the Dancing one | O4E 3

Chapter Eight

Max and I beat Landon and Carmen easily. It was actually somewhat laughable what they came up with, not that I could laugh in Landon's face.

I was feeling...itchy around him after the night before. I couldn't explain it any other way. I felt itchy and restless and weird. I didn't know why, but I think I was hiding it pretty well. I was a little less witty with Landon, but Max didn't seem to notice. At least, I didn't think Max had noticed; he still acted the same towards me as he always had, although nothing with him had progressed passed some serious flirtation.

So, when he and Mary were studying with us on Wednesday and Landon reminded me of my promise, Max was all kinds of behind it. And, annoyingly, so was Mary. I had had no choice but to accept.

Which is how I found myself on Friday after dinner looking for something decent to wear to an underground Arts school nightclub.

"What about that red dress?" Mary asked, hanging upside down on my bed.

She, of course, looked amazing in a tight black dress and Grecian heels.

I looked through the wardrobe and shook my head. "No...I don't think it's quite right..." I said, thinking. Although, my thinking was hampered by the few pre-party drinks Mary had said would be good for us.

"Okay, how about-"

"How about you give me five, maybe ten, minutes and I'll quite possibly surprise you?" I laughed.

I turned to find her sitting up and looking at me sceptically. "If you come out wearing another jumper..."

I shook my head. "I promised Landon no jumpers."

"All right," she said, "but, I reserve the right to send you back in here and make you change."

"Deal." I smiled.

She left and I got to work.

I chose my best lingerie to give me the best starting point – at least, I'd heard that was a thing – then pulled on a shimmery blue dress that matched my eyes. It had a plunging neckline and a billowy, jagged length skirt. For heels, I went with tall silver things I was likely to regret, but made me look pretty decent. I shook out my drying curls, clipping my fringe back. A touch of smoky eyeliner and dark pink lipgloss completed the transformed me.

I still felt like me, I was just the me that usually hid in the shadows. But, tonight, the slightly friskier me seemed to want to come out and play.

"Come on, I'm about to bust in there, dressed or not," Mary called.

"One second, almost done," I replied, putting on a silver choker chain. "Right, verdict?" I asked, pulling the door open and stepping out.

"Holy shit!" Mary yelped, throwing herself backwards over the couch for effect.

I laughed. "Yeah, very funny."

"No, I'm serious. You look fucking amazing!" she said, popping her head above the back of the couch. "Jesus, the boys won't know what hit them..."

I felt myself blush, but I felt proud and a lot less nervous than I'd expected.

"I'm all for it, but you sure you're ready for this?"

I nodded. "Landon and Max have seen me in my dance stuff, this is hardly different. Besides, I'll be one of a million girls there."

She shook her head. "Oh no, I don't think many girls are going to look half as good as you."

"Don't be a dick!"

"I'm not! I swear, you look so beautiful, babes."

I smiled. "Thanks. Now, let's go. The less light Landon sees me in, the better."