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It was a cold December morning and Madison Chirley was looking forward to December break. She loved Christmas more than anything, and the time off to study for the imminent SATs. But the coming winter break wasn't what the school was buzzing about; the shadow of the high schools most anticipated event was dark. The famed turnaround school dance. Blegh.
"So Mads, who are you asking to the turnaround dance?" Candace mused, closing her locker with a satisfying clang.
Madison almost laughed at the ridiculous question. Madison hadn't been to a school dance since they were still considered family dances. No guy had ever asked her, and even if they did, she probably wouldn't have gone. And now that she could ask someone, she wasn't going to. Karma.
"This turnaround is a sick, gender-biased excuse for a dance. Whose to say that a girl can't ask a guy anytime?" Madison answered, "So I'm not going."
"Are you sure it's not because you can't get a date?" Jess giggled.
"I can so!" Madison immediately defended.
Candace and Jessica both dissolved into a fit of giggles. They both had already secured dates, with Candace going with Troy Arden from math, and Jess going with her friend Alex Smith from cross country. Madison hadn't even thought about a potential date, as she just assumed she wouldn't be going. But now she was defensive.
"Really? I dare you to ask the first guy that walks into homeroom this morning," Candace challenged as they sauntered into their homeroom class.
"You think I won't?" Madison snapped.
"I know you won't," Candace chuckled.
As the bell rang, the girls realized they were the last people in the room. Madison was slightly relieved that she wouldn't be pressured into asking someone as she plopped down in her back row seat.
"Lucky," Jess whispered.
"Alright alright settle down, roll call," Mr. Rochester, their homeroom teacher, announced.
"Sorry I'm late Mr. R!"
Madison's blood ran cold at the familiar sound of his voice. Candace and Jess both squealed into their hands and tried to not look at the new addition to the classroom.
Eric Matthews.
All Madison could do was slam her head into her desk.
--
"You promised! You gotta do it," Jess argued, poking Madison in the ribs.
"Sure sure, I said what I said but it's Eric Matthews!" Madison growled, "I hate him!"
"It's a perfect love story, Pride and Prejudice style," Candace sighed wistfully, "Very cliche."
Madison stressfully ran a hand through her hair and gazed across the hallway, seeing Eric talking to his younger brother and another young boy. They seemed to be having a pretty intense conversation.
"I don't want to interrupt, look at them I-" Madison protested.
"Just go!" Jess snapped, roughly grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her into the middle of the hallway.
Eric, conveniently, had just turned around, probably to talk to someone else, but smiled once he saw Madison standing there.
"Whirley! What's up?" Eric greeted, before turning around to his younger companions, "Positioning boys."
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
"Hi, I was just coming over to say hello. Hello," Madison lied, swiftly turning around.
"Isn't there something you wanted to ask me?" Eric inquired smugly.
God he was self centered. Even without knowing her bet with her friends he still thought she was asking him to the dance. Unfortunately, he was right.
"I wasn't planning on it because I assumed that some beautiful girl had already asked you, but while I'm here I might as well feed your ego a little bit," Madison seethed, "Would you like to go to the turnaround dance with me?"
"I was planning on going with Jacqueline, but you know what Whirley, I'm glad you asked," Eric responded, "Pick me up at 8?"
"Can't wait," Madison sighed through gritted teeth.
And with that, she whipped around and returned to her giggling friends, wondering what the hell she had just gotten herself into.
--
She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. What was she doing? Asking Eric Matthews to the dance. Now he was going to think that she was interested, and she was not one of the floozies that trailed after him. Tonight was going to be so embarrassing.
"So, when are you picking up Eric?" Candace asked as she slapped on more lipgloss.
They had all met at Candace's place to get dressed and ready before driving to their respective dates' houses. Madison would have two extra passengers as Eric's younger brother and his date needed a ride. She didn't mind though, it would take the pressure off of her to make conversation with Eric.
"8," she said plainly, allowing for Jess to pull her hair back.
Candace and Jess shared a glance, both noting the way Madison twisted the hem of her red dress between her shaking fingers.
"Nervous?" Jess inquired.
"No, why would you ask that," Madison snapped.
"Just the fact that you're about to destroy the hem of that dress," Candace snickered.
Madison immediately let it go and sucked in a breath through her nose.
"I shouldn't be nervous, it's just stupid Eric Matthews," she growled.
"You sound like we're back in 7th grade," Jess giggled.
Madison groaned, putting her face in her hands - careful not to destroy her makeup. Her friends weren't helping, her parents weren't helping, and Eric certainly wasn't helping. He heard him talking to his friends after school on how she had asked him, and it certainly wasn't at all what had happened.
"Is it too late to feign an illness?" Madison questioned.
"Far too late, you've got 15 minutes," Candace relayed, double checking her makeup.
"Candace, why would you remind me?" Madison snapped.
"Done!" Jess cheered, pulling her up to her feet to look in the mirror.
She had to admit, she did clean up nicely. Her short sleeved, maroon dress was slipped on over her favourite black turtleneck, making for a perfectly layered outfit for Philadelphia winter. Her long legs were covered with black tights and highlighted, of course, with her Doc Martens. Jess had twisted her curly brown hair into an intricate knot at the top of her head. The usual choker was tucked over the turtleneck, and her small silver hoops with little knives were hastily put in. She looked... pretty.
"Our goth princess," Candace mused.
"Oh please, this is baby goth," Madison joked, noting the way her hazel eyes popped with the black on her lids.
"We should get going before we're late!" Jess reminded, picking up her clutch and keys.
"Let's roll out ladies!" Candace shouted, dancing on the spot.
