To Want Something Better Is No Disgrace (On Hold)

To Want Something Better Is No Disgrace {12}

"So don't you worry your pretty little mind.

People throw rocks at things that shine,

And life makes love look hard.

The stakes are high, the water's rough,

But this love is ours."

- "Ours" by Taylor Swift

-------------------------------------------

    "Hey mom, dad! I'm home!" I said out loud as I walked into my house.

    I threw my bag onto the living room couch and my eyes landed on Carter, who was staring at a blank TV screen.

    "Carter...are you alright?" I asked him.

    "Rectangles...what? Huh? Oh...I'm fine." he replied and finally turns to me.

    "Are you sure?" I asked.

    "Positive." he says, "So, how was extra help?"

    "I stayed after for the Italian Club meeting." I said.

    "Right..."

    "Are you sure, you're okay? You look pale and depressed."

    "I'm totally fine, Ari. Believe me."

    "I don't."

    He sighs and looks at me, "It's a guy thing."

    "A guy thing?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

    "Okay, I lied about that. But it's sad...depressing...morbid..."

    "Morbid? I never knew my own brother would use that kind of vocabulary." I said with a smile.

    "Ha. Ha. Very funny, Ariana." he said, sarcastically.

    "Tell me, Carter. I'm good at keeping secrets." I said and took a sit next to him on the couch.

    He opened his mouth and mummbled out something that I couldn't make out.

    "Say it again?" I told him.

    "I said...that I got rejected by Alice Carson. I asked her to be my date for the Masquerade Dance." he said.

    "And she told you that she already has a date?" I guessed.

    He nodded, "Yup and a boyfriend."

    "Aww, poor you. I'm sure there's a girl out there who's single and ready to mingle." I said, trying to cheer him up.

    He sighs, "Thanks, Ari." He gets up from the couch and starts to walk out of the living room, "I'm gonna go take a hot shower."

    "Um, okay..." I said.

    A hot shower?

    Carter can be so wierd sometimes.

    I got up from the couch, grabbed my backpack and headed up to my room.

    I immediately started on my homework but I eventually spaced out.

    Derek wouldn't get out of my mind and I was worried for Cameron.

    I sighed and continued my homework.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Oh my god. This dress is so cute! Ariana! Come over here!"

    I walked over to Kerri who was holding up a short blue dress with small bow on the side. It was cute.

    "That's cute! Are you going to try it on?" I told her.

    "Nope. You are." she said.

    I looked at her, "Me?"

    "C'mon, Ari. You'll look cute in this." she said, leading me to a dressing room.

    She hands me the dress and gently pushes me into a stall. I closed the stall and changed into the blue dress.

    I walked out of the stall a few minutes later and Kerri was staring at me in awe.

    "You look hot! Gorgeous! Stunning! I knew this blue dress would look so good on you." she said.

    "Thanks." I said, catching a glimpse of me in the mirror behind Kerri.

    "Like it?" she asks.

    "It's really cute. But expensive, isn't it?" I said.

    "Hm, let's see." she says as she pulls out the price tag on the dress, "120."

    "$120?" I asked, "Oh, that's not so bad."

    "Coming from a rich girl, it is." she said.

    "I'm getting it." I said with a smile.

    "That's my girl." she said as I walked back into the stall to change back.

    "So, did you pick one out, yet?" I asked her when I walked back out.

    "Yes, I did." she said and holds up short purple dress with a belt.

    "Cute. I like it, Kerri." I said.

    "Thanks. Jesse will be so surprised. He's gonna be all over me at the dance." she said.

    "I'm sure he will." I said.

    "And I bet Cameron will too." she said, "Is he coming?"

    "Yup." I replied.

    "Wait, he can go? I thought he was suspended."

    "He is but he's still allowed to go. And Derek too."

    "This is so exciting. I can't wait for tomorrow night!"

    It sure will be a night to remember tomorrow night.