As they reached Charlie's friends, Alex and Amber started dancing while Charlie hesitated. Not so much that she was looking for an excuse, but rather that she was a little afraid that the same feeling of panic overtaking her would occur again. She wanted to be part of the group that her friends had, but couldn't help but worry that this could create an unbridgeable rift between them.
However, she felt like she stood out even more just by standing there. As the longer she stood there, the more she felt like others were starting to look her way. So, she sighed and started to try and mimic her friends with how they were moving to the music. Then as soon as she started doing that, the sense of panic struck again.'
This time, though, she didn't try to fight through it. She just stopped and tried to quietly go back to the chairs, but had to stop when Alex caught her arm.
"Didn't work?" she asked.
Charlie shook her head. "I guess not. So, I was going to go back to the chairs and sit there. At least then I won't ruin your guys' evening," Charlie replied, trying to appear cheerful while inside she was upset at not knowing what the problem was.
"You not dancing with us won't ruin our evening," Alex said, starting to walk with Charlie. "We don't mind taking time to keep you company, as we need a break every so often anyway."
Charlie managed a weak smile. "That's good, I guess," she said, not sure what else to say.
"Well, maybe we could-" Alex started but stopped when the music changed to a slow dance.
"Would you like to try a slow dance?" Alex asked. "If nothing else, just move with me."
Charlie considered it. "Alright," she replied, hoping it wouldn't have the same problem.
Alex put Charlie's hands around her neck before putting her hands one Charlie's hips.
"Just move slowly and just look at me," Alex said, holding Charlie close.
Charlie felt her face heat a little with how close she could tell she was to Alex, but did as Alex said.
She looked at Alex's green eyes, letting herself be drawn into them. She moved with the subtle directions she felt from Alex's hands and found that the feeling of panic didn't appear. Maybe it was the fact it was a slow dance or maybe it was because she was focusing solely on Alex as they danced, but she found that she was able to completely relax and enjoy herself. For her, it was as if there was only her and Alex in the room.
She barely even noticed the music playing. She only was aware of how Alex was moving and sending her the small signals of how she should move. Charlie leaned against Alex, enjoying the sensation of Alex's body against hers, sliding so her arms were around Alex's neck.
"Looks like we can do this, if nothing else," Alex said, adjusting her hands, so one was on Charlie's lower back while the other slid down to caress her bottom.
"Yeah," Charlie replied. "This isn't so bad."
The only problem that Charlie could find with this situation was that it was over too soon. As the song ended, she felt Alex gently push her away. While she wanted to remain pressed against Alex, she recognized that they couldn't do that after the song was over.
"Thanks for that," Charlie said, as they started making their way back to the chairs.
"No problem," Alex said. "We could do that again if you'd like."
"Sure," Charlie said.
"You two sure looked cute out there," Alice said as the returned to the chairs.
"At least she didn't collapse like earlier while you two were like that," Amber remarked. "She'd probably have dragged you down with her, Alex and I'm sure the chaperones wouldn't be happy to see where your hand was on her."
Charlie felt her face heat up as what Amber was talking about came to mind. While she hadn't thought much about it, other than happy with the contact, she now couldn't help but think about how others could see them like that.
"Maybe, but I doubt we were the only ones like that," Alex replied casually. "Others were probably doing worse."
"True," Amber laughed. "I think I saw some who were almost engaging in foreplay during that dance."
"Maybe you'll be doing that to our Alex before the night's out," Alice teased Charlie.
Charlie struggled to say anything in response, but her voice wouldn't work. All that she could respond with was her face heating up completely, causing the others to laugh.
"What's so funny?" Beth asked, as Charlie's friends came up.
"Nothing much," Alice replied. "Just trying to get Charlie to die from embarrassment."
"Sounds like fun," Ralph remarked. "Can I join?"
"Sure!" Amber said.
Charlie was surprised when Alex put an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about them," Alex whispered. "They just get like this sometimes."
Charlie smiled at Alex. "Thanks. I'm not very good with these situations," Charlie murmured in reply.
"Well, Charlie and me are going to get more refreshments. Any orders?" Alex said.
As they took down requests of what to bring from the refreshments table, Allison, Amber, and Alice went out to the dance floor to return to dancing.
When they left for the refreshments table, Beth accompanied them because it was clear four hands weren't going to easily carry seven cups of punch in one trip. Let alone any of the other items.
"So, I take it your still aren't able to just let loose on the dance floor?" Beth asked Charlie on their way to the table.
"No, I tried after eating something, but I still couldn't do anything," Charlie said.
"But we did have a slow dance together," Alex added.
"Ohhh," Beth said. "Tell me everything."
Charlie sighed and gave a rough overview, but left out how she leaned her entire body against Alex's and where Alex's hands moved to after that. However, as she thought about it, she could feel the sensation of Alex's hand on her butt. She felt herself blush a little at that memory.
"I think if she can at least manage a slow dance, then I'll be able to bring her to more of these dances," Alex remarked.
"As long as you take care of our Charlie and return her in good condition, we won't have a problem with you borrowing her from time to time," Beth joked.
Charlie just rolled her eyes as they reached the refreshments. She didn't say much else, but kept listening to Alex and Beth. She merely helped pick up three cups while Beth got a cup and filled a plate with the entirety of the non-punch orders of their friends, while Alex carried three cups herself.
Charlie found herself start to begin to enjoy herself, outside of the slow dance, when they returned with the refreshments to where her friends waited. While she had been nervous earlier when she first arrived, that had shifted to embarrassment when she'd blacked out when trying to dance, to feeling like she was keeping her friends, as well as Alex's friends, from enjoying their time at the dance. However, now she was beginning to have fun and was glad she hadn't tried to sneak out of the dance. Although, she still felt like she didn't belong at the dance, since she couldn't really dance without that sense of panic coming up.
Through the evening, Charlie was able to dance with Alex a few more times, and while she had become aware everyone could see, she found she didn't mind so much of Alex caressing her butt. Though, she suspected that her friends, and Alex's friends, were getting a kick out of watching the two dance together. Since their groups of friends seemed to have decided to take turns dancing while the other group kept Alex and Charlie company. Charlie couldn't help but feel a little bad that Alex spent the entire time with her, even though she was only able to dance the slow dances. However, Alex didn't seem to mind and Charlie couldn't bring herself to say anything about it.
Then before she knew it, the final dance was being called. Charlie had barely paid any attention when they paused the music for various announcements before when they were made. Though, this once was simple that let her know that it much later than she'd realized.
"I'm sure you all had fun tonight. So, we're going to have one last slow dance. Afterwards, we ask that if you don't have a ride home, please be safe when you leave tonight. If you need, we can arrange for a ride to take you home."
Charlie assumed that it was the DJ, one of the faculty, or a chaperone making the announcement. She really didn't care. She was ready to call it a night.
While she hadn't realized how late it was getting, with the knowledge the dance was almost over, she was starting to realize just how tired she was. Aside from the stress of blacking out and the panic that she felt when she tried to dance, she found that she'd worn herself out.
However, she still was happy to move back onto the dance floor with Alex as the song 'Heaven' by Bryan Adams began to play. Of course, she only knew that information as Alex told her on their way to find a place on the dance floor that would likely be out of the chaperones' sight.
"This is the perfect song for our last dance tonight," Alex said as they started to dance. "I can't think of anything else to call being with you right now."
Charlie felt herself blush and suddenly felt rather shy. "Thanks," she murmured as she wrapped her arms around Alex's neck, enjoying the feeling of Alex's hands on her back and butt.
As they began dancing slowly, she wondered if she was starting to have feeling for Alex, but couldn't be sure as she didn't have anything to compare them to. However, she did press her body against Alex at the start of the dance, rather than doing that part way through the dance like she'd done all the other slow dances, which Alex promptly put her hands where she always did when Charlie did that. One of her lower back and the other on her bottom.
Even though she was aware it could be seen by others, at that moment she didn't care. She even felt a little giddy at the idea. She wasn't sure what had come over her, only that she wanted more. More what, she wasn't sure, only that she wanted it and this felt like the direction she needed to go in order to get it.
Then as the song was ending, she felt Alex slowly press her lips against hers. At first she thought it was going to be a kiss like the others they'd had, but she was surprised when she felt Alex's tongue against her lips.
As she opened her mouth to let Alex's tongue in, she felt sensations flood through her body at the contact as their kiss deepened.
Then when the music stopped and Alex pulled away, Charlie couldn't help but feel dazed. Where she wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing, only that she was in Alex's arms and didn't want to do anything at the moment.
"We probably should get back to our friends," Alex whispered. "I'm sure they'll want to leave soon."
"Okay," Charlie replied, leaning against Alex's side as they walked back to their friends, partially aware that she'd confiscated Alex's arm and had hers wrapped around it. In all, she was happy with how the night turned out.
_
"So, you're really not spending the night with Alex?" Beth asked as Charlie got in the car that apparently was Beth's grandmother's.
Alex was staying with her friends. Though Charlie couldn't be sure if she was getting a ride from them or if she had other arrangements made. She could only be sure that she wasn't riding with them.
"No, but even if I did, I don't think we'd be doing what you're fantasizing we'd do," Charlie replied, moving over in the seats to let Amelia and Hannah climb in behind her.
"Why's that? Beth asked as she got in the front passenger seat.
"Because her grandma's home," Charlie said.
"I forgot about her," Beth replied, looking a little sheepish.
"You could always sneak into her room in the middle of the night and climb in bed with her," Amelia suggested.
Hannah laughed. "Or have Alex sneak into the room you're staying in. I bet you'd be surprised if you woke up with a naked Alex in bed with you," Hannah said, causing Beth, Amelia, and Beth's grandmother to laugh.
"I take it you girls had a great time tonight," Beth's grandmother said as the doors were closed.
"The best," Beth replied.
"It certainly sounds like it."
As the car pulled away, Charlie at first thought this was going to be a regular ride. At least until they were out of the school zone. That's when Beth's grandmother floored it.
While she couldn't see the speedometer, or even the scenery outside the car, she was certain that they were going way too fast for the speed limit.
"Wish there was time for you to play your theme song, grandma," Beth said.
"Yeah, but sometimes it's nice to drive casually with the quiet," she replied.
Charlie shook her head as she looked out the window into the darkness. This is 'casual?' she couldn't help but wonder. If this is 'casual,' I'd hate to see what 'fast' looks like.
Then before she even knew it, they were at Beth's house. As they climbed out of the car, Charlie couldn't help but feel like her legs were rubber, though Beth, Amelia, and Hannah didn't seem to have any trouble with standing.
"Okay, remember girls," Beth's grandmother said before they closed the doors. "You got a ride from someone else. Your mother called me after the dance started, Beth. She told me that she didn't want to hear about me giving you a ride from the dance."
Beth laughed. Charlie could understand what Beth's mother's concern was, given how uneasy Charlie herself felt about the ride here.
"That's sounds like her," Beth said. "Don't worry, we'll come up with something."
"Well, have a good night girls," she said as the doors were closed.
Charlie watched Beth's grandmother as she drove away. Though, given the roads, it wasn't long before her lights were out of sight because of the turns on the road because of the terrain.
"Well, let's get inside," Beth said. "My siblings are probably asleep, so let's try to be quiet."
"Where's your mom?" Hannah asked.
"Probably on a date," Beth said. "I never know when she has one of those. I just assume if I don't see her car at this time of the night, then that's probably where she's at."
They make their way to Beth's room, and get out blankets and pillows for them to use to sleep. During which, Charlie realized she didn't have any pajamas to wear.
"Umm, what should I do for pajamas?" Charlie asked.
"Just wear your underwear," Amelia said. "That's what we plan on doing."
"But-" Charlie started to say, alarmed, but stopped when she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Charlie don't worry about it," Beth said. "Look at it this way, if we're on our expedition, you might get hurt and need to get it treated. We'll probably then see you in your underwear anyway, so why not try to start getting used to it now?"
Beth's words did make sense to Charlie, not that it made her feel any easier about it. However, if they were all in their underwear, she figured it might not be as bad. Besides, she trusted her friends, and all three present were girls anyway.
"A-alright," Charlie said, after thinking about it a minute while the others were removing their jackets and dresses and putting them on hangars, where they hung them in Beth's closet for the night. The idea was to keep them from having to just put them over the back of a chair or in a pile on the floor.
Though, she had to admit to herself that this was the first time since Ralph's birthday party she could really see exactly how big their chests were. Charlie estimated that Amelia was barely an A cup if not an AA. Hannah could easily be a B cup, while Beth looked like she was still an A cup but almost a B cup. Charlie had that in her mind for only a moment before she pushed that out of her mind. Since when did she feel the need to compare breast sizes? She asked herself, not really wanting to know the answer. Just wanting those thoughts to not have happened at all. Sighing as she shook her head, she started to undress.
However, as she took her jacket and dress off, she had forgotten about an important element. That her friends had pushed her to wear a push-up bra or pads to make her chest look bigger.
"Why didn't you wear any of the push-ups bras we got you?" Beth asked, surprised.
"I didn't feel like it," Charlie protested as she hung her dress and jacket on a hangar, letting it hang with the other's dresses in Beth's closet.
"We looked so hard for ones we thought you'd like," Amelia said, looking like she was close to tears. Charlie didn't buy that for a minute.
"I said I didn't need any more bras," Charlie replied, wishing this topic wasn't being discussed.
"Yeah, but you look too much like a kid without one," Beth commented. Then, looking at the underwear Charlie was wearing, she added, "Besides, the underwear you're wearing certainly makes you look more like a kid."
"If you don't like what I wear, then you don't have to say anything," Charlie replied, starting to get annoyed.
"Relax, Charlie," Amelia said, no sign that she looked like she was about to cry a moment ago. "Things looked like they were really moving along with you and Alex, so we worry that things like that might mess it up for you."
"I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine with the underwear I have," Charlie replied cautiously.
"Should we take a picture and ask Alex what she thinks?" Hannah suggested.
Charlie glared at Hannah and quickly wrapped herself in a blanket.
"Party pooper," Hannah said.
"Anyway, her underwear choices aside," Beth said, "I'm sure once Alex sees her breasts, she won't care so much about what panties she's wearing."
Charlie felt her face heat up immediately. She wanted this conversation to end right then and there, but couldn't seem to get her brain working enough to come up with a complaint.
"Wait, you saw her naked?" Amelia asked, her eyes reflecting the excitement Charlie could hear in her voice.
"She showed me herself topless in the mirror when she was trying bras on in the fitting room at Kohl's with her magic, then I also saw them when I came to help her when she called for me that night when Shirley attacked her during our hiking trip," Beth replied grinning, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
While she was having trouble collecting her thoughts enough for the conversation going on in general, Charlie was at least able to focus on what Beth just said to at least say something.
"If you saw me then, why'd you ask me to show you them when I was in the fitting room?" Charlie asked, feeling like she might be getting a fever with how hot her face felt right then.
"Actually, I just wanted to see if you'd do it," Beth replied casually. "I mean, it let me know how likely it might be for you to be willing to get in bed with Alex."
"Yeah, that didn't happen," Hannah remarked.
Beth scowled at Hannah. "I can see that, but with how she responded when I asked, I knew while it was going to be difficult, it probably would be worth it," Beth replied, sounding rather smug with herself.
"What'll you do when you're done having fun at Charlie's expense," Amelia asked.
"Who's says it's at her expense," Beth asked, sounding like she was appalled at the mere suggestion.
"I'm saying it," Amelia said. "It's clear you're trying to push her into doing something she's uncomfortable with, so I'd say it's being done at her expense."
"Regardless, if Charlie wants me to stop, she just has to let me know," Beth replied. "Though, I think part of her wants to do it with Alex."
Charlie was finally able to collect all of her thoughts to know what she wanted to say. "Maybe, but that's my business and not yours," Charlie said. "You might be wanting that for me, but have you thought about what Alex would want?"
Hannah laughed. "She's got you there."
"What if you talk with her as a friend about this, rather than trying to get her laid?" Amelia asked.
"Where's the fun in that?" Beth asked, though Charlie suspected her heart wasn't in the question.
"The fun is to see how Charlie will screw it up on her own," Amelia replied, her eyes full of amusement.
"Now that sounds fun," Beth replied.
Charlie groaned. While she hadn't cared for the way the conversation was going first, now it felt like it might be going in an even worse direction.
"Can't you just let me deal with this on my own?" Charlie asked.
"That's what they're deciding to do," Hannah remarked. "Just like how we decided to travel with you to find that crystal for Petals. Though, I guess you could say it's a unicorn crystal."
"Petals may be the unicorn that crystal goes to, but that doesn't make it a unicorn crystal because of that," Charlie said.
"I'm with Charlie on this one," Beth commented. "I mean, otherwise you could say all the other crystals in Petals' forest would be unicorn crystals. After all, it is a unicorn's forest and already full of magic. Which is why I think we were able to talk with Petals in the her forest before we even had access to our magic."
Suddenly there was a quiet knock on Beth's door. Charlie couldn't help but jump. She looks at Beth, unsure if she expected this, but looking at her, Beth was as surprised as she was herself.
Hannah opened the door and Charlie stared in disbelief as Beth's sister, Stacie, was standing outside the door in her nightgown, holding a plush tiger. Charlie had a feeling her friends were just as shocked as she was to see Stacie there.
How long had she been out there? Charlie couldn't help but wonder. She was a little curious as to what she may have actually heard, but more afraid as to what she would remember hearing. However, she figured Beth would be the best one to deal with this. Especially since Stacie was her sister.