OOTC:

Dress For the Dance:

Cleo had become someone everyone had taken a liking to. A kind soul who refused to judge anyone, which quickly made her a friendly figure to most. Though that didn't stop her from having people who still somehow despised her. She couldn't lie, it did bother her a bit.

However, if it was one thing Cleo Downs was, it was strong.

Right now she was helping Sarah with a movie she was trying to write. Cleo loved the idea and the creativity behind it, so when Sarah asked her for input, she knew she couldn't resist. She left the Matthew's left early to get to school and got straight to work with Sarah.

"This is amazing! Sarah, you really got some potential here; this could really be a movie!" Cleo smiled brightly at a red Sarah, who just hugged her tightly. Cleo was confused but returned the gesture so it wouldn't seem rude.

"Thank you for saying that. Even with my dad being who he is, it's hard to have the confidence to keep going with this." Sarah whispered in Cleo's ear. Cleo hugged her tighter before pulling back with a soft smile.

"Anytime."

With that being said, Cleo went over to her seat as the school bell rung and watched her friends trail in one by one, being greeted by Mr. Matthews. Although, she noticed he seemed to hold a slight grudge against his own daughter. She leaned over to Lucas once he sat down and smirked at him.

"How much do you wanna bet he keeps this up?"

Lucas laughed and leaned forward. "Day of the dance. 10 bucks."

"End of the day." They quickly shook hands with each other, softly chuckling as they looked at each other before paying attention to Cory in the front.

"Well guys, I've got your test results on Darwin to give back to you, and uh, I'm pleased to see some of you have "evolved" since the last quiz."

Cleo looked around the class, making eye contact with only Farkle. She mouthed the words "help her" to him and he instantly got the point. "Ha!" Farkle exclaimed. Cory nodded his head at him as he thanked him.

"Thanks, Farkle."

"Cory, you were drowning out there. I had to get someone to laugh at you."

"At my joke, you mean."

"No, I said it right the first time." Cleo innocently smiled at Cory, who just playfully glared at her before handing her test to her. The glare turned into a look of approval as he showed her score.

"Another A?"

Cleo turned towards Farkle with an eyebrow raised. "Oh honey, I ONLY get A's. Sorry, I know competitions are more of Luke's thing."

"Marry me."

"Maybe in the long run kid." Cleo winked at Farkle, causing him to almost faint until he saw his test. He cheered on his 700th A, making Cleo smile at him before turning to an amused Lucas as he was getting his test.

"Luke? I didn't know exes could be on nickname bases, especially when it was never said before." He jokingly said. Cleo put a hand on her chest and leaned back slightly, a fake offended look making its way on her face. Though she was happy this was still a little game between the two.

"Every time I try to make things normal between us, you always wanna question it. Just admit you miss me, honey."

"What if I do?"

Cleo leaned in, never scared to back away from a challenge (or what she liked to call a flirt-off), and smirked at the boy. "Well then show me, Luke."

Lucas' cheeks turned extremely red. He couldn't form nor get words out of his mouth to reply to the girl. Meanwhile, Cleo laughed at the poor boy. Yet before she could cheer him up, her head whipped around when she heard Maya's voice in an upset tone.

"He gave me an F."

Cleo's eyes widened at the statement. Her eyes kept flickering between Maya and Cory, wondering who she should deal with first. Until suddenly after a chat with Cory, Maya walked out of the classroom. Riley immediately raised her hand and ran after her.

Everyone's eyes hit Cleo as she blankly stared at Cory. She sighed and sat back in her chair, crossing her arms as she planned her next move.

"I'm not gonna kill Cory guys."

Everyone suddenly let out a breath they didn't know they were holding in when she spoke. Cory stepping closer to as the girl two questions. "Do you hate me and are you going after her too?" He asked sincerely.

Cleo let a warm smile play on her lips and shook her head. "No, I don't hate you, Cory. No, I'm not running after her. That's Riley's job. Maya will find her way to me and I'll handle some things from there."

•••

There sat Cleo in her room. She was finishing up putting together what she would pair with her dress (the one from earlier thanks to Farkle nagging her at school all day) for the dance.

Another breeze drifted in from her window. She had left it open after what had happened at school, confident a certain blonde headed girl would be climbing through her window soon.

So when she heard a pair of boots hit her floor and saw a figure sitting on her bay window, she wasn't surprised.

"You didn't run after me."

"No, I didn't."

"Why not."

Cleo paused for a second. She noticed Maya was getting angry after her question sounded more like a statement she wanted an answer to. However, she took a deep breath and went over to sit on the bay window with her.

"That's not my job. That part is Riley's."

"It's not your job to at least try to stop me and talk me out of it?"

"No."

"So tell me what it is!"

"It's to let you grow! YOU have to go through life and YOU must learn from and make your own decisions! I didn't run after you because I knew there wasn't any chance of changing your mind. MY job isn't to agree nor disagree with you until I have or want to. MY job is to guide you and let you do what YOU think is right and be there for you every time in between and especially after."

Maya watched Cleo take deep breaths. Standing up, Cleo walked over to her bag and pulled out her inhaler. She shook it before putting her lips on it and pressing down on the top to let the air into her mouth. She breathed out slowly before looking at Maya and shaking the inhaler.

"Asthma. Kicks in when my air supply feels like I'm abusing it."

A light chuckle filled the air in the room, lightening the mood as Cleo came back over to sit down. Maya looked at the girl with apologetic eyes and leaned her head on Cleo's shoulder. "I feel like an idiot."

"Don't. As far as I'm concerned, you're just as smart as me and Farkle."

"You mean Farkle and I?"

"Not the time, blondie."

With a small smile creeping on to both of their lips, they hugged each other and Maya whispered a small 'thank you' in her ear. Pulling back, Maya walked over to the dress on the mannequin with a smirk.

"My, my, my. Pretty dress for a pretty lady I presume? We know who everyone will be looking at tonight."

"Get out."

•••

Cleo hated the fact Maya was right earlier.

Besides the fact she was slightly late for the dance, when she walked in she couldn't help but feel the glances made at her and the cocky smiles of some guys talking amongst themselves. Even making her way to her friends, she put a hand on her hip and waved her hand at them, waiting for them to speak.

"Um, hello to you guys too! Why is no one-."

"Wow."

Cleo's eyes shot towards Lucas when he spoke. The others nodded in agreement at his statement, still staring in awe at their friend. Cleo began to fidget under everyone's gaze, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Maybe this dress was a bad idea. Everyone keeps looking at me weirdly and-."

"Because you look beautiful, DUH."

Cleo looked at Maya as she felt her face heat up. Keeping her cool, she smirked at the girl and looked at the dance floor. She was about to grab Maya's hand until Farkle swooped and pulled Maya away.

"No, Farkle always goes first!"

Cleo shrugged and playfully held her hands out while wiggling her eyebrows at Riley. Riley blushed before lightly laughing and declining before going to try and save Maya from Farkle.

Lucas smiled at the girl playfully and held his hand out to Cleo. She playfully rolled her eyes and turned away, stealing glances at the boy's hand as it never moved.

"Why is it you're always left?"

"Cmon, you know you want to."

With that, Cleo smiled and pulled Lucas on to the dance floor for a couple of songs. Then, the group switched partners throughout the night. Cleo even giving the Farkle the dance she promised him before the night was over.

It went on for a while before he switched to Riley and back to Maya. Riley was dancing with Lucas while Cleo was just looking around observing everything and everyone. That was until Cory stepped on the stage and began to speak.

"Well, guys, it looks like the night is winding down. We hope you all enjoyed the dance. But before we go, I notice some fathers have arrived to pick up their daughters. I wonder if we might have one last dance," Cory paused as everyone clapped, "a father-daughter dance."

Mixed emotions swirled in Cleo's stomach. She watched all the girls dance with their dad's, even seeing Riley let her dad dance with Maya until she joined in. She couldn't help but feel happy for everyone, but one thing was on her mind.

For one of the first times in a while, she missed her dad.

Sighing, she got up and headed towards the door. She could barely make it halfway before she felt someone grab her hands. She looked back to see Riley and Maya at both her sides, pulling her towards Cory. Once they got there, Cory looked softly at the girl.

"You look wonderful Cleo."

Holding in tears and smiling, Cleo nodded her head before dancing with, or what she hopes to be, her family.

•••

Cleo awoke the next day yawning and getting out of bed. She shut off her alarm and grabbed her phone to check her notifications. Besides posts and pictures of the dance last night, her most recent message came from Maya.

Rapunzel💛👑: I'm picking up Riley at 7:00. I know you'll be up late so... Last one to school has to do my homework!

Cleo smiled at the phone and shook her head. "Some things should always stay the same."

•••

PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AFTER THIS CHAPTER!