The day before The Big Day

In the past three years Becky had changed a lot, she went from being a shy reserved freshmen to being a little shy still but overall a more experienced senior. Yes, a lot had happened to her since starting at A.L. High. She met Terry and Barry, became best friend with aforementioned people, dated Barry for a year, after dating some other guy in Sophomore year, broke up with Barry over the summer which led to her almost losing both him and Terry, but they patched it all up, and now they were starting their senior year.

That’s not to mention all the smaller stuff, her new interest in makeup and clothes, her joining the debate club which made her a ten times better speaker, and we couldn’t forget her foray into volley ball which was a trip for sure. She sucked but her team got into the finals and they almost won, but she kind of messed it up. But that’s a story for another day!

Now, the day before the start of the school year, Becky, Terry, and Barry were sitting in their favorite ice cream shop, the only ice cream shop in Broad Meadows but you could also get ice cream at the Deli but they just did not have as many options.

Becky was silently thinking about the next day and whether or not the outfit she planned back when she went back to school shopping was still good enough. She wanted to start out the year with a good impression.

Terry and Barry were bickering back and forth about who would win in a fight, Iron Man or the Hulk?

“He’s the Hulk,” Barry insisted, probably for the fifth time in this conversation.

“So?” Terry shrugged, “Iron man is practically invincible.”

Barry laughed, “the Hulk is invincible.”

Terry smiled and nodded, “You’re right. I guess he would win ultimately, huh?”

Barry grinning, licking up the last of his ice cream off his spoon, “I guess he would. Told you.”

Terry just shook his head and looked over at Becky, “What got you transfixed over there, Becky?”

Becky jumped a little, surprised to be pulled back to the conversation, “Oh, nothing. Just school. Tomorrow’s the day.”

Terry groaned, “I know! I’ve been dreading it since the start of the summer? Couldn’t summer last forever?”

Barry nodded, agreeing, “My parent’s are going crazy over making sure I’m prepared. They’ve told me a thousand times about the importance of my senior year, with colleges and all that. I don’t even want to go to college, but I’ll never tell them that.  Not until it’s too late.”

Terry laughed and high fived Barry, “good strategy!”

Becky scoffed, “You guys are gonna be poor, living on the side of the road.”

“The dream,” Barry grinned mischieviously.

Becky just shook her head and finished off her ice cream, “so what are we doing now?”

“For our last day of freedom?” Terry asked.

Becky laughed, “whatever you want to call it.”

“We could...” Barry paused to think. “How about we go down to the lake?”

Terry sighed, “we did that yesterday.”

Becky nodded.

Barry shrugged, “I’m out of ideas, we spent this whole summer spending endless days doing nothing. We’ve already done everything.”

Becky nodded again while Terry sighed dramatically.

“Well, this sucks,” Terry said.

Barry nodded, agreeing.

“Well, hey, at least school start tomorrow?” Terry said.

Barry and Becky laughed, that came from the guy who ten minutes ago was whining about how much he didn't’ wanna go. But hey, at least it was something to do.

----

Harriette lay in her bed trying to sleep the day before the start of her Senior year. She was supposed to be excited, and she was but she also felt a little prickly of nerves. I mean senior year was The Year, the year she was supposed to make all those future decisions and stuff. Stuff she did not want to think about, instead she wanted to think about homecoming and prom and her friends and... the good stuff.

But her mind kept wandering to college and jobs and her future.

She sighed heavily before getting out of her bed and walking towards the bathroom, for no reason other than just for something to do. She noticed a sliver of light under Collin’s door and smiled, he was exactly what she needed.

She opened the door slowly, finding Collin sitting crosslegged on his bed sketching something by the light of his bedside lamp. He looked up and smiled at her.

“Hey,” Harriette whispered.

Collin set his drawing pad on his side table and made room for Harriette beside him. Harriette sat down next to him and laid her head on Collin’s shoulder.

“What’s up?” Collin asked.

“I’m weirdly nervous,” Harriette sighed. “It’s just the same old school.”

“Yeah,” Collin said slowly, “but it is our senior year.”

“So?” Harriette said, “It’s not that weird. Remember Fedora’s senior year? Nothing too crazy happened.”

Collin was silent for a moment.

“Hey, you’re awake too,” Harriette said suddenly, lifting her head off his shoulder to look at him, “What’s keeping you up?”

Collin laughed, “I guess the same thing.”

“You know why I’m nervous?” Harriette said, laying her head back on his shoulder, “I’m nervous about picking out a future. I mean that’s what you’re supposed to do your senior year.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Collin said, “maybe I am too.”

“But you know what you wanna do,” Harriette said, “you wanna be an artist.”

Collin sighed, “but what kind of artist?”

Harriette was silent, thinking that over. Maybe learning that he was just as confused as her should have made her feel sad, but instead she just felt relief. She wasn’t alone, Collin, who was perfect in her eyes, had the same problem as her.

“Well, we can figure it out together,” Harriette smiled.

“Yep,” Collin yawned.

“I guess we should sleep,” Harriette trailed off, lifting her head off his shoulder.

Collin nodded, he pulled the comforters up over them and lay down, patting the space next to him.

Harriette grinned, “I feel ten years old.”

Collin just laughed tiredly as she lay next to him, cuddling in close.

“Thanks,” she said sleepily.

Collin just nodded as they both slowly slipped into sleep.

Dark Blue, like the Night Sky

(HQ)

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.

Sweet sweet Valentine's

Valentine’s day was the sweetest holiday, literally. Only really rivaled by Easter, but high school student don’t really celebrate that much anymore.

Valentine’s day called for chocolate, and lots of it. Which of course called for a trip to Harriette’s favorite store to stock up on all things chocolate.

So after school, a few days before the special day, Harriette stopped by the mall to get all of the chocolate she would need to give people. The sign in the window spoke excitedly about the special chocolates for this holiday; Rose truffles, Triple Chocolate hearts, and of course the favorite Red Velvet truffles. Harriette was greeted warmly by the cashier and asked if she needed any help.

“I’m good, thank you,” Harriette said, grabbing a few of the heart shaped boxes for the select your own variety box. She filled them up with the special flavors, and one up with all the one’s she knew Collin loved. Then she got some for herself, of course, and payed for it all. She felt very accomplished as she left the store with two bags full of chocolate for all her friends and family.

Her plan was to give everyone in her house some chocolates and give some out at school to whoever she felt like it at the time. The chocolate for Collin was a tradition of course, she wondered what Collin was gonna get her, if anything. But thinking about the fact that Collin could get her nothing because he had a real valentine that year made her feel sick so she pushed that out of her mind.

---

Collin felt terrible that he was leaving Harriete alone on Valentine’s day, that they couldn’t celebrate like they used to. Instead he had a “Big Date” with Amado and he was determined to do something nice for Harriette to apologise.

And after mulling it over for a while he thought of what seemed like a nice plan that Harriette would love. So one afternoon he told Amado he couldn’t hang out after school and went home to work on her gift.

One of his newest artistic endeavors was water color, he had been playing around with it for some time. He used to hate it, and couldn’t ever make anything nice out of it but he thinks he might be getting good.

So he pulled up a picture of Harriette on his computer and got to work painting a portrait of her with water colors. Harriette loved his art and he knew she loved it when he drew her so he had a good feeling she would love this gift.

Thankfully Harriette was out that day, shopping with her friends or something, so he had most of the evening to work on this painting for her. By the time she got home, her voice calling up the stairs to announce her presence, he was done and it was drying by the window.

He felt pretty good about it, and figured it was probably one of his best works to date.

---

Harriette woke up on Valentine’s day already tired of it, but the smell of strawberry pancakes pulled her out of bed and down the stairs to the kitchen where the smell was wafting from.

“Good morning,” her mom greeted her as she put two plates of the pancakes in front of the twins who were already reaching out greedily.

“Don’t eat too fast or you’ll get sick,” her mom said to the twins, patting them both on their heads. They wrinkled their noses at her and wolfed down the pancakes. Her mom just sighed and shook her head.

“Morning, mom,” Harriette said, taking a seat.

“You’re not even ready for the day yet, are you okay?” her mom asked, concern creasing her forehead.

For a second Harriette just stared at her mom, a little confused, before realising she was right. She had just came downstairs without getting ready, that was unlike her.

“Oh, I guess you’re right,” Harriette said, laughing a bit, “I’m fine, just tired. And I guess hungry.”

Her mom laughed, “why don’t you get yourself ready and come back down for pancakes?”

“Yeah, okay,” Harriette said, getting up from the table.

Up in her room the outfit she had picked out for this day hang from her closet, a cute lacey pink dress and a pair of polka dot tights with mary jane flats. It was cute and so sweet for Valentine’s day. The prospect of getting dress and ready brightened her mood a little bit, and by the time she had done her hair, applied her makeup, and gotten dressed into her cute outfit she was feeling a lot better about today. Who cared if the only valentine she ever had had a different valentine? At least she looked cute.

Upon arriving in the kitchen she saw she wasn’t the only one looking especially cute that day, Collin was looking pretty good too. He was sitting at the table, his hair done perfectly as always and wearing a light pink button up with light brown jeans. He looked pretty sweet too.

“Happy Valentine’s day,” Collin said as Harriette took the seat next to him.

“Right back at you,” Harriette said, nudging him a little.

“Are you busy after school?” Collin asked.

“The question is, are you?” Harriette asked, “of course I am.”

Collin laughed a little, “yeah, I am. I don’t know what amado has up his sleeve but he promised me an hour of free time after school, so I was wondering if you wanted to grabs some sweets from the bakery and exchange Valentines?”

Harriette couldn’t stop herself from grinning as she nodded yes, “of course.”

“Good,” Collin said.

Just then their mom set down their plates of pancakes, that were to die for especially with a little chocolate syrup and whipped cream, and few seconds later Tamarai came down and handed each of them a little wrapped truffle and a paper heart.

“Happy Valentine’s day!” She said before taking a seat and accepting some pancakes from their mom.

“Thanks,” Harriette said, “this is really cute.”

“Yeah,” Collin agreed.

“You’re welcome! And thanks, I guess,” Tamarai said brightly.

“Okay kids, eat up, we gotta go,” their mom said, “I’ll be back in five minutes.”

And with that they all finished eating their pancakes, got their bags and headed out to the car. Ready for school.

---

“Are you not excited for our ‘Big Date’ tonight?” Amado sang as Collin approached his locker where Amado had been waiting for him.

“Uhm, I’m supposed to say yes?” Collin asked.

Amado nodded before giving Collin a quick kiss.

“Well then, yes,” Collin said, “And a little scared.

Amado frowned and punched him playfully, “no need to be scared, I don’t bite.”

Collin just raised his eyebrows at him before shutting his locker and heading off to homeroom, with Amado by his side.

“It’s going to be really really romantic,” Amado said, “but I have to go, do not want to be late. I will see you then.”

“See ya,” Collin said as Amado turned and started down the hall in the opposite direction.

The rest of the day was uneventful, Collin found a ton of valentines from “secret admirers” in his lockers and on his desk in various classes. At lunch the more brave people went right up to him and gave him things like cute paper heart and chocolates.

“Wow, you got more than me,” Harriette said, eyeing the rapidly growing pile next to Collin.

Collin just shrugged.

Ella was looking spectacularly bitter that day at lunch, she didn’t say much and eyed everyone who came by their table to give Harriette or Collin valentines with such disdain. Collin wondered what was wrong, and after lunch while Harriette went off with Mariah on their way to math class Collin followed Ella out of the cafeteria.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked.

Ella stopped walking and eyed him, biting her lip.

”It’s Valentine's day, I’m single,” Ella said as if that explained everything.

Collin nodded, “sorry. But you know, it’s not all about having a date.”

Ella just laughed and continued walking.

“Hey, don’t let it bother you,” Collin said, walking beside her, “it’s not worth it.”

Ella stopped again and stared at Collin, “maybe, I guess. But it sucks. It’s worse that I haven’t gotten a single stupid valentine from anyone. Well other than my mom who got me an ridiculously expensive perfume and a store bought card.”

Collin frowned, “that sucks.”

Ella smiled a bit, “exactly.”

Just then the last bell rang and Collin winced, realising he’d be late to his next class.

“I gotta go,” Collin said, “and you do to, so I’ll see you later.”

“Alright, see ya,” Ella said.

Collin liked to think she looked a little bit more upbeat as she walked away, just a little.

---

Finally school was over, Harriette had been counting down the seconds all day. Lunch was miserable, with Ella acting extra bitter and Mariah overcompensating for ella’s bitterness with her sugary sweetness. All of Collin’s valentines....

But school was over and that was the past and now she had a “date” with Collin and she was overjoyed that Collin still wanted to do something with her. And that he got her a valentines gift.

Things weren’t so bad.

They walked together to the bakery/deli/cafe as Collin told her about his day.

“And I swear Amado was stalking me, he kept appearing everywhere,” Collin laughed, “just to remind me to be excited for tonight.”

“I would be scared if I had to be reminded to be excited for a date,” Harriette teased.

“Oh, trust me, I am,” Collin joked.

Harriette laughed loving the warm feeling of just being with Collin.

Once at the cafe they got their sweets, cream puffs for both of them and a milkshake for Harriette and a iced coffee for Collin, and took a seat.

“Mmmm,” Harriette said after taking a sip of her delicious milkshake. The milkshakes there were to die for, and the the special red velvet flavor for Valentine’s day was her favorite.

After talking a bit and eating the delectable cream puffs Harriette noticed it was almost already time for Collin’s date.

“Oh, I guess I better give you my gift,” she said, getting the box of chocolates and the paper heart she made for him from her bag.

“I hope you like them,” she said as she passed the gifts to Collin.

Collin read the note on the heart and peeked inside the box, smiling, “I love it. I can’t wait to devour all of these.”

“Don’t eat it too fast, or you’ll get sick,” Harriette mimicked her mom.

“I’ll try,” Collin said, “but I don’t know if I can help it.”

Harriette laughed.

“Okay, my turn,” Collin said. He reached into his bag and handed Harriette the gifts, a lollipop bouquet from her favorite candy store, a tradition, and a beautiful watercolor portrait of her in a pretty blue frame.

“Wow, it’s beautiful,” Harriette grinned, she really loved it when he drew her. It made her feel special.

“You like it?” Collin asked.

“More than like it, I love it,” Harriette said, grinning ear to ear.

“I’m so glad,” Collin said.

Harriette was too. So glad.

“Oh, I gotta go,” Collin said, frowning as he checked his phone, “but thanks for the valentines, I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, see ya,” Harriette said.

They both got up and after throwing away their trash and a hug they split up, Collin to Amado’s house where Amado had told him to meet him and Harriette back home where she was planning to spend the rest of her Valentine’s day skyping with Fedora, her equally lonely best friend.

And she didn’t feel a bit pathetic about it at all, just happy.