“You look beautiful.”
“It’ll be just fine,” her friends told her, reassuringly. “We’ll have a lot of fun. It’ll be great.”
The staff had gone all out to make the hall look nice for the dance. Cinderella had spent half the day polishing and waxing the floor. In fact, halfway through sweeping it, she had been caught dancing with her broom, pretending she was at a ball. Luckily for her, it had only been Mr Ratcliffe who had come across her. Even so, she had felt embarrassed when he came into the room, spotted her spinning about and said, in a teasing tone, “We’ll have to give you a promotion, Miss Bucket – put you in charge of teaching the young girls to dance.”
Blushing, she had promptly dropped the broom. “I’m sorry, Mr Ratcliffe. I got carried away, day dreaming again. Sorry.”
“Oh, no, it’s alright, Miss Bucket.” He smiled. “I can see you’ve done a fine job.”
Cinderella smiled back, proudly. “Well, it’s all for a good cause. The school dance, I mean. Are you looking forward to it, Mr Ratcliffe?”
“Well, yes. I mean, it’s always nice to see my students having fun,” he smiled.
“I always loved dancing,” Cinderella confessed, wistfully. “I wish I could go.”
“You can you know,” replied Mr Ratcliffe, confused. “There’s no reason you can’t.”
“Well, I don’t want to be on my own,” she admitted. “I’d feel so awkward.”
No was his chance, he realised. It was now or never. “Well, you could come with me,” he invited. “I-I mean,” he added, awkwardly, “if you’d like to.”
“Mr Ratcliffe, I’d be honoured.”
And so it was that they turned up to the dance together. Cinderella looked most lovely, Mr Ratcliffe noticed, with her hair done up and wearing a pale turquoise gown; like a princess in a fairytale. “You look beautiful,” he told her.
“Thanks,” she smiled, “and you look very handsome.”
“Nonsense,” he smiled, straightening the collar of his gold suit.
Inside, the dance was slowly coming together. Students stood near the bunch bowl, giggling and joining in with the usual student banter and a few were beginning to dance to the music provided by the band Louis and the Firefly Five. Snow White and Aurora were already down there; both dressed in blue, although Aurora’s gown was light blue and the sleeves were off-the-shoulder and long and Snow White’s was navy with a fur collar and a more floaty skirt. John, dressed up in grey and blue stood near Ariel, whom he had grudgingly asked here simply because she didn’t have anyone else to go with and he felt sorry for her. Though, he had to admit, she was rather fun to be with. She was dressed in a pink ball gown which, surprisingly, did not clash with her hair at all. She was talking, timidly to Esmeralda, who wore the same red dress she had worn for the audition. Esme, however, seemed rather cordial tonight, or perhaps that was the effect of the punch. At any rate, she seemed to be enjoying herself, Phoebus marked, as he stood in his mustard-yellow suit, chatting to Flynn, who was dressed in white, and Rapunzel, who was dressed in a lovely lilac gown and had her hair restrained in a large, fat plait. The Bimbettes fluttered idly around Gaston as he flirted with them, flexing his muscles. Merrida looked rather neatly pressed for once, Linguini thought; her wild red hair was restrained behind a white headdress and she wore a pale blue silky dress that complimented his own blue tie and tails set. All in all, so far, the evening was a hit with all the students.
But several students were not there yet; for the simple reason that they were still getting ready. Belle pulled on her yellow gloves and adjusted her hem. How frothy her skirt was, she marvelled. Jasmine blotted her lipstick and slipped on her dancing slippers. “I hope my hair doesn’t go wild tonight if it gets humid!” Meg said, spraying on some extra-hold hairspray and fastening her style into place with some maroon kirby grips.
“Yeah, look out, world!” laughed Jasmine. “Medusa’s risen from the underworld again!”
“Haha, very funny,” grunted Meg, holding the kirby grip in her mouth.
Belle smiled. “I’m sure even if your hair fluffs up as big as a cloud, it won’t put Hercules off you, Meg.”
“Thanks, Belle. There!” Meg finished fastening her hair into place and did a twirl in her white dress. “How do I look?”
“Gorgeous,” grinned Jasmine. “He won’t be able to resist you!”
“I hope so!” Meg winked at Belle. “If I’m lucky, I may get more than just a kiss!”
Belle blushed. “Meg! How can you talk so openly about these things?”
“Oh, Belle, you are such a country bumpkin!” Meg smiled, and then when Belle’s blush deepened, the penny dropped. “Oh, my God! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realise you hadn’t...you know, yet!”
“You haven’t?” Jasmine said, swivelling around to face Belle. She looked genuinely surprised. “Oh, God! No wonder you were so startled when Gaston and Mr Frollo tried it on with you!”
Belle looked at her feet. “I just...I want to be with someone I trust when...it happens.”
“Well, good for you,” Meg said, putting an arm around Belle and giving her a squeeze. “Don’t go throwing it away for some fool who’s just using you for it, Belle. Find someone worthy of you.”
“Yeah,” agreed Jasmine, with a mischievous smile, “like Adam!”
“Jasmine!” Meg pretended to scold her. “Don’t frighten her!”
Belle smiled, perked up. “Thanks for not taking the mickey, guys.”
“Hey, any time,” Meg grinned, and that was when there was a knock at their bedroom door. Belle went to open it. It was Aladdin, dressed in a white suit and Hercules, dressed in navy.
“Hey!” grinned Aladdin, straightening his jacket. “Looking good, girl!”
“Thanks,” smiled Belle, stepping back. “Jasmine, Meg, your dates are here!”
“Adam’s on his way,” Hercules told her. “He’s just trying to find his shoes.”
“I keep telling him, they’re under his bed,” sighed Aladdin.
“Come on,” grinned Jasmine, tucking her arm through Aladdin’s. “I have a sudden urge to dance!”
“Me too,” smiled Meg, taking Hercules’ arm. “See you down there, Belle!”
“See you,” said Belle as they left and she waited, wondering what would happen tonight. She fanned her warm cheeks, trying to get rid of any possible blush that may still linger there. However, her thoughts kept wandering back to what Jasmine had said just now and that made her feel like blushing again. “Like Adam,” she had said, in reference to...that. Did Belle want...could she possibly...?
Awkwardly, she pressed down the front of her bodice just as the sound of footsteps approached her. She looked up. “Sorry I’m late; my shoes were under my bed after all and I hate it when Aladdin’s right...”
Adam broke off and stared at her. Belle felt inclined to blush again. “Is everything alright?” she stammered.
Adam roused himself. “Sorry. You look beautiful, Belle.”
Belle smiled, relieved. “Thank you, and you look very handsome, Adam.”
He did too, she thought, in a blue jacket, white dress shirt and black trousers with matching boots. Like a handsome prince from a story. Adam smiled and bowed, gallantly, to her. She teasingly dropped a curtsey and then took his proffered arm and allowed him to lead her down to the hall.
By the time they got there, the dance was in full swing. Belle was relieved to see that Gaston seemed to have passed out from too much punch and was being fretted over and fanned by the Bimbettes. Most people were up and dancing. Snow White and Aurora were dancing together, but they looked more like friends than a couple. Nevertheless, they were clearly having fun and Belle smiled at them as she passed them.
“Hey, there you are!” grinned Phoebus, a cup of punch in his hand as they came up. “Belle, you look lovely!”
“Thanks, Phoebus,” she smiled as he handed her the cup.
“Adam, you scrub up nicely,” grinned Merrida, flicking a stray strand of red curly hair out of her eyes.
“So do you, it seems,” he replied, teasingly. She laughed. “Touche’!”
“Ok we’re now gonna play a little number we like to call “Down in New Orleans,” announced the lead singer of the band.
As the music picked up, Rapunzel eagerly grabbed Flynn’s hand and spun him onto the dance floor. “Are you having a dance?” he managed to ask Adam, before being swept away by Rapunzel.
Belle took Adam’s hand. “Let’s.”
“Alright,” he grinned, “but if I step on your feet, allow me to apologise in advance.”
“You’ll be forgiven if that happens,” she reassured him, putting her hand on his shoulder. Adam placed his hand on her waist and began to lead her into the dance.
“In the South Land there's a city,” sang the band, “Way down on the river. Where the women are very pretty, and all the men deliver.”
However, Adam didn’t tread on her feet and Belle found herself enjoying the dance more than anything. Soon, dresses and suits just became blurs of colour as they spun around the floor.
“They got music, it's always playin',” went on the band, “Start in the day time, go all through the night, and when you hear that music playin'; hear what I'm saying, it make you feel alright! Whoa!”
“Is that-?” Belle stopped dancing momentarily and pointed over to where two people were dancing together.
Adam blinked in surprise. “Mr Ratcliffe? And the school janitor?”
Belle giggled. “I always knew there was something between them!”
“Did you?”
“Yes! Whenever she’s in the room with him, there’s a certain...chemistry between them.”
Adam grinned at her. “Can you read everyone’s thoughts as clearly, Belle?”
“Not everyone’s,” she admitted. “But I think I’m learning.”
“Grab somebody, come on down, bring your paintbrush, we're paintin' the town. Oh there's some sweetness goin' 'round. Catch it down in New Orleans!”
“Isn’t this great?” Rapunzel gushed, twirling past them. “I love dancing so much! Belle, by the way, that dress is divine on you!”
“Thanks,” Belle laughed, as Rapunzel swept Flynn off again. “Now I know what it’s like to be drunk,” he exclaimed as he spun past Adam and Belle again.
Adam laughed. “When she eventually puts him down, he’s not going to be able to walk home in a straight line! The police will charge him with drunk and disorderly!”
Belle laughed. Adam was funny; not what you’d call a comedian or clown, like Aladdin or possible Hercules, but still, he made her laugh. They danced for what felt like hours and when they eventually stopped spinning, Belle realised that they’d somehow managed to dance right out into the grounds.
“I hear they’re letting off fireworks at ten,” Adam said.
“Well, it’s nearly ten now,” Belle pointed out, nodding to the school clock tower. “They should be setting up now.”
Adam glanced across the grass. “Yes, I think that’s Professor Porter and Mr Wiggins setting them up now.”
Belle realised that, whilst they’d stopped dancing, they hadn’t let go of one another. More to the point, she realised, she didn’t want Adam to let go of her and she didn’t want to let go of him either. Feeling perfectly at ease, she pressed up against him, turning to watch Professor Porter and Mr Wiggins setting up the fireworks.
“You alright?” Adam murmured into her hair.
“I’m more than alright, Adam,” she replied, softly.
Adam dropped his hands from her waist only to place them on her face and look deeply into her eyes. “Belle?”
“Yes, Adam?” Belle whispered, her heart hammering in her chest.
“Will you go out with me?”
“Yes! Yes, of course I will, Adam!”
With a smile, Adam bent his head and as he kissed her, Belle closed her eyes and kissed him back. She couldn’t believe it. Even though Flynn had told her that Adam liked her, it was finally happening. As the first fireworks exploded into the air behind them, she slid her arms around Adam’s neck and they clung to one another, passionately, completely forgetting the world and everything in it.
Perfection, Belle thought, this is it.
Heaven.
“Yes! Yes, of course I will, Adam!”
