The Eye Of The Ankh #Wattys2016

Chapter Thirty-Six

"I don't go to proms." I said, already a step ahead of her.

"What? Why not?"

"Besides," I said, avoiding the question, "There's no way I have the money to buy this right now."

Halle crossed her arms. "I doubt that, Miss I-Drive-A-Bentley and My-Aunt-Was-On-Broadway."

"Most of the money I do have is in a savings account."

"Ugh!" Halle went into my dressing room and pulled out my phone. "Password?"

"Halle!"

"Password!"

"8298."

Halle tapped the screen then held the phone to her ear. "Yes, hello Anna, this is Halle, amazing friend of Alice's and, well, you see, I made Alice put on this beautiful dress and now she refuses to even think about buying it. So I was wondering if you could talk some sense into her."

Halle shoved the phone into my hand. "Talk to her,"

I put the phone to my ear. "Hi, Anna...Well, yes, but--... Anna, you don't have to..." I looked at the tag attached to the dress and recited the number to Anna. "Well we still haven't eaten, so I'll still need money for that... Okay, bye." I hung up the phone and went into the dressing room.

"Well?" Halle asked as I stepped out of the dress.

"I guess I'm buying a dress."

We sat in a huge booth, Halle on the end. Then me and Hugo, and Jean and Marco. Ten minutes into our dinner, Halle moaned. "I dropped my phone," she slid out of the booth and bent down. She popped her head back up, smiling.

"You guys are so cute." She said, smiling. "Holding hands under the table."

Hugo looked at me. "I'm not holding Alice's hand."

Halle rolled her eyes, sitting back down. "I know you guys aren't, you never show any PDA. They are." Halle pointed at Jean and Marco.

Jean's face went bright red while Marco remained calm. "So, uh," Jean looked at Marco. "Marc, you want to take over?"

Marco laughed. "Jean, babe, I'm pretty sure they all already knew." We laughed, save for Halle, who groaned.

"Just my luck," Halle began, silencing the laughter. "Three guys and two of them are gay, and the other is dating a widow."

Jean cleared his throat. "Well, actually," He looked at Marco. "Marco is bi. Only half gay."

Halle looked at the two. "Are you kidding me? You two totally remind me of these two character from this one show... Hm. One of them got cut in half, though, so..."

"Which one?" Hugo asked, intrigued. I'm sure the next question he'll ask is 'what show?'.

"The one with freckles." Halle looked at Marco. "Hey, you have freckles."

"What show?" Hugo asked.

"Anyway, Hugo, do you think you'll be taking Alice to prom?" Halle asked, playing with her straw in her tea. "Gah! I know it's like, a month away, but still. I mean, it's never too early to buy a dress..." Halle looked at me. "Oh! Speaking of, guess what Alice bought..."

"Halle,"

"I mean, if we're still dating then," Hugo said.

The waiter came by with our food, ending the talk of prom.

"Marco! Jean! Loook!" Halle pulled the two down the street towards more shops.

"So, uh, prom?" Hugo laughed.

"Oh my God, I got totally guilted into the dress. Prom isn't really my forte. I've skipped every formal, home coming, prom... We don't have to go."

Hugo let out a breath. "Okay, because I really don't want to go to prom. Like, at all."

"So it's agreed? No prom?"

"No prom."

I smiled.

"Loooook it! Look it!" Halle called at us, pointing at Jean and Marco holding hands. "This makes me so happy."

Halle was asleep within the first ten minutes of the ride back home. I turned down the radio and played my Modern Instrumental Music playlist and relaxed.

Back home, I pulled up to Halle's house and parked the car. "Halle," I shook her shoulder. She stirred awake. "We're home."

She blinked. "Ugh. Can I get my bags from you tomorrow?" She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Sure, Hall, but you've still got to get out and, you know, to your house,"

She nodded and grabbed her purse. "See you tomorrow." Halle got out of the car and slugged up to the house.

Once she was inside, I put the car in drive and drove home.