Touch of Hellfire (Original Version)

☕️25☕️

"Who is she and what has she done with Paris?" Andrea was gobsmacked. "This is what happens when Paris dates."

"Paris has a boyfriend?!" my eyes nearly bulged out of my skull. "Yep, a guy from Princeton," Andrea whispered. "Tell me everything!"

***

The dreaded event finally came around the corner. "Okay, you ready?" Tessa asked me. "When is Jess coming?" I asked Tessa.

"He values sleep and Luke is making him work for a couple of hours," she told me.

"Okay so pillows, coke, candy, that everything?" I wondered as we walked down to the school gym.

"Yep, ready to flush a day down the toilet," Tessa sighed cynically.

I got behind the DJ booth and started setting up the equipment. "I'm just gonna lie down," Tessa grabbed her pillow and lay down on the bleachers, using her jacket as a blanket. "Call me in four hours."

"Any couple without a number will be disqualified!" Taylor announced. "All couples have to be touching and moving at all times. You can only stop once you hear the airhorn. Then you may take a ten minute break..."

Taylor droned on and on about the rules while I was finishing up. There was gonna be a band but they cancelled last minute so Taylor hounded me to use the sound system to play jazz or songs sounding like that one Glenn Miller song from the Parent Trap.

Once the countdown finished, I hit play. The music coming from the speakers sounded like a jazz band from the 1920s.

It was a huge sound system which was rented from Hartford last minute.

Six hours later, I was relaxed on the bleachers and Tessa took over my duties. I gave a small wave to Mom and Rory.

I let out a yawn and poured coffee from a thermos. "Unauthorised person on the dance floor!" Taylor announced as Jess made his way through the gymnasium.

He sat down next to me and I saw Dean glaring at him from the corner of his eye. Rory gave us both a small smile.

"So, you're still alive then," Jess poked fun at me. "I am but two o' clock, I'm back up," I mumbled.

"How long have you been up?" he asked me. "Since five, started work at six, got off two hours ago," I murmured.

He pecked me on the lips and pulled me close to him. "Have a nap, I'll wake you."

"She okay?" I heard Rory ask Jess as soon as I closed my eyes. "Going standby but she'll reboot at two," Jess joked. "Just make sure her setting is at normal and not evil," Rory laughed.

"You know I can hear you two assholes, right?" I grumbled.

"Sorry Heath, go to sleep, you'll be in evil mode if you don't get some," Jess let out one last remark before I gave him a hard thump.

Jess woke me up at two and I took over music until six while Tessa napped. Now it's eight and I was on my sleep break while Tessa took over.

"Thanks for being here," I said to Jess sleepily. "I know this isn't exactly your scene."

"Being at a dance marathon is number one on my to do list," he quipped. "Anyway, better to sleep on a person than a bleacher," he said.

I looked over at Rory and Mom. Rory was nearly asleep on Mom. "I should do the cruel thing and clap my hands really loudly in front of her face," I giggled.

"But you're too tired to move," Jess laughed. The airhorn went off and I jumped since Taylor was less than six feet away from me. "Okay, now I'm awake," I muttered. The airhorn went off again and me and Jess went to Miss Patty's to get some food and coffee. "Hey Lane," I yawned. "I feel so bad for you and Tessa," she said. "So does everyone else," Jess added.