Deep Down • Archie Andrews [DNF]

08 | fairy lights

CHAPTER 8

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Florence stared at herself from the mirror propped up on the wall.

She examined the soft mulberry color clinging to her skin. It was a halter neckline with a spaghetti strap around her neck. The fabric had a crossover pattern in the front and hugged her body all the way down to her naval cavity. Although most of her front was covered, the dress dipped down in the back, revealing more skin that she would have felt comfortable with. Stopping at the waistline of her belly button, the dress flared out to her mid thigh. An extra layer of mesh was added to give it a little more volume.

The five-inch nude wedges Cheryl forced her to wear complemented her curvy legs and made them look longer. The pure white layer of nail polish peeped through the small opening at the bottom of her shoe, matching her French manicure. It also went well with the gold clutch Josie let her borrow.

Florence self-consciously checked over her figure through the reflection, going over every small detail. She had many insecurities about her weight and this dress seemed to unmask all of them. Florence worried that the flared out skirt didn't hide the extra fat around her stomach, or that the wedges made her feet too big, or that the spaghetti strap was too tight.

Josie barged into the room without a knock. "Are you ready? We kinda have to-" Her friend stopped and examined Florence's posture and nervous eyes. Josie saunters over in her leather boots, clearly not dressed up to dance. "You look fine. Stop worrying."

"I can't help it!"

"Well at least try." Florence followed her down the steps, carefully avoiding a fatal face plant to the wooden floors. Mayor McCoy waited patiently at the bottom with a camera. The bright flash nearly blinded the teenager when she started to take pictures.

"You look gorgeous." Mayor McCoy gushed and waddled over in her own heels to give Florence a hug. Florence closed her eyes and savored this moment she rarely encountered back home. Breaking away, Josie's mom held up the camera once more. "I need more pictures to send back home!"

The mention of her parents immediately made Florence feel tense. From behind, Josie glared at her mother and mouthed 'What are you doing?' The Mayor waved the situation off and placed her hand on the brunette's back to guide her out into the porch for more pictures.

After about two camera rolls later, Josie's mom finally let the two girls go off to the dance. She leaned against one of the white pillars in front of the house. "Have fun!" Mayor McCoy waved as the two drove off in the beat-up camaro.

"Okay," Josie turned down the volume of the radio so that Florence could hear her. "When we get there, I have to go straight to the stage to set up with Val and Mel. Cheryl should be around there somewhere, so you'll at least have somebody-hey don't touch your hair!"

The lead singer of the pussycats reached out to smack Florence in the arm whilst still keeping an eye on the road, resulting in her swiping nothing but the air. The brunette jumped and quickly held her hands up to show that she was no longer playing with her curled hair.

The camaro pulled up into the front of the school just in time. Students of all different high school years walked towards the entrance wearing their Sunday best. Some had dates while others huddled around their friends giggling about some crazy story they overheard in the hallway.