So I've been wanting to do a one-shot for a while, but I couldn't think of one. But one finally came to me today.
And I'll be honest, reading KingdomKeeper1121's After KK6, I figured we needed some good old fashioned fillers to bridge the gap between the 6th & 7th books. So I hope this one is satisfactory enough for y'all who can't wait until April (like me).
Just a little head's up: This takes place two years after the cruise (like the description says).
I hope y'all enjoy my first one-shot!
Challenge Accepted
We're done. You can forget about prom too.
Charlene had been staring at the text message all night and the message still wasn't sinking in.
It was two days before prom and her boyfriend, Michael, had just broken up with her. They were supposed to go to prom together. They were shoe-ins for prom king and queen. Now what would happen if they won? Would he even dance with her?
Would he even look her in the eye?
No, Charlene thought to herself. I'm not going to prom.
She sat up and saw her dress hanging in her closet. A rush of emotions came to her. She wiped a few tears off of her cheek and rushed over to the closet, slamming the door shut.
"Whoa! What did the closet door do to you?"
Charlene looked toward her bedroom door to see Willa standing there, leaning against the open door. In her hands she had a DVD and a Starbucks cup.
Charlene wiped another tear from her cheek. "Nothing. It's just…my prom dress is in there."
"Oh Charlie…" Willa hurried in, closed the door and set her things on the desk. She walked over to Charlene and gave her the biggest hug. "He's a jerk! Anybody who can make you feel like that doesn't deserve you!"
Charlene nodded and sat back down on the bed. "Now what do I do about prom? My mom already spent money on a dress. I'd hate for that to go to waste…and it's such a pretty dress."
Willa walked over and opened the closet door, examining Charlene's prom dress. It was a sleeveless, sparkling, light blue dress that extended to the floor. Willa couldn't help but admire its beauty. She knew that it was going to look stunning on Charlene.
Then an idea came into her head. She turned to Charlene with a wily grin on her face.
"You know…I know someone who isn't going to prom. I could ask him if he wants to go with you."
"No Willa. That's nice and all, but I don't even want to go to prom."
"Nonsense! Of course you do!"
"No I don't! Michael will be there with a new girl—probably Jane." Charlene couldn't help but hold back tears. She knew that Michael had been cheating on her with Jane—her co-captain on the cheerleading squad. She should have seen it coming, but it still hurt.
"If there's one thing I know about you Charlie, it's that you won't stand to have somebody outshine you." Willa grabbed the dress out of the closet and laid it on the bed next to Charlene. "Now if you wear this dress and go with the guy I'm thinking of, Michael will be begging to have you back and Jane will be green with envy! You'll be the hottest girl there and the best prom queen your high school has ever seen! And the guy you'll be going with with be drooling over you-hopefully not literally."
Charlene thought about it. Honestly, she would feel better if she could make both Michael and Jane look like fools, especially at prom.
"Who would I be going with?" Charlene asked Willa. She watched as Willa's smile grew bigger.
"Oh, you'll see! Saturday is going to be a night to remember!"
Willa started to walk out of the room, phone in hand, presumably to call Charlene's mystery date. At the last second she turned around and address Charlene.
"Oh, I brought you my copy of Titanic, since it's your favorite movie, and that frappucino you love so much. I would watch it with you, but now I've got some things to do before Saturday."
"Thanks Willa, but you don't need to get me a date."
Willa looked up from her phone and gave Charlene a look that said don't-even-start. "Of course you do Charlie. Now I'll be here after lunch on Saturday so we can get ready together. Want me to ask Amanda and Jess?"
"Uh…sure."
Willa perked up. "Okay!" She walked out of the room. "See you Saturday!"
"What have I gotten myself into?" Charlene said before plopping herself on her bed.
"Come on Maybeck, it'll be fun!" Willa pleaded with Maybeck. They were currently sitting at the table in the backroom of his Aunt Jelly's pottery shop. "You know you want to go with her! Just say yes!"
"But she hates me Willa. Remember the last time we were in the same room together? There's no way we could last through prom!"
"Oh come on, Maybeck. So who cares if the last time you two were in the same room she slapped you. That was a year ago and at Finn's house! It's not like the whole world saw it, so get over it! She needs a prom date and so do you. You two are perfect for each other! Now just say yes so we can go get your tux!"
"I'm not going to go with her Willa. You can't make me!"
Willa eyed him suspiciously. I do not like where this is going, Maybeck thought to himself.
"Want to bet on that?"
"Sure." Maybeck always enjoyed a good old-fashioned bet, especially when he knew he was going to win. "Five bucks says you can't get me to go to prom with Charlene."
"Okay!" Willa shook his hand, sealing the deal, and walked out of the backroom. "Jelly!"
"What?" Maybeck sprung up out of his chair and ran into the store.
"Donnie Maybeck! The girl you've been drooling over ever since that cruise needs a prom date and you have the nerve to say NO? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" Jelly yelled at him from across the store. Now every eye was on him. Maybeck made a mental note to ban Willa from consulting Jelly on any of their future bets.
"But Jelly…come on! I don't want to go to prom! Especially not with her!"
"You HAVE lost your mind! She needs you Donnie! You will be going to prom with her!" Jelly turned to Willa. "Now what color tie should I get him?"
Willa looked back at Maybeck and winked before replying. Maybeck stormed back into the backroom in protest.
Before Willa left, she walked back to Maybeck and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, you can bring my five dollars to Charlie's house when you pick her up Saturday."
"Let us see Charlie!" Amanda pleaded. It was Saturday night and the boys would be arriving any minute to pick them up.
"I'm sure you look awesome!" Jess added.
Charlene rolled her eyes and stepped out of the bathroom in her prom dress.
"Whoa Charlie! You look amazing!" Willa walked up to her in her dark green dress. "He's going to love it…and you." Willa winked at Charlene, causing her to roll her eyes.
"Can't I know who my date is before we go?"
"NO!" All three girls yelled.
The doorbell rang and Charlene's heart sank lower in her chest. She had been dreading this moment for two days now. She loved Willa, but all the guys she knew were nerdy—except for Spencer, but he's a senior, and last time Charlene had heard, Spencer and Philby couldn't be in the same room together, so that wouldn't work out.
While Willa and Jess went to greet the guys, Amanda stayed with Charlene in her room.
"You'll be just fine, Charlie." Amanda said after noticing Charlene's shaking hands.
"Easy for you to say, you and Finn have been dating for how long now?"
Amanda smiled, but her gaze was now locked on the floor. "A year and eleven months. It'll be two years in a week."
"Exactly."
Amanda looked up at Charlene. "Oh come on, Charlie. I know you'll enjoy tonight."
"You know who my date is too?"
"Yeah, we all do. Willa is really excited about tonight."
"That's kind of obvious. She's been talking about prom for two months now."
"There's nothing wrong with that." Amanda stated. "She's just really excited to go with Philby."
"Just as excited as you are to go with Finn."
"Just as excited as you should be to go with your date."
"Charlene! Amanda!" Jess yelled from downstairs.
Amanda stood up and offered a hand to Charlene. "The wait's finally over. Trust me, you'll have a great time."
Charlene sighed dramatically and took Amanda's hand.
When Charlene got to the bottom of the stairs, she saw three happy couples. Willa laughed at something Philby had just whispered into her ear. Amanda and Finn were kissing. Go figure, Charlene thought. They can't be apart for more than twelve seconds. By the door were Jess and her date, some guy from her school named Jake. He was cute and seemed to be having a good time with Jess so far.
Charlene looked for her date, but didn't see anyone else. Maybe he's just running late? Maybe Willa was wrong—she couldn't get a date for me. I'll be going alone. How embarrassing is that? I can't do that! Not if I'm up for prom queen! I need to have a date!
A tap on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts.
She turned around to see Maybeck standing there in a tuxedo with a light blue tie that matched her dress.
"Uh…hey Charlie."
"Maybeck? You're my date to prom?"
Maybeck seemed offended by her reaction. "See Willa! I told you she didn't want me!" He yelled over to her.
Willa rolled her eyes and drug Philby with her as she walked over to Charlene and Maybeck.
"You two are ridiculous! You both still like each other and we all know it! Now you're going to prom at Charlene's school and you'll both like it!"
"You didn't warn me that he was going to be my date!" Charlene protested.
"This isn't fair! You said she wanted me to be her date!" Maybeck countered.
"What made you think I would want you to be my date?" Charlene asked Maybeck in a harsh tone.
"That's what she said!" Maybeck yelled, pointing at Willa.
"Oh and you believe everything Willa says?"
"She said you had just gotten dumped and needed a date and that you wanted me! Sorry I believed her on that!"
Charlene turned to Willa. She was furious now. No, furious is an understatement. "Willa! You told him about me and Michael!"
"Of course! How else would he believe me that you were desperate for a date?"
"Desperate?"
Willa rolled her eyes. "You two just suck it up and deal with it. None of us go to your school, Charlie, so we can't be there to babysit the two of you. Now just stop the fighting and realize you both still like each other and enjoy yourselves!" Willa turned to Maybeck. "Now where's my five dollars?"
Maybeck rolled his eyes and fished a five dollar bill out of his pocket and handed it to her. Willa walked over to Jess and introduced herself to Jake.
At first, Maybeck, Charlene and Philby stood there awkwardly. Philby cleared his throat and spoke.
"Okay, seriously you two. We all know that your break up was rough, but that was over a year ago. You've both had time to move on and make peace with that. Now it's time to be mature sixteen- and seventeen-year olds and forgive each other and move on." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "At least for tonight, Willa's going to be really upset if you two don't enjoy yourselves tonight."
"Fine." The couple mumbled.
It was one hour into prom and Charlene thought it couldn't get more awkward. She had spent most of her time talking with her fellow cheerleaders, only dancing with Maybeck when they insisted.
So far, she had been able to avoid slow songs.
But when "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars came on, her streak ended.
Charlene was talking to Hannah, a senior from the cheerleading squad, when Maybeck came and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Want to dance?" He offered her a hand.
"Uh…sure." She took his hand and he led her onto the dance floor.
As the song played, she felt Maybeck studying her, but she refused to make eye contact. Michael and Jane were dancing nearby. She couldn't help but notice how happy they were. It was like a knife in her heart.
"How can you be so stupid?" Charlene thought aloud.
"What did you say?" Maybeck retorted, obviously offended by her question.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud. I…I was talking about myself."
"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard you use."
Charlene rolled her eyes. "Don't look now, but there's a couple over there. The guy's my ex-boyfriend, Michael, and the girl he's dancing with is Jane—the girl he was cheating on me with."
Maybeck sneaked a peek at the couple before looking back at her. "He cheated on you?"
"Yeah," Charlene said so quietly it was almost a whisper.
"What a douche."
"You don't have to say that if you don't mean it. I don't want anybody to pity me or feel sorry for me."
"I mean it."
Charlene looked up at him with a confused look. Why does he care so much?
"What?"
"I said, I mean it. He is a douche if he cheats on you."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you're Charlene Turner? Who else could possibly be better than you?"
"I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm Maybeck." She looked away from him at the couples nearest to them.
"I'm not being sarcastic."
Without warning, he pulled her closer and she looked up at him. Their foreheads were almost touching. At first, neither of them said anything. But Charlene's emotions took over. She was doing her best to hold back tears.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Terry? We haven't even seen each other since we broke up."
"I never stopped caring about you."
"What?" She kept fighting the tears. Not here, Charlene. You can't cry here.
"After we broke up, I was pissed. But when I heard you found a new guy after only two months I couldn't help but feeling like an idiot." He paused, as if he was gaining courage to say something. "I realized how stupid I was for letting you go…and…and I've never stopped loving you, Charlene."
Charlene looked up at him and saw his sweet, caring self. He only brought that side of himself around when it was just the two of them. She hadn't seen this side of him in a long time, and she thoroughly missed it.
"I know you just got out of a relationship, Charlene, but I'd do anything to have a second chance with you."
The song ended and a faster song started playing, but neither of them moved.
Charlene contemplated what he was asking. Two months after the cruise, they had started dating, only to break up seven months later—on Valentine's Day. The only time they had seen each other was at DHI events that they couldn't miss. But even then they had been at opposite sides of the room at all times, not as so much looking in each other's direction. They hadn't spoken to each other since their break-up, unless she included the fight at Finn's house a few days after she started dating Michael-almost a year ago.
Michael had stepped into her life, sweeping her off her feet. Their one-year anniversary would have been in three weeks. But something had always felt off with her relationship with Michael. Before prom she would have said it was the fact that he had been cheating on her with Jane for the last nine months. But now she was thinking it was entirely different.
Her relationship with Michael didn't work because Michael isn't Terry.
She looked up at Maybeck and smiled.
"I'm game for round two if you are."
"Are you sure, Charlene? You just got out of your relationship with Mr. Douche-bag over there."
Charlene laughed. It felt so good for her to laugh. She noticed Maybeck's smile get wider. He had always prided himself on his ability to make her laugh.
"Let's take it slow this time." She said to him as quietly as she could with the loud music blasting.
She knew he wouldn't be excited about taking things slow. But she knew appealing to his competitive side would most definitely make him say yes.
"Are you up for the challenge, Terry Maybeck?"
He pretended to think about it, and whispered, "challenge accepted."
He leaned in and kissed her. Charlene had never felt happier in her life. None of Michael's kisses were like this. There were so many things she had missed about Maybeck. Why didn't I realize this earlier?
They separated and Charlene figured her smile couldn't get any wider.
"Now, Charlene, I've got a challenge for you."
"I'm listening."
Maybeck leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Want to make your ex jealous?"
"Where's the challenge in that?"
Maybeck leaned back. "You didn't let me finish! You need to calm down and take things slow." He mocked her.
"Ha. Ha. What's the challenge?"
"The challenge is to get Jane to slap Michael."
"And how am I going to do that?"
"By making him jealous of the hottest couple here! I mean, how can he resist looking at something as beautiful as you. And she'll have a hard time resisting the great Terry Maybeck." He winked at her.
One look at each other and they burst into laughter.
After composing herself, Charlene studied Maybeck and she could immediately tell he was being one hundred percent serious. He wasn't just doing this to make her feel better. He wanted to see her ex suffer, by his new girlfriend's hand. Charlene couldn't help but smile at Maybeck's cunning tricks and pranks.
"So, what do you say Charlie?"
"Challenge accepted."
Charlene and Maybeck are just too cute! Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this! Whether you did or didn't, you should review because you can.
Would I be overdoing it if I challenged you to review? ...yeah probably. That's just cheesy :P
Review, don't review. I don't care! Enjoy the rest of your day/night! :)