one thing's universal, life's no dress rehearsal

[stagemanagers]

[Prom night! The greatest night of your young lives if you watch any Western high school media from the past 60 years. The looks, the music, the copious amounts of fancy snacks, the sore feet from dancing heels and then spending the rest of the night in bare feet- it’s all part of the bigger package.

The courtyard and the roof have both been decked out in a special way for tonight, despite no one really seeing Hester or anyone/anything else decorating. There are round tables set-up in both places, covered in yellow-gold tablecloths. Some of them have platters of snacks laid out on them, one has a large punch bowl that never seems to empty no matter how many drinks are taken from it.

On the roof there’s an extra table with pencils, small slips of paper, a box wrapped in gold wrapping paper and a notecard labeled Song Requests. Just write a song, pop it in the box and within a few minutes it starts playing! Weird, there doesn’t seem to be a sound system anywhere...

Red paper lanterns have been strung around the outline of the roof and between stakes in the courtyard, granting soft romantic light for a night to remember. Put on your best costume shop formal wear, get ready to lose your shoes after an hour and sneak in liquor even though most of you are of age.

After all…tonight belongs to you.]

Comments

[tailor_made]

Good! Maybe you won't squish my feet too badly then. [She takes a step back, then to the side, then forward.] Nice and easy. One two, one two.

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine rolls her eyes and scoffs but then almost definitely does step on Hester’s feet, so. Fine, time to focus. ]

One two… One two…

[employeeoftheyear]

Yeah! Just like that! Since when were you able to do that?

[His eyes sparkle looking at her hands move.]

[comeandfindme]

Always, Spongebob. 'Cause I'm a human.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He looks her up

And down

And up again.]

OH NEPTUNE YOU'RE A HUAMAN!

[comeandfindme]

Ding, ding, ding!! Weee have a winner!

[ God, this is— she's actually smiling, stop the presses. ]

Holy shit, what finally did the trick?

[employeeoftheyear]

I dunno! I'm not sure what happened this week that would...

[He looks at his broken arm, and a lightbulb practically appears above his head.]

My arm! I don't normally have a skeleton! I guess breaking it made my mind realize that there is no way I'm still a sponge!

[He does not seem to grasp onto the fact that this probably means he can see himself as a human.]

[comeandfindme]

[ THIS IS SO FUCKING MORBID WHAT THE HELL she is almost, almost into it, and for a moment—because the hallucinations have been rampant and she's been seeing him out of the corner of her eye—she almost thinks she should tell Connor, that he'd get a kick out of this.

The thought sobers her up immediately and her smile shrinks significantly. It's still there, though. ]

Well. If there's one good thing from all of that...now I guess you understand what we really look like.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob gives her a soft smile.]

Yeah! I... I wish I didn't have to put Farrah in harm's way to do it, but I guess since I got the brunt of it there's no point in feeling sorry for myself!

[He's quiet, before something finally hits him.]

Oh! Does that mean I can see myself as a human now too?

[He is bouncing up and down a little bit.]

[comeandfindme]

Uh. [ She hadn't thought about that! ] Maybe? ...Is there a mirror around here? Like, I can describe what I see you like, but...

[employeeoftheyear]

[He grasps her hand, positively beaming.]

There's the bathroom!

[comeandfindme]

Yes, but— wait, are we just gonna—

[ please drag her, she cannot possibly fight back because you are spongebob and you have a broken arm ]

[inaclearing]

[There's a huff of breath that entirely falls short of being a laugh, though it sounds somewhat relieved. Mostly on the edge of tears, but somewhat relieved!]

Good. That's good. This whole time, all I kept thinking was - "We left her alone, alone, alone." I hope that part's true. [...] I know this sounds crazy, but -

[As he speaks, the sound of his voice seems to be fading. It doesn't sound like he's leaving; there's no footsteps, and at first he keeps on speaking as if he's unaware. It's more like when you begin to drive away from your hometown, and your favorite radio station starts to filter away into white noise.]

Peregrine? Peregrine - no, wait -

[For just a second, it feels as if someone has tried to catch at your arm. Then there's a sound like a sharp intake of breath, abruptly cut off. Brett will not speak again.]

[comeandfindme]

[ The hallucinations fade in and out. They come and go, the voices, the sights. But, usually they don't...protest like that. Peregrine feels a hand on her elbow and tries to grab it.

She touches nothing. ]

Brett? [ ... ] Brett...?

[ She stays standing in that spot for awhile, waiting to see if he'll return. It feels foolish, but important.

It's not until later that she'll start to examine just how important. ]

[tailor_made]

[Hester doesn't seem bothered. In fact she doesn't even flinch whenever it happens.]

See? You're getting it.

[She starts to hum a little under her breath, despite the difference in song. It helps her focus, a song in her ears and a song in her head.]

[mayavericks]

I should be Prom King, I think.

[Just. Gonna come right out and say it, I guess.]

Perhaps I can have a fleet of queens?

[mayavericks]

We deserve this. We all do.

[She smiles down at Farrah.]

Especially you.

[mayavericks]

Would you like a few pointers before we part? It is the least I could do.

[mayavericks]

[Never mind all of that.]

I knew there could be multiple queens. I must reemphasize my earlier bid for Prom King.

[mayavericks]

I do, don't I?

[Sorry, she's just gonna... preen a little here. Even as she falls back to let Benjamin lead her.]

As do you. I am glad we could share this moment.

[mayavericks]

[Dancing with her girlfriends is always a treat, but there's something thrilling about having someone who can keep pace with her. Hester is no Claudine, but she would never compare the two anyway.]

Oui, ma chérie. [Yes, my darling.]

Et tu?

[mayavericks]

You better not. Please, do not ever put me through something like that again.

[mayavericks]

I agree. It's... a distraction that is very much needed. Hang-ups not withstanding.

[She gives a little sniffle.]

Have you and McFife-san had a chance to enjoy it?

[tailor_made]

Oui! [She flushes at the term of endearment but manages to keep her cool.

It's true, Hester is no Claudine but its clear she's had a lot of practice.]

Je ne suis jamais allé à mes bals de finissants. Je suis heureux d'être ici avec mes merveilleux amis.

[I never went to my proms. I'm happy to be here with my wonderful friends..]

[mayavericks]

[Well, since A) they're there and B) Maya is gay, she decides to give Hester a little dip.]

Vous méritez beaucoup de choses merveilleuses. Je suis heureux de vous les offrir.

[You deserve many wonderful things. I am glad to give them to you.]