Dark Legacies

Shivers - Dylan

"So chica! What are we doing tonight for your birthday?" Stacey bounces onto my bed Friday night.

I laugh and move them over so she can sit. "I wasn't planning on doing anything crazy."

"Why are these atrocities still out?" She says pointing to my books laid out on the comforter. "We took our last final today!"

"I still need to wrap up a few things for the interview I have with the with a ranch just outside of town soon. They are looking for someone to step in and help manage a land expansion. It can be tricky when growing operations not to over extend and end up in the red. I don't want to sound like an idiot. This job would be great experience for me." Am I probably being over prepared? Yeah but getting these jobs right out of school is cutthroat and I don't want lack of prep to be why I get passed over.

She rolls her eyes, "Ok fine, that's acceptable. But tonight you need to blow off a little steam. The interview isn't until Monday right?"

"I suppose you're right." I sigh and close my notebook. "What did you have in mind?"

She wags her eyebrows at me. "I'm gonna get you to The Branding Iron before we leave this school!"

I groan and rub my forehead. The Branding Iron is a country bar in town that she's been trying to get me to go to since our first week as being roommates. They allow eighteen and over with wristbands for those having alcohol. It's really the only bar in town that is big enough to host smaller country bands that are making their way through the music circuit. I've been putting her off of so long, being my twenty first birthday, I don't think I can put it off any longer.

"Fine! But this makes us square on the early morning alarm clock and the late night wake ups as my roommate." Shaking my head I get up and go to my closet.

"You can also tell me what I have in here that may work for the night you have planned." I do an embellished arm wave in front of the open closet door.

I don't have much to go with. I'm completely ill equipped to put something together. She picks up my cowboy boots off the floor and gives them a once over. They're work boots that have seen years of abuse from my field research on the ranches near by. Broken in and comfortable, I don't often wear much else. I never know when I'll find myself in a pasture.

"These will need to be washed up but will suffice for tonight." She tosses them my direction and mud flakes fall off onto the floor.

"Now let's get into this closet." She starts moving hangers from side to side. "Good lord woman, really not a lot to go with."

Walking to her closet she grabs a bag I hadn't noticed. "This is for you my dear! I think I've seen every item of clothing you own on rotation pretty consistently."

Plopping the bag in my lap I gape at her. "You didn't have to go out of your way for me Stacey!"

"I did if I wanted you to be presentable for the one night out you're going to take in three years! Open it" she flutters her hands at me, waiting for me to dig into the bag.

Pulling back a layer of tissue I see a pile of fabric inside. I take it out and the bag falls to the ground revealing a dress. It's so pretty I'm careful as I touch it. The fabric feels wonderful and it has a pattern of light blue flowers on a background of lavender. The sleeves are long and look like they'd flow softly to the wrist. The neckline is cut to a V shape and I have a feeling this is going to reveal much more than I want it to.

I plaster a smile to my face, "Thank you so much Stace. A little out of my comfort zone but I'm guessing that was the point?"

"Yes! You need to venture out, act your age girl! Now time for makeup." Dumping her makeup bag on my bed she pulls out things that might fit my outfit.