September Short Story Collection

The Met

September 9, 2019

The girls walked into the dress shop, laughing and carrying their other bags full of new lingerie, shoes, and makeup. One last thing to pick up: the dress.

Lindsey started going through the rack immediately, looking over each dress briefly before moving on to the next. Rachael moved to the back where she hoped there would be some on clearance. Rory followed behind Lindsey, looking at the dresses she passed by without really looking at them.

"So, what exactly are you looking for?" Rory asked Lindsey.

"Something beautiful. I want to look perfect for Rick."

Rory stopped herself from rolling her eyes and gave her a tight smile instead. Lindsey and Rick had been dating since freshman year and each year it became more and more clear that they would most likely get married soon after high school. Both Rory and Rachael agreed that Lindsey was just settling.

"Color?"

"I'd love like a soft pink or like champagne," Lindsey said excitedly, moving to the next rack of dresses. "What about you, what are you looking for?"

"I don't know, I don't really want to wear a dress to prom."

"What!" Lindsey shouted like she had just heard the worst news of her life, making many heads turn toward her. "But it's out senior prom! You have to!"

"I don't really have too. Besides, I don't have a date so what's the point?" Rory shrugged and moved to a different rack than Lindsey.

Lindsey followed close behind her and smiled at Rory.

"Rory, you don't have to wear a dress for anyone, you don't even have to dress up. You dress for yourself and no one else." Lindsey said, pulling out a random dress from the rack. "But I still think you should wear a dress!"

Rory groaned and went to the back of the store to find Rachael.

"How's it going?" Rory asked as Rachael took an obnoxiously blue mermaid dress off the rack and held it up to her body.

"I don't know. Are we going for senior prom or the Met Gala, because I think I found the dress I would wear to the Met."

Rory started laughing. "Well, now you at least have to try it on."

Rachael went into one of the changing rooms and Rory looked around at the dresses around her.

You could find one in every color and every shade. There were plain ones, ones with sequins, even ones with feathers. It all felt too fake for Rory. Rory didn't even want to go to senior prom anymore. Her and David, her ex-boyfriend, had been planning their senior prom for almost a year. But then he broke up with her for some freshman cheerleader. He even had the decency to try and keep their little romance a secret to still go to prom with Rory, but Rory saw them together. After that, she didn't really see the point in going.

Rachael walked out of the changing room, pulling Rory out of her thoughts. Rachael walked forward like she was on a runway, posed, and then started to walk away.

Rory could stop her laughing and soon Rachael was laughing too. Hearing the all two familiar laughs of her friends, Lindsey made her way back to see what the commotion was about. The moment she saw Rachael she also burst out laughing.

"Please tell me that's the dress you're buying!"

"Well, of course, darling! The Met Gala is only a few nights away, I wouldn't want to be underdressed!" Rachael says in a snooty, posh accent, only making the girls laugh harder.

"Okay, fine. I will go to prom with you guys." Rory says, smiling. "It'll be lots of fun with you two."

Word count: 620