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Barry adjusted his tie nervously. He couldn’t believe he let Iris drag him here. He hated school dances so the fact that he was forced to go to prom was torture. Sure the gym looked nice and all that other stuff but the point was the fact that his best friend ditched him to dance with a guy leaving him all alone. Taking a sigh Barry drank some of the punch. He scanned the crowd to see if there was anyone he was even kind of friends with to hang out with. He spotted the jocks with their cheerleader girlfriends, all except one who was dating the theater queen. There were the other people of the science club all with their dates. Just as he was losing hope of seeing even just one lone person he spotted someone. Dressed in a smart looking black suit with a silvery blue tie stood one Hartley Rathaway. Hartley was well known through the school. Obviously smart the glasses wearing teen tended to look down on others. On top of that a majority of people knew about his parents and the fact that he had been adopted by the Harrison Wells. It was also a well known fact that he was gay. Barry hadn’t realized he was staring until blue eyes met his own green ones and a brow was raised in question. Barry looked away, heat prickling at his skin. Choosing to ignore the feeling that he was in fact being watched Barry slipped through the crowd to get more punch. It was as he was starting to drink that a voice spoke besides him.
“Your Bartholomew Allen correct?” Barry almost choked on his drink. Ignoring the pain in his throat Barry spoke.
“I-It’s Barry actually. Just Barry.”
“Barry, hmm.” Finally Barry looked over to see who was speaking to him and almost had a heart attack. Hartley had a slightly amused look as he watched the taller male.
“Are you alright?” Jerkily Barry nodded, hoping he couldn’t see how red his face was. It was also then that he made another realization.
‘Hartley Rathaway knows who I am.’ Even if Hartley wasn’t the most liked guy at the school, and a lot of people really didn’t like him, it was huge if he knew who you were.
“U-uh y-yeah I’m good.” Barry winced a little as his voice cracked.
“I’m Hartley, Hartley Rathaway.” Hartley introduced as he held out his hand.
“I know, n-not because I’ve looked you up or anything but because people have talked about you, not that I really listen to it! Not that you aren’t interesting! I uh I’m just going to stop talking now.” Barry turned his gaze back to his drink, really wishing the ground would swallow him. Laughter met his ears and shyly Barry glanced up at the shorter male.
“You really are too cute.” Hartley informed a smirk making its way onto his face. Unsure how to respond Barry took a nervous sip from the punch.
“Would you care to join me for a dance?” Luckily Barry had swallowed before Hartley asked that question.
“Huh?”
“Would you care to join me for a dance?” Hartley repeated, holding his hand out. Barry bit his lip as he thought the offer over. Slowly, nervously Barry took the offered hand. Hartley led him onto the floor just as a slow song began to play. Awkwardly Barry moved his hands until Hartley directed them. Barry had his arms on Hartley’s shoulders as Hartley’s hands were on his hips. Slowly they began to sway to the music. Barry focused on Hartley rather than the looks he knew the two of them were getting.
“I’ve wanted to speak to you for sometime.” Hartley murmured. Barry looked in confusion.
“You have?”
“Yes. I wasn’t joking about you being cute.” With a light blush Barry lent forward to press a quick kiss to Hartley’s cheek.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while…”
“Hm, so if it’s not too presumptuous of me, would you like to join me for lunch tomorrow?”
“Uh yeah. That would be… nice.” Barry agreed as a smile spread across his face.
“Good, so it’s a date.” Hartley confirmed. Smiling shyly Barry rested his head on Hartley as the other tightened his grip. Maybe prom wasn’t so bad after all.