The Auction

I barely recognized the face that stared back at me in the reflection of the mirror. Hailey, my best friend had decided to take me shopping reluctantly. “You look so gorgeous, Emerald.” I sigh as the dress flows down my curves perfectly. It was purple and strapless and above knee length. 

“Thanks, Hailey, but I don’t think my mother would approve of such a thing.” I scowl and admire the way the dress fits me, the way the satin feels on my fingers as I run them along it appreciatively. If any girl could wear this dress without endless argument from their uptight, high expectation type of mother, then they were lucky and I envied them. 

Hailey sighed and frowned. “What do you mean she wouldn’t approve? Why cant you just let your new step dad, like, give you one of his credit cards or something?” She wondered, searching through the rack of dresses we’d chosen to pick out and try on, which is new for me-I wasn’t too keen on trying on dresses and wearing a crap load of make-up. 

She grabbed her wallet out and threw a twenty at the male cashier who looked like he had a lot better things he could be doing on this Saturday afternoon. I wait patiently behind here. “Because,” I tell her as we walk out of the store that afternoon, enjoying the Seattle sun which didn’t show up too often, “you know how Bill is. He’s constantly bickering with me.” 

Hailey unlocked her car door and then unlocked mine as well. She stuck the key into the ignition and immediately cranked up the radio station, Kesha playing. I cranked it down a notch, uninterested in the pointless party music. “Oh c’mon. He can’t be that bad.” She thought logically, pulling out of the parking space. 

I snorted. “Oh yeah,” I challenged, “this morning-” 

Beeping and the impact of Hailey’s Mercedes rear ending something was the only thing that entered my mind, swung my head back, and caused the air bags to go off and hit me in face, practically giving me a heart attack. I knew this wasn’t going to end well. “What an ass…I’m getting out and giving him a piece of my mind!” Hailey shouted, opening up her car door. 

I grabbed her arm. “Hailey, calm down.” I was out of breath from the impact of the air bag. 

“No!” She protested, getting up and going right over to the car, knocking on the passenger side window. 

I winced as I knew this probably wasn’t going to end well. “Listen here, mister!” She yelled even louder, creating a small type of scene. I got out of the car immediately, wrapping my light jacket around my waist. The sun was getting to me; finally. It hadn’t shone in weeks. What a shame to waste such perfectly good weather trying to sooth your best friend’s anger. 

“It was only an accident…” Someone trailed off, lifting their sunglasses off of their eyes and onto their head. Their hot head. He had bronze golden skin for someone who lived in the rainy state of Seattle, and he had black spiky hair along with piercing blue eyes. 

Hailey had her hands on her hips. “It didn’t look like an accident you idiot!” She screamed. 

I shook my head, grabbing her hand and sending her to the car. I was going to speak but barely could as I stared into those deep blue eyes. They looked troubled, stressed as his hands rubbed his temples. “I’m really sorry about my friend. She just gets a little on the angry side sometimes.” I tell the handsome boy in front of me. 

“It’s fine. I’m just glad that your not a total bitch like her.” He nodded towards Hailey’s direction. She sat in the front side of the car, trying to calm herself to no avail. 

I laughed nervously. “Uh…” 

“Zach.” He informed me, knowing I was searching for some type of name.