Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A Different Kind of Prom Dress


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“So, you’re not going dress shopping?” DaeRi asked Tamarai.
“I am, just not in the mall,” Tamarai said.
“You just said you were ordering it online,” DaeRi said, “that’s not shopping, and what if it doesn’t fit?”
Tamarai laughed, shaking her head. They were sitting sitting in Tamarai’s room discussing proms dresses. DaeRi had asked when they were going dress shopping and was slightly dumbfounded when Tamarai replied with; “I’m getting mine online.”
“I’m getting it imported,” Tamarai explained, “I’m gonna wear a sari, from India.”
“Oh,” DaeRi said, nodding a little bit, “that’s kind of... cute. Non traditional.”
“I told you years ago I was gonna wear one to prom,” Tamarai said.
“I’m supposed to remember things you’ve told me years ago?” DaeRi said, “and anyway, when we talked about proms years ago it was just fanciful dreaming. You can’t hold me to what I said.”
“You said you wanted to wear something simple and with some glitter,”  Tamarai said.
“Well... okay I kind of still want that,” DaeRi said, “I want a dress that looks like the night sky.”
Tamarai nodded, “I’ll still go shopping with you, though.”
“Good, I can’t shop alone, that’s pitiful,” Daeri scoffed.
Tamarai just laughed and shook her head, DaeRi was crazy. But she was her friend.


--


“Oh my god, it’s here already?” Tamarai gazed at the package that had arrived from India with her name on it, it could only be her sari for prom. She and Harriette had just arrived home from school after an attempt to get DaeRi that dress of her dreams, they did the convincing and now it was up to DaeRi to take up their advice, it was a fool proof plan actually.
“What is it?” Harriette asked, poking at the box that sat on the kitchen table.
“Oh, girls you’re home!” Their mom said entering the kitchen just then.
“Hi, mom,” they said.
“Where’s Collin?” their mom asked.
“Hanging out with Amado,” Harriette said.
“Alright,” their mom said, nodding, “Well Tamarai, this arrived just a few moments ago. I’ve been dying to see what’s inside, care to open it?”
“You bet I do,” Tamarai grinned. Her mom laughed and handed her a pair of scissors as Harriette took a seat and the table.
Tamarai excitedly cut all the tape off and slowly, or as slowly as she could, opened the box. The bright pink and mint green of the Sari showed through the light paper it was wrapped in, Tamarai just wanted to see the dress already!
“Stop being dramatic and just take the thing out already,” Harriette said.
“Sorry,” Tamarai apologised, quickly pulling apart the paper and pulling out first the pink cropped blouse, but that was the least important part so she set that aside after the oohing and ahing from her mom and sister and then pulled out the bundle of silky fabric that was the actually sari. It was a hot pink net with sequins, little stones and beads and mint green stitching in the pattern of flowers and vines. And it was huge, Tamarai was overwhelmed with the beauty and size of it, and suddenly a little worried about putting it on. she mentally made a note to do a lot of research on how to put on a Sari.
“Wow, it’s see through?” Harriette said, “sexy.”
“It’s gorgeous, Tamarai,” her mom said, lightly touching the fabric, “such a beautiful feel to it too, you’re gonna look beautiful.”
“And sexy,” Harriette laughed.
“I hope so,” Tamarai said, still gazing at her beautiful sari, she could not wait for prom.
Now she just hoped DaeRi would have the dress of her dreams too. That would just be perfect.

Friday, April 25, 2014

“A tiara would look great with this dress.”

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After being forced to sit through hours of dress fittings with the evil soon to be stepmother Tracy was pretty sure she never wanted to be in another dress store again, she was tempted to just buy her prom dress online. But after some convincing from Heather and some reasonable reasoning she found herself in their favorite designer dress store downtown. Thankfully not the same one that the soon to be evil stepmother got her surprisingly not too bad bridesmaid’s dresses at.
“I really think you just need to relax,” Heather said as she shifted through the dress catalog, “I mean, you can’t let Patty ruin prom and dress shopping.”
“I guess,” Tracy shrugged, she did not want to talk about that soon to be evil stepmother right then.
Heather cast her a sympathetic look then looked back at the dresses. “Should I go with blue or purple?”
“Why purple?” Tracy asked, Blue was Heather’s favorite color and she had just assumed she would stick with that, plus it complimented her deep blue eyes.
“I don’t know, I thought I would switch it up a bit,” Heather said.
“Well, I just want a pale pink color,” Tracy said, flipping through another catalog.
“Do you guys have anything you wanna try on yet?” the salesperson asked.
“Yep,” Heather said, holding open the catalog and showing the salesperson the pic of a pretty teal dress with an empire waist and pearl detailing.
“Okay, only that?” the salesperson asked.
“Also anything else that looks like this,” Heather laughed, “I want a sea blue with lace or pearls.”
“I can think of a couple dresses that fit that bill,” the salesperson said, turning to Tracy, “and you?”
“Pale pink, almost white, long with a high neckline,” Tracy said.
“I got it,” the salesperson said, “I’ll get a couple that fit your requests then be right back for some fittings.”
“Thanks,” Heather said.
“I love shopping here, being catered to like this,” Tracy sighed.
“Right?” Heather asked, “So, who do you think’ll ask you to prom?”
“If I wanted someone to go to prom with me, I’d just ask them myself,” Tracy shrugged, and she didn’t. Personally dates were just another thing to cause her to worry and her biggest problem was trying not to worry herself sick.
“Well, do you think anyone will ask you?” Heather rephrased her question.
“Maybe,” Tracy shrugged, “We’re not too popular.”
“But someone must like us, right?” Heather asked.
Tracy shrugged, “I don’t want a date. I just wanna go with you, full out girls night.”
“So, I can’t get a date?” Heather asked.
“You can, if you care that much or if someone asks you,” Tracy shrugged, “but why do we need dates?”
Heather shrugged, “going dateless is a classic sign of being an outcast loser.”
“Well, how about we be each other’s dates?” Tracy asked.
Heather laughed, “are you asking me to prom?”
Tracy shrugged, “I guess so.”
“Wow, I expect a bigger proposal than that,” Heather laughed, “If you want me to show up at prom with you, you better pull out all the stops.”
Tracy laughed, “Whatever, Heather.”
The salesperson came the with a rack full of dresses, “here they are, ladies.”
“Thank you,” they said.
“I’ll just be right here if you need any help.” The salesperson said.
“Alright,” Heather said walking up to the dresses and picking up three blue ones, “these look perfect! How am I gonna choose?”
“Good luck,” Tracy said grabbing the three pale pink floor length dresses, “let’s get started.”
They entered their respective dressing room and and proceeded to put on each dress one by one, showing them off between dresses.
Tracy’s first dress was a satin-y pale pink sleeveless dress with the high neckline she asked for, with no bells or whistles. She looked elegant and old hollywood, or current hollywood.
“I love it,” Heather said, “But it’s a bit vanilla, isn’t it?’
“It’s classic,” Tracy said.
Heather’s first dress was a short sky blue a line dress with an exaggerated heart neckline with pearls lining the waist.  It was what she wanted, except the a line skirt. She did not want that, it was too commercial.
“Yeah, too commercial,” Tracy said, “You don’t wanna looks like half the girls there.”
Tracy’s next dress was a more silky, flowy dress, the same pale pink, with a lacy sheer high neckline and three quarter length sleeves.
“It’s looks like a wedding dress,” Heather said.
Tracy nodded.
Heather’s second dress was a darker, more teal blue and was not an a-line skirt, instead it just flowed around her hips and to her knees. The fabric looked almost multicolored, flowing from a green to a blue.
“I like it,” Tracy said, “especially the pearls on the neckline.”
“Yes, it’s nice,” Heather said, “One last dress though.”
Tracy’s last dress was kind of a mix of the first at the last, it has the sheer high neckline but also the satiny material of the first dress. It was the one.
“I like this one, it’s sophisticated, almost basically a wedding dress but not completely one” Tracy said, staring at herself in the mirror, it flowed just right and made her look red carpet ready, she could imagine herself accepting some kind of fashion award wearing this dress. It was the dress.
Heather agreed.
Heather’s last dress was a dark sky blue, like a really sunny September sky through sunglasses, it had a heart neckline and pearls stitched into the skirts that flowed just above her knees.
And it was her dress.
“Gosh, you look perfect,” Tracy said, “like that dress was made for you.”
“Well it will be,” Heather laughed, “After I get it properly fitted to my size.”
“We are going to own that prom.” Tracy said, “if only we could get prom queen, both of us.”
“Or just one of us,” Heather said, “A tiara would look great with this dress.”
“Or mine,” Tracy said.
“Or yours,” Heather said, smiling at Tracy. This was the first time in a while that she had seen Tracy truly happy and it lit up her insides, and in that amazing dress she looked like she could rule the world.
“Yes,” Heather said.
“Hm?” Tracy asked,still admiring herself in the mirror.
“I’ll go to prom with you,” Heather laughed.

Tracy turned to look at Heather then, grinning, “this prom is ours!”

Friday, April 18, 2014

Hearts and Prom Invitations


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It’s impossible to keep the halls of A.L. High from gossiping about you, especially when you get a very public invitation to prom and say “I’ll think about it.”
What Collin hated more than anything was public displays of... well anything. Helso really didn’t like it when people talked about him, and after this morning’s very public prom invitation everyone was. People were staring at him in the halls, and not like they used to. Now everyone casted confused glances his way, like they were trying to figure him out.
All because this morning he had arrived to his locker to find Amado with paper hearts taped all over himself, holding a big sign that said “Will you go to prom with me, amor?”.
Collin stopped a few steps away from Amado, trying to think of a way to get away from this scene without being noticed. But it was too late, people were staring and Amado was grinning in his direction. Collin managed a small smile. Amado shook the sign lightly, a questioning smile on his face.
Then Collin was past the whole people staring thing enough to realise what was happening. Amado was asking him to prom. Obviously Collin had seen this coming, he had just been hoping he would have more time to think. Or that it would just miraculously never happen, and that maybe Amado didn’t even want to go to prom. But of course he did, he lived for this stuff.
The first thing on Collin’s mind was Harriette, her probable reaction when he told her he’d be going to prom with Amado. Before her. Without her.
Harriette used to love to to talk about when they would go to prom, she would talk about how they would wear blue to complement their eyes and how they’d win prom queen and king. She hadn’t brought it up in a while though, but it still felt kind of wrong to go with someone else. Like betraying her.
Obviously it was crazy but it’s what he thought.
And now the people were staring and Amado was looking confused and Collin just said quickly “I’ll think about it” before turning around quickly and breaking through the crowd before he could see Amado’s reaction.
Yeah, he wasn’t sure why he said it either.

--

It was obvious that the news had traveled fast as Collin entered homeroom and the entire room went silent and just stared at him. He just looked down and took his usual seat next to Harriette, who was also staring at him.
“Hey,” he said.
“You got invited to prom?” Harriette said slowly.
“Uh, yeah,” Collin said, “You know, Amado’s a senior... so yeah.”
“You didn’t say yes?” Harriette said, smiling a little bit, “why?”
“I don’t... know,” Collin said, “I guess because, I didn’t want to go... without you.”
Harriette bit her lip, trying to stop herself from grinning.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said.
Collin was silent, he didn’t exactly do anything. He just said “I’ll think about it”. It wasn’t no.
“You should go, I mean he’s your boyfriend,” Harriette said, “I thought you would.”
Collin nodded, “He’s probably  really upset now, I can’t believe he did that.”
“Really, you didn’t see something like that happening?” Harriette laughed quietly, “This is Amado we’re speaking of.”
Collin sighed, “yeah, I guess.”
“Alright class, listen up,” the teacher called out.
Collin hardly listening at the Teacher filled the class in on everything happening in school that day, the Prom theme had been revealed, “A night under the Stars”, and tickets could be purchased in cafeteria during lunch. Collin was wondering if he really want to go to prom, if he didn’t Amado would be horribly upset, he just knew it. And he didn’t want to make Amado upset, but he didn’t want to make Harriette upset either. But she might be upset if he didn’t go too. Was there anyway where everyone would be happy?
Probably not.
And what did Collin really want anyway?

---

It’s safe to say that that was not what Amado expected to happen, at all. He had expected that Collin would arrive see Amado’s ridiculous get up, maybe laugh a little, and say yes. He expected that Collin would then joke about how stupid Amado looked and help him get all of these stupid hearts off of him.
But that did not happen, not even close. Collin looked horrified instead of amused and he said “I’ll think about it” instead of yes. Not to forgot that he just turned and ran instead of helping Amado with the stupid hearts, he didn’t even wait for some sort of reply or reaction. He just took off, leaving a distraught Amado behind to rid himself of the stupid hearts...
Amado was one half upset and one half angry. As the crowd dispersed whispering to each other Amado stood there with the two feelings battling over him, on one side he really wanted to cry and on the other he wanted to chase down Collin and yell at him for embarrassing him.
Collin was the nicest person he knew, he couldn’t believe that he would do something to insensitive, like saying no to a public prom invitation. Didn't he think for a second how Amado would look?
And why didn’t he say yes? They were dating, this whole asking to prom thing was really just a formality. Amado had just assumed that Collin had already just assumed they would go together.
So what just happened here?

---

Collin knew he had to apologise to Amado, he also knew that if he apologised that meant him saying yes to his prom invitation and he figured he might as well. Harriette was right, Amado was his boyfriend so of course he should go to prom with him. Amado had probably assumed Collin would just say yes, but why did he have to go and surprise him in an embarrassing public invitation?
After the last class of the day Collin waited by Amado’s locker, but when Amado arrive dher promptly ignored him and silently got his stuff out of his locker.
“Uhm, hey,” Collin said, he hadn’t exactly expected Amado to be mad at him. He had never seen Amado mad at anyone but his parents and sometimes his aunt. And especially not Collin himself.
“Hi,” Amado said, not looking at Collin.
Collin tried not to be annoyed, since Amado had a reason to be mad at him.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” Collin continued, “you kind of surprised me, I guess I kind of freaked out.”
Amado looked at him then, smiling a bit as if giving up, “Collin, I don’t think I could mad at you if I tried.”
Collin sighed, relieved.
“But you are going to prom with me?” Amado asked.
“Yeah, sure,” Collin said.
“You do not sound exciting,” Amado said, ”Excited, I mean.”
“I am,” Collin shrugged, “You know I don’t like dances.”
“No? I do not,” Amado said slowly, then smiled, “you are the best boyfriend ever, amor!”
Suddenly Amado hugged Collin, catching him off guard.
“Uh, thanks?”
“No, I am thanks!” Amado said,”No, wait. Thank you!”
Collin tried not to laugh and Amado’s poor english, three years in America and he still has trouble with the language.
Amado pulled away from the hug and kissed Collin quickly, ”I have to be somewhere, but you can call me. Tonight, okay?”
Collin nodded.
“Good!” Amado grinned, “Te amo, amor!”
And with one last kiss Amado skipped away down the halls, looking back at Collin once before disappearing around the corner.
Collin smiled to himself, blushing slightly. Amado was definitely mildly insane, but also incredibly cute.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Dark Blue, like the Night Sky

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It was dark blue, like the night sky, covered in little diamonds that looked like stars raining down it and it was the perfect length. It was everything DaeRi wanted from a prom dress and it was way out of her price range.
“I could buy a car with that much money,” DaeRi said, frowning at herself in the mirror. The dress was gorgeous, she looked gorgeous in it. She needed it. But she also needed some money.
“Maybe if your mom saw you in it she would let you get it,” Tamarai offered.
“I’m not gonna guilt my mom into spending her life savings on a stupid dress,” DaeRi said.
“It’s not stupid, it’s your prom dress!” Tamarai said, “It’s the perfect prom dress, the one you’ve dreamed of since you were a kid, you need it.”
DaeRi sighed and shook her head, “It’s not gonna happen.”
Tamarai frowned.
“And don’t even think about being sneaky and buying it for me,” DaeRi said, “I don’t accept charity.”
Tamarai frowned some more, staying quiet. she wanted DaeRi to have this dress. DaeRi has been through so much this school year and she deserved to end it in a beautiful dress, the dress of her dreams.
She was gonna get this dress.
So while DaeRi was in the changing room changing back into her civilian clothes Tamarai told the shopkeeper to keep it on hold. Tamarai was gonna get that dress to DaeRi, she just had to find a loophole in her DaeRi’s demand of her to not buy it.
Later that day, after DaeRi tried on more dresses, each one of the paling in comparison to the perfect dress, and they had lunch at the vegan diner before DaeRi was called back home by her mother insisting she needed someone to to start dinner, Tamarai sat on her bed contemplating ways to get that dress for DaeRi.
“How’d shopping go earlier?” Harriette asked, joining Tamarai on her bed.
“Bad,” Tamarai sighed.
“How so?” Harriette asked.
“DaeRi found the perfect dress, but it was way expensive,” Tamarai said, “Well, for her.”
“Why’d she try it on then?” Harriette asked.
“I talked her into it, I knew it was perfect,” Tamarai said.
“Let me guess, you’re trying to think of ways to get enough money to buy the dress for her?” Harriette asked.
“Yes, but she said I couldn’t and that she didn’t take ‘charity’,” Tamarai frowned, “I didn’t know helping a friend was considered charity.”
Harriette shrugged, “poor people are weird.”
Tamarai sighed falling back onto the bed, “we could start a fund.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Harriette said, “That’s more like charity then just buying it.”
“You’re right,” Tamarai agreed, “so what do I do? She has to have that dress.”
“I think you should leave it, maybe she could try to earn the money herself,” Harriette said. “I mean, I guess it’s nice of you to want to get her the dress, but if she says she wants to get a dress herself than let her.”
Tamarai sighed, “you’re right. But if she doesn’t get it, what am I supposed to do? She can’t go to prom with out that dress.”
“Sorry to break it to you, but it’s just a dress,” Harriette said.
“You’ll understand when it’s your senior prom,” Tamarai said, “Then you’ll see how much a dress means.”
“Well, I’m gonna be able to afford whatever dress I want,” Harriette pointed out.
Tamarai sat up and frowned at Harriette, shaking her head.
“We’re so privileged.”
Harriette smiled and nodded, “Lucky us, now come and help me with my math homework.”
Tamarai sighed, “okay.”


----


A week later, after another unsuccessful shopping trip, DaeRi was feeling like giving up and just dealing with something not as great. But she didn’t want something not as great, she wanted the greatest. She thought she deserved great, at least.
She was walking home from school, walking because she was saving every cent towards her dress so the bus was out of the picture and no way was see being seen on a school bus. She was feeling hopeless, especially after her conversation with Tamarai and Harriette at lunch.
“Have you considered going to a thrift store?” Tamarai had asked.
DaeRi laughed, thinking she must be joking.
“Seriously,” Tamarai said, “Thrift stores can surprise you.”
“No way,” DaeRi said, “I am not showing up to prom in a thrifted dress, I would die.”
Tamarai wrinkled her nose and shared a look with Harriette.
“Just try it,” Harriette said, rolling her eyes, “stop being such a snob.”
“Then why don’t you go to prom wearing a thrifted dress?” DaeRi said.
“Because I don’t have to,” Harriette shrugged.
“Well, then, you don’t even understand,” DaeRi said, shaking her head. Sometimes it felt like she was the only person in this school without an abundance of money.
“Guys, please,” Tamarai said, “don’t fight. And just think about it DaeRi. You never know.”
“I do know, and I won’t,” DaeRi said, gathering her things quickly, “see you later.”
And with that she stormed away and now here she was walking home from school thinking over some new plans to get a good dress, a great dress. Something in her made her take a turn and head over to the strip mall, The Meadow Commons. The deli, a weird expensive boutique called Chic Finds, the only fast food place in Broad Meadows, a consignment shop, and a thrift store filled the commons.
“Well, maybe.” DaeRi said to herself. It wouldn’t hurt to look in a thrift store, she told herself. She looked around, hoping none of her peers were around to see her but all she saw was a couple of nerd outside of the deli. She didn’t care what the nerds thought, plus they weren't looking in her direction, so she quickly headed over to the thrift shop and paused because next door in the consignment shop was her dress.
“What?” she muttered, stepping up to the window. It was definitely her dress, the perfect midnight blue and the sprinkling of glitter cascading down dress, it was the dress. Or just a cheap knock off, but either way she needed it.
She hurried into the store and walked up to the cashier, who was reading a book with aliens on the cover and not paying attention at all.
“Uhm, excuse me?” DaeRi asked loudly to get the cashiers attention.
The cashier sighed loudly and put the book down, “yes?”
“How much is the dress in the window?”
“Hm, thirty dollars,” the cashier said, “you got that?”
“Th-thirty?” DaeRi stuttered in disbelief.
“Why, too cheap?” the cashier said “I can rais-”
“No,” DaeRi quickly interrupted, “That’s perfect.”
DaeRi quickly rummaged through her purse to find her wallet, praying she had at least thirty dollars on her. She almost cried with joy when she the money in her wallet amounted up to $33.
“Would you like to try it on first?” the cashier asked, giving Daeri a strange look.
“Oh, I guess so,” DaeRi said, laughing nervously. But now she was worried again, what if it didn’t fit? The cashier walked up to the window and took down the mannequin, struggling with it a bit.
“Hey, D, you need some help over there?” a voice called out from the back.
“I got it,” the cashier called back, shaking her head as if annoyed.
But the guy from the back came anyway, helping the cashier get the mannequin down and with getting the dress off.
“You have good eyes,” the guy said to DaeRi, “this dress is a good one, we just got it yesterday, couldn’t believe it was in such good condition. Basically brand new.”
“Oh,” DaeRi said, “that’s great.”
“Well, go on and try it on,” the guy said, “Hope it fits.”
DaeRi nodded and took the dress into the dressing rooms in the back of the store. It wasn’t long before she was grinning to herself in the mirror, the dress as snug as a glove on her. Like it was made for her. It was almost too perfect.
But there’s no such thing as too perfect.
After she got dressed back into her normal clothes, she hurried over back to the cashier, ehr money already out and ready. She wasn’t gonna give anyone enough time to raise the price, she needed this dress.
“How does it fit?” the guy asked, having replaced the old cashier.
“Amazing, perfect,” Daeri said, nervous that this guy would say a different price.
“Isn’t it amazing when that happens?” he laughed, “Place like this, consignment or thrift stores, they’re places of miracles. Miracle for the people who actually deserve them.”
Daeri nodded, thinking in her head that this guy was kind of insane.
“How much money do you have in your pocket?” he asked.
DaeRi frowned, what an odd question but she answered anyway, “thirty three dollars.”
He frowned, then nodded, “then that’ll be twenty dollars.”
“What?” DaeRi said, she couldn’t hide her surprise.
“People don’t come to shops like these to spend all their money,” he said, smiling warmly at DaeRi.
“Wow, uhm, thanks,” DaeRi said, still not quite believing but counting out twenty dollars and handing them over.
“Plus, we got that dress for free,” he said, taking the money and counting it, “Someone confused us for a thrift shop, another miracle I guess.”
DaeRi nodded as he bagged the dress into a dress bag and handed it over to her.
“I’m sure you’ll look gorgeous for your big night,” he said, “and have fun.”
“Thanks,” DaeRis said before hurrying out of the store. That whole experience was weird. She turned to head home and saw Bachelor, a popular guy on the football team who was best friends with the Prom king from last year. He was leaving the thrift store with a bag in his hand. That was a sight you don’t see often, popular people actually buying stuff from thrift store.
“Bachelor?” DaeRi said, smiling a bit.
“Oh, uh, hey,” Bachelor said, hiding the bag behind his bag.
DaeRi raised her eyebrows, “what are you up to?”
“Getting something... for... my mom.” he said slowly, looking around.
Daeri laughed, “sure.”
He frowned, “yeah, I am. What are you up to?”
He looked pointedly at the bag in DaeRi’s hand and back to the consignment shop.
“Oh,” DaeRi said, “I’m, uh, picking up something for... a friend.”
This time Bachelor laughed, “yeah, right. All your friends are too rich for consignment shops.”
“You don’t know all my friends,” DaeRi said.
“Everyone knows everything about you, DaeRi,” Bachelor said.
DaeRi frowned, “not everything, just what they see.”
Bachelor shrugged, “I gotta go.”
“Of course, see you later, I guess.” DaeRi said.
“Yeah, you too,” He said.
DaeRi turned around as if heading the other way, she didn’t want him seeing her head off to the poor side of town. This was already embarrassing enough.
But he just followed in the same direction.
She looked back at him, “where are you going?”
“What, I’m not allowed to go get some food?” he challenged.
DaeRi shook her head, “whatever.”
DaeRi kept walking past the Deli, and the fast food place, and around to the stirp mall, back to her house. She couldn’t wait to tell Tamarai about her dress score, but she decided she’d keep the whole Bachelor thing to herself. No need to start unwanted drama.