Hollows In Time (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book Ⅱ

Chapter Seventy-Seven

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H o l l o w s I n
T I M E
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"So let me get this straight, Jameson asked you to the Ball?" Avery asked as we stood by a rack of ball dresses, seeking out the two we most liked.

"Plural, Avery," Saph interjected, "there are two Balls." Avery rolled her eyes at her whilst Cassie stifled a laugh.

"Balls." She said, before erupting into giggles. I shook my head and laughed at her, jabbing her with the hanger that held a dress that I had been looking at.

Nonetheless, we returned to the conversation. "No, Jameson asked me to go to the Ball." I told Avery.

Saph gave me an odd glance. "You do realise that adding three words doesn't really change the facts, right?"

I threw her a glare. "Okay, yes he asked me to go, but not with him." I said, distracting myself by turning back to scan the rack of dresses, hoping that something would jump out at me.

Bria tapped a hanger on the rack, which held a very vibrant red, but beautiful, dress. I picked it up off the rack and rose an eyebrow at Bria.

"What?" She asked, "would you rather go in blue again?" She gestured to the hanger beside it, which held a blue dress. I had been eying both of them.

I sighed in resignation. "Okay, fine. I'll try it on." I told her.

"Wait," she called, just as I turned. "She picked up a gown, "I'll come." I eyed her curiously but I let her and her five metres wide dress follow me into the changing rooms.

We said a quick goodbye before dispersing into our rooms. I drew the curtain in, hung the dress up, then sighed at my reflection.

I soon exchanged my home clothes for my red gown, and then stood in front of the mirror, just peering at myself.

I played with my hair, somehow finding fault with every place I positioned it in. Then I awkwardly tried many different poses. Nothing looked right.

Suddenly, the conversation that Jameson and I had had earlier this week came back to me. There was nothing wrong with the dress. I was just too afraid to admit that. I was too afraid to go to the Ball, just as Jameson said.

I closed my eyes, inhaled and exhaled, then opened them again. I straightened my back, pushed my shoulders back and poised my head at the right 'jawline view' angle.

The dress was gorgeous. It was just a bonus that it actually suited me.

It was simple, yet completely wild. The bold red was just that, and it'd certainly give me a bold entrance. But what way to enter a Ball that I was afraid to go to than by being the main attraction there?

Or, at least, the dress would be. Without the sleeves, my collarbone complimented the look exquisitely. A few months ago, I would've absolutely hated my collarbones sticking out; now I loved them.

The red went perfectly well with my pale complexion—since I haven't seen the sun since Jesus died—which did surprise me. I thought the contrast would be too much. Maybe blue was too safe for me, maybe I'm destined to be an angel on fire. In a flaming red dress.

The simplicity was adorned by an almost bouquet effect at the very top of the dress. 

It was elegant yet daring. Simple yet striking. It's also a Christmas kind of colour, which was the point of the Ball.