Burning Willow

Chapter 14 - Part 1

“Shiv! Have you got your dress on yet?!” Bex yelled from my bedroom.

“Yeah, just a second,” I called back. I opened my bathroom door and walked into my bedroom and Bex already had her dress on.

When she saw me she squealed loudly.

“We’re really doing this! Do my hair and make up?”

“Sure, sit,” I pointed to the chair in front of my vanity table. “Curly or straight?”

“Straight.”

An hour and a half later we were ready to go. Bex had curled my hair slightly and left it so it hung to halfway down my back.

“Shiv! Bex! Fraser and Olly are here!” my dad yelled up the stairs. Bex and Olly had decided that they may as well go to the dance together as neither of them had dates. Bex hasn’t mentioned liking him or anything though but they looked really good together.

“Be down in a minute!” Bex yelled back. It never failed to amuse me how much time Bex spent with my parents, she was like another daughter to them. We were staying at Olly’s overnight because we had to leave early for the beach trip.

We fixed our dresses one last time before grabbing our bags for the trip.

“Ready?” I asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied. We linked arms and made our way down the stairs.

As soon as I saw Fraser, I felt my cheeks warm up. He stared at me as we made our way down the stairs.

“Hey,” I breathed.

“You look amazing,” he said softly, taking my hand. I heard my mum squeal loudly.

“You guys look so cute! Let me take some photos!” She rushed off to get the camera. I sighed.

“I’m sorry about her. She’s a little…excitable.” He laughed and smiled at me.

“It’s alright, she’s pretty funny.” I grinned widely at him, only to be blinded by a flash.

“Calm down, Rach.”

“I need photos!” Fraser and Olly looked at each other while my parents bickered, while I glanced and Bex.

“Run!” I mouthed. She nodded and started tugging Olly out of the door.

“Bye mum! Bye dad!” I called dragging Fraser behind me.

“Are you ready to par-tay?!” Olly said. We all laughed at him.

“Let’s go!” Bex basically ran to his car.

“After you,” Fraser said, dramatically sweeping his arm towards the car. I giggled and pulled him towards the car.

We pulled up outside the school 15 minutes later.

“Wow, they did a pretty good job with the hall,” I told Fraser.

“I know right, Faith was part of the decorating committee.”

“That’s cool.” Some slow song came on and I was being pulled to the dance floor.

I don’t know how long we were stood there just swaying together but someone walked in and Fraser stiffened. I pulled away slightly and looked up at him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Annabelle.”