The Girl Who Cried Vampire

Chapter 30 - Dress Shopping

"Guys, I'm serious! I don't need a dress!" I cried as I strained against my two obsessive friends' pull.

"Yes you do!" Bianca argued.

"Come on, Jane! It's Prom!" Paris begged.

"NO!" I screamed. There were a bunch of people staring at us, but I couldn't care less. There was no way I was going dress shopping. Especially for Prom, which was probably going to be the day I died.

I pushed the thought aside and squeezed the lamp post tighter. The end of May brought up all the Prom excitement, and it was almost worse than Valentine's Day.

"Just because you are fighting to save SCA that day, doesn't mean you can't look good!" Bianca cried.

Oh ya, and Bianca knew. Dean apparently told her everything. How does Dean know? I have no idea.

"Yes, it kind of does!" I cried.

"You know Bianca and I are strong enough to get you in there, right?" Paris asked, "I mean, we just hoped you would be civil about thins, but I can see that that plan isn't going to work out."

"1..2..3!" Bianca cried.

And then it was as if I was being yanked away by the hulk.

I kicked and thrashed, but it was too late. I was in a dress shop.

"Excuse me, what do you have in a size 4?" I heard Paris ask.

"You know my dress size?" I cried.

I heard the store clerk gasp, "Um...why-"

"She's not much of a Prom girl. Do you think you could help us out?" Bianca asked.

"Sure...Right this way..."

I was being dragged again. And I didn't like it one bit.

"These are all the dresses we have in a size 4. If you need any help, come ask."

"Kay thanks!" Paris said happily.

I was then pushed down onto a bench and held there by Bianca. Paris took out a pair of handcuffs from her purse, and proceeded to snap one onto my left hand, and one to the bench.

"Why do you even have those?" I asked.

"Security reasons. Okay, what do you think of this one?" Paris asked as she held up a hot pink dress, so short it could have been a shirt.

"Um...no. Can I leave now?"

"No," Bianca said as she held up a long black dress, "but what do you think of this one?"

"Guys, if you let me pick out my own dress, I promise I'll stay." I said.

Paris grinned, "Done!"

After Paris snapped the handcuffs off with her bare hands, I was shoved into a rack of puffy materials. I searched through each dress, taking each one into account. Finally, I found my dress.

"This one." I said simply.

"Are you going to try it on?" Bianca asked.

"No. Where's the cashier?"

"You are NO fun to shop with. That took about 3 minutes." Paris huffed.

"Sorry if taking me to a dress shop against my own will wasn't satisfying enough." I grumbled.

As soon as I paid for the dress, I found myself back on the streets of Los Angeles. I breathed in the warm air, and threw my new dress into the back of Bianca's sports car.

"Where to now?" She asked.

I smiled, "Let's do something crazy."

***

"Uh, Jane? I'm not sure about this." Paris admitted as I tossed her a helmet. Her and Bianca's idea of 'doing something crazy' was apparently rock climbing. I sighed as I swung my leg over the seat of the motorcycle.

I needed a rush of some kind. I could feel it. I looked down at the confusing controls, and noted where the gas and brake were.

"Kay, you girls are good to go." the man who we rented the bikes from said.

I heard Bianca snap the clip on her helmet, "Jane I-"

But by then, I was halfway down the street.

The wind blew through my hair as I road down the crowded street. I had completely forgotten about my helmet, but riding a motorcycle seemed pretty easy. It couldn't be too dangerous, could it?

An idea hit me like a rock and I grinned to myself before quickly looking over my shoulder. Paris and Bianca looked like they were having a bit of a hard time, and were a few yards behind me. I pushed the gas to its max and sped off as fast as I could, easily losing my two best friends in the traffic.

***

Aaron's POV

"Come on, Aaron! I'm not a judger!" Celeste cried from the other side of the change room door. I stared at myself in the mirror as I flattened out my tux jacket. Prom was such a waste of money.

Celeste has been acting like a sister to me, lately, and I had to admit that it felt nice. Paris was never really involved with anything I did, whereas Celeste couldn't keep her nose out of my business. She dragged me down to some prom store or something to get a tux I never intended on getting.

"Do I have to?" I whined. Celeste's reply was banging on the door and my head snapped to the rusty hinges.

"Fine!" I groaned as I opened the door.

Celeste gasped at the black traditional tux I wore. She smiled, "Oh, ya. That tux will definitely impress Jane."

"What? I'm not trying to impress Jane!"

"Are too! You totally like her!" she accused.

"What?! Of course I don't! She a popular girl. That's all she ever was, and that's all she'll ever be. Popular girls aren't my type." I said.

"You mean, she didn't tell you?"

My eyes met Celeste's immediately, "Didn't tell me what?"

"Dean told me that Jane never had any friends growing up. He was happy that she actually started talking to people again. When she was younger, apparently she was the weird loner girl that nobody knew. Calling her a popular is a bit strong, don't you think?"

I didn't reply. I just closed the change room door and got changed back into my jeans and t shirt.

When I came out, Celeste immediately took the tux and ran up to the counter. I sighed and slowly emerged back into the front part of the store, hands in my pockets and head down.

"Aaron?"

My head snapped up to see Jane herself, clutching a black bag with the store logo on its front.

"Hey Jane. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Um...Nothing..."

"You're going to prom, aren't you?" I mused.

"Possibly. What about you? I doubt you're hear to look at dresses."

"Celeste dragged me here." I explained.

"Oh." Was all she said before an awkward silence rose.

"I should get going, but I'll see you around." Jane said as she edged towards the door.

"Ya, I'll see you later." I replied as I watched her go.

I kept my eyes focused on her retreating figure. It was then that I realized it. In my heart, I knew it all along, but my brain was just noticing it now.

I wanted to protect her; make sure nothing harmed her. She will not be hurt next week, when Prom is thrown.

I would make sure of that.