The Bad Boy's Girl (Now Available as a Paperback and ebook)

Chapter Fifteen Part One : He's Searching My Body Like It's A Map To Atlantis

"I just came to make sure she doesn't turn you into Morticia." She giggles as she takes a seat on the foot of the bed.

"Oh har har, I swear you guys are tempting me to actually do just that."

"Please don't. It's bad enough I have to do this, I don't want to horrify the judges."

She purses her lip in a mock attempt to give me a disapproving glare but it doesn't hold for too long. She grins at me and pats my shoulder.

"When I'm done with you, you're not going to horrify honey, you'll stun them. You're gorgeous, even if you don't know that and with the right make up you're going to take the bitch down."

Oh Nicole. This is all about her, beating her, humiliating her and taking her place.

Though can you blame me for not wanting all that? I've gone all these years without wanting any sort of revenge that this scheme seems a little foolish. Isn't the day nerve wracking enough without the weight of payback on my shoulders? She's wanted the title for the longest of times and she's been preparing for it ever since. Am I ready to face the consequences when and if I do beat her?

Probably not, but Cole wants this and my friends do too so it wont hurt to try.

"I saw her when I was coming up." Megan adds, "She was shouting at her poor mom. Apparently the back of her dress isn't backless enough."

Her dress would be something extreme. If not spectacular it'd be one to shock. Surprisingly I still haven't seen my own. Honestly a part of me is too scared to even imagine what's inside the box. The Cole I knew before military school would probably have something akin to a gag gift in there. The Cole I know now...well I don't really know what he'll do. It's stupid of me, hours before the pageant starts I haven't even looked at the only dress I have.

Turns out I'm not the only person who is having these thoughts.

"Speaking of dresses, when are you planning on looking at yours?" Megan asks as the three of us look at the large box resting on the bed. It's like the thing is a ticking time bomb and the moment we touch it'll blow us to smithereens.

That looks more appetizing than finally unwrapping the shiny ribbon that ties the box together.

"I don't want to. Ever." I admit as both look at me incredulously.

"Then do you have a back up dress? I'm all for being risqué but going in naked doesn't seem like the best idea."

"I don't need your sarcasm right now Beth, I get it okay I do."

"Then what's the problem?" They ask in unison and I groan.

"The problem is that..." I don't really know how to explain it to them. No one understands how big of a deal it is for me to trust Cole. It's like I know opening the box will cement the relationship we currently have albeit a very unpredictable one. If, it turns out that there's something like a skimpy bikini or lingerie in there then I'll know that nothing's changed.

I like to think that it has, I like to think that we've come a long way. He's done so much to prove that he isn't the same Cole and I'm so close to not re-thinking all his actions.

"You're being silly Tessa; he said his mom was with him when he got it. How bad can it be?" I warily eye the mascara stick and hope Beth won't poke my eye out with it.

"She's right," Megan gets up and walks over to where the box is placed. Picking it up, she brings it towards me and settles it on the cluttered dressing table.

"Open it." She says with determination in her green eyes.

I have no other choice, obviously. If I don't want to go out in my birthday suit I might as well get this over with. How bad can it be? If all else fails, I could try to faction out a dress from the horribly frilly curtains in the room. A Disney Princess though, I am definitely not.