MaLuke

Chapter 13

The weeks leading up to the formal were pretty hectic. Interior decorators, special occasion designers, and the schools very own groundsmen scampered about the halls carrying equipment. Several of us were assigned to help out by our gym teacher. I had already sent a text to Adrienne and Meghan that I'd me late home so they should go watch a movie or something. They had no complaints.

I shoved past students rushing out towards the main doors as I made my way towards tell basketball court which would be remodeled to a point where you'd be looking for the hoops. Even the floor was to be carpeted. I pushed open the sliding door and stepped in. Several kids were already there, I only recognized one from my biology chemistry class. They must be juniors.

"Your late." Coach barked at me. There were hardly seven of us in total. I glanced at my watch. It was only 5:32pm. She had said to meet here at 5:30pm. Just two minutes late?

"Hall traffic." I muttered as I scooted over to the group. She didn't look my way, so I assumed she didn't hear. And even if she did, she didn't show it.

She put us into two groups: one to do the cleaning, and one to set up the stage and dance floor. I was lucky room fall in the latter. The first group had to sweep and mop the court, even though it was to be carpeted. Others were assigned to dust the bleachers, which would serve its purpose during the dance. I had the task of arranging the decorations. We put up balloons, streamers, crèpe paper, and Chinese lanterns. This years formal was all about masks.

Speaking of masks. I was yet to visit the shops for a dress. I had put it off on several occasions, also because since the semester was going to it's end, assessments were piling up, and I was buried. Not anymore though, assessments closed off last week. I promised myself I'd go dress shopping today, before Friday came -day of the formal.

I left the school at half past seven, and felt really lazy and tired. I took a taxi from the school to my house, not having the energy to walk. I was grateful that elevators wrestling invented just then, I couldn't bare running up the stairs right now. The taxi guy gave me a weird look when I told him the address. He shrugged and kept driving though.

When I got out of the car, I spotted Zayn leaning casually against the brick wall of the buildings entrance. I smiled casually as I threw my bag on the pavement and unbuttoned the uniform shirt and tucking it halfway into my trousers back pocket.

"Lemme guess, formal cleaning?" He grinned. My heart skipped a beat. But I managed to keep a straight face and nodded once. "I had cleaning duty last week. My arm still hurts from scrubbing the bleachers." He laughed. I guess he had it worse than I did.

"Dead bit." I groaned as I dragged my bag behind me as I walked into the building. He followed casually after me, sending glances at my bag.

"Need some help?" He suggested as he scooped up my heavy bag and placed it on his broad shoulders. I sent him a grateful smile, and he smiled back with a wink. I rolled my eyes to core up the acceleration of my pulse.

In the elevator, we rode with the old man that lives on the sixth floor. When he went off, I stole a glance at Zayn who was apparently staring back. I lowered my lashes and pretended nothing happened. He chuckled lightly and ran a hand through his hair, ruining the raised top of his hairstyle. The elevator stopped on the seventh floor and he bounded out. Before the door closed he put one hand on the door and briefly placed a kiss on my cheek before he winked and bounded down the corridor.

I reached my door and had a wrestling match with my pocket for my keys. The door flung open before I had even turned the key. Meghan and Adrienne stood inside with big, smug grins on their faces.

"What's happening?" I asked as I shrugged off my bag and kicked off my shoes and socks. They looked at each other, smiles never faltering. It was almost evil.

"Zayn came by...." Meghan trailed off. I cocked an eyebrow, meaning for her to go on. She didn't. Instead Adrienne spoke up.

"The formal is on Friday." She informed me. Tell me something I don't know. "So we went shopping." Adrienne squealed in excitement as Meghan chuckled slightly.

"This gon' be good." Meghan muttered to Adrienne. Meghan too out a blindfold -which was one of my neckties- and clasped it tightly around my eyes. I groaned inwardly, but outstretched my right hand so they could direct me.

"You gon' shower, and then the fun'll begin." I noticed that Meghan was riding slangs. That couldn't be too good. She shortened words when she's to excited to think of the whole sentence. I was chucked into the bathroom a minute later.

I went through my bathroom routine much faster than I really anticipated. Mostly because I knew that if I spent too much time in here, they'd probably bust down my door to get me.

"I'm coming out now!" I warned.

"Hol' up for a sec." Meghan's voice shouted. All this time and still needed a second. I heard a couple of whispers and the bathroom door swung open.

My bedroom was turned into a dress shop. Literally! There were dresses on the walls, on the bed, on my desk, and even on my chair. Dresses of all colors streamed the room -although I noticed that they were quite picky of several colors- and the light danced on the ones that had sparkles or glitter on them. My observation showed that there were heaps of blue dresses. Blue ws obviously the demanding color. Probably Meghan's work.

"What do you think?" Adrienne asked. She gestured around the room where Meghan was stacking some dresses which I suspected were ones they had disagreed on displaying.

"Speechless." I managed to say. I truly was speechless. "I was going to go and but one today but I guess the boutique came to me." They had smug grins plastered on their faces.

"So, let's begin." Adrienne cheered.

After two hours of fitting, prepping, fashion shows, mannequin modelling, and several dresses being ripped in dispute, I was still not solid on what I was going to wear. I had a Smalltalk list of dresses that I had looked twice on them. Though the dresses still didn't strike me.

"I don't know what to choose. I'm not sure if any of these dresses scream to me." I admitted. I looked around my room in dismay. Clothes were strewn everywhere, my wardrobe doors strung open with nothing inside it. Aunt Belle would have a hard time to clean this up. I'll make sure I put some advance in her paycheck.

"We thought about that." Adrienne said.

"One step ahead of you." Meghan smirked with a wink. I rolled my eyes. She scooted out to the kitchen and came back with a mannequin in tow. That didn't catch my eyes though. A dark blue lying between the colors green and violet. It was one shouldered, and flowed all te way down, with a slight raise on the side for the showing of a shoe. I was so engrossed in it, I didn't notice myself prancing towards it.

"You like it?" Adrienne smirked. It wasn't a question, more of a statement. A statement I couldn't deny. "I told you she'd like this one." Adrienne stuck out her tongue at Meghan. Meghan rolled her eyes and thy both looked expectantly at me.

"I love it."

"Good." I heard the voice that sounded like music to my ears. "It goes with my tie." I knew a big smirk was plastered on his face.

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