Swell (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Six (Part One)

"If it's dreams we're chasing

You've got the world at your feet."

....

The end of the date had been awkward, almost painfully. They'd stood at her front door in silence for ages. Adora wanted to kiss Will, but she didn't want to move before he was ready; again.
They'd just stood there, holding each other's hands and looking at each other's faces. When he started moving his face towards hers, she helped close the space and the kiss was their first deep kiss.
It had been many nights since she had slept so well and when the alarm woke her the next morning, she rolled towards the window and sunlight.
She felt rested and almost in a daze.
It was like the first kiss with Gus over summer, when she knew he liked her, but this was better, because Will wasn't a womaniser, Will was quiet, and shy.
It was strange being the one to have made the first moves, but after he had started the kiss goodbye, she knew they were going to be ok.
Adora was still finishing her breakfast when Marti and her mother arrived. Anne let the Taylor women inside and they immediately started talking about dresses.
Mrs Taylor wanted to know the limits; cost, straps, length. Adora could see Marti grinning at her like a Cheshire cat.
She felt embarrassed, wondering if Will and Marti had spoken when he'd gotten home last night.
Marti barely said a word until Adora was in the back seat of the Taylors' car.
Twice in as many days, although the front seat was higher in the Pajero, than the back.
"So, how are you?" Marti asked, her voice lingering on the last word as she twisted in the passenger seat.
"I'm good." Adora cautiously echoed the longer note, waiting for the first question.
"How was last night?"
"Also good." She felt her cheeks getting warm.
"What did you do?"
"We went to the cove, I rolled around in the sand, then we watched the sunset from the cliffs and went for dinner."
"That sounds romantic." Marti couldn't stop the grin.
"It was a bit." Adora couldn't describe the level of embarrassment burning her cheeks right now.
Had Marti asked Elissa all these questions when she had started to date Will?
"Are you going to ask him to the dance?"
"Um," Adora put her cold hands on her face. "I think I want to."
"Yay!" Marti bounced and turned back in her seat. "Told you, Mum."
"Alright, yes, you win, Marti, we'll get you a new bunch of accessories for the dance too."
"You made a bet about it?" Adora asked in horror as they curved around the hairpin turns on the Ocean Highway towards the city.
"Just for new bags, shoes and jewellery for the dance. Don't hate me." Marti grinned. "I was rooting for you!"
"I still have to figure out how to ask him, and then hope he says yes..." Adora muttered, looking down into her lap.
"Well, yea, but why would Will say no?" Marti asked.
"Well, it could still be too soon." Adora remembered his hesitations the night before.
"Exactly, Marti, settle down and let them move at their own pace." Mrs Taylor smiled. "Is there any sort of music you don't like Adora?"
"Um, not really. I like to be able to sing along to things, so nothing too screamy or techno." Adora was grateful that Mrs Taylor had changed the subject.
"Wonderful. I've got a mix of lady pop in my head today, so We're starting with Taytay."
"Taytay?" Adora frowned.
"Swift. Taylor Swift." Marti looked over her shoulder. "I should have sat in back with you! You have heard Taylor Swift before right?"
"Yea, I just, I'm not used to hearing the nickname." Adora swallowed a lump as she thought back to the last time she'd really listened to Taylor Swift.
Her Dad had had a strange love for the singer, and they would play and sing along together to her earlier albums.
"I don't know much of her new stuff." She admitted.
"That's OK, you will." Marti smiled and looked back to the front as Mrs Taylor turned the car stereo on and a strange beat filled the car for the intro of the first song.
Adora sank back into the seat and started to pull at her fingers as she thought about how she would ask Will to the dance.
She had to be careful, she didn't want to scare him or ask him to move too fast, but there was only three weeks until the dance.
Maybe another date or two.
"What are you doing tomorrow and Monday?" Marti asked from the front seat.
"Oh, um, I dunno. Iain has weeding duty and Mum has a lot of work to do, there's a few guests staying, but there's no mystery on for the weekend, so no pretending to be dead."
"Well, that's a good thing! You can research make up and hairstyles to match your dress!" Marti had put the visor down and was looking at her in the make-up mirror.
"I have no idea." Adora shook her head. Debbie had always loved playing with hair and make up. She had enjoyed Marti playing with her hair during their sleepover.
"I do!" Marti exclaimed proudly. "Please?"
Adora chuckled a little and watched the blue getting smaller and further away. "Sure."

"Oh so many dresses!" Marti ran a hand along the shades of pink and felt the various fabrics, under her fingers. "I don't know what material to pick! Satin or chiffon."
Adora looked at her with a clueless smile. It was as if she had never even thought about formal dressing, let alone ever planned to attend an event.
Mrs Taylor was talking to one of the sale assistants near a dressing room as Marti started pulling deep pinks from the hanger.
"Long or short?" She held a long dress against her body and looked down at the length before looking up to Adora.
"Um, well, it's gunna be winter weather..." Adora reminded her.
Her thoughts about a short dress started to be replaced by doubt. "Hmm... True, but we'll be inside right? And there's always panty-hose."
"I guess. In that case, whatever you like best." Adora shrugged.
"I like my legs... I think I'll go tea length or knee." Marti put the long dress back on the rack and started looking for shorter length. "Not a fluffy, I want a slinky sort of sexy dress."
Adora smiled in amusement. The colours Marti was looking at were bright and cheerful, sexy seemed a strange word to add to their description.
"Alright, they have plenty of change rooms and assistants for their booked appointments in the bridal room, so we have Lucy here to help us." Mrs Taylor and the shop assistant came over to the girls.
Lucy gave them a sweet smile.
"What are you hoping to find? I know our styles, and how most of them sit." Lucy put her hands together and looked at Marti.

Half an hour later there was a collection of pink and purple dresses hanging near the curtained changing room. Adora had taken a seat and Marti was trying on her second dress.
It was a dark pink satin, shorter at the front with a longer back. The top was a plunging neckline in a sweetheart shape and thins straps that sat over the shoulder.
"Is that a bit too sexy for a school dance, Marti?" Mrs Taylor asked.
Marti ran her hands along the silky fabric. She could feel her slender curves resting underneath the delicate material and she turned in front of the mirror.
"Probably. I do love this material though, and the high-low skirt. Do you have something like this but less top showy?" Marti looked from her reflection to Lucy.
"Hmmm, I think so, maybe not in the colour." Lucy walked away from them and moved through the dresses.
"Have you seen any you like, Adora?" Marti looked at Adora in the mirror.
"I liked the faded pink, that started lighter and then went darker."
Marti laughed. "I meant for you, goose."
"Oh, well... Um... I haven't really done this before, so I don't know where to start." Adora's cheek turned pink.
Marti giggled and moved over to a rack of dresses away from Lucy. "A colour is a good place to start. We decided cool colours, right, so blue or grey?" Marti started pushing through dresses in many shades of blue. "Do you want a long one? I can't remember. I know you want straps or sleeves."
"Long. Nothing sexy. I'm not really able to pull that sort of thing off." Adora flushed.
"Here we go. It's got some bling, and it's not entirely silky like you were hoping, but..."
"Oh my God." Marti moved over to the bright pink dress. The under layer was satin and over the top was a darker chiffon pink layer, the bodice was encrusted with diamante beads that faded as they moved down to her hips. "This is perfect." She held the strapless, sweetheart neck over the lower plunging dress for a few moments. The solid satin layer was a short and tight dress; the chiffon layer had the high-low length that she wanted. "Unzip me!" She turned her back to Adora and pointed to the zip over her shoulder.
Minutes later, Marti was spinning in the dual layered dress the beaded crystals caught the light in the store like the sun. "This is perfect. So perfect." She picked at a few beads and then pushed the dress down over her long body. "Add some strappy heels..."
"It's beautiful." Adora nodded with a smile.
Marti beamed. "Ok. I'm done, right Mum? This is OK, yea?"
"Lovely." Mrs Taylor nodded.
"Your turn! She wants long, and a cool colour, like blue or grey. She likes straps or sleeves." Marti pushed Adora towards Lucy with a broad grin.
Lucy smiled at her and gestured for her to follow.