"So handsome," Margot said, her tone sweet and genuine. I felt my face flush and tried to play it off.
"It's alright," I replied, trying to be neutral. I stared at the mirror and my face twisted into a smile.
I was in a black suit and a white button up that was tailored to me. It was the first suit I had ever worn, and I felt like a rockstar in it. I glanced up and noticed Margot watching me, her eyes lit up and excited.
When she looked at me like that, I felt as handsome as she insisted I was.
She came up behind me and started smoothing the suit out, running her hands along my chest and making my heart pound. I watched her closely and kissed the side of her face whenever she got close. She giggled and waved me off so she could make sure the suit fit me right. I grabbed her and pulled her close to me, making her laugh.
"I guess you're feeling better," she teased. I nodded – after laying on the couch together for a while, she had insisted that we get up and be productive. I knew part of it was because she was sick of sitting and stewing about her friends, and I was willing to do whatever I needed to do to make her feel better.
I nodded and kissed her softly, feeling smug when she melted into me. She pulled back and set a hand on my chest.
"Maybe Corroded Coffin's new uniform could be a suit," she suggested, batting her lashes at me. I laughed and shook my head.
"Only you get me in a suit, princess," I replied. She grinned and kissed me quickly.
"So, is this the one?" The shop attendant came back, clapping his hands together. He was large, red-faced, and balding, but had been the only friendly one from the whole shop. He and Margot had worked together to pick a suit out for me, and I had been thrilled to have been included on the journey.
"I think so," I replied, looking down at Margot. She nodded excitedly at me, and the attendant laughed.
"I guess if your girl looks at you like that you need to get the suit," he joked. I grinned and nodded at him, pulling the jacket off. "You get changed and I'll take care of you guys up front."
I went back into the changing room, hanging the different clothes back up and pulling my usual garb back on.
"Hey, Go? Can you come help me really quick?" I called, feeling like putting her on the spot.
"Sure," she replied sweetly.
I grinned and waited for her to knock on the door. Once I did, I quickly opened the door and yanked her inside, pressing her against the door as I closed it. I immediately silenced her by kissing her hard, giving her one of the kisses she always got so flustered after. I moved down her neck and grinned as she gripped onto my hair.
"W-what did you n-need help with?" she croaked. I pulled back and smiled at her.
"It's so cute when you're a dork," I teased, kissing her softly. She furrowed her brows. I laughed. "I don't need help – I just wanted an excuse to get you in a small room with me."
Her eyes widened and I kissed her hard. She was flushed and out of breath and too shiny for me again. I brushed her hair out of her face.
"I liked that he called me your girl," she said quietly, tracing my chest. I felt my stomach flip and nodded. She kissed me quickly and maneuvered out of my arms. She grabbed the suit and smiled at me. "Let's go check out."
"I'll check something out," I flirted, grasping at her waist and following her out. She laughed and tried to shoo my hands away. She was unsuccessful as I pulled her back to my chest, kissing the nape of her neck as we got to the front counter.
The man who helped me beamed at us and took the suit from Margot's hands. He started ringing it up.
"You guys have a special occasion coming up?" he asked. I kissed Margot's temple.
"We've got a big dance!" I answered brightly. His smile grew.
"Well, that's exciting!" he replied. Margot leaned back into me, and I kissed the top of her head. He put my suit in a bag. "That will be one hundred and nine dollars."
I felt my eyes widen but reached for my wallet, counting out singles and bills before handing them to him. He thanked me and handed me my suit, coming from behind the counter to walk us out. He explained in detail how to store my suit, correctly assuming that I knew little about the upkeep of suits.
"You kids are cute – I hope you have a great time at the dance," he said, patting me on the shoulder. We thanked him and I guided Margot back out into the mall.
---
Eddie had a newfound sense of pride – a different pep in his step that made me giddy when I watched him. He was talking a mile a minute, excited about his purchase.
"We need to go to so many dances so I can wear this as much as possible," he exclaimed, making me giggle. I leaned into him and grinned at him.
"We will go to every dance this year," I quipped. His eyes softened and he looked down at me, his face filling with joy.
"We will?" he asked, his voice hitching. I felt my face flush and nodded.
"Of course, we will – as long as you want to go with me," I replied. He wrapped his arm around me tighter and pulled me close to him.
"Are you kidding? A knight never goes without his princess," he flirted, close to my face.
I felt my stomach flip and stopped in the middle of the walkway. He looked surprised, but before he could ask me what I was doing, I pressed my lips to his. We were suspended in our moment together, two dorks who had found each other and had fallen in love. I couldn't believe I had been willing to trade this with him for popularity. I pulled back, grinning at how bright red he had become.
"You sure know how to shut a guy up, princess," he breathed out.
I kissed him again and continued to pull him along, wrapping his arm around me and leaning into him. I looked around and noticed people watching us, whispering at what they assumed was a strange pairing. I looked up at Eddie who was talking about something again, ranting and excited and full of the joy I loved so much.
This was worth it. This was worth giving up the popularity I had fought tooth and nail for, for potentially losing friends who only liked one part of me. Eddie was the first and only person who was going to have all of Margot – not just old, or new.
We got to Shelob, and he helped me in, handing me his suit for safe keeping. He kissed me softly before closing the door and scampering to his side. He took my hand once he started the van, using it to gesture as he talked. I loved it when he got like this, lost in his own world as he explained things to me. I watched him, raptured by him talking and how his mouth moved when he was excited. I had that feeling I had the day he had talked about the orcs – I needed his lips on me as soon as possible.
"Pull over," I ordered. His brows furrowed.
"Are you okay? Do you feel alright?"
"Eddie, pull over," I repeated. I felt my chest burn – his touch was like a drug, and I needed my fix. He slowed to a stop, flipping his hazards on and watching me, confused, as I unbuckled and went to the back. He watched me as I perched on pillows he had left in the back. He was bewildered.
"Go, what's going on?" he asked. I groaned and rolled my eyes.
"Get back here and kiss me, you dork," I snapped. His eyes lit up and he was fumbling with his seatbelt, getting stuck.
"Hold on, h-hold on, shit, god damn it!" He was getting frantic, excited by my proposition but so excited that he was getting in his own way. He finally got his seatbelt sorted and pounced on me, kissing every inch of bare skin. I pulled him to my lips, kissing him hard, and melting into him as he wrapped my leg around him. I felt my brain get foggy as he buried his face in the crook of my neck, nipping at it.
This was worth it.
"I like it when you get in these moods, princess," he whispered in my ear, making me giggle. I pulled back and brushed his hair out of his face.
"And what mood is that?" I teased. He got a wicked glint in his eyes and leaned close to my face.
"Horny," he replied. I felt my face turn red.
"Eddie!" I squeaked, smacking his chest and making him laugh.
"You asked!" he joked, kissing me hard. I was about to lecture him until he pressed his lips to mine, kissing me softly and sweetly. I was jello under him, never wanting him to remove his lips from me.
"Are you sure it's Eddie's van?"
I tried to focus as Eddie moved to the shell of my ear, making me even foggier.
"Yeah – I saw it this morning at Margot's house," someone answered. Who was outside the van?
"Her bag is right there – where are they?" I suddenly recognized the voices and groaned. Eddie pulled back and looked at me, confused. I sighed.
"I think my friends are stalking us," I explained.