Doreen & Johnny: Prom!

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A study session turns into a conversation about the upcoming dance.

Doreen set up for the study ‘group’ she was going to have with Johnny. Normally the three Sophomores worked on their stuff together, but Artie had something else going on today. Doreen didn’t mind, she set up in the rec room for it. She even brought popcorn. Studying didn’t have to be suffering.

Even without their third study partner, two heads were still better than one and, with finals coming up, any time they could convince themselves to commit to studying was probably a good thing. Just on the verge of being late, the white-haired teen hurried into the room, smiling at the sight of Doreen and her open books and her prepared snacks. "Looks like you're ready to go." She always seemed to be. He dropped his bag by the table and sat down cross-legged on the floor across from her.

“Yep,” Doreen said brightly, “I made popcorn. You’ll have to tell me what you think about it,” she said, putting some on a little plate for Monkey Joe. “Math first?” she asked, “Or History? I’ve been having trouble with that.”

"Can do," Johnny replied with equal jollity. A good mood wasn't difficult to maintain before delving into their studies. He unzipped his bag, beginning to pull out books and spirals for their various subjects and looking thoughtful, "Hm...history, I'm okay with. So we can start there if you want." He grinned, "So long as we're both not confused over the same stuff, I guess we're in good shape."

“Yeah. We are. And it’s not as hard to find time to study here,” Doreen said, “Since I don’t have to try to watch my brother too.” Not that Ryan needed constant watching, but she had been the one in charge of things like cooking and the like.

"The time's not," the boy agreed, his smile taking on a faintly mischievous quality as he opened the appropriate notebook, "The patience, maybe..." Between training sessions, the impressive grounds and the near constant option of company, the necessary discipline did seem more difficult to muster up at times. Or maybe that was just him.

“Yeah, I know,” Doreen said with a laugh. “It’s really hard still. That didn’t get easier,” she agreed, “But at least the people here are so much nicer than back home. Miss Monet for example is giving me one of her old dresses.”

Ever oblivious, Johnny tilted his head a small degree, looking perplexed for an entirely nonacademic reason. It was a first for their study sessions. "...An old dress? What for?"

Doreen gave him a look, “For Prom, remember? I asked and underclassmen get to go,” She said. “I’ve never been to a dance before, I mean, I’m not even sure I really have a right to go. I don’t have a date or anything, but I guess it won’t matter since all we have around are friends. Are you going with someone?” she asked.

The white-haired teen was quick to grow embarrassed under that disbelieving look. Though he had heard about the event in passing, he had never, as a matter of habit, put much thought to it. Getting a date was hard enough for regular guys at his old school and pint-sized mutants were hardly the best catches it had to offer. "...Right. Yeah, I remember."

He listened as she continued on, considering the matter and eventually shaking his head, "I don't think going sans-date means you don't have a 'right' to go..." He grinned sheepishly, "But, no, I'm not going with anyone either. So I guess I have to stay that."

“You could go with me. As friends,” Doreen said simply, “I mean, back home I guess I don’t think I would’ve had the right to go. Not many of my old friends really wouldn’t been too happy to see me at a dance and I don’t like upsetting people.”

Even with the as friends disclaimer firmly in place, Johnny seemed surprised by the offer. Despite this, and the knee-jerk reaction of agitation and sadness her justification coaxed out, he soon smiled again, "Your friends were crazy. I bet you'll be the life of the party." He added after a moment, with only the faintest hint of embarrassment, "Count me in. Let's go."

“Really? That’s great!” Doreen said happily, “I mean, I’m sure you would’ve gone anyway. I mean, something like this is supposed to be fun and stuff, right?”

"If I'd remembered," Johnny quipped lightly, folding his arms against the table. He was already making a panicked mental checklist in his head; this dance thing was foreign territory. But even so...it was starting to sound like fun. Doreen's enthusiasm was contagious.

“Awesome. Thanks! It won’t feel so awkward now,” Doreen said with a sigh of relief. Monkey Joe was giving her a look that was just pure confusion but she’d explain it to her friend later. “I mean, I would’ve asked Julian but he has a girlfriend and I’m just a friend of his so that’s not right, you know?”

Of course. What girl wouldn't pick Julian over him? Johnny reminded himself that this was not a date and that he had no reason to be jealous and did his best not to sigh. He nodded, "Yeah, I got'cha. Angel probably wouldn't appreciate that."

“Yeah, she wouldn’t. But it’s not like that or anything, Julian’s just been my friend for ages. So I’m not going to make him choose between a friend and his girlfriend,” Doreen said, looking down at her paper, “I mean, that’s not fair. And you’re my friend too, and it wouldn’t be mean like that for me to ask you and I thought we’d have a lot of fun, you know?”

There was some solace in this. Enough to quiet the irrational rumble of the green-eyed monster, in any case. Johnny smiled some, "We usually do."

“Yeah,” Doreen said with a laugh, “Even school work is less boring.”

Johnny looked down at his notebook, beginning to flip through the pages again to find the appropriate chapter and teasing, "We'll see about that."