Chapter 11: Bad Dancing

"Hey, could you meet me after school today?" Coen asked.

"Yah, sure." I smiled. "Why?" I asked as we speak netted the school building.

"You'll see.." He teased as he walked to math and I walked to language arts.

"You're so annoying." I whined as I walked into the classroom.

"Is it Coen?" Jo asked me as I sat down.

"I'll let you guess." I sighed as I opened up my notebook and started copying down the notes that were on the board.

---->

"Coen, don't you dare!" I shrieked as he lifted a piece of meat into my face. He bopped it on my nose and I yelled, "Coen! I hate you!"

"I know you don't mean that." He said as he placed the piece of meat back onto his tray.

"You're so disgusting!" I cringed as I whipped off my contaminated nose.

"I'm not!" He gasped jokingly.

"Shut up." I groaned as I playfully pushed him.

"Whatever you want." He said as he surrendered by putting his arms up in the air.

"Where's Jo and Zach?" I asked as I soon realized that they didn't show up to lunch.

"No idea." Coen shrugged.

"Well they haven't come to lunch in a really long time." I pointed out.

"Maybe they don't want to be around you and are trying to tell you nicely." He joked.

"Hahaha you're so funny." I said sarcastically.

"I know."

"Cocky much?" I asked in a sarcastic tone.

"No, I don't think so." He shook his head.

"You're a handful. You know that right?" I asked as we got up and threw out lunch away.

"I am not!" He defended. I gave him a look and then he whispered, "Maybe, A little bit." I gave him another look and then replied with, "Okay, I know I'm a handful. But so are you." He smirked and then ran away from me before I could respond.

---->

"Fay! Pay attention!" Coach yelled at me when I missed the ball.

"Sorry." I responded.

"Come on. Reset the drill." She yelled.

Everyone went to the place they started at and then we started again. I tried and focus but for some reason I couldn't focus today. My mind was wandering off to some other place. It was weird and I couldn't shake it so I ended up shanking and missing a ton of balls during practice. Even my serves were bad. I did not know what was happening to me. It was scary and I did not like it one bit.

---->

After I changed out of my volleyball practice clothes and into some leggings and a sweater I walked out to the gym lobby and waited for Coen to finish soccer practice.

Fifteen minutes passed and I was still waiting.

Twenty minutes passed, still no Coen.

Finally he came running through the gym doors looking sweaty and tired. "Hey." He smiled as he waved to me. I waved back and then he ran into the locker room with the rest of his tea to change. Once he was done changing he came out with less sweat on his face and actually smelling somewhat decent.

"What did you want to ask me?" I asked as he stood in front of me.

"So you know how there's homecoming soon and that people usually go to those types of things with other people." He took a breath and then continued, "And since Jo and Zach are going together I was wondering if you wanted to with me?" He asked with a smile on his face. "I mean, just a friends." He quickly said.

"Sure." I smiled back. "Sounds fun."

"Cool. We can just meet at Jo's house and the four of us can go together." He explained to me.

"I can do that." I responded.

"Well, I got to get going. See yah later." He waved goodbye and then left through the doors. Shortly after he left I walked out the same doors, got into my car and drove home.

---->

Friday finally arrived which meant that homecoming finally arrived. School was how it usually was, boring. But something about today made everyone seem happy and peppy. Practice was good and I finally got out of my slump and I was back to normal at practices. After practice finished I went back home to get dressed. I was wearing a plain strapless coral dress with a silver floral statement necklace and some white wedged heels because I could not, for the life of me walk in even one inch heels. I came down the stairs in my outfit with my shoes in my hand. My family was standing at the end of the staircase. "Fay, you look so pretty!" Lola awed.

"Thanks." I whispered kind of embarrassed because I haven't worn a dress since aunt Amanda got married. Let's just say that was a very long time ago.

"Oh, Fay." My mom gasped.

When I finally reached the end of the staircase I was immediately pulled into a hug by everyone. "Have fun, but not too much fun." My dad joked as we all pulled out of the hug.

"Let's get pictures!" My mom squealed. i guess she was just happy that I was finally wearing a dress and she better cherish it while I was wearing one because I wasn't going to wear another one for a long time. I stood in front of the door and my mom snapped photos of me, then one with me and Lola, then one with me and my dad and then my dad took one with me and my mom.

"Well I better get going. They're probably waiting for me at Jo's." I said.

"Bye." They all waved bye as I walked out the door.

I walked to Jo's house in my wedges and to my surprise I didn't trip and my feet didn't hurt. I knocked on the door and heard them all laughing. I guess they didn't hear me so James came and opened up the door for me. "Hey." he greeted me. "They're in the living room."

"Thanks." I thanked him and then walked into the house making sure to close the door behind me. I took off my shoes and walked to the living room where they were all sitting on the couch laughing about something.

"Fays here guys." Coen told them as he saw me.

They all stopped what they were talking about and got up to hug me. "So when are we going?" I asked as we finished the hug session.

"Now?" Jo asked.

"Sure!" We all agreed.

"Let's go gang!" She said as she led the the way to the front door as we put on our shoes she yelled to her family. "We're leaving!"

Her parents came rushing down the stairs yelling, "Wait! Pictures!"

"Oh, yah." Jo said, remembering.

"How about you guys stand over there." Her mom pointed towards the blank wall in the hallway. We all scattered to the area and then put out backs towards the wall and smiled at the camera. Her mom took a few pictures and then her dad came down and took over. "Okay. Now, go have fun." Her mom smiled as she shooed us out of the house. Jo grabbed her car keys and then we were heading to homecoming.

---->

We walked into the gym lobby already hearing the loud music that was playing in the gym. "My ears are going to explode." I screamed over the loud music.

"Come on!" Jo yelled as she grabbed Zach's hand and dragged him into the gym. After they left Coen and I just looked at each other, not knowing what to do. "Want to go in?" he asked me after a few minutes. I nodded and then we walked in together. They were playing hit pop songs and there was a lot of people dancing out on the dance floor, including Jo and Zach.

"Wanna dance?" I asked.

"Sure." He responded as we both walked into the middle of the gym and started dancing terribly.

"What even is that?" I asked Coen as he danced weirdly.

"The robot." He responded.

"Last time I saw the robot I didn't remember it looking like it was constipated." I laughed again.

"Well what are you doing?" He asked me.

"The swan." I laughed as I made up a name for my dance.

"I feel sorry for swans, because you look like you're dying."

"I try." I joked.

After a lot of bad dancing and laughing we walked out of the gym and into the lobby to get some drinks. "What do you want to drink?" Coen asked me as he went up to the stand.

"Punch?" I asked. "I mean minus well get the full homecoming experience." I responded as I shrugged my shoulders.

"Kay." He smiled as he walked to the booth to get the drinks. He came back with two cups of red punch in his hands and then right as he was about to hand it over to me a guy ran in between us and the drink ended up spilling all over our clothes. "Well that was great." He said sarcastically as he looked down at his tux and white button down. "Wow, okay. I didn't think it was that bad." he gasped as he saw that his white shirt became pink.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's not your fault." He responded.

"Well, should we go home then?" I aksed.

"We don't have to go home if you still want to stay." He said. "I don't want to leave you here alone."

"I can go hang out with Zach and Jo." I told him. "I'm sure they won't mind."

"No, I'm going to stay with you."

"But I don't want you to be uncomfortable all night just because of me."

"Like I said, It's fine."

"Well I don't want to be the reason why you're miserable all night, so could we go home?" I asked.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes." I responded.

"Okay then." He sighed and then we left the school and headed back home.

---->

We reached my house. As I got out he stopped me by saying, "Fay, wait."

I turned around and then asked, "What?"

"Do you want to go somewhere after you get changed. You know just to make up for the whole incident."

"Sure." I smiled. "I'll be back really soon."

Once I got into my house my family was eating dinner, "Fay?" My mom asked, confused as I rushed up stairs to my room. I quickly got changed into a t-shirt and leggings. Then I ran downstairs. "Fay what are you doing?" My dad asked my as I slipped on my tennis shoes.

"I'm going to hang out with Coen. Homecoming wasn't really our scene." I responded. "Is that okay?" I asked.

"Of course!" My mom said gladly.

"Thanks." I kissed them both on the cheek and then ran out the door.

As I slipped into the passenger seat Coen said in amazement, "Wow, you change fast."

"Really? Oh." I said as I clicked in my seat belt.

"Could I go get changed before we leave?" He asked a swe started driving away from my house.

"No you can't go change." I joked. "What have you done to me?" I asked as I realized that I just said something that he would say.

"I guess my spunky personality is so amazing that it just rubbed off on you." He said in a joking cocky tone.

"Only you, only you." I shook my head as I let out a small laugh.

---->

"I'll be right back." Coen told me as he got out of the car and ran towards his house.

After about ten minutes he came out, changed into athletic pants and a soccer t-shirt. He got into the drivers seat and then said, "Wasn't I fast?"

"Nah." I lied.

"You do know you're a terrible liar, right?" He asked me.

"I know." I sighed. "My sister's told me many times." I told him emphasizing the word many.

"I didn't know you had a sister." He said, surprised as he drove towards the destination.

"Yah, she's in college. But she just came back a few weeks ago."

"Do you two get along?" He asked as he focused on the road.

"I guess." I replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Most of the time we are but sometimes we get into fights, just like every other family."

"Not my family."

"Oh, right I forgot. You're perfect." I laughed as I pretended to hit myself in the forehead.

He took a right and then turned into the take out line of McDonalds. He drove up to the ordering machine and spoke into it asking, "Could I have two small fries and one order of the six piece chicken nuggets?"

"Is that all?' The lady through the machine asked.

"Could I actually get two milkshakes please?"

"Sure. Please wait in line." She responded and then we drove up and stopped behind the car in front of us, who was getting their order. It soon came became our turn so Coen pulled the car up to the pickup place. The man at the pickup place slid our order out and then handed up our two milkshakes. After we finished paying him we said thank you and then drove off.

"Where to next?" I asked Coen as I took a fry and plopped it into my mouth.

"Wait and see." He responded as he plopped a fry into his mouth.

"I hate you." I groaned.

"I know you don't mean that." He smiled. "It's not that far away from here. Just wait." He said.

"Okay." I said as I put another fry into my mouth.

He turned the corner and then parked his car in this empty deserted parking lot. "We're here." he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"What is this place?" I asked really confused.

"You'll see." He smirked and then grabbed some of the food and carried it out of the car. I grabbed the rest and then closed the door behind me. Coen locked the car door and then said, "This way." I followed him up a hill and when we got to the top I could see the whole city. The sky was a mix of purple, blue and pink. "Well, what do you think?' He asked as he spread his arms wide open showing me the whole area.

"This is pretty darn cool." I gasped in amazement.

"I know." He chirped. "That's because I chose it." He joked.

"Can you not be serious for one second?" I laughed. "Oh wait, you're Coen Aimes. That's totally unheard of." I laughed.

"You're catching on pretty quickly." He smiled and then we sat there eat our food and watching the houses turn out their lights, one by one.

---->

"Thanks for tonight." I smiled as Coen and I stood in front of my front door.

"No problem." He smiled back.

"Well I guess I'll see you at school on...." I said not know what word I was looking for.

"Monday?" He asked.

"Right, Monday." I said. "Well.." I dragged on. "I guess I'll see you." I said awkwardly as I pointed towards the front door that was behind me.

"Yeah, see yah." He waved bye and then I waved back at him. Once his car left I went into my house and climbed the stairs all the way up to my room.

It wasn't the most traditional homecoming or the homecoming I always imagined but it was just as amazing.

---->

A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter! It was one of my favorites to write. Also thank you so much for 1k! I honestly didn't think that many people would read this story but I'm glad you guys have and are continuing to read! Your support means so much! Thank you!

"Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination." - Roy Goodman

~Scarlett