The Eye Of The Ankh #Wattys2016

Chapter Thirty-Six

"So, is it just me, or do Jean and Marco seem... close...?" I asked Halle as I drove. Every once in a while I'd look in the rearview and see the boys a few vehicles behind. "Like... more than friends?"

Halle laughed and turned down the music. It was one of my favorite songs, and I wanted to turn it back up. "Oh my God! Yes. I'm not the only person who sees it. I mean, without Jean, Marco's only half himself."

"Have they always been like that?"

Halle shrugged. "I've only known them for a few years. For all I know, Jean and/or Marco are always like that with other guys."

I laughed. "I doubt it."

"Okay, so explain: how the hell do you have money for this car? I mean, it's really awesome."

"My aunt bought it for me. She used to do Broadway stuff. Also, apparently, my grandparents were pretty rich."

Halle's jaw dropped. "That's so cool. I'd love to see your house—oh! Our exit ramp is coming up. I'll call the guys." Halle pulled out her phone and dialed, turning the music on the radio off. She put the call on speaker.

When the guys picked up—I don't know who she called—bad rap music blasted through the tiny speaker. Jean yelled through the phone. "HELLO?"

Halle shouted back. "Take the 110 ramp, okay?"

"110?"

"110."

"Okay! Byeeee!"

Halle hung up. "Well, they're having fun."

I smiled.

Halle did a little twirl in the dress she tried on. It was a bright-dark blue that hugged her chest but flared out at her hips. "What do you think?"

"I think it's cute on you."

Halle rolled her eyes. "You need to try something on."

"Hall, I don't even know what dress size I am."

Halle squinted her eyes at my body, tilting her head slightly. "Probably a... medium or the equivalent of medium. Come on,"

While I shuffled through the racks of cheap t-shirts, Halle shuffled through racks of gowns. She pulled out a few, and I already knew I lost the battle. She shoved me into a dressing room with the three or four dresses.

I went in order of the ones I thought were the ugliest, starting with a puffy yellow one. As soon as I stepped out of the dressing room, Halle shook her head. "No. So not your color."

"Halle, you chose it out for me."

"Try on another."

I rolled my eyes and put on a tight fitting gray dress. Looked like something strippers in training would wear. That, or sluts. Halle rolled her eyes. "What was I thinking with that one? Put on the last."

The last one was a plum color, and normally I hated the color, but the dress looked really pretty. It was a drop waist with a belt of silver rhinestones across my hips. It was all ruffled.

When I stepped out of the dressing room, Halle beamed. "I knew that one would work. Do you like it?"

Halle pushed me in front of the tri-fold mirrors. "You should so buy it."

"Hall, where would I wear this to?"

"Graduation, maybe,"

"No one wears full blown prom dresses under their graduation gown." I regretted saying prom as soon as Halle's eyes lit up.