Z Day -6,454

  [Did you notice I reversed the first two numbers? -Rhiannon]

  JAMES

  “Will you go to the ball with me?” There, I'd said it. I’d said it fast but managed to get it out before I lost my nerve. I'd almost waited too long, as Shae had been turning onto my street when I finally got the courage to ask.

  “What's that, Cinderella?” Shae teased.

  “Well, there’s this military ball coming up for my JROTC class. It's a formal dining out, and we were told we were allowed to bring someone. And I thought if you weren't doing anything and if you were in town, then maybe you might want to go. With me,” I finally stopped talking when she stopped the car. I was still looking down at my hands when she answered.

  “What's a dining out?” Shae asked.

  “It's a big dinner at one of the hotel ballrooms here. We get dressed up in our military uniforms, have food, they do some speeches, and there's even dancing.”

  “You dance?” she asked, both eyebrows raised.

  “Well, there is dancing. I didn't say I danced.” It was suddenly hot in the car, even though the windows were down.

  “If you wear your uniform, what would I wear?”

  “It's a formal...so whatever for a formal?” I had no clue what that meant for girls.

  She chuckled, “When is it?”

  “Really?” I couldn't believe she was considering it. “Uh, it's on the 18th at 1800...er 6 o'clock.”

  “The 18th...” she tapped her chin as she thought. “I think that's doable.”

  “You'll go?” my voice cracked.

  She smiled kindly at me. I didn't realize it was her wolf in sheep's clothing smile. “As long as you'll dance with me.”

  “Uh...” There were beads of sweat on my forehead now. I hadn't danced since I was little. And even then, it had been with my mom or my grandmother.

  She looked at me expectantly.

  “Yes?” I squeaked.

  “Good, then it's a date,” she said.

  I'd asked a girl out on a date! The thought ran through my head. I'd asked Shae out on a date, and she'd said yes!

  “Hello?” she waved her hand in front of my face as I was staring off into space. She snapped her fingers a couple of times, and I blinked.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Yeah?” I looked over at her.

  “It's a date. Now get before your mom starts thinking we're making out in here,” she shooed me out of the car.

  I was out of the car in a flash. I could see her chuckling as she drove away.

  I had a date.

  (∞*0)?(0*∞)

  SHAE

  “I need your help!” I said in a panic before Shelby had the door all the way open.

  “Well, hello to you too,” Shelby said as she stepped aside and ushered me in.

  “James asked me to some military thing called a dining out and I said yes and now I have to get something to wear and I don’t have anything here and I have to figure out what—” I said in one breath nonstop.

  “Stop!” Shelby said, closing the door behind us. “Sit down and breathe.”

  I sat obediently and watched as Shelby went into the kitchen. When she returned, she handed me a mug with a “Hard Rock London” logo and sat beside me on the couch.

  “OK,” Shelby said patiently. “What?”

  “James asked me to a dining out,” I said slowly.

  “What is a dining out? Is that like a school dance or something? Tell me you’re not wound up over a dance—”

  The look I gave Shelby made her stop. “It's some sort of military dinner or something,” I said.

  “Military?” Shelby looked back over her shoulder. “Hey, Malik! What’s a dining out?”

  Malik’s voice came from somewhere else in the house a moment later. “A what?”

  “A dining out. It’s a military thing,” Shelby said.

  “Just because I was in the military,” Malik appeared in the room from a back hallway, “doesn’t mean I know everything about the military.”

  “Do you know or not?” Shelby asked, exasperated.

  “Of course I know; what do you take me for?” Malik intelligently chose to remain just outside of Shelby’s reach. So, when Shelby blindly swung out behind her, she missed. “A dining out is a formal military ball where people who aren’t in the military can attend.”

  “Is there a dining in?” I asked.

  “Oh yeah,” Malik smiled devilishly. “That’s when the civies aren’t allowed, and the real fun happens. The stories I could tell you.”

  “Yeah, maybe later. What all is involved with a dining out?” I asked.

  “Oh,” Malik frowned. “Much more boring. Food, speeches, dancing, pretty much the mundane stuff that is there to look pretty for the brass.”

  “Tell me more,” I said as Malik spent the next 20 minutes laying out what to expect.

  “Now, all I need is a dress.” I chewed my thumbnail.

  “And a car,” Shelby said.

  “What's wrong with my car?” I asked in a hurt tone.

  “That hooptie out there? You don’t roll up to a formal event in something like that. Where’s your sense of style?” Shelby sighed in disgust. “Now, a dress I can hook you up with.”

  “Uh, yeah, no,” Malik said, still out of arms reach.

  “What do you mean no?” Shelby eyed Malik as he came around her chair, still out of reach.

  “Honey, I know your wardrobe. You’ve got some amazing pieces, but I don’t think it’s the sort of thing you’d wear to one of these.”

  Shelby didn’t say a word, but I had the feeling someone would be in trouble once I left.

  “I know a guy,” Malik started, “he can get you what you need, trust me.” Malik’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he pulled me to my feet. “Let's see what we’re working with.”

  Malik had me turn in place and strike a few poses as he took mental notes. He then asked permission before placing his hands on various parts of my body. None of it was sexual, but it didn’t keep Shelby from eyeing him suspiciously.

  “Yeah,” Malik said finally, “that’ll work. How long do we have?”

  I told him when the event was, and he smiled happily.

  “Plenty of time. I’ll get you squared away. Trust me, when I’m through with you, you’ll have men fainting and women cussing you.”

  “Thanks, Malik,” I said.

  “Yeah, thanks Malik,” Shelby said in agitation. “And where has this ‘guy’ of yours been when I needed a new dress, huh?”

  “Oh, right where he’s always been. You just never needed my help before.” Malik looked at her innocently.

  “Uh-huh.” Shelby looked at him with daggers. “We’re having words later.”

  “Oh, goodie!” Malik clapped his hands.

  I cleared my throat to make sure they remembered I was there before something started that I didn’t want to see. “Now I’ll just need a car, apparently. I guess I can hire one?”

  “Nonsense. You can borrow mine,” Malik said off-handedly.

  “Oh? Do you drive something with ‘style’?” I glared at Shelby when I said it.

  “You could say that,” Malik grinned.