The Crumbling Pyramid

Hailey came over to Anette's at around noon, with a bag full of hair supplies and make up, her shoes, and her dress.

"You ready for tonight?" she asked as they went up to Anette's room together. Terrence was in his own room so Anette could at least listen for if he got in trouble, but other than that, she wouldn't have to watch him much of today. He was actually doing good playing by himself so far.

"Yeah. I think I am," Anette replied as Hailey dumped her stuff on Anette's bed.

"Ooh, is this the dress?" Hailey asked, looking at the simple blue strapless dress lying out on the couch in Anette's room.

"Yeup."

"You're gonna look stellar."

"Thanks."

"So... you're the make up Goddess. Do as you please," Hailey said, and she pulled out her own dress, which was silver and sparkly and looked like some sort of Greek robe.

"I'll see what I can do," Anette replied with a smile.

It literally took four hours for them to finish getting ready for prom. Anette meticulously styled her and Hailey's hair, so that hers was in elegant curls and Hailey's in a pretty loose bun. Then it was on with make up and dresses and shoes, and just as they finished, the doorbell rang. They looked at each other, giggled, and walked downstairs to answer the door.

The guys were there, all dressed up and looking sharp. Frank and Gerard both had black suits with red ties. Mikey had gone more traditional and looked, in Anette's opinion, a bit like James Bond. Ray, however, wore a turquoise tux, and Bob, a white one to match Hailey.

"Ow, ow, look at these sexy bitches," Frank said, grinning and stepping inside.

"Thanks. Not looking bad yourself," Hailey said with a wink as Bob pulled her into a hug.

"My mom'll be home soon. We're gonna have chicken, but we have plenty of non-meat stuff for you, Frank."

"Thank God."

"Just make yourselves at home, I need to go put Terrence down for his nap," Anette said before setting off upstairs. "Terrence?" she asked, pushing his door open carefully. He was sleeping on the floor, hugging his stuffed dinosaur. Anette smiled, picked him up carefully and set him in his bed, pulling the covers over him before kissing his forehead. She yanked her dress back up before leaving as quietly as she could for back downstairs.

Shirley was home soon enough, and after everything was in the oven cooking, she insisted on taking as many pictures as she could. They all went out on the deck and posed for her, alone, in couples, as a group, doing silly and serious faces.

"Oh, you all look wonderful," Shirley said, taking one last picture before they went back inside to eat. "Hailey, you're so grown up! I still have pictures of you and Anette from elementary school."

"Aw yeah, wedding pictures!" Frank said.

"Later," Anette laughed, and they all got food. The decided to eat outside, since it was so nice, and plus, it was easier to forgive them if they made a mess outside instead of inside.

Afterwards, everyone helped clean up and Shirley found an old photo album. "Kindergarten and first grade," she announced proudly, setting it on the coffee table. Everyone crowded around Anette and Ray, who opened it up. There were quite a few pictures of little Anette, with short, boyish blonde hair and Noel, who even back then had long black hair. Anette's eyes avoided the pictures of her and her father, who had the same white blonde hair and deep blue eyes she did.

"Oh yeah, I remember this day!" Hailey said, pointing to one of her and Anette, who were both grinning widely, showing off their missing teeth. "We both lost the same teeth on the same day!"

"Yeup, that was the first day we played together."

"Friends ever since!"

There was one class photo, and they picked out Anette, Hailey, Frank, Rachel, and Andrew. They all looked so cute and innocent, smiling their broken smiles and wearing their comfy clothes.

"Hey, we should get going. It starts at eight, right?" Gerard asked, looking at the clock.

"Ooh, you're right. How are we getting up there?"

"My van," Ray said.

"Classy," Hailey replied, but after final goodbyes and promises to be careful to Shirley, they piled inside Ray's van and headed for the school.

"I keep forgetting how close you are to the school," Frank said as they pulled in to the parking lot just a few minutes later.

"Yeah, it's pretty close," Anette agreed, and they got out.

Ray offered her his arm. "Would you like an escort, my lady?"

"Oh, you are my escort, good sir," she replied with a smile, and they lead the way to the school and into the gym.

Everything was decked out in psychedelic sixties colors. Flowers and vintage print adorned just about everything they could see. Even the rave lights were bright shades of orange and green and yellow, and currently, the DJ was blasting The Beatles. They found a spot where Hailey and Anette could kick off their shoes and after everyone stuffed things in Anette's purse, they were off dancing. The atmosphere was so much... well, happier and friendlier than Homecoming had been. No one gave Gerard and Frank shit for dancing together. Anette and Ray were much more comfortable dancing together than they had been, and Hailey had apparently taught Bob some moves, because they were twirling around smoothly.

People from all over the social pyramid said hi to Anette, danced with her and Ray, congratulated them on their performance and nomination and expressed their hope that the couple would win King and Queen. When Dawn and Tyler left to go dance elsewhere, Ray gave Anette a hesitant thumbs-up, and she shrugged and smiled.

"It's really cool, that's all," Ray half-shouted.

Over his shoulder, Anette saw Mikey leaning against a wall. She didn't know what came over her, but she suddenly just knew. She had to tell him. It didn't matter if he rejected her or not, she just had to scream it to the world that she thought he was fantastic. He looked up and caught her eye, but as they started maneuvering towards each other, a hand grabbed Anette's arm.

"Anette, can I talk to you?" Chase asked loudly.

"Why?"

"I—I'm sorry!"

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry!" Anette stopped, looking at him in shock.

"I want you back!" he continued shouting, a bit of a desperate look on his face. "I miss you!"

"Sorry Chase, but I got over you a few months ago!" She yanked herself out of his grip and left him to find Mikey. Chase looked upset, but Anette didn't care. He had made her miserable enough.

"Anette!" Mikey said when they found each other.

"Mikey! I need to talk to you."

"Me too. Let's go somewhere quieter!"

"Okay!"

Anette took his hand and they wove through the crowd and out into the hallway where there was water and punch. There were a few people milling around, but not many. Anette dragged Mikey over to a corner where they wouldn't be disturbed.

"I gotta talk to you too," Mikey said, looking at the floor a bit sheepishly.

"Okay, well, you go first."

"No, you."

"Fine." Anette took a deep breath. "Okay, so you know yesterday at the coffee shop? I said that that speech just came to me?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it did, but... right before we went on, I was trying to get some motivation for the song so it would be good."

"Okay."

"And so when I found my motivation, that speech just like, popped into my head."

"So what was it?"

Anette locked eyes with him. "You, Mikey. You were my motivation. I sang it for you."

Mikey blinked a few times, smiling weakly. "Wha—really? Me?"

"Yeup."

They were silent for a moment, and it killed Anette, not knowing his mind.

"Your turn."

"Yeah. So... Anette, I—I really like you. I think I figured it out after the food fight, 'cuz I just snapped when he almost hit you and then I realized I got all jealous during Grease because I hated seeing Gerard kiss you and then I freaked out during the stupid kissing game last weekend but I thought I couldn't tell you 'cuz you're you and I'm me an—"

Anette cut him off by standing on tiptoe and kissing him, careful to not get too much lipstick on him. He automatically wrapped his arms around her waist, and she whispered into his lips, "Thank God, because I like you too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He kissed her this time, tentatively, but she grabbed the back of his neck and gave him the longest kiss either of them had ever experienced.

When they broke away, Mikey was laughing a bit.

"What?"

"So... you know in History when I kind of dazed off?"

"Yeah, what was with that?"

"I was having a daydream about you."

Anette blushed. "I see."

"Um, yeah, it wasn't too dirty..."

"Oh, too dirty, huh?" she asked, raising her eyebrows playfully.

"And I wanted to kill Ray that day he seduced you with the crayon."

Anette laughed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Anette!" Ray burst out into the hallway. "There you are! They're announcing them right now!"

"What?"

"Come on!" he yelled, grabbing her hand and dragging her away from Mikey.

"I'll dance with you later, Mikey!"

"Good luck!" he called after them.

They made it just in time to the back of the line of nominees, panting. Mr. Gail was there, and the music stopped so he could speak.

"Alright everyone, it's time to crown your Prom King and Queen!" he said enthusiastically, pulling a white envelope out of his jacket pocket. Everyone cheered loudly.

"The votes are in, the people have spoken, and by a landslide, your King and Queen are..."

Everyone held their breath. Anette crossed her finger and bit her lip. She saw Ray make a motion like he was going to tug at his hair out of the corner of her eye.

"Anette Baker and Ray Toro!"

The gym erupted in screams of joy and applause. All of the nominees had looks of shock on their faces, but whether it was good shock or bad depended on the person. Anette and Ray were shown up to the center of the small stage where Mr. Gail crowned them. Then Anette and Ray caught each other up in a tight hug and Ray spun her around, yelling, "We did it! We fucking won!"

They jumped down from the stage, and Gerard was the first to meet them.

"Ray!" he said, hi-fiving him. "I've known for ages!"

"What?" Ray asked, confused.

"That you like me. I know."

Ray turned redder than red.

"I didn't say anything though, 'cuz I didn't know my own feelings, but I think I know now!" Gerard said excitedly, and he grabbed Ray's face and kissed him.

"Fucking disgusting! Faggot PDA!" Andrew called, but no one looked amused. Andrew frowned as Gerard and Ray broke apart. "That's fucked up, man!" he yelled, getting mad.

"No dude," Tyler said, stepping forward. Everyone who could hear them was looking at him. "You're the one who's fucked up."

The crowd cheered as Andrew's face fell. He looked around for Mr. Gail, but he was gone back to the DJ, and the music started up again.

"About time!" Mikey said, seeing Ray and Gerard dancing together now. "Not like that took two years or anything!"

"Is Frank going to be mad?" Ray asked.

"I dunno. Maybe, since I have a boyfriend now," Gerard replied, winking and kissing him again. People were giving them weird looks, like they weren't sure quite what was going on, but no one looked disgusted at least.

"Hey," Frank said, tapping Anette on the shoulder. "I think you owe me."

"What?"

"I've been waiting for a wedding dance for twelve fucking years."

"You'll have to ask Mikey's permission," she replied, grinning and adjusting the tiara on her head.

Frank's jaw dropped in shock. "You... and... and Mikey? Is everyone going to get laid tonight besides me?"

"I don't move that fast in relationships, Frank," she said, laughing.

"Hey Mikey, can I dance with your girlfriend?" he called, and Mikey just nodded before going back to being forced to dance with Hailey. "Fuck yes," Frank said brightly, and he and Anette started spinning. "No matter who you cheat on me with, you'll still be my wife."

"And you'll still be my husband."

"Damn right."

At some point, Mikey came back and reclaimed Anette from Frank, leaving Frank to go find himself another person to dance with, which wasn't that hard for him.

"So... we're together then," Mikey asked as a slow song started up and Anette's head found his chest.

"If you like."

"I'd like that very much."

"Good. 'Cuz so would I."

He kissed her forehead as they spun on the spot slowly, enjoying the sensation of being so close.

"I'm glad you guys won," he said. "Better than that fuck Andrew."

"Right? I was afraid he was gonna get it."

"Obviously not though," Mikey said, smiling. "And so the social pyramid crumbled down 'till it was rubble, where all the bricks mixed together."

"Poetic, faggot."

They stopped dancing to look at Andrew, who looked madder than Anette had ever seen him.

"You fucking rigged it, bitch. I know you did."

"I didn't rig anything, Andrew," Anette said, scowling. "Because guess what? People actually like me, so I didn't have to."

"I told them all not to vote for you or else."

"Or else what?" Anette laughed. "What can you do? You're one kid. No one's scared of you anymore."

"I'm going to tell my aunt you rigged it."

"I don't care. What's done is done, and you wouldn't be able to prove anything because there's nothing to prove."

"At least I don't fucking sleep around with shi—"

WHAM!

In a rage, Mikey uppercut Andrew and sent him sprawling to the floor. The people around him gasped, and Andrew looked dazed.

"You talk like that to my girlfriend again, and you'll be in the hospital, asshole," Mikey growled, and he took Anette's arm. "Come on Anette, let's go find everyone else."

They left Andrew there on the floor, looking so confused and furious, but it didn't matter to Anette. About time someone did it.

"I've been wanting to do that for ages," Mikey said a bit sheepishly, rubbing his knuckles. "God damn that hurt."

Anette kissed his hand gently. "Hey, battle scars, right?"

"I guess."

They danced the night away. Everyone was so, so happy, and Anette's face hurt from grinning by the time it was midnight and they were piling in Ray's van to go back to the Way house. They stopped by Anette's so she and Hailey could change into street clothes and then they were off into the night, a night filled with jokes and kissing and sighs of happiness.