Deviating from the Norm (A "Freaks and Geeks" Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - "I'll be the beauty and you can be my beast..."

Author's Note: This chapter goes off of and builds around the alternate ending to episode 1. I remembered reading it on the Freaks and Geeks website (a long, long time ago. Thanks to the archive website I found it again) and thought it would be perfect for this story. As the alternate ending goes, in addition to Millie and Lindsay, Kim Kelly was working the refreshment table at the dance as well, much to her dismay.

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The next day at school Nick dropped a bombshell in reveling that he and Lindsay had been caught off school property during school hours by Mr. Rosso, and she was being forced to work the refreshment table at the following night's Homecoming dance as punishment. The hippie guidance counselor had all but completely given up on Nick and decided not to even attempt taking disciplinary action against him.

While Ken, Daniel and I burst into laughter at their misfortune, Kim simply released a large sigh and buried her face in her hands for a moment when she found out. The four of us were hanging out under the stairs (which was the only place we would really frequent while inside school) when Kim burst into a repetitive verse of saying 'shit, shit, shit'.

"What the hell?" I questioned and shot a glance to Daniel, who looked to be just as confused as I was until, it seemed, an imaginary light bulb popped on above his head. Once it did, he grinned toothily.

"Is little miss Kim going to have to work the refreshment table with her favorite person ever?" he quipped.

"Bite me," she groaned while Nick, Ken and I continued to share dumbfounded expressions.

It was soon disclosed that, earlier in the day, Kim had gained the ire of Mr. Rosso when he caught her at the tail end of harassing a little geeky kid. As punishment, she was being forced to work the refreshment table at Homecoming as well. We must have sounded like we were stoned out of our minds with the roar of laughter that followed Kim's confession.

"You all better show up!" she demanded as our amusement subsided. "I'm not spending three hours alone with that brain. I've had a hard enough time trying to avoid running into her today."

Daniel scoffed, loudly. "It's not like you had to put in much effort. Do you really think she's interested in being anywhere near you with how ya treated her yesterday?" He sounded irritated, looking down at his hands and picking at a random finger.

Kim stared at him, a look of anger growing in her eyes.

"I have plans. Magic mushroom plans," Ken responded, still snickering a little.

"Yeah, me too," Nick quickly joined in. "I've got to, uh... practice my drums. For the whole night." He quickly, and nervously, glanced to Daniel, who was still staring down at his hands.

I looked over at Kim, knowing full-well it was my turn. "No excuse, just not going. Hate me all you want. Sorry... kinda." I had no inclination whatsoever to go to the dance. While I was still playing football, I had made plans well in advance for the dance, but they crumbled to dust as soon as I quit the sport and I was not looking forward to any awkward fallout if I did show.

"God! You guys all suck!" she whined, sliding down the wall into a sitting position. She looked up at her boyfriend with hope, and sweetly said his name, "Daniel?"

He was still eyeing his hands. "You made your bed, now you gotta lie in it," he answered somewhat coldly. The answer felt calculated, like he was just waiting for her to ask and he had his response all prepped.

She stood up in a hurry, appearing hurt by his statement. "Oh yeah? I'll remember that the next time you want to do anything in bed, Desario. How about that?" She stormed off without even the interest of waiting for a response.