Sorry about the delay...

I'm sitting at a table with Jordan Catalano. And he's actually talking. Full sentences and complete thoughts are coming out of his mouth. I'm not really listening though, instead, I'm watching him. The way his mouth forms words, the way he's using his hands to express his thoughts, the way he looks completely the same yet completely different.

"So, that's how our band got signed… Angela?"

I blink and look away, blushing. When I look back, he's watching me. "Sorry, what? I couldn't hear you, it's too loud." The band's on a break and the DJ's been playing crazy eighties music.

He smiles at me. "I like your hair… you look good as a blond."

I rub my neck self-consciously. "Thanks. You look good too." And it's true. He's scruffier and has dyed his hair blond too. His body has changed from a teenage guy's gangliness to real muscles. It's funny because in two years he's changed so much… I wonder if he thinks I've changed as much since we last saw each other.

He gestures to the dance floor as the music switches to The Cranberries' Dreams. "You want to dance?" he asks, standing up and holding out a hand.

"Uh, sure." I stand up and we move close. I have no idea how to dance to this song. It's slow but not so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to dance with him close or just dance with him. He takes my right hand with his left and wraps his other around my waist. We start a sort of quick slow dance. My head naturally drifts to his shoulder and happiness fills me like an inflating balloon. Okay, so maybe some realities are just as good as fantasies.

ΩΩΩ

I am in love. Back in love. And it's terrible. I feel like Cinderella. Like, the clock's going to strike twelve and everything wonderful's going to disappear. This night is going to be all I have. A nice memory that I can look back on. Jordan Catalano's not going to give up his band's dream just to be with someone like me. I'm just a revisit to the past and then tomorrow he'll be gone, back to the glamorous rock star life…

Jordan's words snap me out of my dream. They're back on stage and he's at the microphone. "Okay, here's a song about someone who was real special in my life and I hope she likes it…" God, he sounds nervous. Guess that girl really did a number on him…

The band starts playing and it sounds kinda familiar. And then Jordan starts singing and it's 'Red,' it's the song that he started in high school.

I sit, with an open mouth watching them when it hits me… the song is about me, was about me… oh my god…

Ricky and Rayanne run up to the table, babbling at the same time.

"Angela, I just met this guy… he's so great… hey, wait a minute, isn't this…?" Ricky stares at the band, confused.

"See that guy over there? He's my new da-hey, this is that song Catalano wrote…" Rayanne manages, giggling.

They both sit down and we listen, mesmerized.

When the song's over and they go on to another, both turn to me.

"Oh my god, Angela… he's in love with you!"

ΩΩΩ

I take a deep breath and steady myself on the railing. I had to run outside because I was so giddy listening to him sing that song and knowing that it was about me that I couldn't stop grinning. And then I felt really stupid so I ran outside. And now I was leaning on a railing wondering so many whys. Like, why didn't he tell me this in high school? Why weren't we this compatible when we were in high school? Why was he back and perfect just when I knew I couldn't have him?

"Angela?"

I turn and then there he is. Jordan Catalano. Standing in the doorway. Looking at me expectantly.

"I thought I saw you bolt out here. Did you like the song?" He sounds nervous.

I nod. "Yeah, it's just too warm in there and too busy. I thought I'd take a break. Y'know, because if I don't then I might pass out and then I'd miss the rest of my prom and they say that prom is supposed to be this memorable night but I don't know if it really cracks up to all that…" Oh, great. Now I'm babbling. That's just fantastic.

But he takes it all in stride. "So, you're having a good night?"

I nod, keeping my mouth shut. If I open it, I'll probably babble again and I really don't want that to happen because I'll probably say something that I'll regret. Something stupid like, I love you.

"Good." He comes and stands at the railing beside me and we just look out for awhile.

"Hey," he says finally. "I got help with that whole dyslexia thing, huh?" I look up at him but he's staring off into the distance. "When I was out west. You were right. There are a lot of people that have it. Lots of movie stars. Which is weird because they have to do a lot of reading." He looks down at me. "Anyway, I got help and now I can read." He grins. "Well, sort of. I'm not reading novels or anything but y'know…"

I nod again. "That's go-"

And he kisses me.

My eyes close and it takes me back to high school. All those times when I was talking and he'd just kiss me. I always wondered if it was because he was intimidated by my intellect and to get back at me he'd do something that he was better than me at or if it was because he found my intellect attractive…

He pulls away. "Sorry…"

I open my eyes slowly. "For what?" Did he think it was wrong? That we shouldn't be out here kissing because it was wrong because he was leaving probably tomorrow?

He smiles slowly. "For interrupting you…"

I smile back. "Thanks."

He touches my cheek lightly. "I missed you, Angela. I thought about calling you a lot. I almost did once at this gig…"

"So why didn't you?"

He shrugs. "I chickened out."

"Well, that's okay-"

"No, it's not," he interrupts angrily. "So many times I've done stupid things when I'm around you that have wrecked everything-"

Suddenly, I don't want to hear it. I don't care about the complications of our so-called 'relationship'. I am so sick of defending it and trying to create a perfect one. "Stop it, Jordan," I interrupt and suddenly I'm the one kissing him. Me. Angela Chase is kissing Jordan Catalano… I never even knew I had these kinds of guts. And it's amazing and thrilling. I'm kissing him and I don't care that people might walk out and find us.

He's kissing me back and his hands move down around my waist, pulling me to him. I can't breathe and I don't care. I almost giggle, I'm so giddy. I feel like I'm drunk and dancing and going to explode all at once.

ΩΩΩ

Later, we're just leaning on the railing. Well, I'm leaning against it and he's wrapped his arms around me and we're just staring out into the darkness.

"Don't you have to go back inside and play?" I ask, breaking the silence reluctantly.

He sighs and shrugs. "Dunno. I think we have an hour break while they play some dance music…"

"Oh." I still manage to feel young and stupid around him, kind of awkward sometimes… I shouldn't – he's really not that larger than life anymore… just something about him…

"Yeah, you wanna dance?"

I shake my head. I don't want to go back inside. I don't want to deal with people, I don't want to meet Brian Krakow's glare, Rayanne's giggling look, not even Ricky's happy gazes…

"Oh." He let go and moved away, the shielded look going back into his eyes.

I look up at him. Oh crap. "No, it's not that I don't want to dance with you. I'd love to dance with you… I just don't like it in there. I don't like the people looking and the looks and people…" I trail off miserably. Well, okay, this is why we didn't work out. Why we never worked out. Because I said something stupid.

"Nobody's lookin' out here…"

"Okay…" We move together as a slow song comes on and I can feel the bubble coming around again to close us off from the other world. For a minute, I actually believe in fairytale endings…

ΩΩΩ

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