Song of a Sophomore

CHAPTER 39 - Return of the Mack

"Great," Leo said. Then, his eyes fell on me. There was a pull on my heart, like it might sink down into my stomach. Leo plopped down at his desk and folded his hands.

It was the longest biology class of the year. Leo and Zach didn't say a word to each other the entire period and I had this queasy feeling deep in my stomach knowing we still had two more classes together that day. This was going to be awkward—but not awkward enough to keep me from celebrating my victory.

What sweet revenge it was to pass Katelyn Powers and Bethany Grant in the hallways knowing I was going to the dance with Zach. I recalled their wicked games in the locker room, taunts on the sidelines, and nasty remarks at cheerleading practice and smiled with satisfaction. It would be poetic justice to watch the blood drain from their plastic faces when I walked down the grand staircase of the new hotel at the River View Town Center on Zach's arm, all glittering and gorgeous, victorious at last.

Katelyn and Bethany, eat your hearts out!

All I needed was the perfect dress. Gloria chomped at the bit to go shopping. We had less than a week and the best dresses were already gone. After an hour spent in each of the main department stores at the mall—Bloomingdales, Hecht's, and Lord and Taylor, we almost gave up our search. I tried on so many dresses, and they looked nice, but nothing really wowed us.

"You need something that screams glamor. Something high class," Gloria said. Her light blue eyes lit up. "I have an idea. Let's go to the Galleria."

She said it like it was the Taj Mahal.

"But, Mom. We can't afford to buy a dress there. All the stores are so expensive. Dad will have a coronary."

"What your father doesn't know won't hurt him." She winked.

We practically jogged through the parking garage, hopped into the car and drove to the opulent shopping mall with expensive boutiques and specialty stores. The white marble floors glistened like a palace. I tried to stand up straight and look the part of a wealthy suburbanite. Gloria pulled it off, even though she was a 42-year old with a fake tan, low-cut knit top, denim mini skirt from the juniors department and the same wooden Candie's clogs I wore the day before.

"There's a dress shop!" Gloria grabbed my hand and we made a mad dash for the fancy boutique. No sooner had we walked in that Gloria sang out in her angelic voice. "Look, Rose!"

She pulled me past rack after sparkling rack of  ball gowns and cocktail dresses to the bowels of the store, a dimly lit corner near the back door where a creamy white gown dangled off of a broken hanger on the clearance rack.

I looked back at the entrance. "How did you even see this dress?"

"I didn't. I just saw the clearance sign. But, this is a beautiful dress." Gloria grabbed it and checked the price tag. She clicked her tongue and sighed. "It's almost two-hundred dollars."

"That's too much, Mom." I snatched it from her and put it back on the rack.

"Well, it's your size. This could be the one. You should try it on."

Gloria yanked the dress off the rack like someone might steal it from us, and prodded me with into a changing room. Delirious with excitement, I stripped down to my underwear and  slipped the dress over my head. I threw open the door.

"Ta da! What do you think?"

"You are a vision, Rose. An absolute vision. Let me zip you up."

I swept up my hair and watched in the mirror as a bead of sweat fell down Gloria's delicate face focused intently on the dress.