Hope «h.s.»

Twenty-Six.

Chapter 26:

As I went through the day, random incidents where Harry and I interacted raced through my mind. It all started in a simple class but grew to be so much more. As I thought about it more, the more I got embarrassed about how I told him that I loved him. Even though I was drunk, it was still mortifying to hear, especially from Max.

I had a book in my right hand and a small red apple in my other, chomping as I read during my lunch period.

But then something occurred... Rene.

What'd she do last night?

I quickly grabbed my phone. I typed to her what I felt was a novel but in reality was only a few questions.

'I'm so sorry I wasn't there yesterday!!! Where did you stay last night? Are you okay? In school? I'm so sorry and I love you ReRe!!<3'

Immediately I got a response from my little sister.

'A friend and I had already planned on having a sleepover. I stayed at her house. And I'm fine and at school.xo'

I quickly wiped my forehead. That could have been worse.

Suddenly, someone decided to sit across from me on my picnic table. My book closed by itself and I huffed in annoyance.

"Oops! Sorry. Whatcha readin'?" I looked up to find Rebecca's plastic smile on her face.

"Just a book," I said.

"Fun," she replied quickly as if she had no interest from the start. Why was she being nice to me? "Have any plans tonight?" That was my answer.

"Not exactly. Not that I know of."

"So you'll come to my house if there's a party?"

"I don't know," I muttered.

"Oh c'mon Piper. I'll let you have any other guy but Harry. Just go. I promise you will have fun," Rebecca bribed.

"Still..." I dragged on. "I don't know if it's  best..."

"Oh you're coming and that's final," Rebecca said standing up. Before I could refuse her invite, she said, "I expect to see you there and dress appropriately!"

My jaw slacked open and I froze. I guess I was going to another one of those high school parties that I loved so much...

•••

"You're coming with me," I said to Scottie when I walked into the door. I changed the sign from 'open' to 'closed' and walked over to the register where he was.

"We are going shopping," I told Scottie before he could decline the offer. It wasn't even an offer.

"What?" Scottie asked. "But my dad might come by later."

"We will be back by then, I promise. Now come with me." I grabbed his hand and I took him out of the door.

We stayed downtown going from shop to shop but I couldn't find the dress. Every fabric was either not flattering, or too long, or too revealing, or too expensive; I needed to find something perfect. We searched seven stores inside and out. I might have tried on sixty dresses.

"C'mon Pipes, if you're going to be this picky, we are never going to find a dress for you!" Scottie whined.

"Yeah, yeah," I huffed, scanning a new rack.

"Who's party is this anyway? And why am I not invited?"

"Oh just a snobby girl's from my school. She is probably celebrating halfway to her half birthday or something stupid like that. But I have to go," I told him.

"You have to?" Scottie looked at me and raised his eyebrows.

"Yes," I scolded. "And don't look at me like that."

"Harsh," he murmured. "Well I'm going to go get us some slushies from across the street. You keep looking."

"Okay," I smiled.

Two minutes later, I had had enough of this store so I walked out of it. I sat on a bench in frustration. The party was tonight and I needed the perfect dress. This was the last boutique I wanted to look in and it didn't have anything!

I put my chin in my hands and sighed. I had come to the conclusion that looking good at the party was not going to happen. I just wanted something fun, something new. With the big news about my father, I needed to let loose. I did not care anymore. Basically the hope for my life going the way I planned was gone, or it was at least hanging on by a thread.

I realized there would always be a target on my back. I wondered how many enemies my father had and how many threats he had gotten from people saying they would hurt Rene or I.

I just needed to clear my head and that was what tonight was going to be.

As I stopped groaning about my life, something caught my eye. In the window of the boutique I was sitting in front of, was the most perfect sparkling silver dress that I could imagine. I hadn't seen it on a rack. Immediately, I stormed back in the store.

"Excuse me ma'am," I said getting the lady's attention.

"Yes! How can I help you?" she smiled.

"I saw a silver dress on the window display and I was wondering if you had any duplicates that I could try on," I smiled hoping to God that she did. I was in love with the dress.

"Let me check in the back," she said with a smile.

I tapped my foot with anxiousness and twirled my thumbs. And before I knew it, the lady came back with one in her hands.

"You're lucky! We have one left and it's a small. Will that work?"

"Yes! Of course!" I said taking it from her hands. "Thank you."

"That'll be forty-five dollars and ninety cents hun," she said.

I sucked in a breath when she told me the price. Without trying to make a rational decision, I took out a handful of cash and gave it to the lady.

"That should be enough," I said. Only a couple days worth of pay wouldn't kill me, right?

"Have a great day," the manager said as I walked out with my new dress.

Scottie came running up with two big, blue slushies in his hands. "Did you finally find one?"

"Yes!" I squeaked. "You're going to love it!" 

He softly smiled. "Have fun at your party. Don't get too crazy!"

I rolled my eyes and we split ways while I slurped my slushy.