Perfect Places

Dress To Impress

Three months. Three months is what the typical summer break was for people in their youth. Three months was, and has, never been enough time for kids to relax and live a carefree lifestyle. As everyone knew, childhoods and innocents never lasted long. The short summer breaks weren't helping anything.

Summer break was short, but the days were long. That could be for better or for worse, but who really cared? Before they knew it, kids were sat back in the small desks in hot, messy classrooms filled with the smell of young adults.

The ending of my summer was what filled me with dread. I would wake up everyday just thinking about the fact that I would have to return to school in less than a month. My time with Zane and my friends would be cut short without my consent, and I wasn't looking forward to it.

Not one bit.

Neither was Zane or Josh. Even Jessica didn't like the idea of returning back to school. Or, as I liked to call it, jail.

Jessica was always the type of person that flourished in large crowds. Especially large crowds of people her age, and who were insanely jealous of her. At least thats what she liked to think.

"I mean," Jess whined, picking at loose parts of the rug that sat in the center of Zanes room, "I don't even like school anymore. When I was younger, I loved it! It was a place where I could hang out with my friends, and laugh, and just have a good time! But after eight grade, things just started to become too much. Homework never stopped, and even the teachers got worse."

I nodded my head in agreement, "I feel you there."

"I guess it's just not the same." She added.

My eyes met Zane's from a crossed the room. We exchanged goofy grins at each other, then looked away.

Jess and I were sitting across from each other on the rug, and Zane was hanging posters on his wall. Josh was over by Zane's bed, examining old school projects and looking through them.

"It's a good thing we only have one more year to go, right?" Josh murmured, digging deeper into Zane's old papers.

"Thank God." Zane seemed pretty focused on taping up his posters.

I messed with my hair out of slight boredom, and looked up at my boyfriends ceiling. I saw dozens of the old glow-in-the-dark stars stuck up there.

"Maybe this year will be different." I sighed.

"As in ...?" Jessica wondered.

"Well, because Victoria and Ashley more than likely won't be there, there will be a lot less drama!" I smiled.

"True," Jess laughed, "I guess that's a good thing."

   "Another thing to add in to the mix of good things," Josh chimed in, "I heard there is going to be a dance to welcome back the students ... or whatever that means."

   "Really?" Jess and I gasped.

   "At least that's what I was told." Josh finished.

   "Oh my gosh!" Jessica exclaimed, "Oh my gosh!"

   I looked over at her out of concern. I thought she was getting a little bit too excited over some dance that was in a few weeks.

   "Are you okay-" Zane sounded almost as concerned as I was.

   "No! No, not yet. Rae! We HAVE to go get dresses!" Jess squealed.

   "Wha-" I looked up at her.

   She grabbed my hand and yanked me up to my feet.

   "Come on! I know just the place!" She begged.

   Without my consent, she pulled me out of the room