According to Plan

Chapter 45

Right after I left Billy's house, Cameron and I hung out at his place and I explained how Billy and I solved the whole situation. Of course, he wasn't too happy about the kiss, he just tried not to show it, but I did spot a little envy. He did end up understanding though, which allowed me to check that off my list of things to worry about.

The day I had regretted would come, finally did; the day of the dance. At first, I was utterly confused as to how Steve and Stella would be at the same place, at the same time... and with the same person. My mind was boggled as I sat on my sofa bouncing my baby brother, Dawson, on my knees. He giggled in glee and bubbles formed around his mouth.

Oh how I miss those childhood days, having nothing to worry about other than the next meal!

"Stella! Get up here! The dance is in an hour and you're still lazing on the couch?!" Lizzy screamed from the stairway. Of course, I had no clue how to look, or even act at a dance. So I asked the only pageant queen in our family; Lizzy. I later had second thoughts on telling her about the dance when she blotted wads of makeup on my face.

I coughed and gagged, "how much powder are you going to use, Liz?"

She rolled her eyes, "Stel, I'm doing you a favour. Trust me. That new man of yours won't be able to take his eyes off you."

I giggled and my face grew warm. After a series or dabbing, blotting, tweaking, and coughing, she was finally done. She backed away to look at her masterpiece. Lizzy's face lit up.

"Now, I should have a dress from one of my old pageants in here somewhere..." she muttered to herself as she escaped to the closet.

I bit down worridly on my lip as I gazed under my bed. Each step closer drew back memories of Steve and Cameron that I would rather prefer to leave behind. After all, it was Stella and Cameron now... right? Reaching under, I grabbed the blonde wig and my brother, Bradley's, set of baggy clothes. Yikes, I was so into making Stella so primped and perfect, that I forgot Steve needed something more formal to the dance aswell.

I escaped out the room quickly and snuck into the older boys' room. Both Brad and Chad were two sizes too big for me. But if I used my little brother, Mylos', tux, then it would be too tight. I grabbed Chad's black tuxedo and ran back to my room.

"Ta da!" Lizzy sang the last note as she held up an astonishing baby blue dress. It was full silk and it shone with each reflection of light. The dress trickled to the floor like a graceful waterfall.

I gasped, "wow... Liz, I can't wear that. I'd be so scared to ruin it."

She chortled and pulled me over, "pfft, don't worry about it. If you do ruin it, I know where you live."

I laughed.

When she finished with my hair and the dress, I took a quick glance at myself in the mirror. My breath caught in my throat. The person in the reflection seemed like a perfect stranger. My green eyes were bolded against an ebony background of subtle eye liner. These were accompanied by perfectly shaped brows and red plump lips. She even managed to hide my pointy ears underneath my mass of dark curled locks. Amidst the wonders she worked with my hair was a perfectly tiny tiara. To compare this with the usual sweats I wore almost everyday? Yep, it was definitely a perfect stranger smiling back at me in that mirror.

"Oh, he's here!" Lizzy beamed as she glanced out the window. Quickly, I slipped on the heels, stuffed Steve into a duffle bag, and wobbled my way downstairs.

With no delay, I swung open the door. And then, I froze and stumbeled backwards.

"Hi," Cameron DiMarco grinned boyishly as he stood there with his hands in his pockets. His once playful hair was now combed to perfection. Those silver eyes of his were so violently attractive that it thrummed along to the beat of my heart. His complexion, a smooth mystery. He was abosolutely breathtaking in that ebony black tuxedo of his, accompanied by an ivory tie. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the most handsome man I'd ever laid eyes on. Ironically, my expression matched his.