Nodus Tollens

LVII.

"I give up," I collapsed on one of the sofa chairs in the waiting room and rubbed my temple. "I just completely give up. There's not a single dress in this entire store that is good enough for this formal."

"Juliet, you know I love you, not just as a consumer, but as a fellow lover of fashion," Alexander, my favorite retailer at my favorite boutique at the local mall, sat down across from me and pinned me with a look. "And I know you tend to get very picky when it comes to your wardrobe, but is there a particular reason you seem to be ten times picker today?"

I sighed and leaned forward, resting my chin in the palm of my hands. "I just really want to impress the boy I'm going with."

"Oh?" Alexander's brown eyes lit up with curiosity. "You have a new boy?"

"Technically, I don't have him yet," I smiled a little. "But if this dance goes accordingly I think I have a really good chance."

"Well, don't be selfish," he leaned forward. "Let me see what we're working with."

I smiled a little and tapped on my phone to pull up one of the few pictures I had of Arsen. I chose one of the rare selfies he allowed me to take with him after a very brief, but very heated argument about how vapid and ridiculous selfies were. Sometimes he could be so ridiculous.

I held out my phone for Alexander who took it eagerly and nodded slowly, his eyes shining with approval.

"Ten. A freaking ten."

"I know," I grinned, clasping hands together. "He's so perfect it's kind of crazy, and I mean, like, an all-around kind of perfect. Usually, the guys I'm with are great in the looks department, but lack as far as personality goes-"

"Like Lucas?" He snorted, handing me back my phone.

I rolled my eyes. "He was strictly armed candy. Arsen, on the other hand, can hold an intelligent conversation for more than thirty seconds among other amazing qualities. He's so sweet and funny and handsome and thoughtful and handsome....," I got lost in my thoughts for a moment then looked over at Alexander who was staring at me expectantly. "Did I mention handsome?"

"Once or twice," he smirked. "Okay, so now I can kind of get why you're being neurotic...well, more so than usual."

I scoffed in fake outrage and aimed a kick at him which he swiftly avoided.

"You know what? I think that I know exactly the dress for you," he stood up. "For something like this and a guy like that we need to divert a little from your usual style."

"Divert?" I raised my eyebrows.

I spent almost every year I've been on this Earth cultivating my style and wardrobe to what could only be described as perfection. Diverting from it at this point was not only out of a question but disrespectful to who I was as a being.

I opened my mouth to shut the idea down, but he had already rushed over to the rack behind me and started rummaging through the dresses.

"Just hear me out," he tossed me an expert look over his shoulder. "You're not satisfied with any of the dresses you've tried on because they're too familiar. You've done it all before. The sequins and the tight fit and the lace. We need to go softer. Focus less on sex appeal and more on sweetness."

"Sweetness," I tried out the word on my tongue as if it was foreign. I turned around in my chair to watch him scour through the clothes. "I don't do sweet, Alex."

"No, but the great thing about you is that you're versatile and you can make anything work."

I smiled, resting my chin on the palm of my hand. "True."