The gymnasium was filled to the brim with people. Colorful streamers hung down from the ceiling, romantic music filled the air with a loud tempo. Toward the back, there stood at least two dozen men, all dressed in coat and ties. Each one refused to look each other in the eyes as they shifted their weight from one foot to the other. Some played with the cuffs of there suits, other kept playing with there watches. Others just stood there, their arms folded over there chest and their eyes firmly glued to the dance floor. No doubt they were passing around small brown bottles of bourbon around. Each one taking a nip of southern courage.

I’m not going to lie, I felt scared walking into that room. For the minute I stepped through the double metal doors, all eyes turned toward me. I felt my cheeks flush with color as I gently stepped into the sea of people. Boys turned around and looked at me with desire, that I did not mind. It felt good to be the center of attention for once, but the looks the other girls gave me caused my blood to freeze. A dozen or so girls, all seniors peered toward me with malice in their eyes. Among them was Linda, who upon spotting me leaned over and whispered something into one of the girls earn. The girl narrowed her eyes and turned toward her fellows and whispered something else. All of them then giggled, as if sharing a secret. And judging by the looks they where shooting toward me, it no doubts retained to me.

“Jamie,” A voice from behind me called out. I turned around and there stood Joan dressed in a shimmering white, strapless gown. Standing by her side was a tall, boy. He had short brown hair, lean as a railroad rail and had the most beautiful set of baby blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.

As my eyes traveled up and down him, I noticed he was wearing a casual pair of charcoal gray trousers, a black leather belt, a white button-down dress shirt, black tie, and black coat. His leather dress shoes had been polished till they almost shone in the dim light of the dance floor.

“This is my brother, my little brother,” Joan said smiling as she wrapped her arm around Ben’s shoulder. “Benjamin, this is Jamie... Jamie Potter, she was the hostage tonight. She kind of had a rough day, you know getting slimed and all. So I was hoping you could help her unwind.” She said with a wink as she pulled him toward us.

“Hello.” He said smiling as he reached down and took my hand into my hand. He gave it a little squeeze, his hands where rough and strong and made me quiver and shiver. Sure it was just a friendly handshake, but I was holding hands with a boy! A cute boy at that! At my first formal dance! My mind went straight to the gutter.

Joan must have noticed something. Because she coughed and stepped away from Benjamin and moved toward the girl's bathroom at the far end of the hallway. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a look. The look she gave me, made me blush a dark, dark red. I felt like a little girl who’s had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

“Jamie dear,” Joan said as she made a notion for me to follow her. “If you don’t mind, would you please follow me into the girl's bathroom. I need to fix your make-up.” It was more like a command than a request. She turned around and peered toward Ben who was rubbing the back of his neck with the back of his hand. Lily smiled as she walked over and gave her little brother a one arm hug.

“Hey, don’t worry. Jamie and I just need to have a little talk. Just go get some punch and maybe fix her a glass too. I’ll bring your date back safe and sound.” She said smiling softly.

“Kay.” He said smiling softly and walked off.

“Come on dear,” Joan said as she walked through the crowd, the crowd kind of divided to let Joan through. Kind of reminded me of that scene on the Old Testament. The parting of the Dead Sea or something.

We soon reached the girl's bathroom. The girl's bathroom was a lot nicer than the boys. The walls where baby blue, the title on the flooring was a coral pink. No lingering smells fouled the air, and above all, they had hot water, like really hot water. A rarity in the schools. And soap... So yes in Benton Academy the girl's bathroom had hot water and soap, in the boy's bathroom you had just plain cold water with a ration of soap or a sliver at best. Once we were inside, Joan leaned over the sink and started to fix her make-up.

“Okay, Jamie.” She started in a half lecturing, half scolding tone of voice. “If you're going to be a girl, there a few things you need to understand. First, women help women by giving them advice about being women. Two, an older sister will always look after her young brother. So, let me lay down a few basic ground rules for this evening with you.”

I blushed and nodded my head.

“Good, I like it when people listen, it makes my job so much easier. First off, when dating a guy that has an older sister. Its normal for the older sister to have a women to women talk with the girl. Kind of like, if you had an older brother, and you were dating a guy, your older brother would have a talk with the boy. So, even though I like you and I think you have spunk. We still need to have this talk, understand?” She looked up and peered directly into my eyes.

“I understand,” I said with a nod of my head. To be frank, I was a little concerned. There had been a shift in Joan tone of voice. She had gone from being friendly to well... Menacing I should say. She had flipped a total one-eighty on me.

“Good, now first rule. I’ll allow you to kiss him, but just once okay. Its homecoming, and despite what they say, everybody going to be kissing. So if you feel like giving him a good night kiss that totally fine. Okay, number two. Don’t toy with him. Ben, is like a down to earth country boy. He loves to hunt and fish, and he is a gentleman. Maw raised him right. If thing’s work out and you become Jamie and he likes you. You better give him all your loving and attention, cause I can bet you a new pair of a shoe girl, he’ll keep you close to his heart.” She paused and started to fix eyelashes

“Okay…” I said peering toward Joan. I had a feeling she was starting to ramble a little, but since she had helped me, I felt the least I could do was listen to her ramblings. Joan must have sensed that in my tone of voice because her tone of voice changed too. She fixed her make-up case and slipped it into her purse.

“You're not his first. The girl he was dating dumped him for somebody, most girls dream about dating a football player. Just like most guys dream of dating a cheerleader. I never understood that, but whatever it’s a fact. She wanted a big tall football player, what she got was a gentle giant. That was a no go, and she dropped him like a hot cow paddy.” She paused and peered into my eyes. “You ever an empty soda can under your heel before.”

“I have..”

“That was his soul. As I said, the boy is hurting right now. Be good to him, and he will give you the moon, the sun, and stars. I know, I’ve known him all my life.” With that, she stood up and smoothed out her dress. “We best be getting a move on. Your prince is waiting for you out there. Remember what I said, one kiss that’s all.”

And with that, another episode ends,