Bears Know Best

Chapter 33: Belle of the Ball

ONCE WE CAUGHT up with Rachel, she led us downstairs to the car to go home and change for dinner. At the top of the stairs, the girls and I split for our rooms and I stepped into my overly juvenile bedroom. 'It's actually not that bad...' I thought to myself. 'At least if someone visits, they won't think I wasn't a little girl...' I grimaced though as I added, 'Of course if they visit, they'll think I'm still a little girl.'

I hadn't closed my door and was just standing there next to my bed, when I heard a light knock on the doorframe. "May I come in?" Rachel asked.

I stared at her; I still wasn't sure about everything going on with her. Something just wasn't right; she was being too nice... But she had been amazingly civil since I arrived, 'Maybe she really is being more accepting of having a step-daughter,' I thought. I internally shook my head though, 'I just can't believe that.' I smiled though, if she was going to play nice, I needed to play nice too, "Sure."

"So, what do you think of the room?" She asked me.

I sighed, "Rachel it's really cute... and I really do appreciate all of the effort that went into it, but I am fourteen... it's a little too... little girlish for me," I smiled when I said it.

She sighed, "I know, but I hoped you would humor me," she paused, "just a bit?"

I nodded, "I'm not going to have a fit about it and say change it, in case you're worried about it. I really do appreciate it, and it does look like I was a little girl now when I was a kid." I tried to smile and put a positive spin on it. 'What's your game?' I couldn't help but think though.

She smiled at me and approached me closer, "That really was all I was trying to do," she said.

"Thanks." Was about all I could think to say.

"Umm... Taylor?" She asked.

'Uh-oh, here comes the shoe to squash me,' I thought to myself.

"Yes, Rachel?" I replied.

"I'm guessing you brought a dress for tonight?"

I nodded, "It's really pretty too," I said with a smile.

"I don't doubt it," she said to me. "But..." she paused and did this weird nervous twitch with wringing her hands that I had never seen her do before, "I was wondering if maybe you'd let me pick out a dress for you to wear tonight?"

I bit my lip. My trust of her did not run nearly that deep. 'She's been nice...' A part of my brain screamed at me. 'I really don't want to fight during this trip...' I sighed out-loud, "Depending on what it is..." I tried to hedge.

"Please, just let me pick, no arguing or debating?" she asked.

I stared at her. She was one to talk! "I don't know..."

"Please?" She asked again. There was something in her eyes that made me feel like I'd be kicking a puppy if I said no. No, strike that! It was more a look like I was going to be a puppy killer if I said no.

"I guess..."

"Yay!!!" She told me before closing my bedroom door, "Strip," she commanded.

"Umm... Rachel..."

"We're all girls here," she told me.

"I need to at least go to the bathroom first..." I said to her.

"Oh, well while you're going," she said as she ripped through a drawer, "put these on." She handed me a pair of soft, satin dark purple panties. If they were Victoria Secret satin panties, that would be nice. These were like the opposite age spectrum... around the top and the leg openings there was a thin ribbon of lace. At the top of the panties was a small bow that had been sewn onto the top. I grimaced a bit, but at least they were cut full enough I thought they would hide the pad that I needed to have. I grabbed my purse where I had just the two Alyssa had given me, and ran to the bathroom.