Can't be Bought

Chapter 3 - Silent Auction

The next morning, we each head home to get changed and agree to meet at Baxter's again. 

Mary, Meghan and I all end up walking together that way. We beat the other girls, so we make our way to the corner booth. We start to talk about the school's most popular fundraiser, the silent auction. 

It's not your typical silent auction. The whole junior and senior classes get the option to be a part of the silent auction. Boy or girl, you can volunteer. Freshmen, sophomores and the juniors or seniors that don't participate, can bid. The silent auction is very strange, but it makes great money. It's a college version of those bachelor auctions, where they auction off dates with eligible bachelors.

Basically, they make a list of the students who agree to be auctioned off for a date. The top 15 bids (or rather the top 15 students who are auctioned off) have to go on dates with those who bid on them. Only students can bid. However, the fundraiser does so well because there are a few rich families who allow their children to bid a lot of money. It's their donation to the school. Also, boyfriends and girlfriends get really jealous and want to spend a lot of money to make sure they don't go on a date with anyone else.

We see the rest of the girls walk in the door and head our way to the booth. 

"What ya guys talking about?" Brooklyn asks, sliding in next to me. 

"The silent auction!" Mary states eagerly.

"Ooh." Justice shrieks. 

"I can't do it, but how many of you are gonna do the silent auction?" she asks. 

"I'm just a little itty bitty sophomore over here" She adds in a baby voice. There's that sarcasm I'm talking about. 

"Not me, I could never do that." Mary raises her eyebrows and shakes her head. 

"Me either." Meghan agrees, shaking her head. 

"Brooklyn would do it but not me," Breanna states, pointing at her sister like she's crazy.

"Yeah I think I would, but probably next year, not now." Brooklyn laughs. 

"So none of us are gonna do it then?" she asks looking at me.

"To be honest, I've been thinking about it," I respond. Their eyes widen and they look confused, egging me on to say more. 

"Luna's doing it and she wants me to join her. I mean it's not a big deal. I know I won't be one of the top fifteen so I don't care really." I state matter of factly.

Luna is my sister. By the way, she's a senior and she lives with some friends in a house down the street from me. We are pretty close but with volleyball practice, I hardly see her during my season.

"What?!? Our little Cammie is thinking about the auction. You are the last person I would think -" I begin to interrupt Meghan's joke. 

"Oh, whatever. I'm not saying yes, but I think I could. I would just stand next to Luna and that's all." I respond quickly, trying to shut their banter out. 

The girls joke around with me and we finish our coffee, snacks and head to class. 

I go to class with Brooklyn and Breanna because we have marketing together today. After that, I head to the journalism class that I have with Mary. The day goes by quickly and I head home to get ready for volleyball practice again. After practice, I head over to see my sister. 

"Cammie! I'm so glad you came over!" Luna says, hugging me excitedly. 

"I was hoping we could go shopping sometime tomorrow to get dresses for Friday."

Friday? What's on Friday? I think to myself.

"Friday?" I ask. 

"The silent auction Cammie! You said you would do it this year with me. We will never be able to do this together if you don't do it this year." Luna replies. Oh, that's right. I told the girls I was gonna do it too. Oh no. 

"I know I said that." I shrug. 

"I guess, I'll think about it. I mean what's the harm, I'm not going to be one of the fifteen anyway."

"Yay! After your practice tomorrow, we will run to the mall to find some cute dresses!" Luna squeals with excitement.

The next day after practice, I do just that. Luna and I head to the mall. I'm still on the fence because none of my friends want to do it. But I told Luna I would and if I don't she won't be very happy with me. 

As we enter the mall, I begin to get a little nervous.

"Okay, I still don't know if I'm going to do it, Luna," I whine. 

"I mean none of my friends are going to and I know I'm not gonna get any bids really, so what's the point right?" I add. 

"Cammie!" Luna yells at me. "You have to do it with me, I'm your sister!"

"Ugh but -" I try to complain some more but Luna cuts me off. 

"But nothing." This time, her tone is firm and makes me realize how much she cares. She really wants me to do this with her. I sigh. She grabs my hand. 

"Now, let's go find a cute dress to change your mind!" Luna pulls me into her favorite store first.

We go to a few stores and try on different dresses. Luna finds the perfect white dress with small black polka dots. It has spaghetti straps and a ruffle at the bottom of the skirt. But I can't find a dress anywhere.

"See it's a sign!" I complain to Luna, looking defeated and tired. 

"I can't find a cute dress so I can't do it," I complain, as we start walking towards the mall exit. 

"Cammie!" Luna scolds me, stomping her foot and being all dramatic. 

"No, I'm serious," I reply sternly, crossing my arms and continuing to walk. 

"Cammie!" Luna yells again.

"Luna seriously I don't see why I have to -" Just then she cuts me off again, pulling me around to look at the store we just passed. 

"Cammie! Look at that dress, it's so you."

In the window is a pastel striped dress. Blue, pink, brown and cream stripes. There's a cute belt made of the same material at the waist. It's perfect, just my style and everything. I think I'm in love. 

"Let's go try it on!" Luna says, dragging me into yet another store. 

Luna grabs the dress and pushes me in the dressing room. I try it on and it's a perfect fit. The skirt is not too long, but not too short. The belt hits my waist perfectly. I brush the skirt down, do a twirl and walk out of the dressing room with a huge smile. 

Luna smiles with me.

"You have to get it." She says excitedly. 

"Now you have to do it with me as you said, it's a sign!"

My smile drops a bit. 

"Ugh, we will see."  I twirl around one more time and smile again. 

"But I'm definitely getting this dress," I say, admiring myself in the mirror. I walk back in the fitting room with a little attitude. 

The rest of the week goes by pretty quickly. It gets to Thursday night and I am still trying to decide. I have to sign up by Friday morning before 8:00 am. The sign up is online so it only takes a second, but for some reason, I just can't hit submit. 

"Luna won't stop bugging me!" I complain on FaceTime with the girls. 

"You should do it for all of us chickens who won't." Breanna jokes.

"Yeah, like you said, it's not a big deal," Meghan adds.

"Ugh, I guess. I'm going to bed now, bye!" I say quickly before hanging up. I fall back in my bed and sigh. I sit back up and stare at my computer screen. I finally get the courage to hit submit. I fall back again and quickly doze off.