The Lemon Meringue Boy

Part 51

So sorry for the short boring chapter! Dont hate me!

I stood in front of the mirror, admiring my reflection. I'd only worn a suit once before, Once in my life, last year. I looked good. No wonder Pacifica was so intent on talking me into it. As I was straightening my tie, Bill walked in and flopped across the bed.

"Hey Bill. You're not wearing that, right?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well first off, this dance is a formal event. Second and more importantly, it's dirty. Like, really dirty."

It was true. Bill's hoodie, although magical and newly materialized, was somehow already covered in mud, dust, pie ingredients, and purple tear stains.

"Just change into something else. This is the kind of thing you would wear a suit to, lucky for you. Just don't make it yellow. And remember, this is formal, but still hold back on the top hats and coattails. You're still fourteen."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Just go put on your makeup or whatever. Make yourself pretty."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the mirror. I was getting frustrated trying to tease the (seemingly permanent) knots from the ends of my bangs and attempting to tame my massive cowlick. It astonished me to think that, long ago, perhaps back in the womb, my hair started out untangled.

I started to feel an odd warmness on the back of my neck. I ignored it at first, but it built up until it felt like I was standing in front of a campfire. I was almost scared to turn around, expecting my room to be up in flames or half melted.

"Bill, what are you doing?"

"Changing."

"I already taught you how to change, and it doesn't involve heat!"

"But you only have one suit. I just thought it would be easier if I played around with what I've already got. Shuffle the molecular structure a bit."

I turned around to make sure nothing was burning, exploding, or boiling. I immediately dropped my comb. Have you ever done that thing, where you let an egg soak in vinegar, and the shell dissolves, and you can hold the egg to the sun and see the yolk glow through? He looked like that. And he was one sexy egg. Glowing yellow mist whipped around him as he floated a good foot off of the floor. Is arms were splayed at his sides and his skin was radiant with energy.

I watched as his clothes plastered against his skin like spray paint, in fragments, slowly covering the glow of his chest, creeping down his legs. Eventually the mist began to slow and he began to lower to the floor, gently and gracefully.

I stared in wonder as the energy in the room died down and his feet met the floor. He pretended not to notice my staring as he straightened his tie and flattened his suit with both palms. Finally he looked up at me and smiled. He was obviously showing off, and I hated him for it, but I just couldn't tear my eyes away.

"Perv."

"What?"

"I was getting dressed Pine Tree."

"Oh f*** off!"

"That was the plan wasn't it? We better get a move on or we'll miss this, dare I say, 'party'. I've been to some REAL parties. It's not a real party until the cops show up. Either way, you wouldn't want to keep your beloved Llama waiting."

"Pacifica's a GIRL Bill. Not a llama."

"Really? I could've sworn I saw a bit of resemblance. Maybe the hair. Or the face. Eh. You learn something new every day."

I would've been angrier, but I wasn't. I couldn't stop staring at him. I'd expected him to try some ridiculous magician getup. Bow tie, top hat, coattails. But he just looked... classy. He was wearing a jet black suit with creases so sharp they could cut diamond, and not one wrinkle was present in the cashmere. If it possessed any magical traits, I doubted there ever would be. Under his jacket he wore a white dress shirt and a tie. A regular yellow tie.

"You look good." The thought was supposed to be kept in my mind, but with horror I realized I'd said it out loud.

Bill looked at me with a grin, almost sly. I braced myself for whatever comeback he would pin me with. He walked over to me and, to my surprise, gingerly tightened my tie against my chest.

"You too."

I was amazed. Bill had been, if it was physically possible, mature about my mistake.

"So when do I get to meet your parents?"

There it was.

I swatted him away and brushed myself off.

"Shut up. We need to get something straight. We have to stay close to each other. I'm not going to follow you around like a baby duck and I doubt you'd to that for me. That means we have to make it seem casual. No wandering off without telling the other where you're going. We don't want you hitting the bubble or our cover will be blown."

"Got it."

"Okay. Let's go."

I led Bill out the door and down the hall to Soos' break room where Mabel and her friends were just finishing getting ready. I knocked on the door and Mabel emerged. She was clad in a neon orange, multilayer dress. It even had what seemed to be bike reflectors hot glued to it (I later learned they were there to help Mabel "stand out" at the dance). It looked like it was the last survivor of the historic glitter bombing of Unicorn Island.

"Oh hey Bro-bro and other brother! What do you think of our formal attire?" She was attempting a British accent but failing miserably. As Candy and Grenda filed into the hall, I discovered that their dresses had not fared much better than Mabel's in that dreadful rainbow war.

"They're... sparkly." I saw Bill smile and nod out of the corner of my eye. Candy blushed at the comment, shrugging her shoulders shyly. I was a little confused. I thought she'd gotten over her crush on me.

"Thanks. We spent all day on them. I even decorated my glasses to match!" She held up her Harry Potter spectacles. The frame was wrapped in multicolored ribbon and painted with glitter glue.

"Neat!" Bill bent down a bit to get a closer look. Candy shrunk back a bit and her blush deepened. That was when I realized that Candy hadn't been reacting to my comment. She'd been reacting to Bill. I felt my ego drop to the ground and shatter into pieces. I wasn't surprised though. Next to Bill I probably looked like something Gompers dragged in.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" I sounded a little too cheery as I grabbed Bill's wrist and tugged him back down the hall, the girls following.

We all squeezed out the front door and piled into Soos' car. There were only five seats. We had six people.

"I call the roof!!!"

I shot a skeptical look in Bills direction, shutting down the idea for good.

"Well where am I gonna sit then?"

"Heck if I know!"

Mabel piped up from the back of the group. "We have some room! Just squeeze in the backseat!"

"But there's only three seatbelts!"

"Share one!"

"With who?"

"LIAM!"

I looked over at Bill, who was already in the car. Looked like he'd taken advantage of our little chat and made sure he got the best spot. I knew from experience that if you're going to squeeze into a car, you don't want to be the last one in. I sighed, not taking my eyes off Bill, and nodded.

Everyone piled into the car, leaving me to crawl over a mass of knees to get to my spot. I wriggled myself around, trying to inch my way into the space between Mabel and Bill. I was practically sitting on Bill's lap.

And that was how the ride went.