How it Happened

Chapter 5 Part 2

It was half past three when Saffron sent me to go and collect Jett and Hazel from their school. I ran into the shed, where the lemon preparation and the cloak room was, and grabbed my backpack and the bag with my new dress. I slung it on with ease and started to run to Jett and Hazel's school. "Off somewhere?" Aqua asked as I ran out the door.

I turned to see her smile on my way out as I shouted, "Babysitting duty!" Aqua only laughed behind me.

I liked running, and Saffron knew it too. That's probably why she only gave me ten minutes to do a twenty minute walk. I never complained or argued, I just knew that I was on a time limit and that was how I ran best. Weaving in out of streets, people and randomly placed market stalls and feeling, hearing the wind rush over and around me, tasting all the aromas in the air. It was heaven.

I managed to get to the school with two minutes to spare. I remember smiling at myself as I sat at a nearby bench. I looked very out of place. The gates were surrounded by parents, guardians and relatives, all older than I was by at least five years. I didn't care. I tried my best to ignore them as much as I could. Soon the bell rang and all the students of the school started to file out. All I remember was that there were a lot. So many people. More than I had ever been around. I was too shocked and focused on them that I didn't realise that Hazel had already approached me and was calling my name. I mumbled a response as I switched my focus to her.

"Why are you here?" She splayed her hands out on either side of her as if it was forbidden for me to be at the Academy.

I closed my eyes and shook my head as I tried to remember exactly what I was doing there. "Uh... Your mum sent me because we have a dinner with the Lockheart's tonight."

"Ooh! I get to dress up! I suppose you went dress shopping today then, Willow," Hazel said gleefully as she raised a brow and elbowed me lightly in the side. I just nodded slightly, feeling a little embarrassed.

I turned my gaze away from Hazel to see Jett running towards us. His face was a little pink on his cheeks. Is he blushing? I remember asking myself. I just smiled at his awkward approach as a very happy Hazel explained what was happening.

I walked next to Jett in silence before I was sure that Hazel wouldn't hear what I was about to say.

"Candice?" I asked. He just gaped, his eyes going really wide as he blushed again. I simply smiled as I walked away from in a leisurely gait as I approached Hazel, leaving him on his own.

To be totally honest with you, I don't remember what Hazel and I talked about that day but I do know that we talked together all the way home where we took it in turns to shower. When I came into our room, a towel wrapped around me, she was already in a stunning blossom pink dress that was very similar to mine but had an underskirt of a dazzling ocean blue that was only just visible at the bottom of the skirt of her dress.

"Wow," I gaped.

"Oh, Willow! Could you zip me up, please?" she asked as if she hadn't heard my comment. I nodded and approached her. She turned her back to me and she lifted her nutty, brown hair so that I could easily zip it up.

When hazel let her hair go and turned around, allowing the skirts of her dress to open and spread, I was frozen. She looked so beautiful to the extent that I was surprised that she didn't have a boyfriend, but I guess the situation with Axel was probably the reason.

Hazel left the room to tie her back in the mirror in the bathroom, so I used this opportunity to slip into my own dress. When she returned she zipped my dress for me and I did just as she had. She looked at me, one hand on her chin, contemplating.

"What?" I asked, trying to sound a little hurt.

"It's missing something," she simply replied, then went into the wardrobe and brought out an ivory ribbon. However, it wasn't a ribbon, it was a strip of cloth that could be used as a belt. "I never use it," she started while passing it along my waist and tying it in a neat bow behind me. "I don't have anything to use it with. You should have it. I also have an ivory hair band that would go nicely with your dress."