Reprise

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

'Let's get Maccas,' Blazon is saying from the backseat, over the Two Soap Dolls song that I'm playing on Ainsley's car speakers. Ainsley has had her license for about a week now, and I can tell she's nervous driving Blazon and me to the fundraising ball. She's wearing a plain floor-length black dress with a plain silver pendant necklace, and her blonde hair is curled lightly.

Blazon is wearing a knee-length red dress with a chunky black necklace that looks stunning against her fair skin. Her dark, wavy hair falls softly around her shoulders. It's the first time I've ever seen Blazon look like this, and I'm impressed.

'I don't want to get Maccas,' Ainsley sighs. She keeps taking one hand off the steering wheel to push her hair out of her eyes. Her hands are clammy and she's going to make her hair greasy or get us into a car accident, but I don't want to say anything.

Ainsley is still upset about the thing with Jareth, although when I talked to her and told her my intentions she seemed to forgive me. I'm not quite sure, because she cried while getting ready for the fundraiser and had to redo her makeup, but I think she's realised that I'm not at fault. Hopefully she gets over Jareth soon, because dealing with Ainsley on a good day is hard enough, let alone dealing with post-breakup Ainsley.

'No seriously, let's get Maccas,' Blazon says. 'I'm wearing high heels and I want to walk into McDonalds in a formal dress and order six chicken nuggets and a coke.'

'And also order fries but give them to me,' I say smartly.

Blazon sticks her tongue out at me. 'I'll eat the fries.'

'Fine,' Ainsley says, and switches lanes so she can turn right into the McDonalds up ahead. 'I'm not getting anything, so we better not stay long.'

There's been plenty of times I've stumbled to McDonalds at three in the morning after a big party, trying to balance on high heels as well as hold up an almost-passed-out Watson, but walking into McDonalds with high heels on sober is a different experience. I can't help but feel awkward in my long cream dress, walking up to the counter and ordering a cheeseburger. Ainsley stands with her arms crossed defensively over her chest and waits for us to get our order before sitting down in a booth.

'So let me see your camera, Blaze,' I say. Blazon has a mouthful of chips but she pulls her camera out of her bag and passes it across the table to me.

When I turn it on, it makes a loud beep. 'How do I turn it on silent?' I ask.

Blazon laughs. 'It doesn't have a silent function; it's a video camera, not an iPhone.'

I roll my eyes. 'But what if I come across Taylor and Nelson making out and I need to turn the camera on but they hear the beep?'

'Cough,' Blazon suggests.

I roll my eyes.

'So I'm going to be pretending that I'm filming the ball for a film project, alright?' Blazon says. 'And occasionally I'll just give the camera to you as well. We'll have to walk around and hopefully avoid Taylor seeing us before we catch her.'

'Easier said than done,' Ainsley sighs.

'This is for Watson,' I say. 'The sooner he finds out about Taylor, the better. Then he can move on to someone that actually deserves him.'

Ainsley steals a chip from me, but as soon as she eats it she says, 'I think I'm going to throw up.' She wipes her fingers on my napkin and crosses her arms over her chest again.

I finish my burger quickly. 'Come on, let's just go.'

Ainsley basically runs to the exit of McDonalds, which is comical in her black heels. I notice Ainsley is looking much skinnier than normal, and I feel a stab of pride for her because she's been so careful with her diet.