Swell (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Six (Part One)

"I need you to save me,
I'm too close to breaking, I see the light,
I am standing on the edge of my life."

....

Will sat in the common room of the Escape Sunday with Iain and Dodge. Tom had dropped him and Marti off earlier; Marti was upstairs with Adora doing their hair and make up.
The idea hadn't immediately taken to Marti, and she had expressed some disappointment in spoiling dress surprises before the dance, but she eventually saw the logic of the photo shoot on a better day.
"So, is this going to be like the movies where they have proms and stuff?" Iain asked, his voice breaking an awkward silence.
Will frowned at him. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you guys have been to a dance before right?"
"Yea."
"Is it as cliché as the movies make it seem? You know, the girls come out looking like Queens or something?"
Will couldn't hold back the chuckle. "Well, I guess if you're not used to seeing someone dressed up they'll always look amazing. I can't say I've ever watched a date come down a set of stairs though. They do that a lot in movies right?"
"Yea."
"Well, it'll be your first dance, and my first staircase walk. I think we're on pretty even ground." Will leaned back into the couch and picked a spot on his pants.
He'd trimmed his growth back, not that it had had time to grow very thick; Marti had played with his hair so that it had some volume and Tom had helped finalise his outfit.
Iain looked like some kind of teenage James Bond, Will felt almost casual in his outfit.
"Are the girls down yet?" Dodge came into the lounge from the kitchen and looked around. He heaved a sigh and moved to the reception desk. "Come on girls, hurry up." He called through the door and up the stairs.
"Coming!" Marti shouted back and Will stood up and moved to the reception desk to watch the staircase beyond the door.
Iain appeared beside him moments later and Marti cleared her throat dramatically before she started to descend the stairs.
"Here I come!" She teased.
Will smiled at her excited tone and watched as her dark pink shoes came into view, a sheer pink layer of fabric floated behind her calves and he shook his head in awe as she posed in the middle of the stairs.
"I've always wanted to come down stairs in a fancy dress." She grinned and held onto the banister as Dodge took a couple of photos. "Oh! Leg up!" She lifted one of her heels up from a step and kicked her leg up towards her back.
Iain scoffed behind his hand and Will tried to push back the nervous feeling that suddenly sank into his gut.
This wasn't his first dance, he and Liss had dressed up and gone to a friend's birthday in fancy outfits before. He couldn't be so cliché that he was feeling anxious about seeing Adora come down after Marti, could he?
Marti moved between Will and Iain and Dodge snapped a few pictures. "I wish you'd let us use Mum's camera." Marti sulked. "The quality would be so much better."
"I have very basic camera knowledge Marti, I promise you this is for the best." Dodge laughed and looked up the stairs.
"My turn?" Adora's voice echoed down the steps and Will felt every muscle in him tense.
He was that cliché movie date. He felt his teeth clenching and tried to ignore Marti's grin beside him as a thick skirt started to come into view.
His heart was aching from anticipation and he swallowed a lump as his eyes moved up the fluffy, grey skirt to the white lace top.
It was simple and elegant; but breathtaking.
Adora's hair was mostly down, two pieces either side of her face pinned back.
"Wow, you look like a woman." Iain remarked.
"Well, I am." Adora laughed a little and Will saw the slight blush on her cheeks get deeper.
Marti hadn't done much to her face in the way of make up, and he was grateful. Adora didn't need anything on her face to look radiant; her fair complexion already seemed to glow on a daily basis.
Dodge started to take photos and Adora laughed and did some exaggerated poses.
When she was on the level floor she joined Marti, Iain and Will, slipping in between Marti and Will.
He put his hand around her waist and tried to loosen the tense muscles.
This was too cliché, way too cliché.
"What do you think?" Marti finally asked as Dodge went to get the car keys.
"Wow." Will breathed with a small smile. "I didn't imagine many movie moments in my life, but here we are."
"You look so handsome." Adora rubbed one side of his face with her hand and he felt his face grow warm.
"Thanks." He took her hand as they followed Dodge out of the Escape and Marti held the long layer of her dress up. "How are you walking so easily?" Will asked as he watched Marti's heels connected with the steps.
Adora stopped on the steps and used their hands to lift the layers of her dress a little. Her foot stuck out underneath the collection of net and her elbow gently nudged him. "I cheated." She grinned and laughed a little as he saw the flat ballet style shoes on her foot.
He couldn't help but chuckle with her. "I'm glad."
"I'm too clumsy to contemplate heels, though Marti did try." She let the layers of net drop and they walked out onto the gravel of the carpark.
They loaded into Dodge's X-Trail, Iain in the passenger seat and Will, Marti and Adora in the back seat. Adora's dress puffed out across half of the leg space and Will couldn't help but keep hold of her hand and try not to laugh at the volume of the small girl's dress.