Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for taking so long to update, between the wedding week, the wedding and moving into our new place plus work I just had NO time for myself. It was craaazzzzyyyy, but it turned out great :)Anyways, here is Chapter 8. Again thank you all for sticking through this and big thank you to Kori and Richard Grayson for the kind messages :D and to all my reviewers and followers I love you all! Your awesome! Hope you like it!

Chapter 8

She looked at herself in the mirror twirling around letting the soft silky dark purple material flow out around her as she took in the sight. Her long auburn hair was pulled up into a bun with a small white rose pinned on the side as her bangs got pulled to one side and tucked behind her ear. Her make up highlighted her eyes with a dark smoky eye and light purple accents to tie everything together.

Kori spun around once more before letting out a small sigh remembering the events that seemed so long ago to her now when it was only just yesterday. After Richard and she ate some food they stayed in his huge living room just sitting on the couch and talking for hours. The topics were from their favorite color to where they want to go to college. She realized that they did in fact have a lot in common. He even explained why he had not told her about his feelings earlier; he thought that she would never date him because of his reputation at the school. That she actually hated him. Which wasn't far from the truth at first but her feelings changed the moment he let slip how he felt to Wally.

Kori's head shot up from the floor at her new friends name dancing around in her head.

Wally…He was going to pick her up for the dance soon. She had truly hoped Richard would have asked her last night but he never did. Actually after their long talk she went home and he didn't try to kiss her again. She was confused; if he loved her wouldn't he kiss her goodnight? Or at least talk about what happened between them?

Oh, this is a mess.

She heard her doorbell ring throughout the house and immediately became nervous. Listening intently she put her ear up to her door she heard the muffled greetings and shuffling of footsteps. She pushed off her door and stepped in front of her mirror once more. One last look over and a wink for confidence she opened her door grabbing her small clutch on the way out, Kori made her way down the stairs.

She had to blush at the look on Wally's face. His mouth popped open and his eyes went wide. She couldn't help but like the little surge of pride that went through her at his dumbfounded face. Kori also couldn't help but noticed that he looked very handsome in a black suit with a red vest. Something in her made a note of the color difference but they were just friends and after the long phone call with him after she got home last night it was pretty short notice. She had told him everything that happened at school between her, Xavier and Richard. Wally was surprisingly understanding of it all, very worried of course for her but wasn't put off when she told him about her and Richard kissing.

"You look amazing, Kor." Wally put his arm out for her to loop her hand around for pictures. Kori's mother snapped pictures upon pictures of the two. Having them stand in different poses and go to different places for a better background

"Thank you. You are looking very handsome as well, Wally." She smiled at him at which he grabbed her hand and placed a small kiss causing Luan to gush over and quickly take ten more photos just of that. "I also thank you for taking me to the dance" Kori said and lowering her voice bringing her face closer to his ear "and dealing with my mother."

"Of course Kori." He chuckled and gave her a smirk. "Ready to go? If we stay any longer we might not make it out of here." He jabbed his thumb out at her mother and Kori giggled in response.

"Mom, we have to go!" Kori dragged Wally out of the house yelling goodbyes back at her mother and little brother. Hopping into Wally's black challenger they both laughed and headed to the dance. Kori couldn't help but feel anxious, wondering if Richard was going or not and if he would do anything when he saw her.

Kori almost couldn't believe how much the inside of the school changed in one day. Little twinkling lights, banners, fake sparkling gold stars, some light ivory colored fabric hanging down from the metal beams around the lobby area in loops lined with white Christmas lights around it and up-lighting in deep ocean blue colors and shiny gold. She had never seen anything more enchanting than this room. Music filled her ears with a fast club beat as many students were on the floor dancing to the rhythmic flow around them. All her bad memories from yesterday were completely blown away and replaced with this beautiful scene before her.

"Pretty awesome, huh?" Wally asked as he pulled her towards their group of friends standing around at one of the many round tables.

"It is truly magical." Kori beamed at him with a dazzling smile squeezing his arm practically jumping up and down with excitement. As she got closer to the table Kori was overjoyed at how all her friends were so dressed up, even Rachel. Karen had on a bright yellow dress that came just above her knees, the bottom part was a different material than the top. It reminded Kori of a not so puffed up ballerina's skirt with a corset top. Victor had on a black tux with the same canary yellow as Karen's dress for his vest color. Kori thought they looked so cute together.

What really shocked her was that Rachel was, well for Rachel, really dressed up and Gar's arm was around her shoulders. Rachel went for the floor length formal dress like Kori but hers was a beautiful midnight blue strapless dress. It hugged her body and flowed out from her hips so much that when it hit the floor she had a small train trailing after her. Gar had on the traditional black tux but as Kori got closer to them she could see a little tint of dark green in it but his vest matched Rachel's dress. Kori was ecstatic about them going to this dance together her smile kept getting bigger as she got closer to everyone.

"Girl! You're looking good." Karen pulled her into a hug and held her at arm's length giving her a once over and a wink.

"Thank you, you all are looking amazing tonight. I never would have thought I would see the day where Rachel wore a dress." Kori teased her friend that now had a small glare on her face. "Oh Rachel, you look great! Do not glare at me." Kori giggled as her friends face softened into a small smile.

The music died down and instead a slow song filled the inner walls of the school making the students go from hip popping moves to slow graceful swaying back and forth as they held onto their dates for the night. Kori couldn't help the huge smile that came on her face as Karen pulled Victor onto the dance floor without a say. Garfield finally got the courage to take Rachel's hand as he slowly and tentatively followed in suit with Karen.

Wally took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor along with everyone but not before spinning her around and pulling her back to him as his hand went on her waist and the other laced with hers holding it out in a standard ballroom position.

"Care to dance?" Wally jokingly asked as he chuckled and Kori couldn't help but genuinely laugh at his silliness. They began swaying back and forth and she was surprised at how smooth his dancing was. As he sent her out to a spin she glanced at all her friends with their dates in all the bliss of being together, she couldn't help the little pang that went through her heart at seeing this. She wished Richard would have showed up. She was happy with Wally of course but she did miss Richard and wanted his arm to be the ones she returned to with this spin.

"Something wrong, Kor?" he noticed the small frown appearing on her face.

She perked up immediately not wanting to ruin this night for him. "Of course not, I am greatly enjoying tonight." She smiled hoping it convinced him. It didn't.

"Kori, I know you. You're not going to hurt my feelings if you admit that you want him here. I know how you feel, babes." He winked and she gave him a curious look.

"I kind of have a thing for someone. Her name's Jen, she's in track with me and a great runner." He admitted blushing a bit which Kori thought was adorably cute.

"Was she not able to come tonight?" Kori started looking around unconsciously thinking she would be able to see the mystery girl but then remembered she was just that, a mystery because she didn't know what she looked like at all.

"She's here, but I couldn't let you go alone. She came with a good friend of hers also that couldn't find a date in time." He shrugged and Kori felt horrible, just because she didn't want to go alone her friend sacrificed his chance at a perfect night for her. She had to do something. She couldn't do this to Wally, he's been so good to her.

"Wally, where is she?" Kori asked determinedly making her point to not talk her out of this.

"Well…" He started looking around "Oh, there. See her there in the red dress she has darker hair with the pink highlights?" He pointed behind her to a couple standing by the punch bowl at the edge of the dance floor.

Kori turned around and saw that the mystery girl Jen had a short just above the knee-length red dress that matched Wally's vest exactly. She had fair skin that complemented her dark short and somewhat spiky hair. It was longer but in an up do that made it look somewhat punkish. Her pink highlights streaked throughout her hair and her eyes were a dark hazel color. Kori could definitely see her and Wally together. She seemed like the type that would calm his overly excited personality.

Kori also noticed a man was standing in front of Jen with his back to Kori. Something about the man sparked a hint of recognition but she couldn't place who it was. He had dark hair or at least it seemed that way from where she was standing. She didn't know who Jen was friends with so Kori assumed that she had never met this man before and brushed off the feeling.

Turning back to Wally she grabbed his hand and started dragging him over to Jen and her date. As they got closer Kori locked eyes with Jen and gave her a friendly smile which she automatically returned. So far Kori liked the girl.

"Pardon me, but I believe this young man wanted to dance with you." Kori stated as she finally reached Jen with a proudly smiling Wally in tow.

"Told ya she would do that." Wally walked over to Jen and placed a hand around her waist and which Kori knitted her brows in confusion.

"She's stubborn alright." A familiar voice sounded right next to Kori and she finally looked over to Jen's date and her mouth popped open in complete surprise. Richard Grayson stood next to her in all of his god like glory sporting a black tux with a black vest and white button up shirt. His hair was in a messy spike kind of look and his blue eyes were to die for and Kori could have died right there and be happy.

"Richard…" She managed to find an inkling of her voice.

"The one and only." He winked at her making her blush furiously as memories of their kiss sprang to the front of her mind.

"Wait, what's going on here? You're her date? Wally did you know about this?" She started putting two and two together and whipped around to face a now sheepish Wally in her wrath.

"Yeah, yeah okay look. After you told me what happened yesterday I called him and we arranged this little hook up knowing you would have to drag me over here to her because you felt bad so I set it up to where Dick was Jen's date tonight, even though she's really mine." He gave Jen a peck on the cheek to which she flushed a bright red.

"Now if you two don't mind I think I'm going to take this lovely woman out on the dance floor." He saluted the Kori and Richard before taking Jen's hand and finishing up the slow dance that was still playing. Kori watched them go with a total dumbfounded look upon her face.

"Could I have this dance?" Richard extended his hand out to her that made her snap out of her reeling thoughts of what just happened.

"S-sure." Kori still couldn't get over how handsome he looked in a tux and she thought that his regular clothes at school made him look good, how wrong she was. If he came to school in a tux everyday then she wouldn't be able to concentrate on school work.

He pulled her out onto the dance floor and placed his hand in the middle of her shoulder blades pulled her tight to his body while his other hand laced in with her fingers and leveled with their eyes.

"You look beautiful, Kori." He murmured as they began to move around to the music. Apparently the men at her school was taught ballroom dancing because once again like Wally she was taken off guard at his dancing skills, they gracefully glided across the dance floor.

"You look rather handsome yourself, Richard." She didn't realize what she said until it came out of her mouth but he gave her a bright smile as his hand squeezed her closer to him.

Being in his arms again sent Kori on cloud nine, she was in complete bliss just like everyone else with their dates. Now Kori knew how it felt to have almost the perfect night with the man that she, well, that she was falling in love with.

"Kori" Richard broke their dreamlike state pulling back to look at her face "about yesterday. I don't know how you feel but I hope you'll at least take what I'm about to ask into consideration." He paused and took a deep breath as the rest of his sentence came out in a rush "Would you go out with me?"

She almost didn't understand what he said but once she deciphered his nervous speech her eyes went wide and she almost couldn't breathe.

Richard Grayson asking me out?! No way!

"I know what you're thinking and I would never treat you that way Kori. I don't want a fling for a week. I want to go out on dates, spoil you, make you laugh, be there when you're sad and celebrate the good times and maybe even some time down the road get married. I don't know but I do know that my feelings for you aren't going away for a long, long time and right now I just want to be with you." He ended his speech leaving everything in her hands. Kori just stood there looking at him for a minute. Looking in his eyes for the truth in his words and she found it. He was so vulnerable in that moment that her heart melted and she knew that her own feelings for him were similar.

"Yes." She couldn't help the huge smile on her face as realization dawned on Richards and he got the goofiest look. The calm and collected Richard Grayson was replaced with the overly happy one. He crashed his lips to hers bringing her in for a sweet kiss that she was not expecting but soon molded to his and brought her hands around his neck as his landed on her waist. Off in the distance she could hear the cheers and multiple claps from their friends as they deepened the kiss. Richard broke the kiss much to Kori's dismay and spun her out and back and then bringing her to a low dip as he held her up.

"Now what?" She asked almost breathless and in a haze of delight.

"Now…now we start this whole new journey together. If you're willing." Richard brought her back up to standing waiting for her answer but instead received a kiss from the beautiful red-head and he would never get tired of that.

"Led the way, Grayson."

Wellll...I left it like that because I don't know if I want to do a Sequel or just an Epilogue. Hmmmmm...We shall see. Haha. Anyways, let me know what you think! Love all my fans!