Operation: Shaboom: Nicest kids in town

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At the sock hop, another falls under the thrall.


Joe sipped his fruit punch, looking around the floor. Anna was off talking to some of her cheerleading friends, so he had a few moments to relax and peoplewatch, a habit he'd always enjoyed. Sometimes he'd make up fantastic stories for backgrounds of people he didn't know, or imagine them in a hockey uniform, and how he'd deftly skate around them to score the buzzer-beating winning goal.

"Ladies, ladies, I promise each of you will get a dance," Mark said, for the first time in his life begging off the adoration of eager, naive teenage girls. Spotting Doug, he slipped behind the taller man and peeked up over his shoulder. "Are they gone yet?"

"Heya, Flash," Joe replied. "Having to beat them off with a stick? I can lend you one of my older ones if you like." He grinned and grabbed a glass of punch to hand over to the other man.

"I think that might just encourage them," Mark sighed. He poured himself a cup of punch and looked up at Doug curiously. "So, uh, Joe, having a good time?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Joe asked, almost confused. "Dancing with my girlfriend to music played by the keenest, hippest guy in town. How could anyone not have a good time like that?"

"It was a rhetorical question," Mark answered slowly. Oh fuck. "Um, just wanted to hear it for myself, you know. Ego and all that." Doug was under, too, and given that there was no way in hell or hells that Illyana would actually go along with it, he deduced that she was gone, too. He needed a drink.

"Always quick with the jokes, Flash," Joe said with an amused shake of his head. "Probably why all the girls throw themselves at you. I gotta tell you, if it weren't for Anna, a guy could be kinda jealous of you, in a way. I mean, I suppose the fact that they won't leave you alone could suck, but still."

"You do have one swell gal," Mark admitted. "She sure can cut a rug. What I wou . . ." He stopped, a blank expression on his face. His head hurt.

"I sure do," Joe agreed. Then he noticed the trailing off and waved his hand in front of the other man's face. "Flash? You okay there?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine." Flash grinned at Joe. "Just a little distracted by that chick there. Well, I guess it's back to the dance floor with me. Better come quick or I might just ask your girl for a dance, and then you might not see her again."

"I think 'again' means 'the five minutes it would take you to get distracted by another girl', Flash," Joe said with a mock punch to Flash's arm. He shooed Flash away. "I want to hear something I can really get down to!" he called out.

Flash clapped and strutted onto the floor. "All right, kids, time to show you how it's done."