Usually Huntington middles eighth-grade formal wasn't held on Halloween night due to poor attendance. However, Locket managed to finagle the schools calendar and Wala! She wanted Peep's first dance with a girl to be with her. In less than 12 hours Locket had many firsts of her own. She's eaten fast food, gone to the beach, went swimming, had her picture taken, went trick-or-treating and soon she'd have her first dance with a real boy.  And not just any boy. Locket had chosen Peep and she hoped beyond hope he'd choose her back.

As they entered the transformed gymnasium Locket gasped. The theme was A Starry Night. There were brilliant white fairy lights crisscrossing the ceiling. Handmade silvery stars in a variety of sizes hung down amongst thousands of blue helium filled balloons. Silvery ribbons hung down like a suspended rainfall.

A DJ played Michael Jackson's Thriller and silly girls  in frilly dresses were doing the dance moves. Locket wished she could join them but by the time she explained her wish to the ladies in her purse Thriller was over.

Lil Peep led lock it over to the punch bowl. "Would you like some punch Emma? "

"No thank you. I'd rather not to be punched. "

"Seriously Emma? It's a fruit drink; we just call it punch. "

"Why? "

"I don't know... Good question Emma. "

"Thank you peep. "

After sipping the bright red, overly sweet, liquid! Locket prayed silently for Peep to ask her to dance. When Forever Young blasted from the speakers it screamed FATE!

"Would you like to dance Emma? "Peep held out his hand. He looked quite dapper in his zoot suit and fedora with its wide white band.

"I thought you'd never ask! "Locket took Peep's  hand and followed him onto the dance floor. She whispered into his ear. "I don't know how to dance. "

"Just hang onto me. Put your arms around my neck." Peep put his arms around Locket's waist. "Now feel the rhythm as we will sway. It's sorta like feeling the rhythm of the ocean. "

"Ooh I like this." Locket laid her head on Peep's shoulder. "I could stay like this forever... Would you like to be forever young, Peep? "

Peep thought about it. He wouldn't want to stay a kid forever. He wouldn't want to go to school forever. He wouldn't want adults telling him what to do forever. "I don't know... But being here with you... is perfect."

Inwardly Locket swooned. She only had a few hours left to pop the question. The question to end all questions.

Peep lifted Locket's chin and gave her a gentle kiss. Locket no longer needed wings to fly for she was floating on air.

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In the middle of the song: "Young Dumb and Broke," Peep noticed two chubby ladies in pant suits bringing in a giant sheet cake." "Oh look Emma! It's time for cake."

"Oh silly Peep, it's always time for cake." Locket laughed.

"Let's be first in line!"  Peep pulled Locket near the refreshment table.

"Fairies never wait in line," Locket snickered as Peep got them first in line.

"You're not a real fairy today Emma. Today you're just like me." Peep reached for two slices of vanilla cake with strawberry filling.

Locket scooped some whipped cream frosting with her finger and licked it. After dropping a bit of cake in her purse for her friends she asked, "Could we eat this somewhere quiet?"

"Sure thing." Peep led Locket out the side door. They walked around the school building and onto the soccer field.

"Where are you taking me?" Locket held her cake steady.

"You'll see..." Peep climbed to the top of the outdoor bleachers. "Come up here."

Locket teased, "Goodness it's so hard for humans to get around. All this walking and climbing."

"You've only been human for a few hours. Call me in a few years." Peep helped Locket to the top row.

"I'd love to."  Locket sat close to Peep.

"You'd love to what?" Peep asked.

"Call you in a few years?" Locket sighed.

Both of them sat there silently with plates of cake in their laps. They both looked up noticing the full moon in a clear sky full of twinkling stars.

Just as Peep was about to take a bite of cake Locket spoke. "I need to ask you something Peep."

"Sure thing. Ask me anything. I'm an open book." Peep joked.

"No you're not. Your heart is open but your book is hard to read." Locket placed her plate on the bench next to her and walked along the bleachers.

Peep followed her. "What do you mean Emma?"

Locket stopped walking and faced Peep. "Do you like me Peep?"

"Of course I like you. Can't you tell that by now?" Peep felt lost.

"But do you like me, like me?" Locket asked.

"Now you're sounding very much like a human girl Emma."

"Here's the thing..." She reached into her purse and pulled out a tiny blue vial. "This is for you."

Peep took the crystal vial. "What is it?"

"It's my tears." Locket bit her lower lip.

Confused Peep asked, "Huh?"

"My tears..." Locket sat down careful not to sit on the cake. "Peep at midnight I must go. I'm never allowed to return to this realm."

"What are you saying Emma? That I'll never see you again? Peep sat close to her.

"That is up to you Peep."

"Are you telling me you cannot stay Emma forever?" Peep's lip quivered.

"No, being Emma is a temporary thing. My mother gave me a potion to drink. It only allows me to be human for 12 hours."

"But you can come back right? You can visit me as Locket? I'll leave my window open!"

"No Peep... Once you're thirteen I can't visit you anymore." Locket began to cry.

Peep hugged her. "Locket no! You can't leave me!"

Locket sniffed. "I don't want to leave you, I have to... but that's what the vial's for..."

Peep held the intricate vial up to the moon.

Locket explained, "Before your 21st birthday you must decide."

"Decide what Emma?"

-End of Chapter 48-

Author's note: I love writing. I don't know much about marketing or self publishing. I fully intend to figure it out. I thank you so much for taking the time to read my stories on Wattpad. Your votes reads likes and shares mean the world to me!
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