The inside of the gymnasium had been decorated with red, white and pink heart-shaped balloons, matching streamers, and bouquets of roses. A DJ was playing a popular pop song as a sea of couples danced. Tables were arrayed with an assortment of delicious looking pastries and chocolates. There was even an ice sculpture of two swans above the punch bowl. Overall, everything looked quite lovely.
Pity you were in no mood to enjoy it.
Not only were you in a foul mood over having your perfect proposal ruined so Jenna and Piper could perform whatever cruel prank they had planned, but even if you managed to avoid their plot, everywhere you looked, you spied new dangers from familiar faces.
Out on the dance floor you saw Piper's best friends, Dodger and Sydney, dancing together. The two were nice people you'd love to have as friends but for some reason the pair of them couldn't seem to comprehend the fact that you were spoken for. Their flirtations quickly spiraled into competitions between each other where they both attempted to earn your affection only for you to end up squashed in the process.
By the punchbowl you spied your evil ex-tiny-sitter, Rika Inoue. You thought you'd been lucky enough to say good riddance to her years ago, as she moved away to pursue her modeling career. Unfortunately, she'd come back a few months ago, now under contract with Vivid Videos. Your recent run-ins with Rika had been just as excruciating as they'd been all those years ago, and it was only due to a combination of extreme persistence and extreme luck that you'd managed to escape from her. Seeing your old enemy here didn't do your nerves any favors.
Speaking of old enemies, you spied Bea Parker over by the pastry table. She was apparently one of the chaperones of the dance, which made you feel even more horrified than if there was no chaperone at all. Despite being the mother of your oldest friend, Bea Parker despised you with every fiber of her being, convinced you were a pervert out to get her precious daughter, an impression not helped by Ashley's frequent brazen come-ons to you. Unlike the tortures Rika inflicted on you, Bea simply wanted you gone and was willing to resort to any underhanded method to do it.
The woman Bea was talking and laughing with, however, was just as much a cause for concern. Cynthia Morrow had of course provided the sugary sweets for the dance, all the pastries and chocolates had been lovingly crafted by her own hands. The enormous woman usually didn't actively antagonize you, but that didn't mean she wasn't a danger. Cynthia Morrow simply did not care about affected, viewing them with disdain under the disguise of indifference. Cynthia could fall and crush a hundred tinies under her immense bulk on accident, yet if it was pointed out to her, she'd simply shrug and say the tinies shouldn't have been where she was falling and go on her merry way without helping them. Cynthia's casual disregard for the safety of tinies almost made her as dangerous as Bea's active malice.
Even more unfortunately for you, Bea and Cynthia had become quite good friends in the past few months. Cynthia had hired Ashley on at her bakery and Cynthia's praise of her daughter, along with their shared disdain for tinies, meant the two got along like two peas in a pod. As for Ashley, she was currently in the middle of those two peas, nodding along as they talked. The redheaded bombshell was dressed in a slinky pink dress that showed off so much skin, you were honestly amazed she was allowed to wear it on school grounds.
"Wow," Mari said, marveling at the decorations. "This place looks great! You two did an amazing job!"
"Aww, shucks," Piper said in mock bashfulness. "Thanks, Mar!"
"Actually, there's something else we'd like to show you," Jenna said, grinning. "Something really special to help you two bond this Valentine's Day! Something--"
"Jenna, Piper, there you are, I've been looking all over for you two!"
A short yet hefty middle-aged woman approached. She wore a pair of glasses and her black hair was in a prim bun. She was dressed in a dark navy blue suit and skirt that looked two sizes too small, the outfit straining against the enormous swell of her chest and the vast expanse of her rear. You recognized her as the Dean of Weston University, the same woman who's pump heels you'd been stuck beneath during your first week of classes.
Dean Patricia Schubach. Though some of your less mature co-eds had referred to her as "Dean Shortstack".
"Hello, Dean Schubach," Mari said.
When the Dean noticed Mari, her expression brightened instantly. "Marisol Fuertes! So lovely to see you again, dear. You're looking as lovely as ever."
"I wasn't sure you'd remember me," Mari admitted, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's been a while after all--"
"Nonsense, dear, I never forget a student! Now, who's this young man?"
"Hi, Dean Schubach, it's me," you said.
The woman stared at you blankly.
"Matt Jacobs."
Still nothing.
"Jenna's brother?"
"Jenna, why didn't you tell me you had a brother?" Dean Schubach asked. "Oh well, never mind that. Lovely to see you again, Mari. Nice to meet you, Nat. Now, Jenna, Piper, come with me, there's something I need to discuss with the two of you."
Annoyed as you were, you were happy to see that Jenna clearly wasn't pleased about getting pulled away from you before she could spring her prank into action.
This could be your one chance to get out of here and get tonight back on track! It was either that or text your mom now and let her know the plan at Le Petit Cuisine was off. Just so long as there weren't any distractions, you could--
The double doors Mari and you had entered from, burst open again. Two women wheeled in two hand trucks, each stacked with boxes with the name "Just the Sweet Stuff" emblazoned on their sides.
First among them was a redhead dressed in a conservative red dress to match her modest frame. You recognized her as Viola Walker, the most responsible member of the Oasis crew, and really the only lifeguard at the Oasis you'd genuinely entrust to guard your life.
Last but not least, but certainly most disappointing from your point-of-view, was Selena Morrow. Ever since you saw Cynthia you'd prayed Selena wouldn't be present, but naturally your damnable luck couldn't have that, so here she was, as beautiful as ever, looking like a goddess in a revealing, sparkling silver dress. Upon seeing Mari, Selena's face broke out into a huge grin.
"Mari! What the hell are you doing here, girl?"
"Selena, hi!" Mari said, blushing. You'd noticed the delay in your girlfriend's response caused by her having to tear her eyes away from Selena's chest. "Oh, you know, n-nothing major, just here to party and celebrate Valentine's Day."
"All by your lonesome?" Selena asked, arching an eyebrow.
You cleared your throat loudly.
Mari seemed to wake as if from a trance. "N-no, not alone! I'm on a date with Matt!"
Selena's smile dimmed in wattage. She couldn't quite hide the look of disdain in her eyes as she saw you, so you were fine with returning the look in kind.
"Mark," Selena nodded, disinterested.
"Sabrina," you returned, glowering.
Mari caught neither the tension, nor the fact each of you had referred to each other by the wrong names. Instead, cheerful as ever, she asked, "Why are you here, Selena?"
"Well, you know, I don't really have anything else to do on Valentine's Day, so I decided to pitch in and help my mom. Viola was nice enough to keep me company, which was sweet... but it really sucks not having a special someone on the most romantic day of the year, y'know?"
Viola's expression remained neutral but you couldn't help but wince in sympathy. Though you weren't super close with her, you'd learned enough about Viola over the past few months to know she had it bad for Selena. Selena, however, appeared to be well and truly oblivious toward her friend's feelings. Honestly, if she couldn't even piece together that Viola was in love with her after she'd volunteered to keep Selena company on Valentine's Day, the woman must've been completely blind.
"Aww, I'm sorry, Selena," Mari said sympathetically. "I didn't realize today was so painful. If you want--"
What happens next?
1) Mari volunteers to keep Selena company, seemingly unaware that she's turning you into the third wheel of your own date!
2) Before Mari can say anything, Jenna and Piper return and spring their prank into action.
3) Before Mari can say anything, a love ballad that you and Mari consider "your song" begins playing and you seize your chance to quickly ask Mari for a dance. While it works and you get a slow dance on the dance floor, immediately afterwards, fast songs begin playing and new danger comes with it.
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