The Blue Streaked Boy and Me| frerard

15.i want it all

Hayley, being the saint she is, traveled with me all around town looking for the perfect prom dress. I had decided against wearing a regular old tux a couple months ago. It was my first prom, and I had a right to look pretty.

It was pretty late in the prom dress season so most of the good dresses were taken already, or not in our sizes. All the department stores were wiped clean and so were Hayley's favorite places in the mall.

We were taking our time cruising down the main strip, making sure that no boutique, no matter how small the shop, would be overlooked, when I saw it: Emperors New Clothes. I think it was a store that the nuns owned, right across the street from the religious Mexican restaurant, Holy Guacamole.

"Why don't we try there?" I asked.

Hayley shrugged, she was up for anything at this point.

As we walked inside the shop, the both of us instantly wanted every single dress in our sight, but there was only one dress that I was destined to have. The dress was in the center of the room and on full display on a small pedestal. It was the stuff of dreams: a lavender gown with one thick strap on the left shoulder, and a full and short sequined tulle skirt. I wanted that dress more than I wanted Gee back, more than a starving child wants to eat, more than Waldo doesn't want to be found, and unfortunately, so did Hayley.

We ran towards the dress at the same time.

She backed away immediately as she saw my hands on it, "No, you have it Frankie, it's rightfully yours."

"Hayley..." I complained, "I could never."

"Okay then."

To my horror she plucked my dress off the mannequin, swiped her card, and drove off. I could have–should have–stopped her in those short, short minutes but I was too busy picking up the pieces of my shattered heart from the spot where The Dress had just been.

The nun on duty shook her head tsking a little, "I can have another made by Saturday."

That was the night of prom. Although I was a little surprised that a nun would help a gay boy in his efforts to wear the most fabulous dress ever, I took a breath and gave her my answer:

"I'll take it."