Revealed

96. Stella

"Melissa, you only need one dress. High school graduation only happens once."

Melissa has both of the boys carrying mountain tall piles of clothes. All a different style and color.

"Girl, college is coming up and I need to be overprepared. I hear there are parties every night! "

"You're there to learn, not party."

"I'll make time for both."

I place my palm on my forehead before shaking it in disagreement. Why do I even try?

"How are you even going to pay for all this?"

She turns her head to face me, giving me an eye that says, "doesn't matter", before chuckling to herself and pulling Nickson, along with the clothes, into the biggest dressing room there is.
Neal and I are now alone.

"Wow. I didn't realize how much clothes meant to a girl," he laughs.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and shrug. "I mean... it depends on the girl. I'm more substance. Girls like Melissa though, they just look good and live in the moment."

"But, where's your dress? Won't you try it on?"

"I haven't chosen yet," I cross my hands over my chest in thought. "Actually, I did. But Melissa didn't approve and basically threw it away. She told me that if I secretly bought it behind her back, she was going to burn it and me as well."

Neal laughs again for the hundredth time today. He's so easy to talk to. I can tell we're going to be great friends. He already told me about how he was content being in the gang. He wasn't super proud of it, but it's no big deal to him. I respect that.

"Let's take a look at this dress."

I unfold my arms and lightly direct him to the rack. The dress is still there hanging loud and proud. It's an off shoulder burgundy cocktail dress. There were no extra designs or sparkles covering it, although it was longer in the back than it was in the front. It was form fitting in the sense that it would have showed my curves, but covered my cleavage.
"But, this dress is amazing. And surprisingly simple. What's wrong with it?", Neal asked.
"Exactly that. It's 'TOO simple'. And Melissa wants our clique to slay the gods."
"I think you should buy whatever you want."
"I think I'll end up going to graduation in my pajamas if I do that."
We both cracked up laughing at the idea of Melissa actually taking a torch and burning my dress.
"Okay, okay," Neal composed himself. "On a serious note though, you can secretly buy this dress and then buy the dress she wants you to wear and decide your final decision later."
It hadn't crossed my mind what a great idea that was.
"Wow. I feel dumb I didn't think of that. And I'm normally the smart one." We shared a laugh again while picking up the dress off the rack and finding the closest register.