Arctic Atlantic

Chapter Seven: The Dance

The dance is tonight.
The dance is tonight.
THE DANCE IS TONIGHT!
Ok, cool yo jets, Bex.

The doorbell rings. I run downstairs, and before I even make it to the living room, Winter lets herself in, as usual. She's holding a big bag, probably filled with more bags, knowing her. She can fit so many things into her purses, it's insane. Like Mary Poppins status.

"ALRIGHTY LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD PEOPLE MOVE IT LET'S GO HUSTLE HUSTLE! RÁPIDO RÁPIDO!" She comes in screaming. Also per usual.

"Winter I'm right here, you're going to make all the dogs within like fifteen miles of us start barking," I say.

"Fine well you're supposed to be upstairs in the bathroom because I'm about to make you three and a half times hotter." I sigh and start upstairs.

"RÁPIDO!" She screams from right behind me, making me jump.

"WINTER! Stop that!" She cackles.

•🌊•

"Alrighty, let's have us a looksie, shall we?" Winter slowly wheels my chair in a full 360° circle. I suck in a breath. I look pretty dang good, I gotta say. Props, Winter. Props. It's not that I think I'm ugly 24/7. I think I look alright most of the time. The only major insecurity is my smile, which the braces better fix. But tonight... I'm so excited.

"Babe. Total babe," Winter quips.

"Thanks Winter, it was all you," I tell her, still admiring her handiwork.

"And your parents." Ever the jokester, that one. "Aight, I'll be back here in a little bit. April is doing my make-up." April is her older sister. She's in college, and lives with her soon to be fiancée. He's told everyone but her that he's going to pop the question right after her graduation. Actually at the graduation. She'll have just turned 24, so she's not super young, if that's what you were thinking.
With that, Winter hustles out the door. I carefully pull a push up bra on, slowly step into my dress, and zip it up. My boobs don't look like an 11-year-old's! I admire my reflection for a good five minutes while my music blares. Hey, it's not every day I actually look good good.

To kill time, I wait out Winter's on the edge of my bed, surfing Instagram and Snapchat and seeing all the before-dance pictures. I ashamedly take a few pictures of myself (selfies...) because as I said before, it ain't every day you look good good.

About a half an hour later, I hear the door slam open, and Winter comes bounding up the stairs. She flings open my door, and does a twirl for me. She looks stunning. Also she's in heels so I have no idea how she got up the steps so fast.

"Dumb idea to go with you, everyone will be looking at you when we walk in. You'll steal my thunder," I joke. "Rude."

She laughs. "If you think that I'm going to steal your thunder, you got another storm comin, kiddo. You'll be the highlight of the dance." Yeah riiiight. "Anyways, the boys will be here any second, let's get these booties downstairs." I grab my shoes and purse, and follow her down. Matt ended up bringing another junior named Renee Butler, or something like that. Good for him. So he and his date will be here, Winter is already here, and Zaid is hitching a ride with Ben, Winter's man of the month. The van is leaving at exactly 7:15, which will give us plenty of time to get to the dance, which starts at 7:45. The van aforementioned is Ben's. His family has a ton of kids, and plenty of room for six teenagers. Apparently the seats can be turned so everyone can face each other, excluding the driver, limo style. So Ben will be up front, Winter can sit in the passenger seat, which also swivels around, and be a part of our conversation while she talks to Ben, which sort of includes him in our conversation as well. I've thought this through extremely well, having tons of time to do so.