Mr. Berkshire (Book 1 in the For Better Or Worst Trilogy)

Chapter 24

     Dresses in Maywood are everything you would expect from a small town in Southern Georgia, floral patterns and exaggerated poofs. Sadly, I wouldn't be allowed to take advantage of such options since the original Belles were instructed to wear only white simple designed dresses as not to distract from the young ladies taking part in the pageant. The limited choices makes the event of choosing a dress ten times harder, but the right piece of jewelry always elevates a look. Luckily, I also have the privilege to help dress my mentee in a gown that will make her feel like a princess, even for one night. Besides, the Miss Belle pageant is about the only thing distracting me from my boss making an unannounced appearance in my home town, 2,842.6 miles from his home in Seattle. 

     Magnolia's Boutique is the best gown shop in town, dressing many of the previous Miss Belles. It only seemed fitting to take my own mentee. Inside we're immediately met with a variety of dresses in every color we can ever imagine. Thankfully, most girls picked out their dresses weeks, even months in advance, so it left us with almost the entire store to ourselves. While Anastasia, Elizabeth, and their friend Lucille chit chat about the wonders of highschool, Willow and I search for her perfect dress. 

     "What do you think of yellow?" I ask, pushing dresses from one side of the rack to the other. 

     "Too bright." She whispers, eyeing the dresses as if they might jump out at her any moment.

     "With your complexion, brighter colors will pop out. Anyways, everyone will be going for darker colors this year. It's the most obvious choice because of it being the most popular style, but that's what will make you stand out. You don't want to look like everyone else." My eyes flutter to where she stands beside me. Her caramel skin and wildly curly hair isn't the kinda of physical features that are appreciated enough in the town of Maywood, but that would all change as soon as she won Miss Belle. 

     "I don't want the be an outcast." She mutters in return. 

     Sighing, I take her hands in mind, forcing her to meet my gaze. "You will be an outcast one way or another. You will be Willow who doesn't look like everyone else and is ashamed of it. They will whisper behind your back about how you wish you were them. Or you will be Willow who is true to who she is. This Willow is proud to be different. She flaunts her differences. She is brighter than anyone in this black and white town could ever hope to be. They will whisper behind you back wishing they could be you. They will be scared of you because you're okay not being like the rest of them. They will envy you. But you have to decide which kind of outcast you want to be." Painful seconds pass by, one after the other. I hope that she will see what I see. That even though she doesn't necessarily come from money, wear the most expensive clothes, or look like more than half this town, she is gorgeous and one day these people and their opinions won't matter. 

     Finally, Willow breaks into a smile and nods. "Lets do this." 

**********

     Outside the dressing room, the girls and I sit along the pink velvet couch while we wait for Willow to appear wearing her last dress choice. As soon as Willow is out of sight, all three women turn their intense gazes on me. 

     "What were you thinking?" Hisses Anastasia. 

     "Don't you remember Elena? That woman is a mess." Adds Elizabeth. 

     "Are you trying to ruin your reputation?" Laughs Lucille.

     "I think it's unlady like to talk about someone behind their back." I snap. "Anyways, that girl has more going for her than any of those others girls dream to have. She isn't gonna reach her peak in Maywood, unlike the rest of the girls in this town." This shuts the other three right up. Before one of them can think of a response, Willow returns wearing a long blush pink dress with pink petals shaping the bodice and a tulle skirt with petals sewn throughout it.