Two weeks had gone by, and both their punishments were done. The big dance was just within a week; the last function of the year! No one could wait until then because it meant that there was no more school until fall.

“So have you decided what you’re going to wear? Paige asked Kelsie as they stood outside her locker.

“There’s a beautiful dress at Bryan’s that I’ve had my eye on for a while,” Kelsie replied. “How about you?”

“I saw one in another store…why don’t we go to the mall today and pick them up,” she suggested, It gave her a great excuse to look for other things at the mall for the summer.

“Sounds good, we’ll meet at my locker after school, and take my car.”

“Alright,” grabbing her books out of her locker.

As they strolled down the hall, “So who are you going with?”

“Jay, Sean’s friend.”

Kelsie looked very surprised, “I thought he was dating Emma.”

“No, they broke up a month ago. He’s pretty cute, so I though what the heck, it’s only one night. He seems different from the other guys I’ve dated lately.” Most of them reminded her of Spinner too much, and that was the last thing she wanted now.

“Well this definitely will be interesting,” she smiled. She never thought of Jay as Paige’s type, but maybe they would hit it off.

******

Craig and Spinner were sitting in the garage, waiting for Jimmy and Marco to show up, so that they could hang out. It had been a while since they hung out without their girlfriends.

“Spin, who are you taking to the dance?” Craig asked curiously. Spin had yet to mention it, which wasn’t like him.

Raising his eyebrows, “The last person you would ever expect.”

“Who…Liberty?” he snickered, really hoping that wasn’t who it was. He couldn’t stand her; she had such a high and mighty opinion of herself.

“Okay, okay maybe not the last,” he laughed

“Who then?”

“Emma Nelson,” he smiled.

Craig eyes widened, he was blown away by his answer. He didn’t know if he liked that too much. He didn’t know if Spinner was good enough for her. “Since when is Emma even on your radar?”

“Since I realized how beautiful she is. We’ve become friends now.”

“You mean she’s actually giving you the time of day?” knowing that Emma didn’t really like Spin and his crew after how they treated her in grade 7.

“What…is it really a surprise?”

“Actually yes! So when did you ask her?” feeling the need to know more about it.

“Last night when I saw her come into the Dot with Manny and JT.”

“Wow, I’m surprised she never told me,” since Emma confided in him about everything. Well he guessed they weren’t as tight as they use to be. He had been spending most his time with Kelsie.

******

The night had come; Kelsie was in her room sitting in front of her vanity mirror, putting on lipstick, when the doorbell rang. She didn’t get up; she figured her parents would get it.

She was finishing applying her lipstick on, when someone knocked at her bedroom door.

“Come in,” she called out.

Her dad walked in, “Craig’s here.” Kelsie got up, and turned around to face him, “Honey you look so BEAUTIFUL!” He couldn’t believe how grown up she really was. He really had missed a lot since he started working at his firm. She was no longer his little girl, she was now a grown woman.

“Thanks,” she smiled.

“You better not keep your date waiting,” guiding his daughter out of her room into the hallway

Turning back to her dad, “Is it wrong for me to be this happy after all that’s happened with Satine and Chris?” Kelsie asked.

He didn’t know how to respond at first; this question came out of nowhere. “Honey, I think Chris would just be happy to see that you were able to have someone there that makes you happy. He told me after Satine’s death that your happiness was all that mattered to him.”

A tear formed in her eye, she gave her dad a hug, “I miss them dad!”

“I know you do, but you have a great guy here for you, and looks like he feels the same way,” giving her his best smile.  He knew his daughter might never get over this fully, but he hoped it wouldn’t keep her from being truly happy.

******

Kelsie walked down the step in a red halter dress, which had a plaited skirt. Her hair was pulled back with curls coming down.

Craig was standing there in green t-shirt with a black sports jacket, black dress pants and black sneakers.

Craig and Kelsie’s eyes met, both getting lost in them.

“Kels, you look…GORGEOUS!!!” he said as he grabbed a hold of her hand, kissing it.

Raising a brow, “You look pretty HOT yourself!”

“Are you ready to go?” he asked.

“Yep.” As Craig opened the door, “Bye mom, bye dad, see you later.”

“Alright, have fun!” her mom called out from the living room.

*****

Kelsie was dancing with the girls, while Craig was with the boys at the refreshment table. They both glanced over at each other, and gave one another a big smile.

Kelsie mouthed, I love you, before turning back to her friends, “Kels have you told Craig yet?” Paige asked.

“No, but I was going to do it after the dance. It’s kind of hard to talk here.”

“Do you think he will be mad?” Ashley asked.

“A little maybe, but I really want to do this though.”

“Then do it, even if he doesn’t want you to. It is your life.” Paige replied not wanting her to miss out on anything just because of a guy. If he didn’t understand, then he wasn’t worth it.

******

“Dude your girlfriend looks hot to…” That’s all Spin got out before Craig punched him in the shoulder, “Ouch,” Spin said as he rubbed his arm a little.

“Spin, aren’t you here on a date?” Craig asked. He hated to think that he was looking at other girls, especially his girlfriend, when he was with Emma. He didn’t think that she deserved that.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s so true. Anyways Emma is looking so fine herself. And I must say she’s got even hotter than Paige now!”

“Spin you’ll never change,” Jimmy said. “So what are you guys all doing after the dance?”

“Well Kelsie wants to go back to my place to talk.”

Spin looked Craig’s way, “Did you screw up again?”

“Ha ha…very funny! No she said she has something to tell me.”

“Oh,” Spin said softly, wondering if Craig got another girl pregnant. “Well Emma and I have no plans.”

“Well why don’t you and her come back to my place for a little get together after the dance,” Jimmy said. His parents wouldn’t be home as per usual, so he had the place to himself.

“Sounds good.” Having a little time with Emma would be great, especially if it ended in a kiss.

******

Kelsie and Craig were sitting in his garage on the couch. Kels had Craig’s jacket over her shoulders to keep her warm, while she leaned her head against his shoulder.

Rubbing her shoulder, “What did you want to tell me?”

“Yesterday I found out…”

Craig puts his fingers on her lips so she couldn't finish her sentence, “I just want to say if you are pregnant, we’ll get through it. I won’t be going anywhere.” He wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t be like other guys, and just leave her to deal with all on her own.

“I’m not,” she said firmly. “No…I was asked to come to Sechelt to do a Music Festival at the end of August, and I’ve accepted. I’m going for the whole month, so I can spend time with some of my friends.”

Craig’s head hung down, “What about the plans we made?”

“Hun we can still do that all. Nevertheless, this is really important to me. I want to go, and prove to myself that I can still go back there after everything that has happened,” pining for him to look her in the eyes. He had to understand that. Doing this for her would be important for her to truly move on.

“I know,” he said trying to smile.

“I wish there was a way you could come with me,” holding on to his hand, gazing at her with sincerity in her eyes.

“Me too!”

Then she thought of something, “I have some money saved up…I could pay for you to come with me.”

“I couldn’t ask you to spend your savings on me.”

“Craig trust me…I have more than enough to spare. Plus if you come, you get to finally meet my friends,” looking at him with puppy eyes. This was the perfect way to show him her old life.

“Okay, but I will find a way to pay you back,” looking into her eyes before kissing her on the lips. He felt bad letting her pay for him, that was a guy’s job, but he loved the idea that he would finally see into the world that she once lived in.

Leaning her head on his forehead, “You know I love you.”

“Yeah.”

“When we go to Sechelt you will need to be my rock. It’s going to be hard for me to be back there at times.”

“I know it will. I know you will cry about Chris. I also know a big piece of you will always belong to him because of the love you shared, but also because of the daughter you shared together.”

Leaning her head on his shoulder, “Thank you for being so understanding. I don’t know how many guys would understand this all.” She had found a guy worth keeping, someone she could spend the rest of her life with.

“That’s because that’s how much I want to be with you. I would sacrifice anything.”