ctwelve

    The ride to the dance was relatively uneventful. Shawn covered up the awkward silence with his classic rock station, stealing small glances at her at stoplights. Belle had caught him staring at herself once and smiled remembering how he had covered himself.
**FLASHBACK**
*God, what is he looking at?* she thought, blushing. *Is my hair falling out? Was this a stupid costume?*
*Wow, how amazing does she look?* he thought. *That dress is so sexy, so tight on her hips and low-cut on her...Brady! That's your best friend...but damn, what a friend* Belle had caught his eye and he blushed, blowing his cover. *Shit, shit...need to draw attention away from...turn the radio up!*   He reached up and spun the dial, causing the radio to blare one of his favorite Def Leppard songs.
"Pour some sugar on meeeee..." he sang out loud, causing Belle to giggle despite her nervousness. She held her stomach, laughing as he continued through the verse, wiggling in his seat as he tried to dance in the confined space. They finally pulled into the school parking lot as Shawn turned down the volume. Belle checked her hair quickly in the rearview mirror as he came to get the door-here went nothing.
**END OF FLASHBACK**
    They came closer to the gym entrance and Belle started to slow down, nervous of what people would think when they saw them together. Hell, she didn't even know what to think about them being there together. Shawn reached for the door and there noticed that he was alone.
"Belle?" he asked, turning to see her a few steps behind him. He had sensed that she was nervous but not this much-this was Belle Black after all. He saw her hesitation and knew just what to do-he went back and took her hand, never drawing attention to the fact that he knew what was wrong. He just gently led her to the door, giving her hand a small squeeze right before she walked in.
     They entered the gym, which was decorated in standard school-dance style. There were couples dancing to Destiny's Child "Independent Woman Part One" when they entered and much to Belle's relief, no one stopped and stared. Most of the school was used to seeing the two of them together and knew it was just a matter of time before they found each other.
    Out on the dance floor, Chloe caught a glimpse of Belle through the crowd. Excited, she pulled herself from Philip's grasp.
"What's wrong?" he asked, flashing his dimples, as he tried to playfully pull her back.
"Look, Shawn and Belle are here" she said, trying to point without looking obvious. Philip followed her gaze and smiled.
"Yeah, there they are" he said. "Look at Shawn-man, he's got it bad for her"
"Really?" Chloe asked. "Cause Belle..."
"Likes him too?" Mimi asked, approaching. "Yup, look-it's written all over her face"
"Then why aren't they together?" a confused Kevin asked, following Mimi. The three of them just stared at him.
"It's Belle and Shawn-they're too stubborn to realize" Chloe muttered, under her breath. "We've been spotted" Belle had seen Chloe through the crowd and began to drag Shawn over to his friends.
"Guys, I can't believe you were in on this all along!" she exclaimed, as they neared.
"Cause we knew it was the only way to get you two to the dance-together" Chloe said, as she hugged Belle. Belle pulled away, embarrassed.
"I love your costumes!" she exclaimed, looking at them all. Philip had dressed as a cowboy, Chloe as a cat, Mimi as a devil in a little red catsuit, and Kevin was dressed as a vampire.
"Yours is soooo gorgeous" Mimi gushed, touching her crown lightly. "Are you a princess?"
"I'm Cinderella" she said, pulling her dress up lightly to show off her shoes.
"So what are you then?" Philip asked Shawn, finally drawing him into the conversation.
"Oh, he's..." Belle started and Shawn's eyes bugged out at what she was going to say. Carefully, he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her tight up against him.
"Bond. James Bond" he interrupted. Belle shot him a confused look but then soon understood.
"Oh...cool" Philip said. "You guys wanna get some punch?"
"Actually, I'd like to take Belle out for a quick dance first" he said, holding out his hand. "Are you coming, my lady?"
"Of course" she said, slipping her hand in his. With an exagerrated movement, he swept down in a bow and kissed her hand lightly. The girls all giggled as he led her out to the dance floor. He pulled her close as the Backstreet Boys began to sing "Shape of my Heart"
"Mmm, I love this song" she said, lying her cheek up against his tux jacket. He put his forehead up against her head as they swayed gently to the music.
"Wow, would you look at that" Philip said, from the dance floor. Chloe followed his gaze to the dance floor.
"They're so good together" she commented, their magic evident across the room. "You can see it in their eyes"
"I bet they're not the only ones with love in their eyes tonight" Philip said. Chloe let the words wash over her and then turned to him suddenly.
"Who are you referring to?" she asked, shyly.
"Oh, I don't know" he said, turning her so his arms wrapped around her waist. He leaned in close so that his breath tickled her ear. "Someone who usually has pretty good luck when it comes to bets"
"I wouldn't say that" she said.
"I would" he corrected. "I'm the one who got you-so I'm the winner"
"Just promise me one thing" she said, glad that her back was facing him. "Promise me we're done with bets" He pulled her closer.
"I think there's one more I can make" he said. "I can bet that I'm falling in love with you" She gasped at his words and turned to him.
"Are you..." she started, but was interrupted when he laid his finger on her lips.
"Shh" he said. "I think Lady Luck is on my side tonight" She smiled up at him.
"That's one bet I'm willing to take" she said, standing on her tip-toes to place a gentle kiss on his lips.
"Look at Shawn and Belle, they are so cute together" Mimi observed to her date, on the sidelines.
"Yeah, well" Kevin said, frustrated. "If you say so"
"Belle's dress is so pretty too" she said. "She's gorgeous"
"She's alright" Kevin said. "But I think you're beautiful" She turned and stared up at him.
"Did you just say you think I'm...beautiful?" she whispered.
"Yeah" he said. "Cause it's the truth"
"Kevin, I..." she started, and was stopped by him kissing her hard on the lips. She pulled away, breathless, as he stared down at her.
"Can you do me a favor, Mimi?" he whispered.
"Anything" she said, breathless.
"Promise me that tonight, you'll concentrate on just you and me" he said, leading her to the dance floor. "No Shawn and Belle...no Chloe...just you" he said, running his finger over her lips. "And me" he said, leaning in for another kiss.
    Meanwhile, Belle and Shawn had continued dancing together silently. Belle closed her eyes to the rhythmic beating of his heart and let out a contented little sigh. Shawn heard it from above her and his knees grew weak.
"Shawn?" she asked, pulling away and looking up at him. "Your heart is pounding-are you ok?" The darkness and the music and her being so close to him had finally gotten to Shawn. Taking her left hand, he placed it above his heart.
"You do that to me sometimes" he whispered, with a look so intense that Belle's breath caught in her throat.