Ice Blue [ Book One ]

19 // Preparation

Fire and brimstone fell upon my ears
As their throats of open graves recited fear
Like the bullets of a gun they drove my tears
And my feet to run the hell out of here

• • •

I allowed the fifth dress to fall over my legs, drifting lazily across my knees. This one was a lot less scratchy and a lot lighter than the four others that came before this one. I didn't feel like I was trapped or able to suffocate in this one, which was a nice addition.

"Pretty," Zaria commented from where she was sprawled across an overstuffed chair in the area outside the dressing rooms. She was nodding her head in approval at this dress. "I like that one better. The others seemed way to frilly for you."

Lana made a noise that told me she could argue that statement, but she made no move to do so. She and Maddie had both been strangely lax with their desires to doll me up in the way they want. The four previous dresses were their choices, and I tried them on, with big fat no already instilled but willing to give them a chance. They didn't protest verbally when I vetoed all four, and allowed me to take off each one after their close inspection.

The fifth one was, of course, one of my own picking. It was black, unlike the others, which were pastel colors. I didn't mind their colorings, just the fact that they had been big, suffocating, and uncomfortable. This dress was of a softer material that caressed my body, but didn't try to grope it unkindly.

"It suits you," Lana said after a second with a smile, watching me turn my body back and forth to see how it looked on my body. "I'll admit it. You look beautiful."

Maddie begrudgingly agreed, nodding her head and leaning forward. She moved her elbow so it rested on top of her knee before placing her chin on her spread palm, smiling knowingly. "Alright, yeah it does. You look pretty damn good in that dress."

Lana shot her daughter a look, and when Maddie turned her own gaze to her mother without moving her head I instantly knew they were speaking through their thoughts; Lana was more than likely scolding Maddie for the language.

"Is this the one you want?" Zaria asked me, forcing me to look back at the brown-haired beauty. She placed her hands on her hips and studied me. "We can try on a few more like that one, if you prefer."

"I'm hungry," Maddie whined, sticking out her lower lip childishly.

"I told you to eat breakfast before we left, Madisyn," Lana said, narrowing her eyes at the whining female. "I remember specifically telling you that if you really wanted to come, you should eat first. Because this is exactly what happens when you don't eat and we go somewhere for a long time."

Maddie had it in her to at least look guilty-faced. "I know, I'm sorry. I was too excited to eat and now I'm hungry."

Lana sighed and gave her daughter an affectionate nudge with her knee before returning her attention to me with a smile. "So, dress a yes or a no?"

I grinned at her and took one last look at myself in it, already picturing the response Princeton would give when he saw me in it. "Oh, it's definitely a yes."

• • •

After we purchased the dress [ I winced when I saw the price ring up to $85.00 ], we went to the food court and got some food. I decided on Chinese, while Lana and Zaria got sub sandwiches, and Maddie got a very big slice of pizza.

"Hey." Maddie nudged me as she swallowed down a bite of her pizza, setting down the half eaten slice on the grease stained white paper plate.

"Hmm?" I hummed as I chewed some of my orange chicken. I dig through my lo mien with my chopsticks and look at her. "Yeah?"