BEWITCHED & BOTHERED

27 ✰ Afternoon, October 14th

"Well?" I asked impatiently.

After a long beat, Tara threw her hands up in the air in defeat.

"Fine. Something formal," she uttered curtly.

I felt my lips crack into a genuine smile. "Got it. Dress or pants?"

Tara averted her eyes to her sneakers for a moment before she looked at me again, her black eyes swirling with palpable frustration. "A dress. I need a fucking dress by tonight and I have nothing in my wardrobe other than rompers and jeans," she admitted almost in a groan. 

A laugh started at my throat, but I disguised it as a cough. Last thing I needed was for her to turn her murderous rage against me instead.

"Budget?"

"Whatever, I don't care. As long as it looks good on me."

I raised my brows. "The best kind of budget."

I turned to Lucy, nodding to the sequin dress in her hands. My sister stared at me pointedly but then handed the dress over with a reprimanding huff.

I closed the distance and held out the shimmery dress to Tara.

"You'll look gorgeous in emerald. I'm guessing you're a size ten?" I assessed her body and height. Tara crossed her arms again, this time out of clear discomfort. Fortunately for me, the bulging vein in her neck had begun to disappear.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Okay. This is a size eight but it's lycra so it's stretchable."

Tara's eyes studied the dress sceptically. "Sequins?"

"Better than ruffles," I retorted with a smile.

After further coaxing, Tara finally accepted the dress and disappeared behind the dressing room curtain. I waited on the other side, my stomach fluttering with anticipation.

"While you're playing dress-up with a werewolf, I'm going to shoe department," Lucy said in a mocking tone.

"I heard that," Tara mumbled from inside the dressing room and I smiled apologetically at Lucy.

"I'll text you when I'm done?" I asked sweetly.

Lucy shook her head exasperatedly with a small smile dancing on her mouth.

"What am I going to do with you, Lena?" she scolded playfully before leaving.

Another question came from behind the curtain. "Is that your sister?"

"Yeah, Lucy. She's actually sweet most of the time."

"To people other than werewolves, you mean?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. Most witches are."

"Except you."

I smiled at that. "Except me."

Silence.

I was about to say something with the curtain flew open, revealing Tara in the sequin dress, fidgeting like an eel.

No bueno.

The dress was far too tight around the curve of her hips, although it fit her chest just fine. Tara was a classic pear shape, with a fuller bottom and leaner top. Nevertheless, the colour looked stunning on her, so at least, that was a good start.

"It looks like a fucking prom dress," Tara said blandly.

I flinched, noticing the truth in her words. "It does," I agreed with a heavy nod.