Retaliation ✔

Chapter 26 - Embarrassment

*three days later*

That Friday after school, I arrived at home to almost immediately be greeted by a knock on my front door. I sighed deeply and opened it. Celine was standing there cheerily, with awkward-looking Hazel and Samantha behind her.

"Why are you here?" I bluntly asked. Celine rolled her eyes at me and grinned. She gestured to Sam and Hazel for no apparent reason before making an announcement.

"We're going prom dress shopping."

"God dammit!" I shouted and groaned out loud. "I was hoping I could just wear a really fancy leather jacket and get on with my day."

Hazel giggled at me while Celine gave me a look that was sassy as hell. "Just come with us and bring some money."

"There's no way you can convince me to go dress shopping," I said, the last two words laced with disgust.

"You can control the music on the way there," Celine stated, picking at her nails knowingly.

I sighed and drawled out, "Fine, I guess I'll come." Celine made a noise that resembled a squeal before latching onto my wrist and dragging me out of the house. I snatched my wallet off the small table next to the door and allowed her to bring me to the car. Sam and Hazel followed behind quietly.

Once we were situated (me in the passenger seat, Hazel driving since it was her car, Sam and Celine in the back), we started to drive to the good 'ol Mall of America. I, of course, chose to blast some particularly hard rock while Celine and Sam chatted. It was a bit strange, considering Celine had simply ignored Samantha's presence after she revealed that she cheated on Hazel.

After a while, we finally arrived. Upon entering, Celine's already too-high excitement level rose over the top. We all laughed as she rushed us to the first store. Back when June and Julia still hung out with us, there was never really a super happy person to lift our moods.

We traveled throughout the mall, occasionally stopping to look in a store and maybe try on a dress or two. Things were casual (yet still slightly weird with Sam and Hazel) until Celine forced us to halt in front of a random store window. Her eyes glistened as she began speaking, "Look at that one! It looks magical."

She was staring at a curvy mannequin adorned in a long cream colored dress that was covered in sparkles from head to toe. It was the epitome of girly, which seemed to be just what Celine wanted. She giggled crazily and dragged the rest of us into the store.

Upon entering, I covered my eyes like a vampire in the sunlight. There were sequins and glitter and colors everywhere, which my vision couldn't handle. Celine rushed around trying to find that dress in her size while I strolled through the isles alone. Hazel and Sam were off somewhere else in the store, and probably not together.

I squinted at all of the patterned and colorful dresses until one caught my eye. It was short, just above the knee, black, and simple. It was fairly plain, with a sweet black skirt and thin straps on the top that criss-crossed once on the back. But I loved it.

Without mentioning it to any of my friends, I took one of my size and entered a dressing room. It fit snugly to my body, just how I wanted it, so I thought it would be good enough. Logically, I thought it was probably the only dress I'd be able to handle.

I exited and bought the dress before finding Sam and Hazel, who were actually looking through the clothes together. I showed them it, earning their approval before Celine arrived.

She had a bright grin on her face and lifted her bag to show us the dress she'd paid for. It was, of course, the one she saw on the mannequin. "I got one, too," I announced, to her surprise. "You'll probably hate it." Celine's hopeful smile faltered but I took out my little black dress anyway.