the moral of the story

chapter twelve: harry freakin' potter gang

i seriously thought i was gonna shit myself. which really would've been a shame, because hallie had just bought me that dress, and i didn't really feel like ruining it that night.

hallie and i were in the backseat of a fancy limo that james arranged to pick us up from her house in. he said it would be easier that way, because no one could really know about us yet. which i totally understood, 'cause you know he had a reputation and all, and he had to convince his parents that i was good enough for him before we could confirm anything. and from what james told me, this party would be pretty low-key. no reporters or fancy adult people would be there. just people that the crown trusted. which was good. yeah, good.

i was fiddling with my fingers in my lap, picking at my fingernails as we drove closer and closer to what felt like my execution. hallie, in her fire truck-red dress and matching heels, noticed and sighed.

"your nervous energy is totally killing my vibe, florence." said hallie, forcing me to flick my head up to her.

"sorry," i muttered, tucking a strand of my curled hair behind my ear.

"what's with you?" hallie asked, scooching herself closer to me, "you look hot! why are you still so nervous?"

i groaned, leaning my head back against the seat. i mean, yeah, i probably looked the best i ever had in my life. hallie had curled my light brown hair and styled it so that it was half up half down. she doused me in the most makeup i'd worn in my life, combined. the dress she bought me made me feel sexier than i ever had. and yeah, the heels were pretty, but so what? everyone could probably be able to tell that i was a fraud and that i didn't belong there. it was obvious.

"what's there not to be nervous about, hals? they're...like, important people, okay, really important people! and not just to james, and you know i could handle if it was just the people that are important to james, because that's what normal relationships are like, yeah? meeting families and friends when you love each other is normal. but no, these are like important people in society, hals! freaking socialites! how am i supposed to talk to and impress people like this?" i exclaimed in what felt like all in one breath.

hallie, seemingly finding my nervousness amusing, grinned to herself and moved so she was sitting next to me. she slung an arm around my shoulders. "would you stop worrying? okay, i haven't met james, but from what you've told me, i know he's absolutely nuts about you, florence. and if his friends can't see that, then they're stupid and it's their loss that they don't get to hang out with florence elizabeth walsh."

and she was right. she managed to calm me down, at least for a moment. the knots in my stomach disappeared, and it was just me and hallie in the back of a limousine that probably cost more than my house back in massachusetts.

"i really regret telling you my middle name." i muttered, feeling a gentle grin creep on my face.

hallie smirked. "what are best friends for? who else is gonna embarrass you with your middle name?"

just then, the limo stopped and i knew we reached our destination. and the knots came back. hallie must've known from the look on my face, so she grabbed my hands as the door opened.

"i'll be there." hallie whispered. "so if you need me to come up with an excuse getting us both out of there, just use the safe phrase."

raising my eyebrow, i laughed in amusement. "safe phrase? what's the safe phrase?"

"london bridge is falling." hallie whispered.

suddenly, the door opened and revealed the driver who picked us up, a short and burly man with graying hair.