Falling Into Place

Chapter Two: The Sluttiest Of All Dresses

Alice
I was texting Dean about the party. He had been at an art camp for the past month, and he wouldn't be back in time for the party.
Dean: I'll be back the day before school starts though babe. We can hang out then.
Alice: Yeah, I'll go to the party with Lauren. She's bringing DJ, but it shouldn't be a problem.
Dean: You're going? Still? But I won't be there! We do that sort of stuff together, remember?
Alice: I can go to the party if I want. It's totally my decision!
Dean: What? No way are you going! What if a guy likes you there?
Alice: I'll tell him to fuck off, like I'm telling you right now. Bye.
I slammed my phone down on the table and turned it off. Dean was so annoying lately. He was always going on about his art, even though he knew I didn't like it. It was almost as if he was trying to piss me off.
I checked the time and realised I was at due at Lauren's house in five minutes. I grabbed my coat and left. Lauren lived a few streets away, and I made it to her house a little early.
"Hey Alice!" Lauren greeted me at the door as she let me in, "Dean still away? Shame. You're such a cute couple."
"Hey." I smiled, "You going with DJ?"
"Yeah..." She trailed of, lost in thought, before realising I was staring at her, "I mean, he is cute, but remember when I was with Chase?"
"Yeah." I smiled, willing her to continue.
I'm sort of friends with Chase. He's not the sort of guy you'd go to for advice, but he's not a tool either. We text a lot, but don't really talk face-to-face. He's tall, athletic and handsome, but not in an obnoxious way. He's never been in a relationship for more than two months, but he's been with a lot of girls, and (according to several rumours) a couple of teachers.
"Well, I know he doesn't do relationships, but he was an amazing boyfriend." She bit her lip, "And DJ isn't quite he same. He's sweet, but Chase was adoring. I don't know... I'm just having second thoughts. I'll give it a week."
By now we were in her room, and she was picking an outfit. Of course, she found the shortest dress she owned, with the most revealing neckline. It was yellow, and left very little to the imagination.
"Tsk tsk." I tutted, "Too slutty. You do have a boyfriend."
She sighed, grabbing a red dress that let her keep some of her dignity. Figuring it was the best I'd get, I let her wear it.
"Now we need to get you dressed up!" She squealed, "C'mon, I've got so many dresses you would love!"
"No, I'm going in this." I rolled my eyes, "I don't need a dress."
"You need a dress." She insisted, "Jeans and a coat? Not party material!"
She grabbed a green dress and threw it at me, then a blue one. Neither were slutty, but they weren't my thing.
"I'm not wearing a dress." I sighed, "I'll be fine in this."
"How about..." She scoured her wardrobes, eventually procuring a T-shirt and shorts that seemed acceptable party attire.
"Fine." I shrugged, "I'll put it on."
The t-shirt had the name of some band I'd only vaguely heard of, but it wasn't revealing, so I left it be.
"Makeup?" She asked, "I've got more than enough. I thing I should do your eyes, and maybe a bit of lipstick."
I didn't see the point in trying to argue, so I let her mess with my face for twenty minutes, then with her own for half an hour.
"We're meeting DJ down the road." She ensured her makeup was up to her standards, "We don't want to be late!"
And we left, waving a quick goodbye to her mother and hurrying down the street.
It was warm out, and I was glad to be in shorts. I hoped the weather would stay like this.
"Sad Dean isn't around?" Lauren asked sympathetically, "Haven't seen you two apart in forever."
"I know." I laughed, "It's weird not to have him here."
"So what are you gonna do without him?" She smiled cheekily, "I bet there are lots of guys who have wished they were Dean over the years."
"Oh my god, I'm still going out with him!" I scowled, "A few weeks changes nothing."
"Whatever." Lauren laughed, "I see DJ!"
She ran ahead and threw her arms around him, and her lips too by the sound of things. I wondered what that was like, to have a new relationship, to know nothing about the other person, to smile whenever you saw them.
I loved Dean, I really did, but sometimes it just didn't seem like we had anything going for us. We were just kids when we started dating, and the most appealing thing about him was the foundation we had built.
It sounded stupid, but at times I loved the idea of him more than the actual copy. Going to a party without him was strange, new... Exciting.