What's This?

Melissa arrived at the dance with her date, Oscar Finlay. He was attractive, nice, Courtney and Matt were already friends since the boy was on the basketball team, and he seemed to have no issue with sitting at the table with her friends. He was really, in many ways, the perfect date.

Jason had arrived at the dance with his date, Autumn Massy, sweet, friendly, pretty not to mention she was exceptionally talented. He had taken her to dinner and the two spent the time discussing music. They sat with her friends, no problem as he was friends or at least knew most of the people at the table. All theater kids. Even Dawn and April, who were also friends with Autumn and some of the other theater kids, spent some time at that table and some time with the other group of friends. Their date was going perfectly.

Perfectly perhaps for both Jason and Melissa but it really wasn't. Something was missing. Something neither could figure out.

They spent most of the night with their prospective dates. Dancing, talking with people they knew or being introduced to people their dates knew (more so Mel than Jason as he knew almost everyone Autumn knew). They both were having a great time, but still..

It didn't show on either Jason or Mel, though. Not unless you caught just the right look at the right time. Fleeting flickers behind their eyes. A smile faded, for just a brief instant, as their dates weren't looking then returning just as quickly.

Oscar had gone to get some air with his friends, Mel told him to go ahead, she didn't really want to go outside. He had been polite and made sure it was alright, saying he'd be back in a few minutes.

Jason's date had gone to the bathroom with some of her friends. He wasn't sure how long that would take.

Both of their dates had told them it was fine to dance with other people as these were casual dates. If that last part hadn't happened the next might have never occurred.

Jason wandered over to where Mel was sitting, the table that held her main group of friends. They were his friends as well, so no reason to not say hello. However, everyone but Mel was dancing.

"Hey," his greeting was friendly, "How's your night going? I saw you were here with Oscar."

"Oh, it's going fine." Fine? Fine? She could have said, great. She should have been able to say great but that would have been a lie. "Oscar's a great guy. It's been fun. How about you? You're here with Autumn?"

"Yeah, she's great." It wasn't a lie, but he inadvertently didn't say he was having a great time either. "Hey, would you like to dance?"

"Sure," Mel said, and was led to the dance floor by Jason

It was a relatively fast dance, so nothing awkward, right? The two danced, they talked, laughed, and had the best time they had had all night. Through one, then two, then three songs this continued. They weren't really even paying attention to what songs were playing.

Then the DJ slowed it down, the song both Jason and Mel were familiar with. They both stood there for a moment, as if unsure what to do, as the couples got closer. That was until both Oscar and Autumn found the two and led them into separate dances.

Mel and Jason caught each other's eyes, neither of them could explain that brief moment of not wanting to dance with their actual dates or why they would steal occasional very brief glances at each other for the rest of the night. Neither of them could explain or perhaps want to admit why they had the best time, all evening with each other.

They'd finish the dance with their own dates, not spending much time with each other again for the rest of the night. However, as Jason was leaving from dropping off Autumn at the girl's dorm, and Oscar had just left from dropping off Mel. Mel and Jason caught sight of each other and a brief smile crossed both their lips.