𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐄 | Jeremiah Fisher

fourteen.

"PLEASE WELCOME OUR DEBUTANTE WALTZ INSTRUCTOR, MS. COVINGTON." Paige declared presenting a woman to the girls. "All the way from Ms. Covington's School of Ballroom Dance in Newton."

"Thank you, Paige." the blonde woman said while everyone was clapping. "As you all know, the waltz is the most highly anticipated part of the ball so please, join your partners now... and we will begin with fundamentals, starting with the box step."

      Belly and Eva exchanged a worried look. They were the only ones without a partner. Belly hadn't asked Cameron yet – she was planning on doing it during the Fourth of July party but she was so drunk she couldn't – and Eva didn't ask anyone either. So they found themselves alone.

      Nicole saw her little sister alone and hastened to take the role of her partner. Eva knew Meredith would have done the same if she was there but she was hungover from the night before and hadn't gotten out of bed.

      Eva started wringing her hands in embarrassment, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump. She turned around and fell face to face with Jeremiah who gave her a big smile as he held out his hand.

"Can I have this dance?"

      She smiled and took his hand. He placed his other hand on her back and pulled her closer.

"Thank you. I was already considering all the ways to escape from here." she confessed.

"And did you find many?"

"Um, no, not really. You know, I was thinking of jumping out that window but we're on the second floor so it's maybe not a good idea."

"Ooh no, really not a good idea." he said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't want you hurting yourself or I would be really sad."

      She giggled and he smiled as they danced.

"You know, it's not that I don't like your outfit" she told him, patting his light lifeguard t-shirt that showed his whole chest "but you're gonna get me in trouble with Paige."

"Hey." he called Steven, whistling slightly to get his attention.

      His friend took off his suit jacket, keeping only his white shirt, and Jeremiah put it on.

"How's this? Better?"

"Much better." she smiled, putting the collar of the jacket back in place.

      He grabbed her hands again and started dancing again much faster than necessary and she gasped in surprise as she let out a giggle.

"Does Jer ever took anything seriously?" Shayla asked Steven.

      Meanwhile, Gigi and another debutante seemed upset that Jeremiah made Eva dance because he refused to accompany them to the ball. As they twirled, Jeremiah finally stopped in front of Alexa and smiled.

"Hey, Alexa, play 'So pretty'."

"So Pretty by Reyanna Maria. Sure." replied the machine, starting the music.

      Everyone stopped dancing when the music started and they cheered on Jeremiah who was starting to wiggle in the middle of the floor under the shocked gaze of the waltz teacher. He pulled off the suit jacket and twirled it above his head before tossing it back to Steven. He grabbed Eva's hands and everyone started dancing. She slid her hands up his neck as he placed his on her lower back and they danced together. He spun Eva around and they laughed as they improvised an exaggerated choreography.

"What's going on here?" Paige suddenly exclaimed, having just returned after being away for a few minutes. "Alexa, stop!" she ordered and the music shuted down while everyone stopped dancing. "Jeremiah Fisher. Why aren't you at the pool?"

"We had a code brown. Yeah, we lost the keys to the chemical closet." he said in an innocent tone.

"There you go." Paige told him, giving him the keys.

"Thanks." he turned his head to look at Eva and smiled. "See you later, Vava."

"Bye." she said in a soft voice, smiling.

      He gave her a discreet wink and left the room while she replaced a lock of hair behind her ear without stopping to smile. She was crazy about him.

— i'm tired