An hour later...
Betty Pov:
My phone blared excruciatingly loud on my nightstand, vibrating non-stop as it may never have subsided if I'd tried to ignore it. I awoke with a groan, rubbing my eyes exhaustedly as my hand flung beside me, grabbing my phone and answering it without reading the contact.
"Good morning, B!", Veronica screeched from the other side as I winced from the sudden volume of her voice. "Sorry if I woke you, but also not sorry. You better get up, because we have a girls day ahead of us! First, we're gonna go to the mall to buy you a new dress for the party we're going to later. It's a fancy party, hence why we're going shopping for a fancy dress. Don't worry, no alcohol will be involved for us, considering your pregnant. No, you don't have a say in this. Yes, Cher and Toni are on their way over to your place as we speak. I will be picking you up in... approximately 20 minutes!".
"Wha- Veronica, I haven't even said-".
"You. Have. No. Say. We're doing this, whether you like it or not. BYE! LOVE YOU!".
I let out an ear-piercing scream of frustration as I bolted out of bed, rushing to the bathroom to attempt to pull myself together in an attempt to make me appear somewhat energetic. Veronica had a tendency to do the same type of thing in high school; spontaneously calling me with last-minute plans she'd made. It got quite annoying, but after years of trying to escape these events back then, I'd never once succeeded. It was useless to resist.
I made myself presentable, sprinting down the stairs as Cheryl and Toni casually strolled through the door. "Hey, Betty! Enjoy your day with Veronica!", Toni exclaimed.
"That's the thing, though. I don't even wanna-".
Veronica's head popped out from around the door, flashing a wide grin at me. "I'm here! Come on, B, let's head out. Thanks for watching the kids guys!". Once again, her decibel level was much higher than necessary, but Cheryl and Toni waved her off dismissively as she pulled me out of the house and into her car by the wrist.
~~
"Sorry for springing this on you, B.", Veronica apologized as we walked through a store, our arms linked as we admired several dresses before she decided to elaborate. "I just found out this morning that I had the day off. I have a pretty shitty schedule manager. Anyways, we haven't spent some true one-on-one time in years, so I thought this would be a perfect time to spend some of that with you.".
My eyes lingered over a lavender colored dress, sequins lined along the low-cut neckline and the bodice, a fluffy tulle skirt topping off the elegant appearance. "It's fine, V, really. I understand, and I'm happy to spend some quality time with you. I wasn't sure about this whole party thing, however, I think I may have just changed my mind...".
Veronica followed my line of sight, gasping as her eyes laid on the gorgeous gown across the store. She grabbed my hand, running over to get a closer look at it. "B, you have to get this. Please!! You're going to look like a goddess. It's absolutely stunning.", she declared while her fingertips traced along the intricate seams.".
I tilted my head in consideration, taking a closer look at the price tag before my eyes widened in shock. "Ronnie, I cannot afford this. There's no way I'm spending my money on a dress this expensive.".
She took a quick glance at it herself before staring at me in disbelief. "That is expensive, but who said you were paying?", she stated, her question clearly rhetorical as she snatched one in my size from the rack. I was only a little over 3 months pregnant, so my size hadn't really changed all that much, and I could still fit in a dress.
I opened my mouth to retaliate, but Veronica was quick to shut it without having to see my expression. "I'm buying this whether you like it or not, B. I can afford it. Besides, you deserve it after everything. Consider this your late birthday gift.".
Veronica also managed to spot a pair of lavender heels to match, along with a pair of small diamond earrings that came with a matching necklace. I reluctantly and guiltily allowed her to make the purchases, though only under the terms that I would pay her back. She agreed with minute annoyances, but accepted the terms nonetheless. We drove back to her place to get ready, chattering away about the party as the trees flew by.
👗💋👠💅🏻
