Selected

Fifteenth

I stared at myself in the mirror. This dress was possibly the most beautiful thing I had ever put on in the entirety of my life. The white material fitted my frame perfectly, outlining every curve. If Vox had loved me in that blue dress, wait until he sees me in this. I started to imagine the way his eyes would rake me up and down. I like the thought of his hungry stare drinking in my body. It made butterflies appear in my stomach. Banging on the door startled me out of my trance.

"Em? Are you going to come out sometime in the next millennium?"

I smiled, knowing that Hal would immediately drop her frustration and gawk at me when I came out in this. "Get your father's credit card ready, because this one is a real winner."

I opened the door to the changing room, excited to see Hal's expression. She didn't say anything, she just stared at me dumbfounded. Then, without taking her eyes off of me she reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet. She slid the little plastic card and swiped it on the side of the door. I still didn't understand how this equated to paying for the dress but just went a long with it.

"I'm assuming that means you like it."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, it's perfect. I told you it would be."

I frowned and looked down at the dress, "I picked this one."

Hal shook her head, "You most certainly did not. I did."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever."

Hal smiled at me, "Em, no offense, but out of the two of us, I'm the more fashionable one. There's no way you picked this dress."

I stuck my tongue out, "Just close the door so I can change."

She giggled before closing the door for me. "You look fabulous, by the way. Vox is totally going to cry."

I stared at myself a little longer in the mirror. "Cry? Does Vox cry very often?" I hadn't seen him shed a tear since I'd been here. I had assumed he didn't cry at most things, but hell I had only known him for a week, so who really knows.

"Not really, but I bet 100 dollars that he would totally shed some tears for you in that dress."

I admired myself in the dress for a little longer. Imagining myself walking down the aisle toward Vox. Him, looking gorgeously dashing in his tux and me in this elegant dress. I could imagine the way he would look at me, as if he loved me. Which would be absurd, him loving me. We had known each other a week.

I unzipped the dress and let it fall to the floor, hoping the image of both of us standing at the alter would fall away with it. I didn't want to think of the impending nuptials. I didn't want to imagine swearing my life to a man I didn't love, a man who I barely knew. I struggled with the infernal jeans before finally managing to put them on.

I grabbed my shirt off the floor and put it over my head and stuck my arms through the holes. I picked the dress up and hung it up neatly on the hanger before putting my shoes back on and opening the door. "But you seriously looked amazing in that dress."

"Thanks." I grinned at her, "And tell your father thanks for buying it."

She linked her arm in mine, "It's no problem. The sensor said it would be delivered by tomorrow."

"Do I not need to get a fitting?"

Hal shook her head, "No, the room took your measurements. It'll be sent to us altered to fit you seamlessly." That was both convenient and creepy.

We walked out of the store and into the open car that was waiting for us by the curb. "What do you want to do now?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, what time is it?"