Love on Ice

Chapter 4: A Dress that is Sure to Impress

After waking up with a mighty cat-strech, Ellora trudged along the path to her bathroom to get ready for the day. She parked herself in front of the mirror only to find her hair in a tangled mess.

After her failed attempt to tame the nest on top of her head, she resigned to pulling it into a messy bun; unfortunately, her case of bed head was much worse than she had originally suspected. Normally her messy buns looked cute and effortless, but today it looked as if she had tried every drug known to mankind and then some.

* * *

Ellora and Jess were going prom dress shopping - or hunting, due to its difficulty.

Ellora hated wearing dresses, unless they were to be worn on ice. She began to bicker with her best friend, "I don't understand why I can't just wear last season's competition dress... It's fancy and... It's technically a dress."

The dress in question went with her classical music routine, needless to say her outfit replicated that of a ballroom gown.

"Prom is not a competition! It's a night for girls to dress up, feel pretty, and make their dreams come true."

Jess had lain the problem right out in the open: when it came to clothes, Ellora was for all intents and purposes, a tomboy.

"Prom court is a type of competition," she countered. Her expression was dark as she attempted to convey her true feelings about their much anticipated day of prom dress shopping.

"I'll give you a point for creativity there," Jess was clearly suppressing her irritation.

"Oh, so we're keeping score now? What do you think this is? One of Ryan's basketball games?"

Ryan, Jess's current boyfriend has been playing on Avinson's basketball team since his freshman year; he's currently a senior.

Jess's only response was a mysterious twitch in the corner of her mouth - the ghost of a smile.

So Ellora continued, "In that case I think I get 3 extra points..." She lifted a finger, "one for coming dress shopping, " another finger appeared, "one for the fact that I agreed to go to the infernal dance in the first place, " she revealed the third finger, "and lastly, a point for doing all of the above without having a date."

At this, Jess inquired, "Sometimes I don't understand your logic. I just don't get it. Doesn't every girl want to feel beatiful for at least one night?"

"I think you may have phrased that wrong because I'm feeling slightly offended..."

Was her best friend hinting that she wasn't beautiful?

She continued, "Don't get me wrong, I like to feel beautiful; that's why I skate. It's my feminine side. I just don't like the idea of promming it up all by myself."

"You just lost a point: prom is a noun, not a verb. And besides, you won't be alone; I'll be there, too."

"You've showed me every quiz grade you got in Mrs. Wilmans english 11 class this year, so don't you even think about correcting my speech patterns!" She couldn't even believe that of all the times they've made up words, she chose to add fuel to the fire of their already heated conversation by correcting Ellora.

The nerve of her best friend!

"And true, you will be there. Unfortunately, I don't exactly look forward to conversing with you while you grind with Ryan."

"No one said anything about grinding! When did this conversation become about me?" Jess blurted out, clearly hurt by this accusation.

"Anyway, I still don't get why you're making me go. I don't mind dressing up as long as my gown isn't pink and frilly, but can't I just dress up and go to dinner with you guys before the dance?"

" You are going to prom! Period. End of story. Discussion closed," Jess's tone was final. Ellora pouted with the hopes that Jess would soften up; she did no such thing.

* * *

"What about this one? It's so you!" Jess came barrelling up to her hugging a slim floor-length red ballgown to her chest.

Ellora hung the gown on a nearby rack to admire it, then proceeded to the dressing room to try it on.

She stepped out of the cube room and drifted over in front of the mirror to get Jess's opinion.

"Honestly, I think you look amazing. It even makes you look slightly chesty and the way it hugs your hips and then flows naturally makes up for your lack of curves," From Jess, this was a compliment, but even so, Jess added, "no offense, I mean. You look beautiful, you really do!"

"Nice save. I really appreciate the sincerity," Ellora joked sarcastically.

"Oh you know I'm just kidding with you, Ellie!" Jess giggled showing Ellie that her intent wasn't aimed to harm.

They meandered through the racks in search of a dress worthy of Jess's girly personality and flawless frame.

At this point, Ellora was drained from trailing Jess around the perimeter of the boutique. They were on what Ellora could only guess was their fifth go-around when her best friend trotted up to a floor-length dress sporting an alternating pattern of coral pink and lilic layers throughout the poofy skirt; she squealed, "Oh my God, yes, this is it! This is my dress!"

Ellora proceeded towards the rack of dresses and began sifting through them in search of Jess's size 5. Once she had studied each tag at least twice just to be sure, she announced, "Sorry, Jess, the closest to your size is a 7; the rest are all incredibly small."

"A 7? This can't be! It's completely and 100% perfect for me... Wait..." Jess tapped her chin as she contemplated her options. Ellora could practically see the gears turning in her mind, then she gasped with excitement, "I have it! You can try it on and I'll decide if it's really worthy by your opinion, then I can order it online; you are a size 7 after all."

Ellora hated the idea of the possibility of anyone seeing her in the poofy, feminine gown, but she wanted to get out of the damn dress boutique, so she went along with Jess's chaotic plan.

Ellora nearly lost her footing on her departure from the dressing room due to the lack in sight of her own two feet.

Jess looked at Ellora with eyes shining brighter than the sun at noon and breathed out, "Gorgeous! Completely and undeniably perfect! It even looks great on you!"

"Gee, I appreciate the complement, Jess. I'm just glad that my homely face, lack of curves and ghostly pale skin doesn't take away from the beauty of the dress," Ellora retorted with just a hint of acid in her voice.

"You know I didn't mean that, you look totally fab in that dress! You should so get it, I've been trying to get you into a girly dress since the day we met. And now that my vision has come to life, I don't want it to end!"

"But I thought you wanted it! Besides, I let you "Barbie" me up simply to decide if you truly loved it, not for the purposes of girling me up in front of the whole upper class of Avinson High," Ellora was beginning to freak.

She didn't want to let down her best friend, but she also was troubled with the thought of publicly displaying herself as someone that she's not.

"Unfortunately..." Jess drawled, "While you were in there, I went shopping online only to have my dreams crushed. They're completely sold out of size 5s."

"Making me wear this- this- giant cotton ball is in no way going to make your dreams come true," Ellora wasn't sure how else to get her point across.

"I know I said you look amazing in the red one, and you do, but will you please at least consider it?"

Ellora made a gesture mocking deep contemplation - she rubbed her chin with her index finger, while mumbling, "hmm, let me think about it..."

After a good 10 seconds, she simply stated, "Nope."

They made another 3 go-arounds before Jess found a slimming hot pink spaghetti strapped, rhinestoned gown to call her own. After Jess's final decision, Ellora preached her gratitude to the Heavens.