Basorexia - J.MAGUIRE

[2.41] prom

After therapy the day of the prom, Ciara caught a bus to a random, small dress shop that Rosa had recommended to her. It was always quiet, so she could avoid judgement and there was apparently a grand collection of dresses that weren't the usual 'prom' type things. All of her other dresses were too big or hung weirdly and she just wanted to feel pretty, or just maybe slightly prettier than usual.

After a good hour and a half of searching through the jam-packed racks of clothes, she managed to find one that covered everything she wanted and wasn't so tight that it clung to ever inch of her frame. It gave her a shape that didn't look too sickly and had a nice pattern which was coincidentally all that she was looking for.

When Ciara returned home, she placed her keys into the bowl and pulled off her boots quickly. "Eion called earlier, said to ring him back when you got back?" her Mammy called form the kitchen as she tugged off her leather jacket, letting it hang on its usual peg. Chip then turnt to the phone and dialled his number, she had it memorised by that point and found it almost like muscle memory. He picked up after two rings. "Hey Chippers, how was therapy?" he asked quickly, voice heavy as if he had been asleep or was just exhausted. She instantly felt a pang of worry deep within her chest.

She sighed softly, choosing to not focus too deeply on the worry as she did not want to force him to confess anything. She responded softly,  "Deep dive into my brain kinda day."

"Oh shit I'm sorry."

Ciara cleared her throat as she swivelled and sat down on the wooden floor, her back against the hall table. "No it's okay... Realised some stuff which is good, I guess..."

"I'm proud of you Chippers. a couple of months ago that would have sent you into a spiral," he responded in such a way that she could hear the soft smile pulling on his lip and the way it was quickly replaced by a frown, as if for a moment he had forgotten everything going on around him.

"Thanks Eion," she replied softly, beginning to play with the frayed edges of the rips in her dark blue jeans. "Anyway, what's up?"

He hesitated briefly, stuttering discreetly as the words were just too difficult to find. "Ma's in hospital...I'm not gonna be able to make it later."

"Shit, is she gonna be okay?"

He sighed deeply and the sadness in his voice became apparent quickly. She did not know how she hadn't seen it beforehand. "Aye, she's on the mend. Doc said she'll be out in a couple days."

"That's good, I'm glad... Lemme know if you need anything?"

"Aye I will. Thanks Chippers and I'm sorry again...I know how much you wanted to go."

"It's fine Eion, honest. Don't worry about it."

After Eion had hung up, not before giving his apology dozens of times over, Ciara remained sat on the floor and awkwardly dialled Clare's number.

"Did you get a dress?" Clare instantly asked as soon as she picked up the phone, knowing that it was Chip that would be ringing.

Chip sighed softly and glanced to the discarded paper bag, a sudden sadness that she would not be wearing said dress began to creep over her. "I did but i'm going to take it back, Eoin cancelled. His Ma's in the hospital. You can still get ready at mine though cause I know your Ma's going out."

"Are you sure you won't go? You could come with me?"

"Clare, you already have a date, trust me it's fine... I didn't want to go that much anyway, let alone on my own... See you in a bit?"

"Aye."

-

Clare arrived three hours before the prom and despite all the time that she had before she had to leave, she rushed around like a maniac. Chip had to force her to take some breaths by actually grabbing her shoulders whilst she zoomed around the room, attempting to find a makeup bag that had already been placed on Chips vanity. Clare calmed down slightly once Chip started to play one of her favourite records. Chip, whilst having an incredibly detailed conversation with Clare about Eoin, helped to do Clare's makeup. They tried about three hairstyles until she settled on one that she liked, which happened to be the first that they had tried. Ciara greatly enjoyed the process of helping her get ready - she thought the experience would have probably actually been better than the prom itself.