Sigma/Star

Chapter 50: Dance The Night Away

Porter brushed the wrinkles out of his suit as he stood staring at himself in the mirror. Ardwen sat on Porter's bed behind him, looking over the young man. The two of them had decided to prepare for the dance that night together as their friendship grew (and also so Ardwen could make sure Porter didn't make any last second moves on Nami). Chase had gone off with his fan club to get ready while Raul went and brooded on his own. The three girls in Gretta, Riya, and Nami had teamed up to get dressed and make sure they were wearing different outfits.

It was still unclear as to whom Nami was going to the dance with and Chase had already turned down quite a number of girls who wanted to go with the future school captain and win couple of the year. The one-track nature of Chase's mind would not give up on capturing Nami's heart for victory and this forced the hand of both Ardwen and Raul. Not one of them had figured out the original goal of Nami's flirting with them to begin with and, since Porter was glad to have someone else taking the brunt of Nami's affection, it wasn't working out anyways.

With the preparations complete, the two boys let the metal door to the room slide open with a hiss and stepped out into the hall. There was a shuffle of students in the passage moving towards the core of the school, to the gym and the techno music blaring through its doors. The excitement on the night mingled with nerves and generated a buzz through the air that vibrated in Porter's chest. He had never gone to the dance before when it had been on. He really hadn't had any reason to go and Nami hadn't really come on to him except for in the last couple years as she got older and so he was never asked by anyone. It would be a new experience for him.

"I know, it's crazy isn't it?" Ardwen placed a hand on Porter's shoulder from behind. "It's the biggest event of the year and you can really feel it." Porter turned and slowly nodded, his face stricken with terror. "You know I'm not much for being a socialite Porter but if I say it's fun then you know you're going to enjoy it. Let's go!" Ardwen shoved his compatriot out into the flow of people and they were swept up in the rush for the gym.

They caught up with the other members of the Crisis Rescue Unit eventually and Porter glumly looked over at Fritz standing with Riya. Otherwise everyone else in the group was single. But at least they had each other.

"Where's Raul?" Gretta asked as she tagged along with the gang.

"Maybe he's just coming late," Nami answered. "I'm sure he'll be there." They got the answer as they came to the doors of the dance, where Raul was standing outside...next to the tall, gorgeous Emera from their class. She was the oldest girl in the school who was still a student, just entering her twenties like Raul and was rumoured to have been a model back on Earth before coming into the military. It was still thought that she sent some photos down every so often and she was the dream of nearly every boy in the school (and some of the younger teachers as well).

"Raul...what...what are you doing with Emera?" Chase babbled, stuttering as he looked the beautiful female up and down in her red satin dress. "I thought you were chasing Nami."

"Nami was too much of a fight," came the response. "And I realized she's just too young for me. I'll leave her for you two to kill each other over." Raul winked at Ardwen and Chase before taking his date inside, leaving a shocked, and stunned CRU behind.

"I had no idea Raul had such a way with his ladies."

"No, no clue at all."

"Who'd have thought that...Emera with him."

"Maybe he used his ninja skills on her."

"Who cares, that's one less person to get in my way," Chase exclaimed, bounding into the gym and expecting Nami and the rest to follow. Fritz tugged at his dance partner's hand, taking Riya away inside as Porter watched them go. Riya was wearing such a simple little dress, a wonderful purple that fit nicely on her frail body and her dark hair fell down to the tops of the outfit. Porter liked that deep purple, loved it really. It was his favourite colour being worn on his favourite person. It was just too bad he couldn't have her.