Homecoming 1980. It’s about 10:30, and the night is going swell. The home team won, and everyone’s retreated into the gym where the student government has set up a lackluster, yet charming celebration. The DJ they hired is about 3 years behind everyone else, he’s still blasting disco while everyone else has been proclaiming that disco is dead. You go up to the booth and request one of you and your date’s favorite songs, Dancing Queen by ABBA. You make your way over to the punch stand, grab a glass, and meander your way out back. The cold October wind washes over you, and forces you to zip up your high school branded jacket before lighting up a cigarette. That’s when the moon’s glow illuminates your date across the parking lot making out with the star football player. You throw your glass of punch down on the ground, but what are you going to do? He’s at least twice your size, and it’s quite obvious that she’s no longer into you. Broken, you make your way into the bathroom and sit down in a stall, being careful not to let anyone see you. It doesn’t really matter though, everyone’s either out on the dance floor or have already left to go to their own parties. As you sit on the cold toilet, you hear the piano intro to Dancing Queen and lose it. You cry for a good five minutes before you regain some form of composure. It’d been a while since you cried like that. You take a few deep breaths and make your way out of the bathroom, intent on heading straight for the door and heading home. However, as you’re making your way to your car, you notice someone sitting all alone on the cold, dark football bleachers that were teeming with life just hours prior. As you look closer, you realize it’s the shy girl that sits behind you in Algebra. You slowly make your way over to the bleachers, and sit by her. She shivers, so you bravely let her borrow your jacket, and that opens her up a bit. You both get to talking, and it turns out you two have a lot in common, including how you two managed to end up on those bleachers together. Her date had also ditched her, but hers was making out with her best friend. After about 30 minutes, but which only felt like 5, you both decide it would be best to get out of the cold. She says she doesn’t have a ride, so you graciously offer to give her a ride. You both walk through the mostly abandoned parking lot and get into your POS 1972 Chevy Vega. You turn the key and start to drive, and she turns on the radio. ABBA’s Dancing Queen is on, and the moment she hears it she exclaims “I love this song!” You smile to yourself, knowing that tonight will be the start of something beautiful.