With the Enemy

Chapter Two

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" My best friend was thundering towards me. It is quite scary opening a shop door a suddenly having a woman in a long white dress come at you with a dagger. Obviously she didn't actually come at me with a dagger but that would have made the scene way more dramatic.

"Laura, I swear, I was ... stuck in traffic." I said sheepishly.

"You don't have a car!" She shouted at me.

"Now that is a good point." I say, risking a grin.

She pulled me into a hug. "You had me so worried Danielle." She said. "You were right next to me when I called the taxi company then you were gone. Where did you go?" It was all coming back to me now. We'd been at a champagne bar. At about eleven Laura suggested we went home as we had to be at the dress shop at nine. But I was drunk and I didn't want to go home. So when she disappeared to call a cab, I decided to leave and go to a nightclub where I met Charlie.

I noticed that Laura's mother Penelope and her two other bridesmaids were eavesdropping so I muttered. "I'll tell you later."

"Well, thank goodness you're okay, though you do stink of booze. Have you had a shower?" She said before looking down at my clothing. "Danielle, what the hell are you wearing?"

And she'd noticed. "It's a long story." I say looking down. "I didn't have a lot of choice." I was wearing a perfectly normal top. Apart from the fact it sat an inch lower on my chest than I was comfortable with. I wasn't a fan of sticking my boobs in peoples faces. It was also see-through, I noticed as I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had a leather jacket around my shoulders hiding the fact it was pretty much backless. My skirt just about covered my ass although I would not be bending over in it. It was black and tight and short and I just did not want to think about it. Charlie was right when he's said this woman was a whore. He hadn't half laughed when we left her apartment

"Can we just get this over with?" I asked.

Laura glared at me. "Danielle! This is supposed to be fun!" She smiled hopefully at me.

I groan. "You know I'm not a girlie-girl."

"I've already decided that I don't like this one." She said, looking in the mirror as I let out a huge yawn.

"Then why are you wearing it?" I ask.

She ignores me. "I think I'm going to try the ivory one." She says, looking over her shoulder at the shop assistant who nodded and went to fetch the dress. This was going to be a long morning. I was hungover, tired and hungry. I looked like a whore in a wedding dress shop. And I bloody hated weddings.

I must have fallen asleep at some point as I was rudely awoken by Laura shouting. "It's perfect! It's the one!"

"Mm, yeah, stunning." I say, pretending that I'd been awake the whole time.

"Open your eyes Danielle." I could hear Laura's mothers voice drilling through my head. I could also feel her deadly stare piercing me with disapproval.

I let my eyes flicker open and see my best friend in the whole entire world wearing the most hideous wedding dress I had ever seen.

Now, I love Laura I really do. But even I have to say that her taste in clothing leaves something to be desired. I have always known. Ever since the first time we went bowling together and she had tried to keep the ugly little shoes they lend you for on the lanes.

"Wow." My eyes widened as I took in just how horrible this dress was. Honestly, she may have to label herself 'Bride' or suffer being mistaken for the cake. It was huge. Blindingly white. And there was so much meringue I feared I would never be able to eat another one in my life.

"Is it that good?" Laura grinned. I couldn't break her heart. But I couldn't let her wear that dress on the day that she thought was going to be the best in her life (I personally think that was the day she met me but whatever).

"I can honestly say that that dress is unforgettable." I said, choosing my words very carefully.

"Honestly Danielle?" I couldn't bear to break her heart, but I didn't think I could let her go to her own wedding looking like that.

"No, I'm sorry Laura, it's awful." 

Her face fell and she turned to face the mirror. She sighs. "I suppose you know what you're talking about slightly more than I do."

"Don't listen to her Laura," Her mother sniffed. "I think you look like like a princess ... are you really going to listen to the girl who has walked in here looking like a - a prostitute." She whispered the last word.

"Hey!" I said indignantly. "That was uncalled for."

The woman just glared at me. You may not have realised but Laura's mother, Penelope, didn't really like me. Apparently I was a bad influence.

"Stop it, both of you," Laura said sharply. "Mother, Danielle's right, I look ridiculous."

I sipped champagne triumphantly. "Wait, why am I drinking champagne? It's eleven o'clock in the morning. Even I have to draw the line." I put the glass back on the table beside me.

"Wow, Danielle refusing a drink, I suppose there's a first for everything." Penelope smirked.

Ignoring both of us, Laura continued. "Though, it does mean we'll have to stay here even longer." she said slyly.

"On second thoughts, that dress is beautiful, honestly I have never seen anything so perfect." I gabbled.

"No, no, you were right." Laura turned to the shop assistant. "Could I have the next dress please?"

I sat back in my seat and groaned. I should have escaped when I had the opportunity.

Next to me, I am sure I heard Penelope laugh very quietly to herself. Snooty cow.