The seventh-grade dance is coming up and Gwen is dreading it. She was never fan of dances. She didn't like dressing up and she always thought dances were boring. The only high light of the dance was the fact she and Shawn agreed to go together. Only as friends of course. 

Gwen is currently at Chubbies with her two best friends, and her and Shawn are watching Cory trying to ask out a girl, who Gwen knew was named Sonia, to the dance. "Hi." Cory greets. "My name is Cory. The seventh-grade dance is Friday night, and I was wondering if you maybe-"

"I'm sorry." Sonia interrupts, sending him an apologetic smile. "My grandmother's sick."

Gwen covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, knowing that was a lie. She wasn't close friends with Sonia, but they did get along well, and they talked with each other when they were in the classes they shared. She had a feeling that Sonia didn't want to go to the dance with Cory and making up an excuse was her way of getting out of going to the dance with him.

Shawn glances at the curly-haired boy with an amused smile when Cory walked over to him and Gwen. "Any luck?"

"Apparently it's not a good time to be a grandmother." Cory responds. He points at different girls he had asked out to be his date to the dance. "Look, her grandmother's coughing phlegm, her grandmother's hacking blood, and her-"

"Woah." Shawn interrupts him. "I happen to know she has no grandmother."

"Yes," Cory slowly nods. "And somehow she blames me for her death."

Gwen couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips and Cory looks at her with a small glare. "Sorry." Gwen chuckles. "Really," She raises her hands in defense and apologetically smiles as the curly-haired boy kept looking at her with a glare. "I'm sorry."

Cory rolls his eyes and sarcastically comments, "I'm glad my pain is amusing to you."

Shawn chuckles, glancing at her with amusement before looking at Cory while the curly-haired boy sat beside him and across from Gwen. "At least you can't sink any lower."

"Hey, you." The trio looks over in the direction they heard an unfamiliar voice to see an older boy with long hair talking to Cory. "You busy?"

Cory's eyes widen. "You're not gonna ask me to the dance, are you?"

The long-haired boy puts his guitar case in front of him and raises his eyebrows at Cory. "And what if I did?"

"I'd say pick me up at eight, but no slow dances." Cory nervously replied.

The long-haired boy chuckles. "Just watch these for a second." 

Cory nods. "I can do that." The long-haired boy handed the guitar case he held to Cory and his friend handed his guitar case to Shawn before the two of them walked away.

Cory looks at his two best friends. "I'm not going to this dance with anybody."

Shawn sets the guitar case on the table in front of him and rests his arms on it. "Why don't you just ask Topanga?"

"I could," Cory nods. "I could, but that would show no personal growth if I simply asked the girl I've asked since we were five."

Shawn leans his head on his arms, raising his eyebrows at him. "So when are you gonna ask her?"

"I figured tomorrow." Cory replies. "Unless by some magic girls suddenly start to notice me."

"Hi." Gwen raises her eyebrows when Sonia and her friend, Sherry, walks over to them. Sonia smiles at Cory and Shawn. "I couldn't help noticing you."

Cory raises his eyebrows. "Oh, you're talking to me? Shouldn't you be at the hospital visiting one of your many blood-hacking grandmas?"

"Why didn't you tell me you play?" Sherry asked him, referring to the guitar. Gwen glances at the guitar cases Cory and Shawn were watching for the other two boys and her eyes widened in realization. Sonia and Sherry must think they're in a band because of the guitar cases the boys had. She face palmed, knowing that her friends will most likely say they are in a band and that this was going to go down hill. 

Cory looks at the blonde with confusion. "Huh?"

Shawn realizes what Sherry was talking about and he chuckles nervously, hitting Cory's arm. "Cory, they're on to us." He sits up straighter, pointing at the guitar case in front of him. "They've spotted our axes. They know we play. They like musicians."

"Oh, well, then watch me pull this rabbit out of my hat." Cory smiled excitedly. He pretended to be holding a hat.

"Cor," Gwen rolls her eyes. "He said musicians. Not magicians."

"Are you guys in a band?" Sonia asked.

Cory scoffs. "Are we in a band?" He glances at Shawn with furrowed eyebrows. "Are we in a band?"

"Yes, you idiot." Shawn hissed.

"Well, maybe you'd play for us sometime?" Sonia questioned, smiling at the two boys.

"And this is when it all goes down hill." Gwen muttered, resting her elbow on the table and then laid her chin on her hand.

"Yeah, we're gonna tell our friends we know you." Sherry excitedly said. She walked away with Sonia but not before they both smiled at the boys.

"Oh, hey, would you look at that?" Gwen sarcastically smiles, looking at Cory and Shawn. "I'm right." Cory and Shawn rolled their eyes at her.

"You know, they like us because they think we're in a band." Cory pointed out.

Shawn smiles at the guitar case in front of him. "We could cash in on this."

"But we'd be total phonies." Cory reminded him.

Shawn points at him. "Phonies with groupies."

"No." Cory argues as the two guys from before came back and got their guitars from him and Shawn. "We could never pull this off in a million, billion, trillion years."

Gwen nods, pointing at Cory. "Yeah, I agree with Cor. This would never work."

Sonia and Sherry walk back over to the trio when the two guys left. "Wow!" Sherry grins at Cory and Shawn. "You have roadies?"

"Boy," Cory smiles nervously. "Time flies."

"This is going to be bad." Gwen muttered, crossing her arms to rest them on the table and laid her head on them.

****

The next day Gwen was at her locker getting the books out she would need to take home when she noticed Cory and Shawn walking down the hallway, carrying guitar cases which she knew were empty. She zipped her backpack and put it on before she went over to the two boys.

"Let me guess," Gwen sighs, standing beside her two best friends. She points at the guitar cases. "Nothing is in those just like nothing is in there?" She asked, pointing at Cory's head and Shawn's head at the same time.

Cory looks at her with offense, but Shawn just nods. "You know," He tilts his head to the side. "I'd be offended, but I can't since you're right." Gwen smiled and nodded, holding onto the straps of her backpack.

"Well, for your information," Cory sassily speaks to Gwen. He holds up his guitar case. "I have an egg-salad sandwich in mine." Gwen looks at him with amusement and Cory continues. "And I may not have a lot going on up here," He taps the side of his head. "But I got more going on up here than Shawn does." He looks at the dark-haired boy with an apologetic expression. "Sorry."

Shawn shakes his head and chuckles. "Nah, you're good."

"So," The trio's attention is brought to Sonia when she walks over with Sherry, both girls looking at Cory and Shawn with a smile. "Are you guys going to play today?" 

"Today?" Cory raises his eyebrows and a nervous smile forms on his lips. He shakes his head. "No, we never play today."

"We'd love to hear you play. Won't you please play?" Sonia pleaded, looking at the two boys with puppy dog eyes which earned an eye roll from Gwen.

Shawn is quick to agree with Sonia and Gwen notices the wide smile on his face. "Okay."

"Excuse us." Cory said to Sonia and Sherry before he drags Shawn away from the two girls and Gwen follows them. "Shawn, I don't know what's in your case, but I have a feeling nothing is in there, and you already know that I have an egg salad sandwich in my case."

"Cory, they want to see us play." Shawn reminds him. He gestures to Sonia and Sherry. "Look at the pretty girls." He and Cory look at the two girls before they look at each other. "Why can't we play?" Shawn asked.

"Oh, I don't know." Gwen sarcastically comments, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe 'cause of the fact that you can't play?"

Shawn cringes and nods. "Well, that would stop us." He walked over to Sonia and Sherry with Cory and Gwen following him.

"Sorry, girls." Shawn apologizes and the two girls look at him with a frown. "We're not preforming for the public. Our managers won't let us."

"Oh. Why?" Sherry asked in a sad voice.

"Because we're still getting over the death of our drummer." Cory lied.

"Fake drum-" Gwen started to say, but Shawn sent her a small glare and he wrapped his arm around Gwen's shoulders, covering her mouth with his hand. Gwen rolled her eyes and grabbed Shawn's hand to pull it away from her mouth, ignoring the tingling feeling she felt as their hands touch. Shawn looked back at Sonia and Sherry who looked at them with confusion and he laughed nervously as he took his arm off of Gwen's shoulders. Gwen hated to admit she missed the warmth of his touch when it was gone.

"Oh," Sonia steps closer to Shawn so she's standing right beside his right side. "Would you please play?" Gwen rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, taking a step back so she's not standing right beside Shawn. 

Shawn's focus is fully on Sonia as the dark-skinned girl smiles at him. He smiles widely and nods. "Okay." Cory reached over to grab Shawn's shoulder, forcing the dark-haired boy to look at him and Cory glared at him.

"Cory," Cory takes his hand off Shawn's shoulder when a familiar voice says his name. Cory glances to his right side to see Topanga is now standing beside him. "Everybody's talking about you."

Cory grins and glances at Shawn, who also was grinning. "They are?" 

"Yeah," Topanga nods. "They say you're starting a band."

"They're awesome." Sonia complemented.

"Except they don't have a drummer." Sherry added.

Topanga looks at the two girls with furrowed eyebrows. "Who are you?"

Sherry crosses her arms. "We're with the band."

"Okay, I've had enough of this crap." Gwen mumbled and she turned around, walking down the hallway and missing the sad look Shawn gave her. Gwen hated how her best friends were just in a band to get girls. She thought it was such a dumb idea. Now people only like them because they think they're in a band which she also thought was stupid. She just wished the boys knew it was okay to just be themselves and if people doesn't like them then who cares what they think.

She didn't even realize she had bumped into someone since she was so caught up in her own thoughts. "I'm so sorry." A familiar voice apologizes. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Gwen glances up from staring at the ground, smiling when she locks eyes with Kamden. "Well," She sheepishly smiles. "That makes two of us. Sorry for bumping into you."

Kamden shakes his head, running his hand through his blonde hair, and yes, he had the same affect to Gwen that Shawn did when the dark-haired boy ran his hand through his hair. Gwen tries ignoring the butterflies swarming in her stomach as Kamden smiles at her. "So, um, about the dance coming up. I was wondering," He nervously rubs the back of his neck. "Do you, uh, do you have a date?"

"Yeah," Gwen grimaces and nods. An apologetic smile forms on her face. "I'm sorry. Shawn and I are going as friends." It hurt her saying that they were going just as friends.

"No worries." Kamden assures her, sending her a smile to assure her he was fine even though he felt upset about her having a date. "So, um," He bites his lower lip, looking at her with a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Are you busy now? I know you normally hang out with Cory and Shawn, but-"

"I'd love to hang out with you." Gwen interrupted him before he could ramble. It was something he did when he was nervous and she thought it was cute. 

Kamden smiles, looking a bit surprised. "Really?"

 Gwen chuckles. "Of course. Cory and Shawn are making a 'band'," She uses air quotations around the word 'band'. "And are having auditions for band members today so they'll be busy."

"Oh, okay." Kamden nods in realization. He furrows his eyebrows and tils his head to the side. "But what do you mean when you said they're making a 'band'?" He asked, using air quotations like she did.

"'Cause they're only in it to get girls." Gwen replied.

"Oh." Kamden said, staring off into space acting as if he was thinking. He smiles and nods. "That's a great idea."

"Kamden!" Gwen scolded him, hitting the back of his head. 

Kamden chuckles, raising his arms in defense. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! That idea is, of course, stupid." Gwen rolled her eyes and she couldn't help the smile forming on her lips.

"So, you wanna go hang out now?" Gwen asked him since it was the end of the day now.

"Sure." Kamden responds. He tilts his head to the side. "What do you wanna do?"

Gwen smiles at the idea she thought of. "We could go to the arcade."

Kamden grins and points at her. "Now that is a great idea." Gwen chuckles and he asks, "Do you have a ride? Annabelle brought me to school today." He smiles at her. "And I'm sure she can drop us off at the arcade."

"My dad is supposed to pick me up," Gwen answers. "But I'm sure he'll be okay with me hanging out with you and I can have him give me a ride to the arcade." She tilts her head as she thinks about what time they should go. "We could meet there at four?"

Kamden smiles. "Four sounds great."

****

Gwen's dad dropped her off at the arcade at four that day, saying she would pick her up in an hour, and the same went with Kamden and his sister. Gwen and Kamden had a blast together. Gwen lost count on how many games they played.  During their time playing games they got to know each other even more now. Like how bad Gwen is at with basketball and how good of a dancer Kamden is. When they got to the claw machine, Kamden was surprised and pleased to find out that her favorite animal is a horse. 

At the claw machine Kamden won Gwen a stuffed horse that she picked out. She had tried getting it a few times, but she lost each time which saddened her because that stuffed horse was really cute. But Kamden came to her rescue and got her the horse she wanted, and she thought that was really sweet of him. Before they left the arcade, they got in the photo booth and took some photos together. Some were silly and some were cute. Overall, they had a great night. 

Now it was the next day and Gwen was currently in the hallway near her locker, talking with Kamden about the fun night they had. Gwen's attention is brought to the sudden crowd near her. She furrows her eyebrows. "What's going on?"

Kamden looks at the crowd and shakes his head. "No idea." The two of them walk over to the crowd, and Kamden could see just fine because of being so tall, but Gwen, on the other hand, could not see that well. 

Kamden's eyes widen. "Oh no."

"What?" Gwen looks at him with furrowed eyebrows. "What's the 'oh no' for?"

Kamden glances at her with a grimaced expression and he uses air quotations around the word 'band'. "Cory's and Shawn's 'band' replaced the band that couldn't play the dance."

A wide-eyed expression forms on Gwen's face. "Oh no." This is exactly what she feared would happen.

Kamden nods in agreement, pointing at her. "Now you know why I said 'oh no'."

****

It was now time for the dance and Gwen wasn't really for sure what to expect to happen, she just knows it can't be any good. Gwen brings her attention away from talking with Kamden and Topanga to Mr. Feeny when he talks into the microphone. "Check. Microphone one." He taps the microphone and microphone feedback is heard. "Test."

Gwen's uncle appears from behind the curtain, standing behind Mr. Feeny. "George," Jonathan said, glancing out at the crowd. "Keep talking, we need more." He locked eyes with his niece, and she looked at him worriedly, hoping that her best friends were alright. He nodded and smiled at her reassuringly. It helped calm her nerves down a little bit. Not all the way though.

"Stay in school." Mr. Feeny continues, gaining everyone's attention this time and everyone was looking at him weirdly. "Get a good education. Don't slouch."

Jonathan glances at Mr. Feeny and shakes his head. "George, George, you are killing the mood."

Mr. Feeny shrugs. "Good." He went back behind the curtain and Jonathan followed him.

A few moments has passed and then Gwen notices her uncle walk back onto stage. He grabs the microphone and smiles. "John Adams High, it is with great pleasure that I give you the Exits!" 

Gwen exchanges a small smile with Kamden before they both joined everyone else with clapping. She looks at the stage with a nervous smile as the curtain is pulled back to reveal Cory and Shawn by the snack table back there. Gwen bit her lower lip nervously, noticing the look of fear on their faces. 

Jonathan looks at the two boys with a sheepish smile and shrugs. "Oops. My mistake." He walked off the stage while everyone cheers when Cory and Shawn walked up to the stage. Cory and Shawn put on their guitars and smiled at everyone.

"Good evening, John Adams High!" Cory shouted and everyone cheered in response.

"Are you ready to rock?" Cory questioned.

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered.

"Are you ready to roll?" Cory asked.

"Yeah!" Everyone yelled excitedly.

"Are you ready to rock and roll?" The cheers were louder this time after Cory asked that.

"Good night, everybody!" Shawn exclaimed and he went to run, but Cory grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back over to him. Shawn shared a nervous smile with Cory.

When they started singing something they made up and playing their guitars badly the crowd booed. They quickly left after finding out that the boys were a fake. The only ones from the crowd that were left are Gwen and Topanga. Kamden left because Annabelle was ready to leave and Annabelle was his ride home. Annabelle was at the seventh-grade dance because she had to chaperone and barely anyone wanted to help out with that. Annabelle had only agreed since her choices were either chaperoning a seventh grade dance or detention. She had got detention because she was late to a class and talked-backed to her teacher (she had accidentally slept in and missed part of her first class, but in her defense, she thought she had set an alarm when in reality she forgot to).

Cory had went over to Topanga and now they were dancing to some tape of Mr. Feeny's they put in the stereo. Gwen found it amusing that the band did the same 'name-game' thing that Cory did. "Hey," Shawn greets as he walks over to Gwen, taking the empty seat beside her, and Gwen smiles at him. He smiles back at her and glances around. "Where's Kamden?"

"Oh, he had to leave with his sister." Gwen responds. "You do know that you guys ruined tonight, right?" An amused smile made its way to her lips. "It was kind of funny though."

"I'm glad that our misery is funny to you." Shawn sarcastically commented, but he couldn't help but look at her with a smile. 

Gwen chuckles. "In all honesty, I didn't think you guys were that back."

Shawn looks at her in disbelief. "Are you serious? We were so bad everyone left."

"Yeah." Gwen nods in agreement, bringing her gaze as she thinks. "It's probably 'cause of you with the guitar. It was cute." When she realized she said that out loud her face tinted pink and she mentally scolded herself for saying that.

"Oh, so you think I'm cute?" Shawn asked, looking at her with a smirk.

Gwen rolls her eyes and stands up. "Just shut up and dance with me, Shawnie."

Shawn smiles, taking ahold of her hand while the two best friends walk further onto the gym to stand near where Cory and Topanga are dancing. "Can't say no to that."

A/N am i the only one who's actually starting to really like gwen & kamden? they're cute you guys ! but, of course, gwen & shawn are much cuter