Paul takes Di to her Senior Ball, claims her cherry; welcomes the New Year with Patti and their moms. Enjoy. Votes and comments welcome.
"Do we have to go?" whined Di. "I don't really want to go to the damn ball. Paul," she whimpered, "do you really, really want to go some old high school formal, get all dressed up in tuxedo to hang out with a bunch of losers?"
Paul laughed. "Why not? Why don't you want to go? It might be a lot of fun."
"Or a total disaster," she added. "Why can't we just hang out with our moms, along with Patti?"
"Think of it as extensive foreplay. We'll be there dancing; our bodies rubbing against each other, making out on the dance floor; showing all the loser guys what they missed out on; showing the girls how lucky they were that the guys didn't notice you.
"Tell you what. We'll get there late, around nine, and leave at the intermission, right after they crown the King and Queen. There are a couple of parties I promised to drop in at on campus, then we'll join our moms and Patti to watch the ball drop. How would that be?"
"Well, it sounds better. When do we get to...uh"
"Get together?"
"Yeah," she answered in a tiny, almost fearful voice.
"I promised Patti she and I would watch the ball drop alone in my room, having our own ball dropping ceremony, if you know what I mean." Di giggled. "Any time after that, if you're still awake. Or, since you're going to be sleeping over, you could come in and watch the parade with me in the morning, just us. Although, the Moms may come in to 'celebrate' after your first time. That is the only time I can guarantee we will be alone this weekend."
"I understand. I think I'd like to 'watch the parade' with you. Okay, we'll go to the Ball. How do I introduce you?"
"Tell the truth; I'm an old family friend, and you knew I'd be home for the holiday. Make it romantic, tell your friends you've always had a crush on me, and found out I liked you, too. You could even hint at what we're going to be doing later. Just don't mention your sister."
"I'm beginning to see why Patti refers to you as the Tease. What time will you be picking me up tomorrow?"
"Where is the dance?"
"Brannigan's, downtown. In the banquet room. Since no one is allowed in unless they are coupled with a member of the junior or senior class, they decided they didn't need a huge, huge hall."
"That's reasonable. If we're planning to arrive about nine, I'll be there to pick you up between eight-thirty and quarter to nine. What color is your dress, so I know what color rose to order for your corsage?"
"I told you, it's green."
"I know you told me green. What shade of green?"
"It's dark; so dark it's almost black. It has like a velvet skirt, so that when I move, it's like green flashes in the black skirt."
"Hmm. So, something light in color, or a deep red. Light like white or yellow. No, the red is best. Okay, see you tomorrow around eight-thirty."
He paused. "Diane, you are going to be stunning tomorrow night. I am going to arrive with the prettiest girl at the dance on my arm. If I wasn't engaged to your sister..." Even over the phone, she could sense the desire in his voice.
"Thank you, Paul. I appreciate that. See you tomorrow night." She blew him a kiss and closed her flip phone.
Paul handed their coats to the girl in the checkroom. He became aware of the sudden silence in the area outside the ballroom. He knew the reason, and turned to look at her. Like Patti, Di was tall, and slender. She had inherited her father's coloring. Coal black hair, to which Di had applied a henna rinse, bringing out the highlights to her new pixie cut, framed a model's face.
Her natural porcelain pale complexion was enhanced tonight by the dark green cocktail dress she wore, accented by the blood red rose pinned to her bodice. The dress was a satiny material which hugged her body from waist to bust. A mid thigh velvet skirt fell from her waist in inch wide pleats. Eighteen, she could have passed for 23 at any club in America or Europe tonight .
Paul offered her his arm and led her into the ballroom. There, one of the seniors doing security, checking IDs, stopped them. "Sorry, folks. No admission unless you're coupled with a member of the senior or junior class."
Di looked at Paul and let out a deep breath, as if to say, "See, I told you, children." She opened her clutch and took out her school ID and handed it to the student. "Here you are, Larry. Will this do?"
Larry looked at the ID and then at Di. Seeing it was a school ID, he barely glanced at it, saying "Oops, sorry, Diane...Diane! Omigod! Diane, I didn't recognize... you look so, so ...uh!"
Paul laughed. "Yeah, that's what I said, too. Thanks, sport." He led Di into the crowd. Their small contretemps had been noticed by more than a few of the attendees. Several of them wondered who the woman was. She certainly didn't look like any of their classmates. First she was too mature; more than that, she was simply too pretty.
Paul noticed a member of the faculty making his way toward them. "Uh oh, here comes Mr. Kinsler. He's going to want to check your ID." Kinsler was within greeting distance, obviously heading for them. "Hey there, Mr. Kinsler. How are you this evening?"
"Paul Tomkins! Good evening; it's good to see you again, but I'll have to ask you and your young lady to leave. Only..."
"Yes, we know. We were told by the student manning the door. You must know my date, Diane Williams."
Mr Kinsler looked up into Diane's face. He was an institution at the high school. He had started teaching there, right out of college, thirty five years ago, but his knowledge of teen culture was as current as that of any of his students.
"Diane Williams, from Ms Tate's home room? No. It can't be. Good God, girl! Where have you been hiding this alter ego, this doppelganger. I'm afraid there are going to be an awful lot of disappointed young men going home tonight. You had better protect her, Paul. Some one, including me, may try to steal her." Paul and Di laughed with the old teacher. "Have a good time, you two. Incredible," he said, shaking his head as he walked away.
Di led Paul to a group of girls and introduced him, using the old friend from college story. He listened as the girls chatted, being a little catty about some of the other girls there. As they discussed one, Di pointed her out. Kitty Evans, daughter of the president of the local bank.
It was rumored among the girls that she had offered sex to any football player who handled the ball (other than the quarterback and center) on any scoring play. The team finished the season with the highest scoring season ever, and the highest scoring high school defense in the state
The live band started a slow tune, and Paul asked Di to dance. On the floor, they made it clear theirs was a serious relationship. There was no light visible between their bodies; Di's face was nestled in his shoulder. Both of his arms were around her waist; hers, around his neck. Occasionally, she would tilt her head up for a kiss. When the music stopped, they continued dancing for several seconds; when they did stop, there were several hoots. The young couple just grinned and walked off arm in arm.
Di and Paul were at the 'bar,' getting some punch, chatting with some of her friends who wanted to see whom she had been dancing with so intimately. As they talked, Paul watched the dancers, particularly Kitty Evans, whose dress was giving her and her date fits as they danced.
She was wearing a strapless black sheath dress which had a white lace overlay on the front from her bust to her waist. When they danced close, the buttons on his tux would get caught in the lace. After the third mishap, Kitty turned and left her partner alone on the dance floor.
While she waited for him at the edge of the dance floor, Kitty surveyed the crowd, assessing her competition that evening for the title of prettiest girl at the Ball.
She dismissed most of the young women there without a second glance. But who was the striking brunette in green at the bar, and who was she with? Kitty's date she considered the prize from among her classmates, star quarterback and captain of both football and basketball teams.
The brunette and her date could have been a matched pair-black hair, deep blue eyes, pale complexion, tall, slender but well built. Maybe they were brother and sister, that would be a hoot. She turned to ask a girl standing close by if she knew the girl was. When she learned, she found it hard to believe.
That was the mousy Diane Williams. The little nothing girl who barely participated in class discussions, and walked around school studying the floor. Kitty had to have a closer look. She turned to say something to her hapless date and started for the bar.
Paul saw her coming and turned to say something to Di. She looked at him with a quizzical look and nodded. Kitty approached the small group, and positioned herself behind and between Paul and Di. She waited patiently for about ten seconds before asking, "Diane, aren't you going to introduce me to your date?" Her tone was haughty, superior.
Without missing a beat, Di replied, "No," and went on with her conversation with her friends, for a long three count as Kitty stood there, open mouthed in disbelief. "Just kidding, Kitty. Paul this is Catherine Evans, who prefers to be called Kitty. Kitty this is Paul Tomkins, my sub."
