The Lucky One

chapter 39

Copyright (c) akm

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Chapter Thirty-Nine:

Dance, Dance

I already had my dress and the shoes, so putting the outfit together wasn't a problem.  It was deciding what else I should do to look better that was.

            I groaned, putting my head on my hand as I stared at the rows of make-up and nail polish on my vanity.  Rachel was laying on my bed on her stomach, probably holding back her laugh as she watched my frustration. 

            "I don't know what to do!" I said exasperated.

            "It's just a dance, hun, I'm sure Nathan doesn't care what you wear," she told me, and her voice broke a little, and I knew she was on the verge of laughing.

            "It's not funny!" I cried, but then she started giggling, and I couldn't fight my smile.  I bit my lip and looked at the nail polish choices, picking a glittery silver color and dark blue, because either would go good with my dress.  I turn to her and held them out, asking as seriously as I could, "silver or blue?"

            Of course she chuckled but pointed to the silver.  I shook the bottle and opened it carefully, setting myself on the ground as I started to paint my toenails first.

            "So who's Dylan going with?" Rachel asked, sliding down so she had her back against my bed, right across from me.

            "Some popular girl from school," I answered, wiping some excess silver paint from my toes.  I continued.

            "He didn't ask you?"

            I looked at her confused.  "No," I said slowly.  "I'm dating Nathan, it's kind of a give-away that I'd be going with him."

            "Well, it is obvious, but I thought he would've asked you anyway."

            I blew on my toes and started on the other foot, carefully trying to paint.  It's so easy just to paint inside the lines in a coloring book, but it is so much more difficult when you're painting nails.

            "What makes you say that?" I asked, a little distracted with focus.

            She gave me a look.  "You don't see it, do you?" I didn't respond so she added, "he likes you, Pam.  It is so obvious the way he looks at you.  He always calms down around you, even Nathan's parents agree."

            "There's no way he could really like me that much.  We're just friends.  We've never been close."   

            "He does.  What's not to like?  Even if he is known as a player, do you really know his story?  Maybe he's not who you think he is.  Maybe he's not who anybody thinks he is."

            "He knows I'm with Nathan, nothing's going to change that.  How do these look?" I showed her my toes, wiggling them. 

            "Beautiful.  I like that color.  I'll do your hands."

            We both shifted positions so she could easily put the polish on my nails.  She did it much better than I did my toes, barely making mistakes at all.  Years of practice, I assumed.  She was pretty concentrated on the job, and I just watched the gentle strokes of the brush.  Quick, easy, and perfect, with the occasional blob.  She finished and blew on my nails for me.