My "Plus One" for the Greek Community fundraising event of the year bailed on me. Actually, when I caught her fucking the co-chair of "The IntraFraternity Council and Panhellenic Council Fundraiser to Stop Childhood Hunger and Obesity".
I told her that if I ever saw her or him again I would beat them both to a pulp. Not my best moment, but seriously, I thought he was more interested in ME than HER which is partly why I didn't care that they spent long hours working on what was a ridiculously contrary event. How can you have childhood hunger along with obesity? In an increasingly more socialist college climate like we were in, I guess you just steal from the fat kids and give to the skinny ones.
So there I was, with $100 spent on 2 tickets to some gala for my ex-girlfriend that I didn't want to attend in the first place, but bought them for her, knowing she was going to get to go to go for free when I bought them. I didn't want to waste the tickets but I sure as hell didn't want to walk in alone, and didnt think I could find anyone on such short notice to go.
So I did what any self-respecting 21 year old guy in my situation would do...I asked my very attractive step-sister to be my date. We had ways been close since becoming family when her mom married my dad when we were both 13 years old. She went to college on the other side of town so she was nearby, and no one would probably recognize her at a masquerade party.
"Brooke, I need a favor," I asked.
"Nope, Johnny, last time you hooked me up with some 'favor', he was a total dud."
"But this guy is cute, and no expectations of anything other than to dance a couple of numbers at a charity masquerade party."
"What does he look like?"
"Slightly tall, about 6'2", brown hair, green eyes, athletic build. He will be wearing a black tux and since you will both be wearing masks, you can pretend he is anyone you want him to be."
"Will he care of I call him 'Carlos' all night long? And can he dance?"
"He'd prefer 'Gianni' but you can call him 'Ray Charles' for all I care. And yes, he is an excellent dancer."
I could tell her mind was turning. You are going, right? This is the big thing that Miss Perfect has been working on, so why do you need me to go? Which friend of yours got dumped?"
"Me," I said, barely audible. "I've never shown 'Miss Perfect' Claire a picture of you, and you will turn heads If I walk in with you. Half an hour, be seen with me, and if you want to stay, you can."
"Oh, Johnny, I'm sorry. What hapened?"
I gave her the quick version.
"Want me to deck the bitch?"
"I threatened to beat them both. My, why do we have such a violent family?"
"Because your dad was a Green Beret and my mom was in Army Intelligence," she said.
She asked, "How late does this thing go?"
"Probably 1am, but starts at 7pm, however I just want her to see me with a beautiful lady, so, maybe an hour? Say, 8 till 9?"
"I will go with you on two conditions..."
"Name 'em," I said, my heart starting to race and my excitement level rise at the fact that I would be seen with probably the most beautiful lady there and they could all think what they wanted.
"One, you dance with me all night, and two- this is the deal maker, you kiss me at midnight in front of everyone, and we carry on like lovers."
"Seriously? We are siblings. Can we act like that?"
"Steps, and don't tell me you never thought of it. I know you have. Do I need to remind you about stealing my panties..."
"Okay okay okay! It's a deal," I agreed. "So, uh, do I get tongue for 'the kiss'?" I asked, trying to reestablish the upper hand.
"Only if you're naughty and you think you can handle it," she said, regaining control.
Who couldn't love her? I know I did ever since I realized girls weren't icky. Maybe, just maybe, I would slip her some tongue? Nah, If I did she would probably beat ME.
Saturday came and I picked her up at 6pm and we went to dinner. She insisted that I owed her a good meal, and she hoped people would see us so it would add to the mystique. People saw us, and she was stunning!
She was wearing a red satin dress with a slit up the thigh. Apparently she didn't have panties on because they were not visible behind the slit. Her long, dark blond hair was teased up and curly. Her golden skin was flawless, and her blue eyes sparkled brighter than the moon, even while behind her black mask for the party.
She looked like a Mediterranean goddess. At dinner, I just kept staring at her. I couldn't help it. How had I never seen this beauty before. I knew she was hot. I knew every guy drooled over her. But at this moment I was willing to break every law and every taboo to be with her.
"What?!" She finally asked. "Do I have food in my teeth?"
"No, Brooke. You are, I mean, you look..."
"'Stunning'? 'Radiant' maybe?"
"I don't think those words do justice to how you look. I never knew you were so beautiful. I'm sorry, I don't want to be creepy, but you are just... absolutely..."
"Well, thank you for noticing. What shall I be called for our evening?"
"What's wrong with 'Brooke'? I asked. "It's a sexy name, and you look...the part."
"It's not mysterious and if you end up dating someone from this group of people that meets me, you don't want them to put 2 and 2 together, do you?"
"Is 'My Goddess' too inappropriate?"
"How about 'Athena'?"
"Why not 'Aphrodite'?" I asked.
"Because it sounds made up. 'Athena' is somewhat common yet erudite in Greece. I can be your Greek lover, and if anyone challenges me, I can probably speak enough Greek to get by. All you have to do is hold on to me all night long," she said. Then added, "And make our long kiss at midnight look authentic."
"I hate to admit it, but right now, I am so aroused," I admitted to her, blushing.
"Good, it all adds to authenticity," she replied. Then she said in a whisper, or a purr, so to drive that point home, "If you like, at midnight I might let you see what is under this dress and if I am or am not wearing any panties."
I looked at her incredulously. Then she said, "Don't think I didn't notice you trying to see earlier."
We went into the ballroom and went through the Receiving Line with the University President and his wife, the Dean of Students and her husband, our local city Mayor and her wife (who were both attractive ladies), and of course, the Co-chairs, my cheating ex Claire and her new new boyfriend Damon, Damien-whatever, whom hopefully she would make miserable in due time.
The mayor and her wife asked Brooke, I mean, "Athena", about her dress and both looked at her hungrily. Claire was obviously jealous, and when I shook Damon's hand, I may have crushed it. He may have stolen Claire, and even though I would never be together with Brooke, there was no way I would even let him look at Athena.
This place spared no expense in the name of stopping hunger and obesity. H'ordourves, free non-alcoholic drinks, plus a cash bar. The orchestra, which was the University's music department, were definitely earning their grade tonight. They sounded fantastic, and Athena and I danced. We both took dance lessons right after our parents got married, and we obviously still retained what we had learned. We were excellent together, and everyone was trying to figure out who she was.
"Is she a cheerleader?"
"Does she play volleyball?"
"He just got dumped, she has to be an escort."
We danced for a bit then stopped for a drink of punch. Then Athena excused herself to go to the ladies' room.
When she came back, it was impossible to not notice her from across the ballroom. Tall, elegant, radiant. Stunningly gorgeous. In a sea of black tuxes and mostly blue gowns, her red dress made such a contrast you had to notice her, but the way she shined so bright made my heart skip a beat. She was amazing. I watched 4 different men ask her to dance, and she turned them all down. Then she looked at me from about 25 feet away and smiled a radiant, loving smile.
And it took my breath away. At that moment I hated my father for marrying Brooke's mother. Because I knew I was in love with the most perfect and beautiful lady I would ever meet, and I could not be with her.
I walked up to her, The Lady In Red, and silently with a slight bow, offered my hand. She offered her hand to me, palm down, and I took her hand, kissed it, and lead her out to the middle of the dance floor. My black tux with some cheap looking "Lone Ranger" mask for some stupid ball I never wanted to go to in the first place was dancing cheek to cheek with the best looking lady in the world. Her red dress with a slit up the side- not a ball gown, but gorgeous all the same. And her red mask set off her eyes and hair and skin. It was perfect. I wish it had been our First Dance at our own wedding. I let out a slight sigh as a tear left my eye and was captured by my mask.
Then she giggled and said, "Guess what."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I had a chat with your ex. I hope I ruined her night."
"Again, what did you do?"
"She said, 'Athena, what kind of name is that?' I explained it was authentic Greek unlike Kappa Kappa Sigma or whatever. Then she asked how I knew you. I said through charity work mostly, but when you took a dance class with me I fell in love with you. She is undoubtedly regretting her decision to leave you for her hipster now."
Oh, if only she felt that way about me. I was feeling like a junior high kid at a dance...or, feeling like I did when our parents made us take those damned dance classes together. Those damned, blessed dance classes where I had to dance next to her. My biological feelings were kicking into overdrive. It was wrong, but I knew exactly what I felt.
"John, would you like me to help you win her back?" she said, barely above a whisper.
"No," I whispered back, drawing in in closer, cheeks pressing tighter together.
"Why not?" Brooke whispered. I had a feeling I was talking to Brooke and not her character 'Athena' now.