January, 1994

He could hear the phone ringing as he fumbled with the key in the lock on the door, finally getting it open just as the answering machine picked up.

“Hey, you’ve reached me. Either I’m not here, or I don’t feel like talking …”

With a quick lunge, he grabbed up the receiver, cutting off the message before it could send through to record. “Hang on, I’m here.”

“Uh, hey. I didn’t think you’d be there this early.”

“Jen?” His eyes strayed over to the clock, his brow furrowing in confusion. “You’re, like, two hours early.”

“Yeah, I know.” Her voice had an odd tone to it.

“What’s going on? Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. I just … I didn’t think you’d be there yet and I’m not going to be here tonight. I didn’t want you to get worried later when I didn’t call.”

“So you were just gonna leave a message?”

“Something like that.” He could hear her taking a deep breath. “I was kind of hoping you’d be there, but I know it’s Friday and it takes forever for you to get off the set before the weekend and I didn’t really think I’d catch you, so a message was the best thing I could think of.”

“Okay.” He smiled at her rambling and settled back into the couch cushions. “You sound nervous.”

“That’s because I am.”

“What’s up?”

“I have …” She trailed off with a quiet groan, obviously trying to find the right words. “God, this is so weird for me. I’m going out tonight.”

“What’s so weird about that? You go out all the time.”

“No, this isn’t like that.”

“Okay.” An image of her twisting her hair nervously leaped into his mind. “Then how is it?”

“Josh … I have a date tonight.”

With those five words, he got the eerie feeling that something inside him had shifted and it didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel right. There was something out of place, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was or what he needed to do to fix it. Then that sick feeling streaked through him, forcing him to close his eyes until the unusual wave had passed.

“Josh?”

“I’m here.” He cleared his throat, trying his best to shake off the odd feelings and focus his attention back on her. “That … that’s awesome, Boof. Who is he? Do I know him?”

“It’s Luke. Dingess.”

“Luke?” His brain raced through memories until he thought he had a match. “Wasn’t he the kid who pushed you down the bleachers in the fifth grade?”

“Yeah. That’s him.”

“And then I punched him and got detention for a week.”

“But his black eye was around for days longer than you were in detention. I still don’t think he’s forgiven you for that.”

“Really?” For a second, confusion wrinkled his brow. “How do you figure?”

“He said something about it. That he’d made sure to wait until you left last week to ask me because he didn’t want you to take another swing at him.”

“Smart guy.”

“Josh …” She sighed at his rough tone.

“What? You can’t say he didn’t deserve it the first time.” His voice became exceedingly defensive. “He pushed you from the top of the bleachers and laughed when you started crying. Somebody’s got to look out for you, Jenny.”

“I think I do well enough on my own. I’m not a little kid anymore.” Muted laughter carried over the line. “It’s just dinner. Maybe a movie or something. I don’t think it’s anything for you to get all worked up about.”

“Has he really changed that much?”

“I think he has. It’s been more than six years, so I’d hope he’s matured since that whole mess went down. He … well, he treats me differently.”

“Oh, I’m sure he does.” Blue eyes narrowed at the ceiling, that burning feeling rising in him no matter how hard he fought against it. “You’re positive he’s changed? He’s actually a good guy?”

“Well, everybody at school seems to think so. He’s captain of the soccer team, senior class president, shoo-in for Prom King. You get the picture.”

“Wow.” He listened to her breathing for a moment, trying to figure out the right way to handle the situation. “Are you excited?”

“I’m more nervous than excited.” She swallowed loudly. “My first date and it had to be with him? Why couldn’t I have started out with the chess club or the debate team and worked my way up?”

“Boof, dating isn’t like a boxing tournament.” The laughter came out before he could stop it. “You don’t start out easy and work your way up through the ranks. You start wherever you get the opportunity.”

“I’m just getting a later start than most.”

“Well, that’s their loss, then. Isn’t it?” He shook his head, knowing that she’d know he was doing it. “Just because nobody’s taken a chance with you until now doesn’t mean anything other than they missed out on something fantastic.”

“Thanks.” She took another deep breath. “So … you approve?”

“You’re the one who’s going out with him. Would it really make a difference what I thought?”

“Well, yeah. It would.”

“It would?” The surprise in his voice was unfiltered, making it obvious that she’d caught him off guard. “Why?”

“I figure that my Dad should be the one to give his approval, but he’s not here to do it. And I trust you more than anyone else on the planet.” There was a brief pause on her end. “I need to hear it, even if you aren’t here with me.”

His teeth worked over his lip as he considered what she was telling him.

“If you don’t like him, I’ll play sick and get out of it.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Yes, I will. You know I will.”

That was the kicker. He was well aware that yes, she would back out of the date if he didn’t think she should go. Everything in him was screaming to do just that, to find fault in Luke so that she wouldn’t go out with him. But he could hear the nervous excitement in her voice, could sense her anticipation for the night ahead, and knew that he couldn’t do that to her. His protective instincts would have to take a backseat this time, along with his lingering dislike for the guy that he could only barely remember.

“If you’re so sure about him …” With a quiet sigh, he pushed down the lump in his throat. “He’d better keep his hands to himself. And if he tries anything, you’d better be the one to let me know.”

“Well, yeah.”

“And be home before midnight.”

“You’re being generous.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Mom says eleven.”

“That’s even better.” His fingers pinched at the bridge of his nose. “All right.”

“All right?”

“Have fun.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Go out and have fun tonight.”

“Josh, I …” Whatever she was about to say died on the line. “Thank you.”

“Hey, no problem.” He sat up, his eyes locking on the wall in front of him. “When’s he picking you up?”

“At seven.”

“It’s nearly six now. Don’t you think you should start getting ready?”

“It won’t take me that long.”

“Said like a true amateur.” A smile crossed his face at her affronted tone. “Give yourself the extra time, Boof. You’re about to enter the freak zone. Trust me.”

“Uh, okay.” Her voice became unsure. “Can … can I call you tomorrow?”

“Sure. Or tonight after you get in. I’ll be able to sleep easier once I know whether or not I need to fly home and go another round with Dingess.”

“It’ll be fine.” She laughed softly. “But I guess you’re right. I should probably go.”

“Okay. Have fun.”

“I’ll talk to you later, Josh.”

The dial tone sounded in his ear and he just sat there, holding the phone and listening to the monotonous buzzing. The buzz turned into a busy signal, and he finally regained enough of his senses to end the connection. He continued to stare at the handset, that burning feeling rising up in him once again.

“Okay, what’s up with this? She’s going out on a date. So what?” His voice seemed to echo through the empty apartment as he spoke aloud, finally dropping the phone so that he could run both hands through his hair. “It didn’t feel weird when I started dating, so why does it feel weird when she does?”

Because you didn’t have anything to be jealous of when you started dating.

“What? No.” He blinked quickly. “I’m not jealous.”

Yes, you are. Admit it.

“That’s crazy. Why would I be jealous?”

You’ve always been the guy in her life. Now you’ll have to start sharing her.

“That … that’s not a big deal.”

Yes, it is.

“No, it’s not.”

She’s going to have someone else to share her secrets with, to call when she has a problem, to laugh with. She’ll have another shoulder to cry on …

“Okay, that’s enough.” His teeth clamped down on his bottom lip, the burning reaching an all new level. “Stop it.”

The calls every other night will have to stop, you’ll have to share her phone time. No more movie nights, he won’t like that. No more dinners out, her nights will be booked.

“That’s not totally true. She’s still going to be my best friend. We … we have an agreement.”

It’s not going to be the same.

“No, it won’t be the same, but …”

You’ll have to sit back and know that she’s out with someone else instead of hanging out with you. And you’re so jealous you can’t see straight.

“All right. Yes, I’m jealous. Are you happy now?”

Are you?

“I can’t believe I’m sitting here arguing with myself.” A deep sigh escaped. “Yes, I’m jealous that she’s giving Dingess her time. But if that makes her happy, then that’s what she should do. We’ll have to change some things, but it’ll all work out in the end.”

You sure about that?

“Yes. No matter what, we’ll always be friends. If she’s happy, then I’m happy.”

Right. Just keep telling yourself …

He snatched up the remote and flipped on the television, drowning out the voice inside his head. Settling back to watch the mind-numbing evening sitcoms, he relaxed down into a slouch, content to sit and nurse his jealousy until it finally faded with the opening credits of Family Matters.

--------------------------------------------------

April 19, 1994

“I can’t believe it’s already the middle of April.”

“I know, right?” Lisa looked up from where she was peeling potatoes, her eyes shifting over to Jen, who was watching over a pot of pasta. “Time’s flying, isn’t it?” She sighed. “In six weeks, you’ll be a high school graduate.”

“You make it sound like you didn’t know it was coming.” Jen let out a quiet laugh. “I didn’t become a senior overnight, Mom.”

“I know. It seems like it sometimes, though.” The older woman studied her daughter for a moment before turning her attention back to the potato in her hand. “Have they announced the dates for the end of year stuff?”

“Yeah. They gave us a handout with all that last week.” Grasping the pot firmly, she lifted it over to the sink, carefully draining the water from the slithery noodles. “Seems like they want everything later than usual and crammed it all into May. Prom’s on the thirteenth, then they have the senior class picnic on the twenty-first and all the other stuff like chorus and band concerts and honors and sports banquets and all that spread out all over the place.”

“And graduation?”

“The first weekend in June.” She shook the pot, loosening the noodles from the bottom. “The Class Night ceremony and dance are on the third and graduation is on the fourth.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“It will be. I don’t think it’s going to really sink in until they start making the announcements for half days, though.”

“That was always the best part.” Lisa laughed, moving over to rinse the skinless potatoes so that she could start cutting them. “Have you bought your prom dress yet?”

“Yeah, but I’m thinking I won’t be needing it.”

“You won’t?” The surprise in her voice was obvious. “What happened to Luke?”

“We … uh, he kinda dumped me. Last week.”

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s no big deal. He fell victim to the cheerleader skirt.”

“What?”

“Macie Wilkins grabbed his attention.”

“Who’s Macie Wilkins?”

“Life-size Barbie doll. Head cheerleader. Most likely to be Prom Queen.”

“Hmmm.” Lisa’s forehead puckered. “And he just dropped you like that?”

“Yep.”

“I thought better than that of Luke.”

“Yeah, well, he’ll get his.” Jen laughed under her breath. “Macie is … let’s just say she’s dumb as a rock. And has a personality to match.”

“Okay, but just because Luke is out of the picture doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan on going.”

“Nobody’s going to ask me, so why waste the money on a dress I’ll never wear? I was going to take it back tomorrow.”

“Jen, it’s your senior prom. You should go.” Lisa finished with the potatoes and dropped them into the pan, stepping back when the oil coating the bottom began to pop and hiss. “It’s all right to go by yourself, you know.”

“Now, that would show what a winner I am.” She raised her hand and waved it wildly over her head. “‘Look everybody, I came alone to the prom!’” Shaking her head, she opened the cabinet and pulled out a jar of Prego. “Nothing says ‘loser’ better than that.”

“It’s three weeks away, sweetie. Keep the dress. I’m sure one of the guys out there will come to his senses and ask you.”

“I don’t know, Mom. I could always save the money and do something special this summer.”

“Sure, you could do that. But this is your senior year. The last prom you’ll ever have. You’ll regret it if you just give up and don’t go.”

“Well …” Her fingers played with the edge of the bottle’s lid, tapping for a second before twisting it open. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Hang on to the dress. You can always take it back if you decide not to go.”

“Hmm.” Silence fell over the room as she thought it over. “You know what, Mom? I think I will.” Pouring the sauce over the pasta, she looked up with a smile. “What do you think? Should I doctor it a bit, or do you want it as is?”

“By all means, doctor away, honey.” With a laugh, Lisa glanced over as Jen began reaching up into the cabinets for a collection of spices. The girl’s sleeve slid down with her movement, revealing a bruise that seemed to be healing on her right arm. “What happened, baby?” She put her hand on Jen’s shoulder, taking a closer look when she noticed the reddened skin of her forearm. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“Yeah.” Blinking quickly, Jen let out a shaky laugh as she moved away, pulling her sleeve back into place. “I was trying to go around some kids in the hall and cut it too close to the lockers. Knocked myself pretty good.” Shrugging indifferently, she began shaking one of the seasonings over their pasta. “It looks a lot better now than it did last week.”

“Didn’t you say you fell down the stairs last week, too?” Lisa gave her a concerned look. “Your hip was bothering you. Are you sure you’re okay? You aren’t feeling dizzy or anything, are you?”

“I’m fine, Mom.” Swapping containers, she carefully added some spice to the bowl. “I’ve just been in a hurry lately and had a bad week. Clumsiness heals, I promise.”

“Okay.” Her maternal instincts were waving huge red flags, but she knew better than to push. “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will.”

*********************

Two Weeks Later

“Hey, Mom?” Footsteps moved softly overhead, moving toward the stairs. “You down there?”

“In the dining room.” Lisa leaned forward across the table, waiting for the shadow to appear at the foot of the stairs. “What’s up?”

“Could you do me a favor?”

“Sure, hon. What is it?”

“Hang on.” Jen stopped beside her, sifting through the slips of paper in her hand. “Let me find the right one.” Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out another handful of receipts. “If I’ve lost it … oh, here it is.” She held out the slip of paper. “I’m going to get the dress packed back up in its bag, but I’m not going to have a chance to run it by the store. Could you return it for me whenever you get a free minute?”

“Return it?”

“Yeah.” Her brown ponytail bounced as she nodded quickly. “It’s a good thing I’ll be able to get the money back for it. I can’t believe I laid down a hundred and fifty dollars for a dress.”

“Wait. You’re returning your prom dress? Why?”

“Mom, it’s a little over a week until the dance. Everybody who’s going to have a date has one.”

“You don’t have to have a date to go to the prom, Jen. Find a few friends and go together.”

“All my friends have dates. I’d stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Since when do you care about that?” Motherly eyes trailed over her from head to toe, taking in the miserable shifting of her feet. “You know you want to go. Why won’t you?”

“I don’t want to have to go and see him having the time of his life while I’m stuck by myself.” With a deep sigh, Jen sank into the seat across the table. “They throw it in my face every day as it is, and I don’t want it to ruin something as special as this is supposed to be.”

“So you’re just going to duck and run?”

“I guess so.”

“Jen, what happened to the girl who wouldn’t let anybody knock her down?”

“She got knocked a little harder this last time.” She took a shaky breath. “It hurt, Mom. I try to pretend that I’m okay with it and that it doesn’t faze me at all, but it hurt. More than it should have.”

“Sweetie, we all get hurt. It’s part of life. Especially high school life.”

“I know that.”

“Was he really so important to you?”

“No, it wasn’t that he was important. It was just so nice to have somebody that I thought cared for me, you know?” Raising her hands, she covered her face, her elbows resting on the tabletop. “He could’ve picked any of a hundred girls, but he picked me. That made me feel special. And when he finally figured that he’d wasted enough of his time …”

“He wasn’t wasting his time, Jen.”

“Actually, yeah. According to him, he was.”

“What?” Lisa’s eyes widened in surprise. “He had the nerve to come out and say that to you?”

“Yep. He pretty much always had something to say.” Her teeth worked on her bottom lip as she refused to look up. “I’m not tall enough. A size eight isn’t small enough. I’d look better with blonde hair.” She cleared her throat quietly. “And he’ll be surprised if another guy is dumb enough to waste his time on me.”

“This boy … someone needs to have a serious talk with Luke Dingess.”

“No. It’s okay, Mom. He’s …”

“Don’t you dare tell me that you think he’s right.” Her eyes flashed with anger. “You couldn’t possibly …”

“Mom. Stop.” Jen held up a hand. “I know he’s full of crap and just trying to make me feel bad. It hurt at the time, but it’s fine now.” The older woman’s eyebrow arched sharply and she looked down sheepishly. “Okay, so maybe it’s not fine, but I’m working on it.” A grin spread across her face. “That rush I got from knocking him flat in front of the guy’s locker room definitely made up for some of it.”

“Really?” Anger melted away to laughter. “Face or stomach?”

“Umm, both. But I think he felt the one to his face more.” Her fist clinched. “I was sore from that one for a few days myself. Those self-defense classes they had us take didn’t warn us how much it’d hurt when you weren’t wearing the boxing gloves.”

“That’s my girl.”

They laughed together for a little while, before sobering.

“I still don’t think it would be very smart for me to put myself through that, though.” Jen slid the receipt across the table to leave it next to her mother’s hand. “Not by myself. And since nobody else is stepping up to the plate …” Brown eyes became pleading. “Could you please do this for me?”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m positive. Just … please, Mom?”

“Okay.” With a sigh, Lisa picked up the slip of paper and leaned over to tuck it into the side pocket of her purse. “Get it ready and lay it out for me. I’ll take care of it when I can.”

“Thanks.” A small smile graced her features as she stood, then made her way back up the stairs and to her room.

After a few minutes, Lisa stood and followed, moving quietly until she was just outside the bedroom door. Jen was standing in front of her mirror, holding the dress to her front with a sad smile just slightly lifting the corners of her lips. With a quick shake of her head, she turned away, clipping the dress back to its hanger and carefully sliding it into the clear garment bag hanging on the back of the closet door. Once she was sure that the long skirt was clear of the zipper, she zipped it closed and took a step away, biting her lip as a tear went sliding down her cheek.

“Ugh. Don’t be stupid, Jen.” With a frustrated sigh, she wiped the tear away, giving herself a mental shake. “You can’t be attached to a dress. It’s just a bunch of purple fabric. There’ll be plenty others. No matter how perfect it is, you can let this one go.” She looked up when her mother walked in, pasting a quick smile on her face. “I’ve got it ready.”

“Go ahead and take it down to the car. I’ll try to get to it this week, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

“That’s okay. It doesn’t really matter when it gets there, as long as it does. Just don’t lose the receipt and we’re good.” Her voice trailed off as she made her way down the stairs, leaving Lisa standing in her room. “Too bad I can’t take back the shoes. That’d be another fifty bucks.”

Lisa just stood there, her eyes moving carefully over the room until they landed on the photos displayed across the top of the dresser. She studied the smiling pair in each picture, a photographic history of the past decade or more, and an idea began to spring to life. Her conscience – or maybe it was her common sense – immediately kicked in. “No. She’ll handle it all right on her own. I shouldn’t butt in.”

With that, she turned and walked out of the room and back down the stairs, shoving the idea away, ignoring it completely. At least, until two days later, when she was parked in front of the store the dress had come from. She twisted in the driver’s seat, looking over her shoulder at the dress, tucked safely away in its protective bag. Turning back around, her gaze landed on the receipt sticking out of the side pocket of her purse. Then she remembered the sad look on Jen’s face as she’d stood in front of the mirror, modeling the look for herself one last time, and knew she’d never be able to return it.

The key was turned in the ignition, the car was put in gear and, after a quick stop at the bank, she sped home, hoping that she’d have an empty house long enough to get everything done.

Carefully, the dress was hung in her own closet, bag and all, before Lisa returned to Jen’s bedroom, this time to search through the address book that was always on the desk, between her journal and phone. Flipping through a few pages, she quickly found the number she was looking for and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper so that she could jot the digits down, then she shut the book and looked over the desk, making sure that everything was exactly as she’d found it.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the green bills and laid them on the desktop, pausing long enough to write I took the shoes back, too on a slip of paper for her to find with the money. She made her way over to the closet and picked up the box with the new shoes, taking them to her own room and hiding them with the dress.

Then she was sitting at the dining room table, the phone number and the cordless phone lying in front of her. Biting her lip, she contemplated whether or not this was the smartest thing to do.

“He’ll be surprised if another guy is dumb enough to waste his time on me.”

The anger sparked in her once again and she reached out to snatch up the phone. “She’ll have my nosy head on a platter, but heaven help me, she’s going to show that boy just what he’s missing out on.”

Her fingers moved quickly over the numbers and she took a deep breath as she waited for an answer.

One ring. Two rings. Three …

“Hello?”

Please let this be the right thing …

--------------------------------------------------

May 13, 1994

“Mom! What do you mean I have a date for tonight?” Jen’s face turned red in embarrassment. “I don’t need you getting dates for me! Do you have any idea how pathetic that makes me look?”

“Well, honey, I didn’t think you’d take it that badly. I’m sorry I stepped on your toes, but this young man is in town for the weekend and he used to go to your high school. He thought it’d be nice to go, and I figured you wanted to go, so I worked it out.”

“I don’t even know this guy! What if he’s a complete loser?”

“Would I set you up with a loser? Come on, sweetie. Give it a chance. You’ll go to the dance like I know you’ve wanted with a perfectly nice young man and you’ll get to wear that gorgeous dress you bought.”

“The dress?” Brown eyes widened instantly. “I don’t have a dress! You took it back, remember? The shoes, too.”

“It’s hanging upstairs in my closet. The shoes are there, too.”

“You … you didn’t return them?”

“No. After seeing your face, I couldn’t.”

“But that money …” Jen’s brow furrowed and she shook her head. “Two hundred dollars is a lot, Mom.”

“Consider it an early graduation gift.” Lisa smiled, reaching up to push her daughter’s hair out of her face. “Now go hop in the shower. You don’t have a lot of time and your hair will take a while.”

“Mom, I just don’t think …”

“Look, Jen. I know you want to go. You know you want to go. And this way, you can show the Dingess boy that there is a guy out there who’s smart enough to take full advantage of the awesome girl that you are.” She looked pointedly at the clock on the wall. “Now go on and get ready. It’s after four and he’ll be here at six thirty.”

Jen sighed, chewing on her lip as she studied her mother’s face. She’d seen that look before. Persistent. Stubborn.

Yes, she’d definitely seen that look before. Many times. In the mirror.

“Okay. Whatever. But if this is a disaster, it’s all your fault.” She threw her hands in the air as she turned and made her way up the stairs, grumbling quietly. As she walked into her room and closed the door, she weighed the situation in her mind.

She had a date. A blind date, but a date, nonetheless. If it went sour, she could blame her mom. If it went well … well, maybe this could be a life-changing experience.

Knowing that she was stuck, she heaved out a sigh and made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower. By the time she’d come back into her room, everything that she needed was laid out for her: dress, shoes, makeup and all.

A smile spread across her face when her gaze landed on the strapless purple gown. The material had been her main reason for buying it, a heavenly cotton with almost a silky feel that hung all the way down to her feet and swished around her legs when she moved. The bodice fit the curves of her figure perfectly, the cut leaving her collar bone and upper back bare, showing just the right amount of skin to classify as respectable.

She reveled in the feel of the gown as she worked her dark hair into a simple up-style that left her neck bare, but let a few loose strands frame her face. Carefully, she applied a light coat of makeup to her tanned skin, using the smallest amount of color to accent her brown eyes and high cheekbones, her lips tinted with a shimmering gloss.

Time flew away from her and the next thing she knew, the doorbell was ringing downstairs, jarring her from her concentration.

With a quick glance at the clock, she saw that it was already six thirty, meaning that, if nothing else, her date was punctual. Rising quickly from her seat, she spritzed on the tiniest bit of perfume, slipped on the high heels dyed to match the gown and grabbed up the small beaded bag that had come with it.

“Honey, he’s here!”

“Be right down!” One last look in the mirror, a deep breath to calm her nerves, and she was on her way down the stairs. Her heart was beating so loudly, blocking all noise from her ears, she was sure it could be heard all through the house. As she descended the staircase, her eyes darted back and forth across the foyer, suspicion setting in when she saw no one.

Agitated, she pasted a welcoming smile on her face and rounded the corner into the living room, freezing as the flash went off in her eyes. “Good grief, Mom. You don’t have to blind me.” She blinked to clear the spots from her vision, only to see Lisa standing alone in the room. “Okay, what’s going on? Where’s this mystery guy you’ve talked into taking me?”

“He’s right here.”

Whirling around at the familiar voice, her eyes widened in shock when she saw him leaning against the doorjamb. “Josh?”

“Hi.” He smiled, stepping away from the doorway. “Were you expecting someone else?”

“Oh. My. God! You’re here!” She moved the few steps toward him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him with all her might. “You’re really here!”

“Yeah, I’m here.” His grin widened and he tightened his arms around her, his eyes closing as he held her as closely as he could. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything, Jen.”

For some reason, she couldn’t make herself let him go. She turned to look at her mother, her head resting on his shoulder. “How did you …?” When the flash went off in her face again, she paused, trying to blink away the temporary blindness. “You know what, never mind. I don’t want to know how you pulled it off.” Her head tilted back, allowing her to smile at him again. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Okay guys. Let me get a few more pictures, then you can go. You look great together.”

“Wow.” His eyes grew large as they moved over her, taking his first good look. Giving a low whistle, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side for the traditional dance photo. “You look fantastic, Boof. I’m gonna have to beat all the guys off with a stick.”

“Thanks.” She looked up at him, her smile lighting up her eyes. “You don’t look too bad yourself. Maybe I can get a dance or two in before the girls take you away from me.”

“Not a chance.” The last flash dimmed, and they turned to leave, his hand still resting on her hip. “I’m all yours.”

“Have fun, kids!” Lisa leaned out the door as they talked all the way to the car. “Be careful!”

They waved back before he put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

*********************

“I’m gonna go grab some punch.” She stepped away from him as the song ended, smiling as she gestured to the refreshment table. “Do you want any?”

“Sure.” His eyes followed her as she walked across the room, watching as she was stopped by several people for a quick chat, always ending with a bright smile and a laugh. A soft smile was just beginning to lift the corners of his mouth when he felt a crawling sensation on his neck, as though someone were staring at him. With a quick shudder, he turned his head, doing a quick scan of the room until he spotted the pencil-thin blonde who’d been tailing him since she’d arrived, her blue eyes trained pointedly on him.

She gave him a flirtatious smile, not even looking away when a masculine arm went around her waist. When she crooked her finger at him in an obvious summons, he just rolled his eyes, ignoring the slightly shocked look that crossed her face at his dismissal. His gaze moved over to her companion, dark eyebrows arching when he found Luke Dingess standing there, his attention focused on something other than the attractive girl he’d snagged as a date.

Ah. So this must be Macie.

As he made the connection, he unconsciously followed the direction of Luke’s stare, coming to land on Jen, standing a few feet away from the refreshment table, talking to the guy who’d been acting as DJ. Of course, she was oblivious to the attention, continuing on with her conversation as if nothing was out of the ordinary. But when Luke entered his line of sight, moving purposefully toward her, JC knew that things were about to get very un-ordinary. He tensed, taking two steps before a hand grabbed his arm, holding him still.

“Don’t run off now, cutie.” Blonde hair was tossed over her bare shoulder as blue eyes batted innocently up at him. “What’s your name?”

“People who matter call me Josh.” His gaze moved over her quickly, his expression darkening in something akin to disgust. “You can call me JC. Let go of me.” He shook her off and made quick tracks across the room, where Jen was now standing with Luke, her expression incredulous as he spoke to her.

“You can’t be serious.” Her voice was soft, but he heard her loud and clear. And by the narrowing of Luke’s eyes, JC was positive that he’d heard her, too.

But that didn’t keep him from yammering on. “Jen, come on. You know you want me.”

“Seriously? After what you put me through?” She laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. “You must be joking.”

Without a second thought, JC pushed his way next to her, his arm going around her and pulling her to him. “Of course he’s joking.” He smiled at her quickly, leaning down to kiss her cheek before turning to let serious eyes move over the guy in front of him, making no secret to the people watching them that he was sizing up the jock. “But then, I guess he really could be as dumb as he looks.”

A measuring look was passed between the two teens, Luke turning red at the insult and JC fighting not to join in with the laughter around them. He felt Jen’s arm sliding around his waist, her hand flattening against his hip, and when he looked down he was met with a set of worried brown eyes, darting back and forth between the two of them, and he finally realized how dangerous the situation could get.

The DJ turned the volume of the music up slightly, the beat of the song pulsing around the room, bringing more people to the dance floor.

“Come on, Josh.” She stepped back until her hand could grab his and pulled on him gently. “Forget about him and dance with me.”

He didn’t say another word, just let her lead him away and out to join the other dancing couples, his attention torn away from Luke, who was grumbling behind them, to focus solely on her.

They finally came to a stop on the other side of the crowd, where she turned back to him with a shaky smile. “Josh …”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” He sighed, relaxing slightly when he felt her arms around his neck. “He just … God, he’s such a jerk.”

“Yeah, he is.” She blinked quickly, taking a deep breath as the panic left her. “But he’s twice your size and wouldn’t have given a second thought about taking you down.”

“No.” His head shook back and forth in denial. “He …”

“He could’ve hurt you.” Her fingers fisted behind his neck and he was surprised to see the wetness forming in her eyes. “Don’t shield me like that, okay? I know what he can do, and I couldn’t handle it if you got hurt for me.”

She took a ragged breath, the trembling of her hands obvious against his skin, and he instinctively hugged his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. “Hey, it’s all right.” His voice was soft, his head bent down so she could hear him over the music. “Nobody got hurt. Everything’s fine.”

“I know.”

“He’s not going to hurt anybody.” He straightened up just enough to be able to see her face. “He can’t hurt you again, Boof. Not unless you let him.”

“Yeah.” Another deep breath, then she nodded, her eyes closed tightly. “I know.”

“Okay.” One of his hands moved to the side of her face, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek. “Then how about you open your eyes and convince me that you mean it?”

Immediately, her eyes opened, meeting his stare dead on. “I know he can’t hurt me again. I’m not stupid enough to give him the chance.” A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. “Besides, I think he figured out a few weeks ago not to tangle with me.”

“He figured out … oh, no way.” He laughed softly, his arm moving back down until his hand was on her hip. “You punched him?”

“What else was I supposed to do? He’d just gotten finished telling me how lousy a girlfriend I was and … well, I got mad. He wound up falling through the door into the guy’s locker room.”

“Doesn’t that door open outward?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged. “What can I say? He’s a big guy and he was falling pretty hard.” Her face lightened with her grin. “Coach Jacobs saw the whole thing and wanted to give me a place on the boxing team. I had to decline.”

They laughed together for a while, relaxing against each other, forgetting about the negatives from a few minutes earlier and focusing on the positives of being able to be there, dancing through a long string of slow ballads and driving rock songs.

Suddenly, the music stopped, a loud “All right, kids, listen up!” ringing across the P.A. system. A collective groan rose from the crowd as every head turned to the stage in the corner, where the teachers who headed the dance committee had gathered.

“Oh, don’t give me that.” A short woman had stepped up to the microphone, an envelope in her hands. “Mr. Everly would have my head if he didn’t have pictures of the King and Queen for the yearbook, so let’s get this over with and you all can go back to dancing. If you were nominated, come up on the stage.”

He turned when he heard her grumbling, reaching out to grab her hand as she began to walk away. “Hey. Going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.” Her lips turned up slightly as she gestured toward the stage with her free hand. “I was nominated, so I should probably get up there.”

“Seriously?”

“My name was on the ballot and everything.” Even if it was just another way for Luke to torture me. She mustered up a grin for the people who were staring at them, then turned, looking pointedly down to where he was still grasping her hand. “Think you can let me go? It shouldn’t take me very long to lose this thing.”

His eyes moved quickly from side to side before landing back on her, his own smile forming as he released her. “Sure thing. Good luck, Boof.”

A laugh carried back to him as she walked away, his smile growing as he saw how many people tapped her shoulder, wishing her luck. She climbed the steps, joining Macie and two other girls on the right side of the stage while Luke and three other guys stood on the left.

There was no surprise when Luke was announced as King and he grinned widely as he leaned down for them to place the crown on his head. He turned and winked at the girls across the stage, earning an exaggerated eye roll from Jen and a knowing smile from Macie, who had already begun inching forward and closer to the center of the stage.

“And your Prom Queen for the class of 1994 is …” The elderly teacher, Ms. Gibbs, paused for emphasis, then read the name. “Jennifer Lawson.”

The crowd erupted into applause, the cheers melting into laughter at the shocked expressions on the girls’ faces as they looked at each other, both having fully expected for Macie to take it by a landslide. The petite redhead standing beside Jen pushed her gently, forcing her to step ahead of Macie and accept the crown.

Embarrassed tears began to form as the plastic crown was arranged on her head, and wide brown eyes moved over the faces, stopping only when they found that familiar blue gaze. When she spotted him in the crowd, grinning proudly and giving her a thumbs-up before applauding and cheering loudly with the rest of the well-dressed teens, she had to swallow back her mortification, forcing what she hoped was a passable smile.

“Come on, Jen. They need to take the picture now.” She was pulled over to the side of the stage, where she found Luke and a photographer waiting. “Just stand right there next to him and ya’ll can do the dance thing.”

“Do we have to do this together?” Luke smiled at her as she came closer, not caring that she looked far from pleased at the idea. “Can’t you just have a picture of him and a picture of me?”

“Sorry, kid.” The photographer shook his head. “One page, one picture. Come on, move on in. He won’t bite.”

“Yeah, right.” Reluctantly, she stepped over beside him and pasted a smile on her face. He shifted, moving his arm behind her, and she turned her head to send him a deadly glare. “Don’t you dare touch me, Luke, or that crown’s going to get shoved in a place it was never meant to be.” Her voice was loud, carrying over the room, and a swell of laughter rose from the crowd as Luke’s ears turned red in embarrassment. His arm fell back to his side and she returned to smiling at the camera, relief spreading through her when the flash went off for the last time.

“Not so fast, honey.” She was moving away, ready to go down the stairs and back into the safety of the crowd when a hand grabbed her arm. “You’ve still got the King and Queen dance.”

“Oh, God, this is a nightmare.” Her shoulders heaved with her groan and she shook her head. “Ms. Gibbs … I can’t dance with him.”

“Sure you can. Come on, kids.” The older woman gestured to Luke, summoning him over as she stepped back up to the microphone. “Now we’ll have the traditional King and Queen dance. Please clear the dance floor.”

Jen felt fingers grasp her wrist and turned to find Luke steering her down the stairs and out onto the empty floor. “It’s gonna be kind of hard for me to not touch you when we’re supposed to dance, isn’t it?” The lights dimmed and the music began, a slow melody carrying over the room, and he opened his arms to her. “Come on, Jen. Dance with your king.”

Her eyes darted around the dark room, searching the shadows intently before she finally smiled at something over his shoulder. “There’s just one problem with that, Luke.”

“Really?” His brows arched in surprise. “What’s that?”

“I didn’t vote for you, which means you aren’t my king.” Grinning up at him, she patted his shoulder and stepped around him. “So I think I’ll have to pass.” A murmur went around the room as she moved quickly across the floor, her features growing brighter with each step until she was able to hold out her hand in invitation. “How about it? Think you can dance with a queen?”

“Sure, but only because it’s you.” JC smiled, allowing her to take his hand and pull him out onto the floor. When her arms went around his neck, he let his own tighten around her waist, pulling her just that little bit closer. “You’re blowing tradition out of the water, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” She laughed softly, leaning forward until she was resting against his shoulder, her forehead brushing the side of his neck. “But this is our song. I can’t dance to it with anybody but you.”

“We have a song?” His head tilted down, his whisper surprised. “Really?”

“Uh huh.” The crown scratched the sensitive skin beneath his ear as she nodded, her eyes closing. “Just listen. You’ll see why.”

He fell silent and listened to the music, trying to ignore the feel of her fingers on his neck, the chills that kept going down his spine, as they swayed slowly to the beat.

When I see you smile, I can face the world
Oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light
Oh, I see it shining right through the rain
When I see you smile
Baby, when I see you smile at me

Of their own accord, his arms tightened around her and he didn’t even realize that his head was moving until he felt his cheek resting against her temple, the soft strands of hair framing her face tickling his chin. She sighed, settling herself comfortably against him, and he closed his eyes when her fingers began combing through his hair, breathing deeply as he smiled.

In that moment, something clicked. He felt a peace settle in, happiness surging through him as they continued to dance, oblivious to any and everything around them. His heart skipped a few beats as he kissed the side of her head, a grin forming when he realized that for the very first time, everything felt right.