Soaring Higher

Chapter 15

Me, Emery, and Elaine find ourselves sitting on the bus in town, just after our riding lesson.

It was our free period, and we were dress shopping. Just the thought made me gag.

On the bus we pass a lot of stores with normal nice clothing in them, but no, we have to get off at the fanciest store.

I slip the bus driver five dollars, and follow the others off, into the shop.

The intoxicating smell of perfume fills my nose and I cringe.

I must admit, the dresses are beautiful, but the layout of the shop makes it look like we're thirty year olds shopping for wedding dresses.

'Couldn't we just have gone to H&M?' I nudge Emery, scrunching my face together. 'They have nice dresses too.'

'Yeah, but this is an occasion!' Emery squeals.

'We're shopping for a barn dance..' I scoff.

'Shut up, we're gonna have fun.' She rolls her eyes.

I snort, and look around the store. I feel some of the fabric of a green dress, and suck in my breath. It's silky and beautiful, but probably expensive.

It's placed on a manakin, and I step back to see all of it. It's dark green and has a big collar, that hangs to the end of the manakins shoulders and above its chest.

It's dress hangs low, down to its ankles and the sleeve to the elbows. I almost gasp at its beauty.

I feel a tug on my arm.
'Cmon, we found a good section,' Emery says, 'Why you looking at that dress. We aren't attending the queen's birthday party.'

'Yeah..' I say, 'Just looking. Probably costs twice my entire family's savings though.'

'Kay. Anyways come look.' She leads me to a little corner.

'What about this?' Elaine holds up a purple dress over her body.

'It's cute.' I give her a thumbs up.

''Yeah.. but this is also cute.' She holds up a black one.

'Do the purple one.' Emery says, 'I call the black one.'

'Sure.' Elaine tosses the black plain dress to Emery.

I look around, mostly in the corners.

'Hey Mags.' Emery grins. What do you think?'

She twirls in her black knee high dress.

I can't help but feeling a tinge of happiness at seeing her so happy.

'You look great.' I return a grin.

'Thanks.' She says. 'Don't you think it would look perfect with my white sneakers?'

They drone on, while I notice many other girls from camp have filled up the store, doing the same thing as us. Probably because it's the best dress shop in town... or maybe just the closest.

My eyes float back to the green dress, but I immediately scowl when I see what's there.

Amber and her friends.

Please don't take the dress I think. For some reason I just really want that dress.

She looks it up and down, then to my relief she moves on.

I realize I've been holding my breath, and I take a big gulp of air.

I continue searching, and settle on a coral sunset colour dress, the same form as Emery's except mines a tad more wavy at the ends.

'Cute,' Elaine remarks as I walk out of the dressing room.

'It would look good with your jean jacket.' Emery says.

'Noted.' I make a mental note, because I have no fashion sense whatsoever.

She winks and browses the store for bags.

I follow them, barely paying attention.

I'm having a thought about my shoes, when I bump into someone.

My nose, being the most sensitive bit of my face, is flooded with pain and I rub it.

I look to see who I bumped into and I find I have to look up. It's Gryphon.

I scowl. He looks down at me, a disgusted look on his face.

I'm lost for words, but in the end say; 'Move it.'

He rolls his eyes and moves to the side.

'Okay, princess.' He scoffs as I walk past.

Another mental note; dislike Gryphon.

Elaine gestures me over.
'Sorry about my brother. He's grumpy today. Or more like everyday, our mom forced him to tag along at this camp so she can have alone time with her boyfriend.' She crosses her arms.

'It's fine.' I say, but really a hate emerges for Gryphon.

'Nice dress, Shrimp.' Gryphon says to Elaine.
His intentions were sarcastic, but she takes it as a compliment.

'Thanks. Now your supposed to tell my friends the same.' She nudges him.

He wrinkles his nose and looks at us.

'Nice dress, Emery.' He says, avoiding my face.

I see that my feelings for him are mutual.

'And Maggie,' she orders him.

'No way, mom.' He says, walking away.

She rolls her eyes, an expression of hurt planted on her face.

I hear a snicker and turn around to see Amber and her crew staring directly at us.

'Nice dress.' She says sarcastically, then motions down at her own dress, a glimmering white glamorous dress, which makes her look like she's going to a club, rather than a barn dance.

'Shut up!' I yell at her.

She just laughs even more.

'Let's just pay and get out of here.' I sigh.

We change into our street clothes and put the dresses in a bag.

The cashier is pretty fast at finding the price, probably she just saw the little fiasco.

'That will be fifty ninety nine.' She says.

Emery looks at me, then Elaine with a worried expression. She digs in her pocket and takes out forty dollars, counting every loose piece of change.

'I don't have enough..' she says.

I almost jump out of my skin, when a ten dollar bill is placed over my head. I jump around, to see Gryphon.

How could him mood change in less than a minute!

I gape, aghast.

'This is just because Elaine is my sister.' He mutters. 'You and your friends better pay me back.'

'Wow your so kind brother.' Elaine rolls her eyes, but then adds an actual "Thanks".

He places his hands in his pockets, and marches away in the direction of Amber.

'Your brother's totally in love with Amber.' Emery tells Elaine.

'Yeah, I know right.'

Something weird and unknown sprouts up and takes over my entire body, but I brush it aside.

'Yeah, their personalities match.' I scoff.

We walk off onto the street, and wait at the bus stop, bags in hand.

My mind goes back to the green dress.