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It wasn’t that Declan didn’t want to go to the homecoming. Well, maybe it was a little. His lateness had more to do with the unfortunate meeting of a stray rock and the front tyre of his band van on the way home from a concert. Spending hours on the side of the highway waiting for road service hadn’t been his first idea of a good afternoon, but you didn’t get much choice when your tyre was looking more like a Dali-esque melting clock than a circle. 

He’d picked out the suit well in advance- over a year ago in fact, for a cousin’s wedding where he was a groomsman. Who needed more than one suit anyways? Black was a little too cliche, so he’d gone with a navy blue jacket, paired with an electric cyan tie and polished brown shoes. Declan was never really comfortable in such formal attire, so he tried to make it a little more interesting. 

Only a few stragglers hung around the entrance to the country club. He checked his watch again. Five minutes wasn’t that long. Spotting what had to be his date across from him, he wandered over and gave her a smile. 

[b][color=c1a259]‘You look uh... cool.’[/color][/b] Her dress looked like it had fallen the wrong way out of a renaissance fair. [b][color=c1a259]‘Haven’t kept you waiting long, have I?’[/color][/b]

She looked him over, the eyes trailing across his navy blue coat, bright blue tie, and brown shoes.  Goodness in the eyes of the lord almighty.  Brown shoes.  The bright tie was bad enough.  She did her beat to give him one of her most charming and docile smiles.  All the sweetness she could muster spread through her body as the shorter small woman moved toward him and straightened his tie.

[b][color=8D74AD]“Well,”[/color][/b] she replied, [b][color=8D74AD]“It most certainly could have been longer.  Did you secure our tickets?”[/color][/b]  Her inquiry was accompanied by hands against his chest, a coy and suggestive smile, and bright sparkly eyes that hinted that she knew she might have to pay their way.

[b][color=c1a259]‘Tickets… oh yeah.’[/color][/b] Declan moved slightly away from her- the distance between the two of them was a little too close and he didn’t like the way her hands curled against his chest almost flirtatiously. Just because the school had forced the two of them to go together didn’t mean he had to like it. Or make it easy. He patted his thighs anxiously for a second before finding the slips of paper in his breast pocket. 
[b][color=c1a259]‘Almost thought I forgot them. That’d would have made a fun night, huh?’[/color][/b] he grinned uneasily. 

Her smile faltered slightly when it seemed he might have forgotten the tickets and took slight offense to his backing away.  Wasn’t she lovely enough to have him in total awe of her appearance?  She began to feel she should have put even more effort into it, maybe gotten that adorable dress that was cut short to show some leg.

The tickets appeared and she gestured toward the doors.  [b][color=8D74AD]“Well, onwards then.”[/color][/b]  She did not attempt to touch him again and simply snatched her ticket from his fingers.  As she made her way through the decadent, starlit entrance she could tell she had at least attracted someone as the boy who took her ticket looked hungrily over her form.  This helped calm and reassure her ego that the boy she was paired with was just a dope.  Maybe he was gay?

The inside was both gorgeous and tacky.  There was certainly thought and creativity put into it but the execution was cheaply done. At least in Penny’s opinion.  She asked her date. [b][color=8D74AD]“Shall we get drinks?”[/color][/b]

[b][color=c1a259]“I think I’ll need several to get me through tonight. Though I guess the school is hardly going to be sponsoring underage drinking with anything good. Hopefully someone’s spiked the punch.”[/color][/b] He sniffed at a half-full scoop of the juice. [b][color=c1a259]“Smells legal. Unfortunately.” [/color][/b]
Declan poured two cups, handing one to his date. 

A more natural grin spread over her lips.  ‘Okay, that was actually pretty funny,’ she thought as she accepted the glass.  Taking a sip she wrinkled her nose.  [b][color=8D74AD]“Tastes legal too.”[/color][/b] Much to her disappointment.  She was beginning to wish she had brought something bigger than her clutch.  Penny could have at least brought a few mini bottles.  Her blue eyes turned mischievous as she said, [b][color=8D74AD]“I’m sure someone here could set us up if we asked nicely enough.” [/color][/b]

Declan peered around the dance floor, but it seemed that most of the current attendees were the teachers unlucky enough to draw the short straw on chaperoning. [b][color=c1a259]“Man, and I thought [i]we[/i] were fashionably late. There’s like no one here. And I somehow doubt we’re going to get a peek at Mr Gomez’s secret tequila stash.”[/color][/b]

Penny snorted with derision, [b][color=8D74AD]“Only if he hasn’t drunken it all already.”  [/color][/b]The corners of her lips tugged upwards, [b][color=8D74AD]“I would love to see a drunken Gomez though.  I’ll bet he’s a riot.”[/color][/b] She downed the last of her cup and held it empty.  [b][color=8D74AD]“Music is kinda lame too.  Did the teachers pick it out too?” [/color][/b] She was starting feel annoyed by the whole thing again.  It was like some old fogey party Daddy Donny made her go to with some stupid rich boy.  At least at those parties she was guaranteed to get laid.  She regretted not doing a line before she came to this sham of a homecoming.

[b][color=c1a259]“They need some live stuff. I’d rather be up there on the keys than down here dancing.” [/color][/b]He looked forlornly at the few pathetic speakers they had scattered around the floor, playing seemingly what the teacher’s thought was ‘hip.’ Declan rolled up his sleeve for a quick glance at his watch. [b][color=c1a259]“Do you reckon they’ve set a time limit on us? They said we had to show up, not stay the whole time. I bet ten minutes counts enough to walk us at graduation.” [/color][/b]

She raised an eyebrow at him.  [b][color=8D74AD]“I spent hours on this, I’m not about to leave until I have at least five men drooling at my feet babe.”[/color][/b]  She grinned and tapped her empty cup.  [b][color=8D74AD]“You know…  I’ll be you El Diablo has some good stuff.  Maybe we help Senor Stuffy-Pants loosen up?  Hmmm?” [/color][/b]

[b][color=c1a259]‘What, Gomez?’ [/color][/b]The english teacher was currently leaning against the wall across from them, a half glass of water in hand and his eyes fixated on the clock. [b][color=c1a259]“He already looks like he’s having the time of his life. I bet he wouldn’t even notice a little hit. I think I saw Santiago’s car outside- he must be here somewhere.” [/color][/b]

[b][color=8D74AD]“I’ll look around in here if you want to look around outside?  He shouldn’t be too hard to spot.  He usually makes a scene.”[/color][/b]