonda commented. "I'm glad he was able to pump up the energy."
"A lot has changed since I first came here..." Brian began, as he and his girlfriend resumed dancing. "For the last several months, I felt like a stranger around this town, but now, I feel like I really belong here. Between surviving one adventure after another, I can now consider Elmore my home now."
"That's great, Brian. I'm so glad for you." said Rhonda. "Being with you just made Elmore just as great. Ever since I met you, I've been enjoying the times we had with each other and I wouldn't want it any other way. Now here we are, at the school year-end dance, as a couple and we're having the time of our lives."
Once those words were spoken, both Brian and Rhonda looked at each other, their eyes seemed to sparkle from the moon, happily gazing from afar and with a smile on their faces, the two closed their eyes, the distance coming closer and after so long, they were able to accomplish what they have been waiting for: their first kiss. For Brian and Rhonda, they felt a wave of happiness and life surging all over their bodies and it felt very good, wishing it would last the whole entire night, before they let go and stared happily at each other.
"That...was the most amazing thing that ever happened to us." Brian finally spoke.
"I always imagined it to be good, but I didn't realize it would be that great." Rhonda happily replied.
With those words spoken and their love for each other confirmed, the couple began to dance once again, satisfied that they finally got what they have been waiting for a long time.
After many hours of good times and great dancing, the school year-end dance has finally come to an end, as everyone left the school gym, most feeling happy how the event turned out for them, including the gang, as they made their way to the steps to wait for Olivia to pick them up. To pass the time until their pickup showed up, Brian decided to strike up a conversation with his friends.
"So guys, how was the dance?"
"It...was...the most amazing thing that ever happened!" Gumball proudly declared out loud. "I finally got a kiss from Penny! I felt like I died and went to Heaven!" Brian, Mike, and Darwin were impressed as their dates were all conversing with each other.
"Now let us all clap for our friend. It only took him a full year!" Mike joked as he, Brian, and Darwin clapped. Mike's was the most insulting as he gave a golf clap.
"Seriously, you guys?!" asked a dismayed Gumball. His friends all laughed as Brian went to cheer him up.
"Hey it doesn't matter what we think. You kissed Penny! That's your victory! And you did it without Mike directing you through it!" Brian said, proud of his friend.
"Yeah, you're right. I did kiss Penny without Mike's help. I can accept that." Gumball felt much better after hearing his friend's words.
"So Mike, how did Carrie kissing you feel like?" Brian asked, curious to know what his friend thought of the kiss he received from his date. Mike pondered for a moment before responding.
"Cold...yet passionate with a delightful feeling that seemed alien to me before today." Mike answered, as if he was one of those snobby chefs judging the taste in food.
"Really?" Darwin asked. "That's just like it felt when I kissed Penny a long time ago." Mike normally would take offense to this if he didn't know Darwin was already dating Rachel.
"That's the last thing I was expecting to hear." said a surprised Brian, moreover of Mike being so calm about it. "Mike, you're taking that well."
"If it happened only recently, I probably would've curb stomped Darwin until he started twitching." Mike said nonchalantly, sending a clear message to Darwin that might as well say "stay FAR away from HIS girl".
"Alright, I got the message." Darwin meekly replied, as he paled.
"I hope." Gumball commented. "I don't think he could make it any clearer."
"It's amazing to see Mike like that, now that he's dating Carrie. I never thought I would see the day." Brian stated.
"What? That I'd start dating?" Mike asked, feigning offense.
"Seems way out of character for you." Brian jokingly replied.
"Me pummeling you isn't." Mike said calmly, causing the joking to stop.
"I think that's enough jokes for one night." Gumball informed his friend.
"Y-yeah, I think it's best if we just celebrate a successful night." Brian nervously agreed.
"I thought so." Mike spoke with a grin, before a thought came to him. "So did you finally get the kiss you've been waiting for, Brian?"
"Indeed I did. After finally waiting for so long, it was worth the wait." Brian happily responded, as he gave Mike a wide smile. He then turned to look at Rhonda with a loving look. "Totally worth it."
Fin
So this is really it, you guys. We finally made it. I hope it is what everyone had hoped for. I really want to thank both Sal and my beta reader and to everyone who has continued to follow, favorite and leave their reviews for The Newcomer, something that I am entirely grateful for!
Whether or not I'll be doing a sequel to this story, only time will tell, but for now, I wanted to take a break from writing stories and who knows, I might be back with another tale.
Until then, thank you all and I'll be seeing ya in the next story! :D