𝕞𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕪 | 𝕒 𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕛𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

eight | groovy boy

June 10th, 2022
Hamish's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was the day that everyone had been waiting for for months. Formal. In the vast ballroom, elegant dresses were fitted to the girls, while the boys were suited up in only the finest Hallenstines suits. The theme was masquerade. In theory, no one would recognise me, nor would I recognise them.

I had been a nervous wreck on the car ride here. It was only a few hours, but so much can happen in that short amount of time. What if I don't find anyone I know? What if I am left all alone, once again?

What if I see him?

The room's lights were dimmed, increasing the mystery in the air and decreasing the ability to see my surroundings. The lack of light would interfere with my sight so much that I could not even recognise people by their hair. We were all blindly interacting with one another.

Music radiated through the room, but rather than the expected high-energy pop music, a Mozart-style classical ballad was playing. It was unusually refined for a school such as Papanui, but I have to admit, it was nice.

I slowly walk around the room, surveying its inhabitants but struggling to identify anyone familiar. The mask over my eyes felt foreign on my face, but I found comfort in no one knowing who I am. I slowly walk around the room, surveying its inhabitants but struggling to identify anyone familiar.

I was not left alone for long, I felt a presence behind me. A familiar one. My eyes had well adjusted to be able to recognise their face. As I turned to face them, they spoke.

Jack's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"How about a dance?" I asked the person I would recognise anywhere

After a few moments, I received a hesitant yes, accompanied by a soft nod of their head.

We made our way to the ballroom floor, my hands finding their waist as we swayed to the music in the background. There was no hiding that we were both nervous. The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. It had been so long since we talked, and we never got the chance to address what happened that day in the bathrooms.

The silence between us was killing me, all I had wanted for the past four months was a chance to talk to them, but I suppose fate didn't allow it. I prepared myself to speak, but they beat me to it.

"I'm sorry," they said lowly. They sighed, contemplating how they were doing to approach the subject, but continued before long.

"I shouldn't have gotten in that fight, it was stupid of me to be so aggressive over you. I just really care about you, Jack"  they said

Their confession almost made my heart stop, it was so unlike them to be forward like this with me. I couldn't help but smile at them, marvelling at how lucky I was to be dancing with them at this moment.

"Hey, it's alright. You know, it's kinda cute how much you care about me" I said back to them.

They shot me a smile of relief, and as silence once again settled upon us, I decided to change the subject.

Hamish's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"You look really nice tonight. Is that a new suit I'm seeing?" they said

I chuckled, "Yea, just for the occasion. You like it?" I say back

"I love it" they complement

The music picks up around us, and the classical ballad turns into the pop hit 'Youngblood' by Five Seconds of Summer. We start dancing at a quicker pace, and the vibe of the whole room lifts.

"I've been trying to find some of the others this whole time, but with these masks covering most of our faces, it's just so difficult. I'm glad I found you though."

Sophie's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Emily has been staring off for the last five minutes, the conversation we were in the middle of fading out to nothing. I follow her gaze to see what she was stuck looking at.

I am met with what appears to be Jack's figure. He is dancing with someone else, but I can't quite make out who it is. Emily is staring longingly at Jack, something that surprises me to my core. I would never have imagined Emily to have a crush on Jack of all people.

"Oi, Emily" I say, catching her attention

She looks away from Jack, turning to me. I can see a hint of sadness in her eyes that almost resembles a sense of jealousy.

"What were you looking at?" I question

She pauses for a moment, but then says "Oh, I just zoned out I guess. It was nothing."

Jack's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The upbeat song fades out, and just dancing with them may have made tonight one of the best nights of my life.

An overwhelming feeling of thirst hits me. I have been dancing for so long and need something to drink.

"Hey, how about we grab something to drink?" I say

Hamish's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The two of us leave the dance floor and head over to the refreshments table. The lights are disorienting, so they take their hand in mine to lead the way.

Arms resting on a table, we sip on our drinks while talking to one another. About anything and everything. The conversation flows as it would with a best friend.

Jack's pov:
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"You know what, I'm not really thirsty," they say, "how about we just dance for a bit longer"

"Okay, yeah that's cool" I say. I would rather die of thirst here than leave this person on the dance floor.

The next song comes on, allowing us for a few second break in between songs. After a moment, the room is filled with the first notes of an all too familiar song...

"Tastes like strawberries..."

Except this isn't the studio version of the song. It almost sounds like the song is being sung live. Right here, right now.

"on a summer evenin' ..."

"Oh no, this can't be happening" Tui says from beside me

"Jack," she says in a panic, "What did you do?"

"I don't know, I haven't even seen Hamish tonight, let alone talked to him." I say truthfully