Fandom: Sky High (movie)
Written for: alianora in the Yuletide 2005 Challenge
Freshman Year
It seemed natural that they would go to the Christmas formal together. They were friends and the only ones in their social circle not in other relationships. Magenta didn't look at Zach as anything more than her goofball pal who she worked with to keep the world, and Sky High, safe.
But everyone was going to the Christmas dance. There was Will and Layla, who were sickeningly sweet. Fire throwing Warren and Freeze girl Nicole were bizarrely matched. Even Ethan had a girlfriend. So even though they were just friends, Magenta and Zach ended up stuck together most of the time.
Magenta waited impatiently in her purple gown for Zach to arrive. It frustrated her that everyone at school assumed they were a couple. Even her friends had taken to making sly remarks about how cute they were together and how cool it would be if they dated. Magenta ignored them and Zach, well, was Zach and therefore completely clueless.
The doorbell rang and Magenta opened the door.
"It's about time," she chastised Zach.
"Sorry," he said. "Um, here," he added, awkwardly thrusting a potted plant at her.
She took the plant and gave him a strange look. "Why are you giving me a poinsettia?" she asked.
"Because Layla told me I was supposed to bring you flowers," he said, as though it should've been obvious. "That's why I was a little late. I had to stop at the store and pick one up. Those pinkish purpley leaves made me think of you."
Magenta rolled her eyes. "I don't think," she started to explain to him exactly what Layla meant by bringing her flowers, and then decided it didn't matter. They were just friends and just friends didn't need to adhere to the traditions and trappings of a high school dance. "I don't think I've ever owned a poinsettia," she ended up saying instead. She looked the plant over and snapped off a nice bloom, tucking it behind her ear.
Zach gave her a goofy grin. "Let's go!"
***
Sophomore Year
Magenta hadn't planned to attend the Christmas formal this year. She had gone to Homecoming with one of the freshmen. They had started dating at the beginning of the school year and he had seemed nice enough. That is, he was nice until he had held Magenta and Layla hostage in the girls' bathroom in an attempt to coerce Will into using his powers to help him rob a bank.
He didn't succeed as he obviously hadn't done his homework and didn't realize that trying to pull off an evil plan at a dance full of super heroes wasn't very intelligent. But it was enough to make Magenta swear off dances for the foreseeable future.
She had happily ignored all the talk of dresses and hairstyles and dates until a week ago when Zach had shown up at her door, looking absolutely miserable. He had found out that the senior girl who had asked him to the dance had only done so to make her boyfriend jealous. The plan had worked and now Zach was stuck with tickets and no date. And Magenta, being the good friend she was, couldn't say no when he gave her the wounded puppy look and begged her to go with him.
So she was once again waiting in her foyer for Zach. This time, he rang the bell promptly and handed her a plastic container from a florist shop.
She looked at the gaudy display of red roses and baby's breath in the container and gave Zach a questioning look.
He sighed. "That's what Mandy ordered. I was stuck paying for it, so, uh, I figured I'd give it to you," he explained lamely. "I know it's not your style, but I couldn't afford anything else," he added apologetically.
She opened the container and saw that it was a wrist corsage. With a slight grimace, she slid it on her arm.
"Let's go," she said, offering her unflowered arm to Zach.
***
Junior Year
Magenta stood in the foyer, wondering for the six thousandth time that day how she had let herself get talked into this. She was going to kill Zach as soon as she saw him.
The doorbell rang and she opened it to let Will in.
"Hey, Magenta, nice dress," he complimented, handing her a wrist corsage of tulips that perfectly matched the purple shade of her dress.
"Thanks, Will. You look nice, too," she said, wondering for the six thousand and first time why she had agreed to this.
"Let's go," Will said, offering her his arm.
They arrived at the dance and she immediately spotted Zach in the crowd. "Hey, look, let's go say hi to Zach and Layla," she suggested to Will.
Will's face crumpled at the mention of Layla. They had broken up a few weeks earlier and he was absolutely miserable. Layla was, too, which is why Zach had come up with this plan of getting them both to the dance so they could reunite.
Magenta grabbed Will's arm and dragged him across the gym.
"Hey Zach. Hey Layla," she greeted them, smiling warmly at Layla and glaring at Zach as if to say `This better work, or you're dead.'
"Magenta! Will!" Zach greeted them. "You guys look great!"
"Hi Magenta," Layla said warmly. "Um, Hi Will," she added.
"Hi Layla."
Magenta exchanged a look with Zach. "Oh, hey, Magenta, I need to ask you something about our physics homework. Can you walk to my locker with me?" he asked in a weird tone.
"Yeah, sure, Zach, no problem," she replied, hoping Will and Layla wouldn't think it was weird that Zach of all people was asking about homework at a dance.
Luckily for both of them, Will and Layla actually started talking and didn't seem to notice when Zach put his hand on the small of Magenta's back and led her away.
***
Senior Year
Magenta was nervous. She paced the foyer, stopping every few seconds to stare at herself in the mirror. Layla had talked her into buying a red dress this year and had dragged her to some fancy salon to have her hair and nails done.
The doorbell rang and she felt her stomach drop. `It's just Zach,' she reminded herself. Except he wasn't just Zach anymore. He had impulsively kissed her at homecoming a few months earlier and they had both realized that they had feelings for each other ever since that ill fated homecoming dance freshman year.
Now she was going to the Christmas Formal with her boyfriend Zach, not her goofy friend Zach.
She opened the door and all of her anxiety rushed away when he thrust a poinsettia plant at her. She laughed and took the plant. "Why red?" she asked.
"Layla told me you were wearing a red dress this year," he explained, his trademark goofy grin replaced by a soft smile as he looked her over. "You should wear red more often. It suits you."
Her cheeks warmed and she returned his soft smile. "Thanks," she said, watching as Zach snapped off a blossom. She gave him a curious look that changed to an affectionate gaze as he stepped close enough to tuck the blossom behind her ear.
"I also got you this," he said, handing her a plastic container from the florist. She was delighted to find a tasteful wrist corsage with a few red rose buds. It wasn't anything like the overly gaudy and expensive corsage he had given her sophomore year.
She slipped on the wrist corsage and smiled up at Zach. "You spoil me," she said.
"You deserve it," he replied, leaning down to give her a gentle kiss. "Now, let's go," he said, offering her his arm.
"Yes, let's."
End