Not Very Stereotypical.

Chapter Thirty Six

I've said this before but right now I really meant it. Leighton has dragged us into a dress shop straight out of a movie. The rails were fully packed with sizes galore of dresses in all lengths. There were all different colours with all different designs, floral, beaded, sparkly and mature, formal and silky.

Gracie dug right in, picking out a short strappy sparkly green dress with a square neckline within minutes of entering the shop. Milly stuck to her guts and also picked out a short skater dress, but hers was a silk peach with gold lining it fit her like a glove. "Ok I am this close to giving up!" Leighton remarked after being told politely by the store assistant that yet another one of her dresses she'd tried on didn't come in her size.

"Why don't you look online briefly, you could get express shipping and it would arrive in time." The store lady suggested as she cashed off Milly's dress. Leighton sighed, nodding slowly and sitting back down next to Gracie she started tapping away at her phone.

"Right Bethan. Are you thinking tighter or more flouncy?" Milly said, brushing her hands across the line of various dressing hanging upon the white wall.

"Honestly sweetheart with a bod like yours it would be a shame to hide it." The women said, running her pencil onto her ear and hiding it with a brown bob. I blushed slightly, turning to look at myself in the mirror. With pink neon lights shadowing behind the mirror, my skin tinted as the reflection looked back at me. "Have you got a date?" She asks again in her sharp southern accent, as she leans against the till.

"She does. Her boyfriend is taking her, the lacrosse co-captain." With the title still so fresh it felt odd when Leighton spoke up from her phone. It also felt odd that with it being first night I had a real relationship, I was dress shopping, it didn't feel normal but I was actually enjoying it. I wasn't going to be one of the girls who drops her friends for the first boy that comes along. They were there first so they will always come first.

"And you go to West Shore right?" I nodded, unsure where the helpful lady was going with the questions. She stood up and walked towards the far end of the long railing and picked out a beautiful burgundy dress. As she got closer I saw the subtly sheen the silk had to it as the creamy red looked soft in the most textured way. She had paired me with a dress for for our home colours and perfect for my newly tanned skin.

"What do you think?" She asked as I put my hand out to feel the fabric. The smile on my face told her the answer though, "do you want to try it on?"

Slipping the dress on and opening the loose curtain from their changing room I stepped out and back into the main part of the store, smiling at my friends. The dress was short but not explicit, tight but not un-breathable and the skinny spaghetti straps lay just right on my shoulders, holding up the luxurious looking dress.

"You look hot." Leighton said, finally smiling again. I chuckled doing a little spin on my tip-toes.

Gracie clapped her hands together and also hyped me up, "Noah is going to die." She commented making me giggle. The thought of him seeing me in a dress that I feel confident in made me shudder, goosebumps covering my exposed body.

Moving on the conversation and pulling me out of my daydream, "Now what colour heels are you going to pair with it?" Milly said.

"And we also need to get you a flower thing." Gracie said loudly.
"It's called a corsage." The lady corrected her, laughing to herself as she tapped on the perspex box by the till which was holding an array of various flowers and colours.

"Umm no the boys can get them I've had enough of shopping today." Leighton huffs as she scans her credit card with her phone, making me assume she's finally found her dress.

By the time we got out of the picture perfect shop, it was dark. Our breath was heavy and the aroma of chilly nights filled out lungs as we walked back to the jeep, carrying our dress bags carefully, ensuring they don't touch the ground or the coffee that Gracie spilt in the back seat earlier.

Noah was kind in school the next day, treating me to a lunch out and attempting to gain as much information about my homecoming dress as possible. "Well then I guess you're just going to have to wear a blue flower thing with a yellow dress." He said, teasing me as he began driving back to school, my hand on his again.

After a few more sleeps it was the day. Homecoming. Usually I feel people would make a big deal out of it, but I found the most exciting part was actually getting ready.

I spent an hour curling my hair, cursing it every time it dropped straight again. Gracie was adamant she was doing my make up, claiming she was the best at eyeliner of the group. No one fought the claim, so I gave in.

"The boys will be outside in an hour and then we can all take cute pictures together." Milly said, packing another layer of powder onto her face.

"I'm so happy I didn't get a date this year." Leighton said, sticking another bobby pin into her perfect loose bun. "Like maybe next year I will but for hoco and prom this year I'm definitely riding it solo. It's no hassle and I don't have to rely on boys to forget about anything.

Leighton had 3 promposals and multiple more texts on top of that over the past week, asking if she had a date but declined them all politely. I was surprised, I was expecting her to have all her dates lined up for the rest of her school career. Milly had a similar experience, except due to her brother's new title, all of the boys were actually scared to ask her. She had subtle DMs from boys around the school who asked her during conversations but like her best friend she decided to join Leighton, and spare the poor boy so much drama from Mitchell.

"They're here!" Leighton screamed a little later, running down the stairs immediately in her loud high heels. Milly joined her, walking hastily, but being careful in her heels. I couldn't help but smile, holding onto Gracie's hand we both walked down my stairs and made our way outside to meet the boys.

My eyes landed on Noah, his black suit fitting him perfectly. A red flower matching my dress lay in his top pocket but his eyes were what fascinated me the most. The blue fluttered over me, his mouth wide open and yet no words were coming out. He stood in shock as the look he gave me set my body in fire with tingles. I held my fingers in front of me and suddenly stiffened beneath his look, feeling overwhelmed at every moment he stayed silent.

"Woah." He said finally, stepping towards me and taking my hands in his. "You look beautiful." No one else existed in that moment and nothing else mattered. As cliche as it sounds, the world became blurred and the sparks he shot up my arm by touching made me shiver.

And that's when I knew, he was going to kiss me.

His hand drifted further up my arm and he closed the gap between us, taking the breath out of my mouth. Noah's hand moved to my neck and suddenly his face came closer to mine. Smiling down at me with his wide smile and glossy eyes, he pulled me closer and out lips finally met.

After months of waiting for this moment, I could tell he had lost his patience. Noah had met my family, taken me everywhere and asked me to be his girlfriend. He had just been so patient and so nice with me I like him. So much.

His lips were soft and his breath was fresh with his signature gum scent that he'd discarded previously. He held my neck and caressed my cheek with his thumb, keeping me close to him as the plush of his lips took mine in his. Moments later, his smile ended the kiss and I was unable to move away, mesmerised by the heat of his touch. His forehead rested on mine as his lips distanced from mine and his eyes opened to look at me.

"Okay pictures!" Gracie clapped, turning my head away from Noah. The girls I could tell were watching us, attempted to hurry themselves to something else. And then the night began.