“Just grab at least one more dress to try on. I cannot believe you’ve waited this long. When you’re on Prom Court you have to represent. Plus, Sean Mills. How crazy is that? If anyone would’ve told us last year that we’d be up for Prom Queens and our dates are the hottest guys in school, we’d have laughed our asses off.”
“I wish I’d have known. I would’ve been able to hold out and skip the whole ‘Chip Ryan’ debacle. Yeesh!” I grab a couple dresses off the rack and we head into the dressing room. Two black dresses and one silver. As I’m holding up the embellished top of a short, shiny black number, Kallie strains to zip me up. The zipper pinches me right as we hear the bing bong of the store’s front door.
“Ouch!” I flinch.
“Oops, sorry,” Kallie says.
A familiar voice takes over the whole shop.
“I cannot believe you stood me up last night. You said as soon as you dropped her off, you’d be over.”
No question about it. The high, sharp, on the edge tone belongs to Jane. I don’t have to guess who she’s talking to. Kallie and I stare at each other like we’ve driven over a dead skunk pile.
Kallie tugs the zipper to the top. Her reflection behind me scowls. “Ew, what’s she doing here? There’s no way she doesn’t already have her dress.” We both peek our heads out of the curtain.
“Shut up for a second,” Jane spits into the phone, then moves it away from her face to address the sales lady. “I’m here for a pickup. I have a pageant dress that should be ready and a Prom dress here for alterations, so if you can check on that too. Last name is Hulmes.”
The lady nods and disappears behind a set of double doors. Jane gets back to her phone, “You took her to dinner last night so it shouldn’t be tough to cancel tonight. I can’t keep doing this. You promised we’d start spending more time together. Figure your shit out and call me back.” Jane sighs and hangs up the phone, wiping an angry tear off her cheek.
Kallie’s cheeks flush with a warm pink Her facial expression goes from livid to embarrassed to … nothing.
“I have to go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.” She races through the curtain and disappears. Jane stands at the counter tapping her foot, oblivious to her eavesdroppers.
Buzzzz. Buzzzz. Kallie’s phone vibrates from the top of her purse. A flash of light highlights a text on her oversized screen.
TODD.
Hey Lover, don’t hate me but I have to babysit my cousins tonight—just found out! I’ll try to come by ur house after! XOXO-TDubs
Lover? T Dubs? Ugh. What a douche bag. Actually, a douche bag is too good for him. He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near vaginas. Todd White is an enema bag. At least I’m here for Kallie and hopefully I won’t need to hold her back from fighting Jane.
I eye my reflection and frown. This dress is so not me. The top is like an explosion of taffeta and little wires of shiny black beads. The bottom’s way too short and it’s so tight on my hips that it’s bunching at my waist.
“Psst, it’s me. Hide your ass, hide your twins!” Kallie swooshes back into the dressing room with a grin. “That dress is a no. It’s like hooker meets …”
“Nineteen eighties stripper?” I ask.
“Exactly. Try the silver one. It’s hot without looking strippery.”
I watch from the corner of my eye as she picks up her phone and lets out a long hiss between her teeth.
“Don’t tell me,” I say, “Todd?”
“What? No,” she says fumbling around in her bag. “Just my mom wanting to know if I’ll be home in time for dinner.” She zips me into the silver dress with a strained smile. “This is the one. You’re stunning.”
“I think you’re right,” I agree, juggling my enthusiasm for the dress with the reality that my best friend is most definitely getting dicked around by this jerk. And there’s nothing I can do about it. Not to mention the fact that she just lied to me. This Prom thing has really become a pain in the ass. She’s right about one thing though. This dress is the one. I can’t help but wonder what Sean will think. It’s form fitting, long and slinky, showing off the golden tone of my skin and the random spray of beauty marks across my bare shoulders. Best of all, it accentuates the curve of my hips that I used to try to hide.
All I can do now is follow Kallie’s lead and act like I don’t care about what we just witnessed. If Todd and Jane aren’t going to ruin Prom for Kallie, they’re not going to ruin mine either. I pile my hair up onto my head, strike my best model pose in the mirror, and wink at Kallie. Click. No problems here. Prom Court ready.
****
“So, let me see that dress you bought last weekend.” Sean walks over to my closet door.
“Don’t even.” I jump from my beanbag and sashay in-between the closet door and Sean. He bounds over to my wide-open bedroom door instead and closes it with quiet stealth.
“You’re gonna get in trouble.” I smile and push him onto my bed.
“Feels like you’re the one looking to get in trouble.” Sean bounces back up and props a pillow between him and my headboard.
It’s the first time Sean and I have been together in my room. In any room, alone. I can see why my mom told me to leave my door open. Rather, I can feel it. Horny teenagers.