The Same Mistakes Club

Chapter Eighteen

A week later, the time came for me to go to the dance, and it was a total and complete disaster.

What had I been thinking? My mind was racing. Why had I made such a big deal about us going to Homecoming? I couldn't be seen in public looking this way!

There was a banging on my bathroom door. Maishely. "Come on, Alissa - what are you doing in there? We're all dying to see how you look."

I was pretty sure I was having a panic attack. "Uh, just a second..." I tried to adjust the dress for the millionth time, but it wasn't helping. There was no way I could go like this. I wanted to walk into that dance with my head held high. I swore this was not what I looked like at the store. I started feeling moisture form around my eyes. Great, not only did I look ridiculous, I was going to ruin the makeup Maishely had spent so much time on.

"Alissa Madison - get your butt out here now, maldita sea!" Maishely howled, her fist banging more.

All right - these were my friends, and they'd have to be honest. I would just go out and see what they had to say. Maybe I was overreacting.

Or maybe I was going to be sick.

I opened the door....

"Ta-dah!" I did my best to make a dramatic entrance, but didn't dare make any eye contact.

"Alissa, you look beautiful." Maishely beamed. "I'm so used to seeing you in T-shirts and jeans, but look at you!" She was jumping up and down. I had never known anybody to be more excited about going to a dance... with a bunch of girls.

Of course I knew Margaret would get down to business. "And look at your chest - who knew you had such a rack?"

Maishely hit Margaret on the arm.

"I know," I said. "I'm so horrified. It didn't look like this when I tried it on. Maybe it's the bra." I looked down and all I could see was my cleavage.

"Please," Maishely countered. "You have such a rockin' body, and you need to start showing it off."

"I know. It's sick," Melany said. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are that you don't have to watch what you eat?"

Maishely came over and started adjusting my hair. "Don't worry, you look great. Plus, it's really not as bad as you think. Look at all of you - not just your chest - in the mirror. You're beautiful."

*****

As we arrived at school, we all double-checked our hair and makeup. I was becoming more confident in my outfit, and - I hated to admit it - there was a part of me that was dying to see what the reaction would be from some of the guys.

I could feel the music vibrating before we even opened the front door. I picked up the pace, suddenly wanting to get to the gym and get the entrance over with. I hurried inside, not sure what to expect. At least nobody was laughing or pointing at us.

Then I heard it - the high, screeching noise of teenage girls when they spot each other at formal events.

"KKKKIIIIAAAARRRRAAAA - you look sooooo beautiful!"

"OHMYGODMARISSA, killer dress!"

"Look at YOU!"

"No, look at YOU!"

"Get out of here. I cannot believe you're wearing that colour."

"No, YOU get out."

Pride, who had ended up going with a date, looked at the six of us and said, "So, you guys really are serious about the Club, huh?"