I Have A Shopping Mall in My Closet [EDITING]

Surprise, Surprise!!!!!

Friday night rolled around. I was so excited! All week, I begged him to at least give me a hint as to where we were going, but every time, he would reply," Arabella, it's a surprise! I can't tell you!" I would pout, and he would tickle me until I lost my straight face. The past few days have been great too. Genevieve and I really bonded over shopping and coffee. Just last night she told me, I was the most real friend she'd ever had.

But all week long, or since my transformation, a certain question danced in my head, playing back like an annoying song. Didn't he notice? Didn't he notice? Didn't he notice? I was pretty now! I was popular! Isn't that enough? I decided that I would go all out on the date to catch his attention. After I got home, I sprinted into my room, and dashed into my closet, and asked Cindy if there was a dress section.

"Oh sure!", she replied." Follow me!"

Cindy led me past the jeans, the undies, the bras, heels, and over the river and through the woods, then voila! Hundreds of dresses, long and short, in a spectrum of colors hung from the racks.

"Pick and choose dear", she said in her regular, pepped out voice. I sometimes wonder if she's one of those people who can be alert and coherent when they're high. I leaned forward a little and smelled her breath. Nope. I turned and ran through the racks and liked what I saw. From a hanger, I pulled a gorgeous sunrise pink tank dress. " Cindy!", I cried. She popped up out of nowhere and saluted. " Sir, yes Sir!", she bellowed, red locks of hair flying about.

"Go find me Chinese Laundry pumps. They look like-",

"I already know," she said with a mysterious knowing smile. Cindy zoomed off in search of something I wasn't quite sure I had.

While I was waiting for my ginger attendant to come back, I ransacked the accessories aisle, hunting for bangles. Underneath the rubble I found a velvet box. Inside was a single tennis bracelet with matching earrings. Perfect. I turned around to head back to the dresses, and screamed bloody murder. Cindy was standing with a huge smile on her face behind me.

"Gotcha what you wanted!", she chirped.

"Thanks," I replied. She still made me uneasy. I opened the box. Inside, were the pumps I wanted. They were a metallic bronze color, with ruffles going down the front. I checked my watch. 4:30? Eli was picking me up in an hour! I hurried to checkout, with Cindy galloping behind me. She quickly bagged my items (with my sparkly black reusa-bags) and handed them to me . " Bye Arabella!", she called after me as I tore into my room, so I could take a quick shower, and still have time to do my hair and make up.

I stood in front of my full length mirror, and sighed. I looked like a supermodel. My pumps fit just right, and they didn't hurt at all, but I was not experienced in the art of walking in them. A knock on the front door brought me out of my self-admiration.

"I'll get it!", I called to my parents. I walked like a turtle to the door, because you know, slow and steady wins the race, and prevents me from falling. What seemed like five minutes later, I arrived at the door. There he was. He was smiling almost uncontrollably, with both hands in his pocket. Eli was casually dressed in dark jeans, a white tee, and sneakers, while I looked like I was going to a club. I blushed. Where we were going, I was going to be overdressed.

"Hey." he greeted, and out of his pocket, he pulled a red bandanna.

"What's that for?", I asked, leaning on my doorknob.

"Well, where we're going's a surprise so.." he smiled, and I returned the gesture.

He took my hand an led me toward the elevator. Walking in these things were easier if someone was helping me. We got into the silver contraption and he pressed the '1' button. Elevator music came one. Doesn't he notice? Doesn't he notice? Doesn't he notice?, it sang to me. When the doors parted, he led me across the lobby, and out to his hand-me-down Audi. Eli helped me into the passenger side, and kneeled down next to me, with the bandanna in his hand again.

"Do I have to?", I asked.

"Yeah, it's a surprise, Arabella!"

I giggled and put it on. He shut my door, and got in himself. The engine started, and we were off.