'This one it's gorgeous!!' Andie squealed, holding a hanger above her head with a long teal-green spaghetti strap dress. It was layered with a thin black mesh over the top and it was decorated with black sequin flower bunches. It hopped up and down as if on its own, with Andie out of sight behind it.
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She was right, it was perfect for me, elegant while still unique and slightly rebellious, as prom dresses go. I could see it now, and had to admit I was starting to get a little excited. The thought of Pacey holding me in his arms and twirling me around the dance floor made butterflies spin around my stomach. 'Andie! I knew you'd find it, it's perfect!' 'Try it on! Try it on!' I whipped back the dressing room curtain, and Andie's face lit up, smile stretching wide so I could see each of her pearly-white teeth. I shuffled out into the hallway, without heels the bottom of the dress scuffed on the floor. I was also wearing completely the wrong bra, red lace poked out of the top of the bodice. Even so, I still felt like a princess and Andie looked at me like I was one. Her eyes wide like a little girl reading her first fairytale. I spun around, picking up the bottom of the dress to lift it off the ground.
Then came Andie's turn, she was heartbroken when the dress she had set her heart on had been sold before she could snatch it up. But then she found another, saying it wasn't dissimilar and the style was much more comfortable, so she was pleased. She came out of the dressing room and waltzed herself around in great big circles, finishing with a curtsy and a giggle. 'Oh why you look as pretty as a pixie dressed in petals!' I exclaimed putting on an over-exaggerated southern accent and slapped my hands on my cheeks. They gave us each one of those fancy dress bags, a zipper all the way down the front, I swished it behind my shoulder and strutted out, arm-in-arm with Andie.
Saturday afternoon:
The door bell rang and I opened it up to find Andie along with what I assumed to be almost half of her possessions. She'd brought more make-up and hair products than I knew existed. I loved her for this sort of thing, over-preparing. But it meant she always had whatever you needed. She was the sort of person who brought 3 or 4 bags on the first day of high school, each one stuffed so full it looked as though it would burst.
We started to get ready, having every base covered: shaving, waxing, moisturising, blow-drying. The works. I got Andie to do my hair, twisting it up into a fancy bun, with curled pieces of hair dangling from parts of the bun and some also framing my face. I kept my make-up minimal, it's never really been me. A light pink lipstick, some shimmery-gold eyeshadow, a little pale blush and mascara. Andie went for the whole shebang, which included silver sequins, everything pink and purple to compliment her dress. I'd borrowed my mom's old necklace, she'd been given it on her 18th birthday by her grandmother. It was silver, the chain was so delicate, with tiny links you almost couldn't see, it had a heart-shaped pendant with a pearl and two diamonds in one corner. I'd always loved it. Admiring for as long as I could remember, and now I was finally old enough to wear it.
I slipped on a pair of simple black heels with a little strap over the ankle. I then draped a black shawl into the crooks of my elbows. Andie took another 30 minutes to get ready than me, so I sat reading the final few chapters of little women that Pacey and I hadn't quite finished. I'd helped her do her hair too, into a half-up-half-down style. Then there were pink and purple flower pins tucked into it. She was beautiful. Most beautiful because of the smile she couldn't shake off. Pure joy.
Jack and Pacey arrived together in the McPhee's car, it was their dad's. A fancy silver Mercedes, so that we could travel in style. He looked INCREDIBLE. Pacey wore a suit, not a tux. Was just that bit more casual and that was best on Pacey. His tie matched the colour of my dress: Andie. I walked towards him down my porch steps and accepted his extended hand. 'What did she give you a colour swatch?' I laughed. He just stared at me, no response. I'd never seen him lost for words before. 'Well thanks to me Y/N, you two will be the most stunning couple at the dance!' Andie called as she made her way to the car.
Pacey still hadn't said anything, but had pulled out something from his jacket pocket. He held up my hand and then clipped a dainty silver bracelet around my wrist, with a small crystal teal flower on it. 'Now that's better than any corsage huh?' 'It's gorgeous Pace, and so are you!' I said pulling him in for a long and passionate kiss. He took me by the arm but maintained eye-contact. 'What? Did I smudge my lipstick?' I asked him, rubbing around the edges of my lips. 'No honey. You're just the most beautiful girl I ever saw. Needed a minute to breathe it all in.'
He opened the car door for me and helped me climb into the seat, scooping up my dress to ensure it wouldn't get caught in the door. He leant in for another kiss and then made his way round to the other side of the car.
