𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫,𝐲𝐨𝐮//𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝓝𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓮

I wandered around town the rest of the day. I haven't quite figured out where I'll sleep tonight, but I'll try to think of something. Emily Dickinson. I think she might like it. Well, I need to jump home so I can wrap it up and give it to her at the party tomorrow. Now it's just a matter of getting home without anyone noticing.

At eight o'clock I threw small stones at Mike's window.

"Nancy? What the hell? What are you doing here? Are you coming back home?"

"I need to get home for a while. Can you entertain my parents?"

"They're not at home. They're at the movies with Holly."

"Okay, then go open the front door for me."

Mike opened the door for me and let me in.

"Why did you stay home?"

"I told mom that my stomach hurt and I would probably spend the whole evening on the toilet."

"That's cool...."

"So... are you coming home?"

"Um, no, not yet; I just needed to find some clothes for tomorrow's party."

"Are you going to the party? Will Robin be there?"

"Who knows,maybe"

"Then you have to wear something nicer."

Mike grabbed my hand and led me to my mom's closet.

"Mom's clothes? No way"

"But Nancy, our mother has a much better and cooler style of dressing than you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"That you borrow one of her dresses, for example, the red or black one."

I sighed, put my bag and book on the chair, and started looking at my mother's clothes.

"Okay, how about this?"

"No, try something more...stylish?"

"Michael! This is stylish."

"Try on some of our mom's newest clothes; they would make you look nice."

"Look, they're nice, but don't they have a bit of a big neckline?"

"You only have one chance to look good, at least one day a year."

"Ugh, fine, leave the room so I can get dressed."

I closed the door and put on my mother's black dress. Mike was right; I looked good in them.

"Okay, what do you say? Isn't that too much?"

"Wow, you look like mom, which is extremely weird. But I would add something to it."

Mike ran to the bathroom.

"Where are you going again?"

"Put this around your neck."

"Pearl necklace? Mom will kill me."

"She has one more, don't worry."

I stood in front of the mirror to see myself. I looked...pretty.

"Will the black shoes not be too dark for the dress?"

"Does it matter?"

"I'll take red."

"What is that little book?"

"Oh, it's just a present."

"For Robin?"

"Mhmm"

"You realize that you cannot buy her like that."