Elizabeth, in a dark red dress that emphasizes her bust

It was a full five seconds before I remembered to pick up my jaw off the floor. Elizabeth had chosen to go for a sultry, red dress that only went halfway up her bust, accentuated by a line of intricately braided ribbons, like they were the only things holding back her cleavage from spilling out. I swallowed hard, and she gave off a demure laugh as she noticed.

"Wow," I finally managed. "I-It would be my honor, Elizabeth." Giggling, she made a small, polite curtsy before accepting my extended palm.

In many ways, Elizabeth and I were very much alike. We started out as a pair of awkward teens unsure of what to do with the hormones and emotions running amok inside of us. But with the help of our friends, we slowly found our way around - and though our paths didn't converge all the way, we both learned from our shared experiences. Elizabeth had blossomed into a bombshell, a far cry from the "little sister" in the group who received more than her fair share of teasing for being misunderstood, and never felt comfortable about her assets.

"You look like a goddess," I couldn't help saying.

"You clean up nicely yourself," she murmured. Then to my surprise, she placed both her hands on my chest and leaned in close, effectively resting her upper body against me. "Please? For a while?"

I glanced at where Andy was getting spun around by Amy and her killer moves. He tipped his head and grinned somewhat dizzily, indicating his permission.

For a while I closed my eyes and held her, feeling the serenity surround us as we stepped across the floor. It was hard not to imagine the night when she laid her feelings bare, knowing I could no longer reciprocate them.

As if sensing the hint of my regret, she placed a gentle hand near my eye and brushed away a tear I didn't know I was shedding.

"Go on," she whispered, with the confident smile she now came to wear. "The two of you need to be happy. And I know you can do it."

"Thanks," I muttered lamely. "You too."

Elizabeth hugged me in the way that a younger sister might do for her brother, before pushing me away - with probably more **** than she intended - so she could retrieve Andy from Amy's clutches. Then she turned her date to putty in her hands with a single passionate French kiss.

"Everything all right?" asked Amy.

"Everything's all right." I pulled her in for a kiss, and we softly moaned into each other.

"Not intruding, are we?" We broke the lock as we turned to see the couple that moved next to us.