A Timeless Place

Chapter 59

"All is fair in love and war."  

Dress Hunting and Desolate Solidarity

"And we're back exactly where we started- buying dresses for teenage parties! Oh, how we have progressed," I exclaimed in a light sarcastic voice as Eli and I walked past the exact same store we had brought her dress from for Dracula's party many months ago.

"And this time," Eli inserted a gasp in between. "It's for a party you're planning!!! The world has turned upside down!"

"How low I have stooped!" I dramatically cried in agony.

"I think your lives have definitely gotten better since then," Jan interjected. "Because you now have a new addition to the girls club!"

Eli and I giggled as we entwined our arms with hers.

"And our lives shall never be the same again!" I cheered.

"Ooohhhh, potentials!!!" Eli screeched in excitement as we passed the next dress store. From the hungry look in her eyes, I knew we'd be at this store for a few hours at least.

"Eli, you have a million dresses by now! Surely you can pick one of them!" I groaned. "We're here for Jan, remember?"

"Don't be a buzzkill, Kitty," Eli dragged us both into the store. "Besides, this party is for Jordan. And as his self-proclaimed girlfriend, I have to look stunning by right."

"Self-proclaimed?" Jan raised an eyebrow at Eli.

"Indirectly claimed by Jordan," Eli nodded seriously before throwing herself at a rack of dresses. Jan and I both looked at each other before we burst into laughter.

"I don't get why you two won't have the talk if the title means that much to you," I tried to reason as I pulled out a sparkling green dress for her in defeat. She vigorously shook her head at my selection. "He's been madly in love with you for a long time. He wouldn't hesitate one second to be your boyfriend."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Eli thinned her lips in concentration as She pulled out a navy blue dress and held it out along my body. "Kitty, try this."

"No thank you, I'll just pick out one of the hundred dresses you've already made me buy."

"No, you're not," She said forcefully. "Wes will most likely be there." Both Eli and Jan stood in front of me, cross-armed and minds made up.

"And?"

"And," Jan replied impatiently. "You have to look drop-dead sexy."

"He needs to know what he's missing out on," Eli nodded firmly.

"Okay, okay, jeez!" I threw out my hands up at them defensively.

They both glared at me to ensure I wouldn't forget. I rolled my eyes at them before I walked off to browse through the dozen racks of never-ending dresses. I sighed, it was going to be a long evening if we had to find three perfect dresses.

In the midst of the muddled options, my eyes suddenly fell upon a sliver of powder blue. I carefully navigated around the various racks to make my way to it. Yes, this would do. This would do just fine for Eli.

It was the exact same colour of the invite I had made and the exact same shade of Eli's eyes. I carefully pulled out the hidden dress from the tangles of the other mediocre dresses. It was stunningly beautiful in comparison and the very definition of elegance. The skirt of the dress was a circle and its folds fell elegantly down to just above the knees. The top part of the dress was a pale see-through fabric that matched the shade of Eli's skin. Overlaying the skin-coloured mesh were hundreds of delicate blue flowers, overlapping densely around the waist. They seamlessly lightened in density as they rose upwards towards the chest until they smoothly finished at the neckline. The sleeves were small off-shoulder gatherings of delicate flowers.