The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.4 That dress

Well, maybe not at this moment, but in general.

Becky started rummaging through the racks, making faces and tilting her head at different pieces.

I sifted through the dresses on the opposite side of her, which had the longer, summery dresses.

“Oh my God, Angie. You would look killer in this!” she almost shouted as she held up the dress.

I blinked and swallowed hard. It was the dress from that night. Too short, too tight, too red for my comfort.

Why was it still here, anyway? Isn’t it out of style or something by now?

Becky saw my apprehension and then looked from me to the dress.

“Oh” she sighed as she realized why I was about a half-breath away from an asthma attack.

“Angie, I’m sorry. I forgot it was this one” she apologized.

I shook my head quickly.

“No, it’s ok” I brushed off.

But it was not ok. It’s been a year and I still remember that night like it was just moments ago. I still remember the tears and the cold, hard ground and Harry’s knuckles slamming against those pervs. I remember and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget, not even if those creeps are all in jail now.

“No, it’s not, Angie. I’m sorry” Becky spoke quietly.

She was apologizing and she rarely did that because she rarely found fault in her words or actions. I would have taken a picture or something to remember this moment, but I was too busy combating those horrid flashbacks.

Becky rubbed my shoulder gently.

“Come on, let’s go to another store” she said as she led me out to the rest of the mall.

We walked into Holister, whose lights didn’t seem to be working…

I never bought anything from there. A) I always thought it was closed because the lights were always off. And B) It’s where all the Eastland kids buy clothes. I remembered Liam’s polo and his caramel brown Sperry’s, how he looked like he popped out of one those magazines.

I looked at the walls of half-naked guys and girls, laughing and grinning at the beach in some remote, happy place in the world.

Becky and I scanned the racks- Becky going at super speed, like she was in the Olympics. And me- just sifting through half-blindly.

A few girls glanced over at me and Becky. They looked away when our eyes met and the tall brunette whispered something to the shorter blonde. Their Hunter’s rain boots and bo-ho jackets – faux fur and all- labeled them from another species as me and Becky. I shifted uncomfortably in my jeans and simple cottony blouse.

I wondered how much easier it would be to be able to afford clothes from designers whose names you could never pronounce. How much easier would it be to hide behind those round black shades and blue scarves?

Becky picked out a simple white and old laced dress for me. It wasn’t too short or too tight and not red at all. It had a semi-V cut neckline and looked like something Jackie Kennedy would wear- all perfectly neat and pretty, like a summer breeze you stand and admire, but don’t touch.

“Harry would love this on you” she winked as she held the dress up to my chest and titled her head sideways.

I looked away.

She sighed in curious annoyance- if that is even a term. Then again, Becky makes her own terms and rules, so she didn’t need to fit in with any.

“Angie, what’s up with you and Harry?” she asked quite seriously. She suddenly sounded older, more mature, the way I imagined my mom would sound if she were asking me about a guy.

“Nothing” I mumbled.  “I mean we don’t have to be holding hands all the time, do we?” I raised my voice. I sounded slightly threatening, but it was aimed at myself.

“Angie, what happened? He didn’t do anything, did he?” she asked cautiously. She knew that Harry wouldn’t hurt me in any way at all, but she was just being a good friend by asking to make sure.

I shook my head quickly.

“No, of course not” I replied hurriedly. The mere idea of Harry hurting me was about as likely as me giving the Valedictorian speech. I would shrivel up into a tiny ball of bones and wings and melt away in the heat of my rapidly beating heart.

Liam’s actually doing the Valedictorian speech. And he’ll be amazing because he’s got a quiet sense of politeness about him. He has those soft gentle light brown eyes that make you believe him, trust him. And the night he tried to hurt me, he wasn’t himself at all, he was drunk and upset and he made up for his break down by telling the judge the crucial bit of information about Louis asking where I went at his party.  

Quite interestingly, he and Becky are sort of together now. I guess opposites really do attract.

Becky was watching me carefully, trying to yank the truth out of me with those metallic grey eyes of hers.

We stood in line for the cash register.

“We had an argument” I explained very vaguely.

Becky folded her arms over her chest and grinned in disapproval of my answer.

“It’s stupid” I brushed off and took a step closer when another customer finished buying their things.

“Angela, you and Harry can’t go a minute without holding hands or looking at each other like it’s your last moment together” she smiled. She shook her head playfully and her platinum blonde wavy locks danced on her shoulders.

I looked down at my shoes.

“Yes, we can” I mumbled.

Becky just laughed again.

It was our turn to pay.

Becky held out a credit card to the girl at the counter, who was more interested in her Katy Perry CD than us.

“No, I got it” I said as I took out my card, well it was Danny’s card that he let me use.

“It’s ok, Angie. Liam told me he wanted to get you something, but he didn’t know what, so this is his way of making up for it” she insisted.

“Really? He doesn’t have to do that” I said as I still held my card out.

The girl at the counter pulled her gum out and wound it around her finger.

She glared at me and Becky, waiting for one of us to give up.

“He wants too, now let him before you make him feel so guilty that he buys you a castle” she teased.

“Fine” I sighed in acceptance.

But I hoped Liam wasn’t doing this because he still felt guilty about everything with Louis and the courts.

“He wants too, Angie” she repeated as she no doubt saw the guilt that I now felt.

“Now take your gift and let’s go home” she teased.

“Wait” I called as she headed for the exit.

“I wanna get a pretzel” I told her and I took her hand, leading her to Auntie’s Anne’s.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a salty, golden-brown pretzel after you’ve spent time shopping.

*****