Sherlock: The Next Generation

Chapter 70

Chapter 70

"How do I look?"

"Terrible, sis."

That earned Hamish a hit over his head from Molly, who then folded her arms and looked grumpily at him. He just laughed going back to surfing the internet. Stupid brother.

"You look beautiful, Molly." John looked up from his crossword to smile at his youngest daughter. Indeed she did. The dress she wore was blue and green and white, bringing out the colour of her eyes. It had a reasonably tight body with a skirt that flowed out to her knees. She had pulled back most of her hair into fancy braids, leaving two curly strands at the front. She really did look like a young woman. She was almost seventeen, after all.

"Who are you going with?" Sherlock questioned from where he sat perched on the arm of John's chair so he could occasionally, and annoyingly, point out answers for the crossword.

"Finn," Molly replied with a slight smirk.

"I thought you broke up with him..." Sherlock looked suspicious. He did not like Finn. He was bad for Molly. He had kissed her when Sherlock had specifically told both of them that there was to not even be any hand holding. Sherlock still hadn't forgiven him for that terrible deed. Even if it had been on New Year's Eve. "Ages ago."

"I did." Molly rolled her eyes at her dad. "We're going as friends. Although maybe I'll find someone else while there." She laughed at her father's irritated expression. "Dad, I'm sixteen. Of course I'm going to go out with people."

"I don't have to like it," Sherlock muttered. John just shook his head at his husband, scribbling down a few letters. The ring of the doorbell pierced the silence that had followed Sherlock's grumpy muttering.

"That's Finn! Don't destroy the house in my absence!" Molly grinned, skipping over to her dad and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He gave her a pout obviously still disliking the fact that she may find someone to go out with at the sixth year ball. She leant over to give her papa a big hug before heading over to the door. "See you later!" She hurried down the steps and opened the door with a wide grin on her face.

"You look... wow," Finn blinked as he stared at Molly. She rolled her eyes.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she chirped as she hopped out of the door, slamming it behind her. "You don't look half bad yourself."

"Gee, thanks Mol."

"Anytime." Molly laughed, glancing at him. He was dressed all smart in black dress trousers, a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black waistcoat. His hair was mostly left alone, though made neat and spiked slightly. He looked good. He would undoubtedly be swarmed by girls. Which was good, made Molly's job easier. The two, who were both single, had made a deal to try and set each other up with someone by the end of the night. It would make the whole thing a bit more interesting.

The main school hall was already filled with people when they arrived, just standing around chatting and sipping on fizzy drinks. The dancing was yet to actually begin.

"Hey, Molly!"

"Heather!" Molly turned around to grin at her friend, adding in a quiet murmur to Finn, "how about her?"

"Nice try Molly," Finn shook his head with a snort. Molly shrugged. Worth a shot. Heather had reached them, beaming from ear to ear.

"So you two... Together?"

Molly rolled her eyes. "Friends."

"Of course," Heather chuckled. "I came with Emily because neither of us were asked. Oh, the shame!" She gave a massive, dramatic sigh with one hand at her brow. "Well anyway I'll leave you two to your... friendliness." She winked and retreated to where Emily was standing talking to Lisa and the boy she had brought with her.

"Are they..." Finn trailed off, looking at Heather and Emily standing beside each other.

Molly shrugged. "They haven't said anything. It is possible."

"Right..." Finn trailed off. "So, what do we do?"

"Dance, maybe?" Molly smirked slightly as there was the call for everyone to grab their partners for the first dance. Finn rolled his eyes at her as they headed into the circle that had formed. They didn't start talking again until they were moving.

"How about him?" Finn indicated the boy to their left with his head. Molly glanced sideways and made a face.

"Jerk."

"How can you tell?"

"Finn, you have known for long enough to already know the answer."

"I meant what deductions did you make, smartass."

Molly glared at him. "He's been with three girls in the past week and hoping to get together with another after tonight if I'm not mistaken." Finn didn't question what she said. She was right after all.

"How about her? She's cute," Molly nodded in the direction of a girl of average height with her dark hair cut short and scruffy. They were nearing the end of the night and both had failed in their task thus far. Molly was not willing to give up, though.

"Not my type," Finn shrugged. "Sorry." Molly sighed. Finn's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had had a brilliant idea, and a sly smile crossed his lips. "How about her for you?"

"Wait, what?" Molly was taken aback, blinking and looking a bit flustered. She quickly snapped out of it, though. "Not fair, you can't suggest the same people as I did. Anyway, why?"

"You said she was cute," Finn shrugged. "I assumed you meant it."

"I did... but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know how to flirt with girls."

"Neither do I and I do it all the time," Finn returned with a shrug. "How do you flirt with boys?"

"Eh..." Molly trailed off. "I just do?"

"Exactly. Of you go." With a friendly, sort of joking, shove in the direction of the girl Finn backed away. Molly bit her lip and approached, tugging at a loose strand of curly hair.

"Hello," Molly managed a smile. Smooth. Brilliant way to start the conversation.

"Hi," the girl returned Molly's smile.

"Eh, I'm Molly... Not sure if we've talked before."

"Noel," the girl replied with a nod, light blue eyes curious. "And I don't think we've talked either... Though I do recognise you. GSCE Latin with Mr Johnson?"

"That's it!" Molly grinned. "That was a terrible class."

"I dropped it as soon as possible."

"What A levels did you take?"

"Biology, Chemistry and Psychology."

"Interesting choice... I did GSCE psychology but my dad recommended that I didn't take it any further. It was interesting."

"My goal is to become a psychologist, so I thought it would be useful," Noel ran a hand through her short hair. "I enjoy it... What are your A levels?"

"Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology to go into medicine."

"Four A levels? That must be a lot of work."

Molly shrugged. "Yeah sometimes. I don't find it too hard."

"You must be really smart, then."

"Sorta," Molly blushed. "My brother took six A levels, though."

"Six?! Whoa he must be a genius."

"He certainly thinks so," Molly muttered before laughing slightly. "He's a bit full of himself."

The two of them ended up talking for the rest of the ball. They really did get along. Finn appeared a few times with his smirks in Molly's direction but he had found himself a girl to talk with so his annoying presence was mostly out of the way. Molly and Noel parted ways with exchanged phone numbers and the promise to look out for each other in the last few weeks of school. Definitely a success. Molly had a feeling their relationship might go somewhere.

She certainly hoped so.