Viciously in Love

Forty.

"8 o'clock. Don't be late." I turn around to tell him then I continue walking back to my friends.

"What was that?" Kelly asks raising an eyebrow.

"He asked me to the dance." I jump my shoulders.

"What?" they all yell at the same time.

*

   "I will fall."

   "No, you won't." Kelly puffs looking at me.

   "I can't walk on these. Not while I'm wearing a long dress." I say making her roll her eyes.

   "You'll be just fine."

   "Can I please get my sneakers? The dress is long. No one will see anything."

   Kelly rolls her eyes and punches my hand. I look again in the mirror and I sigh. I have a bad feeling.

   I flinch when Kelly gives me my clutch. We look again in the mirror then we leave my room and walk down stairs where Liz is waiting for us with a big smile. I involuntarily look at Jake who's leaning on the kitchen island. His black suit makes him look better than ever.

   Our eyes meet and my heart skips a beat and I almost fall down the stairs.

   "I told you I will fall." I tell Kelly when she looks at me a little worried. "I'm fine." I assure Liz when I get to her.

   "You look amazing. Red is definitely your color." she says while hugging me.

   I don't know if "amazing" is the exact word I would use, but Kelly spent a lot of time doing my hair and make-up. Even if the make-up is natural and the hair is pretty much the same, except some curls, Kelly did a pretty good job. And Liz is right. Red is my color. At least that's what Kelly and Sophie said when we went shopping. The dress is simple, long and with some tiny lace-braces.

   "Let me take a picture of you." Liz says and looks at Jake and tells him to come take a picture with us.

   Jake comes next to me and puts his hand on my waist. We look at Liz and after she takes our picture, Jake takes a few steps back but I stop him.

   "Wait." I take the disposable from my clutch and I hand it to Liz. "Take one more."

"Smile!"

   Right after the picture is taken, a car stops in front of the house and honks. Kelly opens the door and claps her hands excited.

   "They're here."

   She gets out the door, leaving me behind laughing at her excitement.

   "Take care." Liz shouts behind me and I turn around and smile her.

   "You're not coming?" I ask Jake when I see him standing on the porch with his hands in his pockets.

   "I have to go pick up Ashley." he says and I nod.

   "I'll see you there." I say and he answers with a smile.

*

   The gym looks exactly the way we left it a few hours ago. Dozens of couples are dancing in the middle of the room and some other people ar sitting at the tables drinking.

   "We did a pretty good job." Kelly says making me laugh.

   Kelly drags Matthew to the dance floor and he follows her sighing.

   The entire night I sat at the table with Kyle - who didn't say a single word - and I danced a couple of times with my friends. This was pretty much my entire romantic evening.