Hange Zoe Short Story Collection

Line Without a Hook (Part 6)

"Oh, baby, I am a wreck when I'm without you. I need you here to stay."

There were paper snowflakes dangling from the ceiling and light blue crepe streamers on the ceiling, the posters on the walls were all related to winter or snow, and there was a light cheer in the air. Everyone was excited for the upcoming dance. Every year, Trost Middle School threw a winter dance for all of its students. It was a fun event for the students to partake in. Except...except for the part of asking people to the dance.

(Y/N), an awkward 12-year-old with not great social skills, was faced with the task of asking someone to accompany her to the dance. Who would she ask? Jean Kirstein—the notorious ladies' man who ironically did not have a date yet? Connie Springer, the class clown who also didn't have a date? Who would she ask? And would anyone even agree to go to the dance with her? She wasn't exactly popular.

"(Y/NN)!" An arm was slung around her shoulder, and (Y/N) stumbled as Hange pulled her close. "They just created an Insects and Reptiles club! You should join it with me!"

Hange was joking—they knew that (Y/N) would never want to join a club about bugs...but it didn't hurt to ask! They grinned at their best friend, completely ignoring all of the decorations about the dance. They didn't care about things like that. There was science to do, things to discover...why would they care about stuff like dances?

"Are you going to the dance?" (Y/N) asked, turning towards Hange. She ignored their question, as they often brought up stuff like that. Hange didn't mind that either, they knew (Y/N)'s interests lay somewhere else. They also ignored her questions sometimes—it was a great dynamic! "It's next week and I don't have anyone to go with."

Hange turned to look at the decorations above them, their eyes wide behind the lens of their glasses. "No, I didn't even think about the dance! You're going? If you go, I'll go."

"It doesn't work like that," (Y/N) smiled. "You have to either e asked out or ask someone out. It's like a romantic dance. You can't go by yourself."

"Why not?" Hange frowned. "Friends can't go to these things?"

"They can, they totally can!" (Y/N) explained quickly. "But it's mostly for couples and stuff. No one has asked me out yet and I can't think of anyone to ask out either."

"Oh. I just thought that you and I would go together," Hange blinked. "Like how we always do everything else."

(Y/N) turned to look at Hange in surprise. "So, you weren't planning on asking anyone out? There's no one you want to dance with? No person...that you wanted to ask out romantically?"

Hange hummed, their eyes narrowing as they thought for a few seconds. "Nope. I just want to go with you."

(Y/N) didn't respond, her gaze still trained on Hange. They had turned to grin at her, their smile brighter than the fluorescent lights in the hallway. They wanted to go with her? Out of everyone in class, they wanted to be seen at the dance with her? Well, it had always been like that. She and Hange were always seen together everyone—classes, clubs, at each other's homes...they were inseparable. Why had she been so bent on trying to ask someone else out? Why had she been so upset that no one has asked her out? She had Hange. She would always have Hange.

"Hey, Hange," she said suddenly, reaching out to grip the sleeve of their jacket to stop them from walking.

"Yeah?" They turned to her curiously, wondering why she had stopped them in the middle of the hallway.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" She asked, looking them straight in the eye. She felt nervous for some reason, her heart beat faster than it should have been. She was just asking her best friend to accompany her to the dance—it was nothing special.