Sparks Fly [Book Two in the "Fire And Lighting" Series]

Chapter Ten- First Date

"We got the dresses, can we go now?" I begged as we walked out of the store.

Sadly, Emma shook her head, "We have to go to the salon and get mani/pedis, and then we have to get our hair done, and then I want some new shoes for this dress," Emma listed on her fingers.

"Don't you already have, like fifty pairs of shoes in every color existing?" I asked, slumped over but following her towards the salon at the other end of the mall.

"Willow, you can never have too many pairs of shoes." Emma said wisely, "Besides, when was the last time we had a besties day?"

I stood a little taller, and hurried to walk besides her, "You're right," I admitted, linking my arm through hers.

Emma smiled at me and started to skip a bit as we walked along.

"Just remember," I told her, "We have to go to the bookstore."

----

After an entire day at the mall (including a good three hours in the bookstore and a lunch of nothing but frozen yogurt), we were ready for the ball.

"It'll be a miracle if I fit in this thing," Emma held up her new dress for examination.

"Then why'd you eat so much at lunch?" I asked rationally.

"Dieting is for the weak," She muttered under her breath.

"If you say so," I sighed. I didn't understand dieting or eating fads like that either. One of the reasons why the two of us still continued to ingest large amounts of mint chocolate chip ice cream and frozen yogurt daily.

When I finished getting dressed and hiding my scars with makeup, I exited Emma's room to find her attacking Mara's head with a comb.

"Do me a favor and make sure Tim's tie is tied right," She said without even looking at me as she placed a blue bow in Mara's dark hair. Mara was wearing a beautiful white dress with thick straps and a blue ribbon around the waist. Richard came out of his room dressed in his tux, his tie matching the color of Emma's dress. Tim was right behind him, his blue tie that matched the ribbon on Mara's dress tied perfectly.

"Hey, Willow?" I turned and saw Connor at the top of the stairs, a lavender tie that was probably borrowed from Oliver dangling around his neck.

"A little help?" He asked shyly.

I grinned and assisted him. Dinah had taught me how to do a tie, since she stated that men always forgot how to, a point proven whenever Ollie hosted a ball and Livvy and I always caught her helping him tie beforehand. It's quite a useful skill to learn. But of course, Emma, Tim, Richard, and Mara have that skill down because of their private school uniforms.

I snuck a glimpse at Emma and her brothers and sister down the hall. Even though she was eleven, Richard still picked up Mara like she was a three-year-old and Emma put her arm around Tim. We'd both lost our real families, but Emma had made quite the family for herself here in Gotham. It made me just a tad jealous before I remembered that I had Livvy and Emma and I were both adopted.

Connor kissed my cheek, pulling me out of my mini pity party, "You look beautiful tonight," He whispered, taking my hand. I blushed bright red

"You're my boyfriend, Connor, you're supposed to say that," I muttered, not truly believing him.

"And as your boyfriend, I'm telling you it's true." He promised.

If it was possible, I turned even redder, but I smiled as he pressed his lips to my forehead. Alfred came upstairs to report that the guests were starting to arrive, and the Bat-kids hurried downstairs to start the ball.

By the time Connor finally escorted me downstairs, only a few guests had arrived, but I could feel everyone's eyes on me.

"Ugh, it's the glasses, isn't it? Or the makeup? I knew I shouldn't have put on too much!" I whispered nervously. I hadn't remembered being this nervous since my first team mission.

Connor grinned just a little bit, "It's because they're jealous that they're not escorting the most beautiful girl at the ball."

Instead of protesting, I smiled back and allowed him to lead me onto the dance floor for the first dance of the evening. A beautiful piece began, played by the live orchestra on the ballroom's stage, and I found myself carried away with Connor in the swirl of emotions and melody. Safe in his arms, I felt myself gliding across the floor like some sort of beautiful fairy-tale princess.

I'd dreamed of this moment for almost five years, and now I finally got to enjoy it. Connor and I pretty much ignored Emma and Richard's teasing looks, but it was kind of hard not to notice that every time a random guy asked Emma to dance, she would shake her head, "no."

Once, when Connor and I decided to rest our feet, Emma came over with identical punch glasses for refreshment.

"You should enjoy yourself," I said before she could say anything, "You deserve it." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Connor nodding in agreement.

Emma put on her "brave face," the one you would only recognize if you knew her like I did.

"Look, you're on your first date ever, Willow. You're the one who needs to have fun. Don't worry about me," At that moment, Richard came over and offered his arm to her, and she smiled, "I'll be fine."

I watched the two of them until they disappeared in the crowd of rich, snobbily dressed people, feeling self-concious once more.

"You okay?" Connor asked, taking my hand.

"No," I whispered. I leaned back in my chair, resting my head on the wall. Connor looked at me for a moment, before gently tilting my head so that it rested on his shoulder.

"Can we leave?" I asked after a few minutes of silence between the two of us, "My feet hurt, my dress is uncomfortable, my makeup is starting to itch and I can tell everyone is staring at me." I listed as a duo of blonde teenage girls passed by, giggling behind their hands.

Connor gave a soft chuckle, "I was beginning to think that you'd never ask."

We slipped expertly through the crowd like the duo of covert operatives that we were and made it out the back door, where my car was waiting.

Reluctantly, I got in the passenger seat and handed him the keys so he could drive.

"Your car is small," He complained as we left the mansion behind.

"Well, you wanted to drive," I teased him

We turned on the radio as we drove into Gotham city, heading for the nearest frozen yogurt place.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Connor asked.

"Oh yes."

We got some pretty strange looks as we ordered two large blueberry frozen yogurts in our tux and dress. But we didn't care.

We sat on a hilltop overlooking the city with our frozen yogurt in our fancy clothes with the radio playing music softly. Cliche, no?

"Hey Connor?" I whispered over OneRepublic's "Secrets."

"Yeah Willow?" I could feel his arm inching around my shoulder, and smiled to myself at his shyness.

"I had a good time tonight."

"Really?" He asked, sounding surprised.

"Best first date ever," I promised nonchalantly, "I'd be glad to do anything, just as long as I'm with you."

And when I saw Connor, my hero, smiling at me, there was no way any date could have been better than this one.

I ADDED EMMA, WILLOW, AND MARA'S DRESSES ON THE SIDE!!!!!