Dance Like Your (Romantic) Life Depended On It

Nora cussed herself out that Saturday morning. She’d intended to get a new shirt for the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival, but with all the chaos of the past few days she’d never gotten around to it.

The reason for that chaos was sitting on her bed, watching her go through everything she owned. “There be a reason why ye’ve got to wear green?” asked Sheamus. “Not that I’m adverse to it, just ye don’t seem to wear it much.”

“Tradition.” Nora threw clothes onto the bed, grunting in disapproval with each one. “I’d wear my usual but I tore a hole in it.”

Sheamus crawled onto the bed to see what shirt she was talking about – a ‘Kiss Me I’m Irish’ shirt with a large hole torn in it. “This was a shite idea even if it was in one piece. Trust me, ye need something with a bit more style.”

Nora wasn’t against it but other problems presented themselves. “Like a dress? I can’t afford a dress. And my mom’s 'built' different than I am.” She coughed politely.

“Then let me take care o’ that for ye.” The leprechaun cracked his knuckles. “In the interest o’ fulfillin’ me obligations. All for one wee favor.” He looked at Nora with nothing but fire in his eyes. “Ye call me a fairy godfather and I’ll tell ye to feck off.”

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Nora’s feet already hurt as she made her way through the festival crowd in heels. Shockingly, she didn’t feel any pain in her ankle – a bit of a magic boost, she hoped.

She felt both overdressed and overexposed for the occasion. Sheamus’s magic had put her in a sparkling emerald mini dress that cut off above the knee, with a v-neck line that exposed some cleavage. Nora wore a matching hairpin to top off the whole ensemble.

While she wanted to peruse the vendor stalls or watch some of the parade, Sheamus made clear that he wanted her elsewhere. The school gym was being used as a dance floor slash celebration hall for people of her age. It was an extra excuse for a school dance.

When she entered the gym, she could feel a lot of eyes dart in her direction. Which made Sheamus’s arrival concern her. “You sure you won’t draw the wrong kind of attention?”

“Me dear, this is the one time o’ year I won’t! As long as yer peers aren’t stupid enough to try any dwarf tossin’. Now, if ye’ll excuse me…”

Sheamus darted off into the crowd, getting lost amongst everyone’s shins.

That left Nora to her own devices, and her rolled ankle was starting to bother her. She took a seat at one of the tables without paying attention to who was sitting there. Nora was more concerned with rubbing her sore ankle and trying to get some of the pain to go away.

“Nora?!”

She turned to see that Sylvia was sitting at the table, wearing a tuxedo t-shirt and slacks. “Sylvia! Hey!”

“Hey!” Sylvia was staring at Nora. Was she hungry? She certainly must have been, the way she was looking at Nora. “Uh, you… you look amazing!”

“Thanks!” Nora beamed. “Thought I’d go all out on this.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sheamus’s hat poke out from the crowd. It was near Jack Dylan, who was busy pouring himself some punch.

Sylvia coughed, tugging at the neckline of her tuxedo shirt. “I need a drink. I’ll be right back.”

Nora watched her move to go towards the punch bowls where Jack and Sheamus were. But she found her eyes wandering to the wrong derriere. She should be looking at Jack’s – so why was she staring at Sylvia’s?

She saw Jack take Sylvia’s hand, slowly taking her to the dance floor.

That should be her going to the dance floor! That should be her… her…

Nora blinked hard, shaking her head. She knew she hadn’t had any punch, spiked or no. Why was she getting it mixed up in her head that she wanted to dance with Sylvia?! Why was this her hang-up and not the part where her best friend was getting to live her fantasy?

Her stomach flipped as she realized that her bad luck had kicked in and in overdrive. The two were dancing together to a fast-paced song, Jack and Sylvia grinding together –

NOPE. Nope. Nope to the heat death of the universe. She couldn’t stand for this. Whatever that little shit was cooking, she wasn’t going to let this play out any further.

Nora marched up to the two, her ankle wobbling with each step in her heels before nearly rolling a second time just feet away.

Jack turned to face Nora, keeping Sylvia pointed at him. “Hey. Sorry, your friend looked like she wanted a dance partner.”

A series of nonsensical syllables came out of Nora’s mouth, none in any order that implied words or thought. This couldn’t be happening. The test she thought she was going to fail was nothing compared to this.

As the song came to an end, she saw Jack’s hand start to work its way down Sylvia’s back. “Do you mind?” Nora could hear a slow song start to come on.

Out of reflex or spite, Nora would never be sure which it was. But she yanked Sylvia out of Jack’s arms, shoving Sylvia’s face into her chest and putting her arms around her. “Yes,” she growled. “Find your own ‘dance partner’, I’m hers!”

Nora froze the second she realized what she’d done. Not only had she told off her crush that she was ‘with’ Sylvia, she’d made a scene of it. And… and… her hand was more than copping a feel of her best friend’s buttocks. Nice buttocks, she couldn’t help but notice.

“Um, Sylvia, I….” Nora let Sylvia finally remove herself from her chest. “I…”

Sylvia looked above her glasses at Nora, not believing what had just happened. In an instant, she leapt into Nora. The two splayed onto the ground, Sylvia pinning Nora down and immediately going in for a full kiss.

Nora was overwhelmed by the passion in it, the heat, the tongue. Her best friend was making out with her! And – And – And…

She loved every second of it.

For a few moments she forgot where she was, kissing back without a care in the world. It was only when she heard some boys in the background cheering for them to go further that she got control of herself.

Sylvia’s glasses were fogged over, with a few tears running down her face. She pulled Nora close again, gasping for air before getting back onto her feet. “What… took you… so long?!

Nora slowly got up, her ankle somehow no longer hurting. A slow song began to play, quietly encouraging everyone to get with their partners. “…Had to wait for our song.”

“You amazing moron,” Sylvia heaved, dunking her face into Nora’s chest again and lightly caressing her behind.

And then the two danced the night away, neither noticing the leprechaun pouring himself some punch and watching the whole thing with a toothy smile.