(1) Learn How To Love

The Punch Has A Kick

The two laughed together for the first time- to everyone's disbelief. You smiled from the dance floor and exchanged a gleeful look with Connie.

"Now the party begins!" She exclaimed.

You and Connie dragged the boys back to the dance floor, Kevin's hand in yours, and Steven's hand in Connie's. You eyed their grasp and tried not to let it bother you, but couldn't help feeling a hint of jealousy creep up the back of your throat. The feeling burned, threatening to come out in words you couldn't take back.

You swallowed it down when everyone released their hands and let loose to the music blasting around you.

You weren't a bad dancer, per se, but... you were a little stiff. A little insecure, a little afraid to embarrass yourself, and a little awkward. A lot of awkward, actually.

You tried not to overthink it and just let go, to lose yourself in the music. You closed your eyes and swayed, laughing at yourself, and let the nerves bubble out with your quiet giggling.

With your eyes tightly shut, Steven took the opportunity to let his gaze linger on you.

He saw past your clumsy dance moves, and the way your hair whipped in all the wrong directions. What Steven saw in you was freedom, as you let yourself be free and in the moment. In the here and now. From your fingertips to your lips coated in gloss, the pounding bass moved through you to the point where you couldn't separate it from the thumping of your own heart.

And Steven felt it too.

When you opened your eyes, he quickly averted his gaze and shoved his hands in his pockets- out of sheer force of habit. He realized this and, embarrassed, let his hands drop to his sides where they once were. Connie gave him a questioning look, earning a shrug in response, before they continued dancing. Meanwhile, you and Kevin had completely lost yourselves in the music, and with it, all awareness of your surroundings.

Time flew in a blur of flashing lights, aching feet, and a sea of dancing bodies moving as one. You only stopped to take a break when you felt euphorically dizzy. Your hair stuck to the back of your neck, becoming sticky with sweat.

"I'm gonna go get a drink!" You hollered over the noise.

"WOOHOO!" Connie pumped her fist in response, nearly losing balance. She was acting even crazier than you felt.

"Okay, thank you, Connie!" Steven laughed and steadied her, "I'm coming, too."

You smiled like an idiot, your head buzzing in the best way, and led the way to the buffet table.

"I can't feel my legs," Steven whined.

"Yeah? You should try heels," you smirked.

"I have," he laughed and bent over the table, exhausted.

You both reached for the punch ladle and brushed fingertips, each mumbling apologies.

"Ladies first," Steven decided.

"Well, thank you good sir," you spoke in an old-timey English accent... to your dismay.

You tried not to let the embarrassment show, and covered your blush with a red solo cup, now filled with fruit punch.

"I've never been to a party like this," Steven broke the silence after he had filled his cup.

You looked around the tent with him and sighed deeply; "yeah, me neither. I guess Prom was kind of close, but... this is fucking huge." You leaned back and smiled.

"You went to Prom?" Steven asked in awe.

"Yeah, of course," you smiled.

"Right," Steven smirked, "obviously. Most people go to a prom in high school," he gave himself an over-exaggerated facepalm.

"Yeah, but it's so overrated," your words slurred lazily as you came down from the adrenaline rush of the dance floor.  "It's like... it's just a school dance, you know?" You laughed, "like- the only difference between The Prom and our fifth grade "monster mash" was the dress code!" You groaned at the thought while Steven chuckled beside you.

"You would like prom," you spoke after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," you smiled. "Like, it would be awful, and dry, and no one would be dancing, but you'd go straight to the middle of the dance floor and get that party started like it was nothing."

Steven smiled to himself; "I'd do all that, huh?"

"Well, that's my theory," you shrugged with a grin. "Did you ever go to prom?" Your eyes met his.

"Nope," Steven gave a half-smile, "no high school, no prom."

"So... Connie didn't go to hers?" You inched closer to him.

"Pfft, are you kidding?" Steven smiled, "Connie's too smart to waste time at Prom- which is an event that you described to be the equivalent of a middle school 'monster mash.'"

You both laughed.

"Okay, okay, you got me there," you smiled.

Under the glaring lights, you felt like you were baking in the sun. You remembered the cup of punch in your hand and took a sip, hoping to cool down and expecting to be refreshed.

Instead, you were met with a startling amount of rum.

You did a spit take and started to cough; "KEVIN!"

Steven's expression shifted from concern to amusement while he patted your back and laughed. And after you had coughed up the punch's burning aftertaste, you began to laugh too.