My Heart Skips a Beat (completed)

Chapter 7: Halloween- Boarding School Style

A/N: i'm double updating tonight! hope you love tonights new chapters! (as of 8-22-14) there is NO song for this chapter. the speech given by Father Kelly in this chapter was inspired by the speech at the dance in the 1985 film "Heaven Help Us", also known as "Catholic Boys." enjoy!

Almost four weeks later, the Halloween Dance was right around the corner. Jonathan refused to leave campus for Chicago, and he finally agreed to leave just to shut Skip and me up, even though it was mostly Skip dragging the idea on. He wouldn’t give it a rest, but he certainly knew how to fight for what he wanted. If you told him to stop, he went twice as hard. It took twenty-five days of begging and badgering to get Jonathan to even consider leaving. Even if he was just going to pacify Skip and me, at that point, we were willing and grateful to take anything we could get.

“And,” Skip said, “you won’t have to hear us making out with each other. Bonus!” He lifted his eyebrows at me. Skip licked his lips like I was grilled ham steak, his favorite food.

“Yeah! ‘Cause you know we’re gonna make the most of your absence, Jonathan,” I said, licking my lips right back at Skip.

He made gagging sounds. “Thank the Lord I’ll be with my own girl in my own motel room with my own cash and I won’t have to listen to anyone else.”

“Correction. My cash, not yours,” Skip corrected. “You’re welcome.”

“Whatever. But thanks, man,” Jonathan said. “What if I don’t find a girl, you two?”

“That’s the point of you goin’! You’ll find your own chick to make out with in a bed, even if it’s just this cheap shitty one from a motel stuffed with newspaper from the Depression!” Skip cheered. I giggled. Skip did have a good sense of humor, but he was funnier when he crossed a personal line.

“I honestly can’t believe I’m going. Skip, I lost your money, can I have another hundred?” Jonathan asked hopefully.

“No way, Jose!” He snapped his fingers like a little girl. “But do you still have that hundred? ‘Cause you’re not gettin’ anymore. You lose it; ya owe me a hundred bucks. You spend it; you owe me lady panties. And, remember, I’m not gonna let you in this room without those panties you promised me!”

“Calm down!” Jonathan raised his arms in surrender. “I still have the cash, but I’m thinking I’ll need more than that. And don’t even make me think about those! I’ve worn panties ‘cause you dared me to!” He pointed at Skip. “And they suck! How can you wear those things, Claire?”

“I can wear them because they’re made for girls like me and not guys like you. Jonathan, listen to me,” I said. “Leave on Thursday, spend the night with that Princess Charming, and then come back on Friday or Saturday. The dance is on Friday, so you’ll probably make it back just in time to go. A hundred bucks can make it through two days, right? A taxi, drinks, the motel, food, and another taxi? Just take it easy on the nice, good meals. Maybe she’ll pay for your food or your taxi,” I suggested. “But us ladies don’t really do that, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Maybe. What, it’s Tuesday now, so I’ll just leave late Thursday night after dinner. No one will be out on Thursday nights, anyway,” he said, shrugging. “There’s less of a chance of me finding someone. And, Claire, by the way, the dance is on Foxfield campus, not here on Vernon campus, so I wouldn’t make it either way.”