Okay, shopping Isint that bad.
It just takes forevvveerrrrrr.
Emily, Ava, Ashley and I piled out of the car and ran to the mall. We stopped at a few stores for the girls to buy matching earrings for their dresses, but I didn't have a dress yet.
"Um guys, I still don't have a dress." I said.
"Oh I totally forgot!" Emily yelled.
"We'll get it now." Ashley said, dragging me towards Charlotte Russe.
I really didn't know what color or style of dress I wanted, but the girls clearly took care of that. I decided, after hours of trying them on, a simple black dress with sleeves that were held up by my shoulders. I also was forced to pick out accessories, so I choose a silver heart necklace and silver and black earrings with black hearts. The girls also bought me new black flats, and some new nike free runs for being so good on our shopping trip.
>>>> Flash forward one week to the dance<<<<
All of the girls were at my house, and we were getting ready for our winter formal. One side of my hair was being straightened by Emily, and the other side was being brushed out by Ava.
"Do you ever brush your hair Taylor?" Ava asked, yanking on my bangs, which had grown out since fifth grade.
We laughed at Ava, but I turned my attention to Ashley, who had just put on a sparkling white dress, with shiny leggings and white be-dazzled flats.
"You look amazing Ash." I said.
"Did anyone ask you?" Emily asked her. Her face turned a little redder than usual and she nodded.
"Who!?" We all squealed and I jumped up and down, until Emily yanked on my hair that she was still straightening.
"Well James asked me, and I didn't say no, but we will probably dance together." Ashley said, covering her ears to shield them from our squealing.
"So Taylor is going with Mark, Ashley is going with James, I'm going with Mason. Who are you going with?" Ava asked Emily. She quited a little, as stopped straightening my hair.
"I wasn't asked." She said, looking down to avoid our gazes.
Suddenly, I had an idea. I was still in sweatpants and a t-shirt, so I ran over to my window and unlatched it. I took a rubber hanger, and threw it at Marks window to get his attention. I knew all of the boys were out his house, so one of them would get it. To my pleasure, it was Mark who opened the window. He had a gray dress shirt on with black slacks and a black tie. His blonde hair was gelled back and brushed out, unlike at soccer when it was frizzy and tangled.
"What's up gorgeous." Mark said, smirking. I scowled at him, and this time I threw my rubber slide at his head.
"Hey! Don't mess up the hair!" Mark said, smoothing down his hair.
"I have a favor to ask." I said.
"And what would that be?" He said smiling.
"I know one of those boys in that room wants to ask Emily. Can you tell me which one?" I said smiling a cute smile that charms the boys during soccer games.
"Well..." he started. I made a puppy face and he frowned and kicked the side of the house.
"Josh." Mark said, and I smiled.
"Thank you so much Mark!" I said, closing the window and the curtains, leaving Mark to get ready. I raced back to my bathroom to tell Emily.
"Emily you have to ask Josh to dance." I said. She looked puzzled, but nodded.
I put on the beautiful black dress, and the black flats with silver sparkles on them. Ava buckled the silver heart necklace around my neck while Ashley did my makeup. The girls finally finished their makeup, hair, and put on their dresses, and we piled into my moms car and drove off to school.
The ballroom (Gym) was decorated with Christmas lights and gold decorations. The other people in the grades 5-7 were dancing around, playing on there phones, so talking to their friends. Tiffinay was dancing in a group of her friends laughing away.
We all sat at a table in the back that was covered with a white table cloth and little gold bells and confetti. We ate food before we started dancing. The DJ played popular songs that everyone knew, so it was easy to fit in.
But then they played a slow song.
I hadn't talked to Mark yet, but Ashley was talking with James and Ava was dancing with Mason like they took lessons together. It was cute how Ashley and James were two shy to dance, but I thought for a second about how I hadn't even talked to Mark yet. Emily was still standing next to me until Josh came up behind her and hugged her. They laughed, and started dancing.
I was just about to sit back down, when Mark grabbed my hand and spun me around.
Cheesy romance move? I think yes.
Even though it was beneath me, I played along and danced with him to
"All of me." One of my least favorite songs of all time. He smiled and I couldn't help staring into his blue eyes, until they were suddenly replaced by green ones.
I did a double take, to see Mark laying on the ground clutching his jaw.
Alex stood in front to me smiling.
"Alex! Why on earth would you do that!?" I asked, kneeling down to help Mark. One of the teachers came over to assist him.
"I needed to dance with you Taylor. I couldn't have you dancing with him."
Alex said, apparently confused at the fact that punching my date would somehow win me over.
I stared, wide-eyed at him, and slapped him on the face. By this time, everyone was staring including the few teachers.
"You are a jerk." I said, and with that I walked off to sit with Mark in the grotto outside, where he was icing his jaw.
"Hey I'm really sorry." I said, tucking my dress in and sitting down on the bench beside him.
"It's not your fault." Mark said, looking at his feet.
"No it's my fault, this never would have happened if I didn't ki-" I started until I was interrupted by Marks lips smashing into mine. I pulled back after about 10 seconds and stared, out of breath at the gorgeous boy sitting in front of me on a gorgeous night, in a grotto with fountains. It was so surreal that I had just kissed the boy of my dreams, and it didn't feel wrong, like when I kissed Alex. This was a real first kiss.
I placed my hand on the spot on his jaw where Alex had punched him. He winced a little, and I pulled my hand quickly back. I rested my head on his shoulder, and he put his hand around mine. I had wondered something since the day I actually noticed Mark.
"Mark?" I asked.
"Yes." he replied.
"What was wrong that day outside of te science center?" I asked, very curious for the reply. He waited a few moments, then took a deep breath and spoke.
"I was jealous, so jealous that you liked Dillon. I could see it and it was killing me." he said, putting his head in his hands. All I did was hug him, and we sat there in silence.
"Hey Romeo and Juliet, the dance is over so ya better hurry up before one of the teachers gives you a demerit for PDA." Mason said, with Ava clinging on his Arm. I hugged Mark, and said goodbye to everyone. Emily and I were having a sleepover, so my mom drove us back home.
We were really tired, so we just changed into pajamas and lied in bed. Emily was on the blowup mattress next to my bed, dead asleep. My phone buzzed, and I picked it up, to see one new message from Mark.
Mark 😎: Thanks for tonight Taylor, you looked amazing.
I smiled at the message and forgot to text back and fell asleep.
YOU ARE READING
Penalties
Teen Fiction"I didn't want anything to do with love. My routine was strictly eat, sleep, soccer on repeat. That's how it had been for the past 10 years of my life. But that was until I looked at Mark Larsen in a different light and suddenly my black and white w...
