"Hey, sorry I was late, got trapped in my physics class, Mr. Stanley's got another thing coming if he thinks I am going to be able to do this lab without a partner, it used to be Elise, but now since she's gone, I am stuck without help. And if I am only in Algebra Two as senior it should occur to him that I'll need all the help I can get," he complained, his brown eyes soften in despair his mouth in a disgusted sneer. Laura just shook her head.
"Hey, blame the football player, they are the enemy here," she said shrugging on the ground as she pulled up her hair into a low bun, instantly regretful of the action as her curls felt offended to be manhandled that way. Thus, became an impenetrable barrier for her fingers to run through.
Laura instantly thought of those movies where the man would pull the love interest close running his hands through her hair. She instantly got a neat visual of him running his hands through her mane, his hand getting stuck, and pulling against her while screaming for help. It made her smile deviously.
"Yeah, sharing nudes, can't believe we are the same gender," Todd lamented, Laura tossed her hair loosening the bun as it was strategizing to make her have a headache later.
"Yeah, so where are we headed, anyway?" Laura asked.
"Doesn't matter to me, but I think we should go where you want to? Where do you like to shop?" Laura gave him a wide-eyed expression, she hadn't expected this question, he added seeing her struggle, "Let's just go to the closest clothing store, okay?" Laura smiled, he could infer she wasn't much for shopping by the variety of outfits she wore, which was limited at best and cheap at worst. Laura also hated shopping, half of the time she could walk into a store and buy nothing.
They walked out of the school into the parking lot, his car was the first she saw, and it had to be his, nothing else screamed Todd, though to be frank, it was one of the few cars in the parking lot to begin with that didn't look like it just rolled out of the city dump. But this car was something Laura was surprised he drove. It was a luxurious looking black Mercedes; it outshined many a car on the highway she supposed. Laura felt like a celebrity as she got into the vehicle.
"I know why Elise asked you out even though you are gay," she joked, he just smirked, she looked around the car and leaned back into her seat, seat warmers nice touch. The heat radiated around her as she snuggled in.
"Well, not that I am a huge car nut that's for sure, my parents just happen to be. I'm surprised they let me drive this thing to school, which kind of freaks me out, gonna be honest I'm scared of driving such a nice car, so no speeding, no eating, no radio, and we get this thing home in one piece." Laura laughed at his serious face.
"And no, I won't let you drive it, it's my gravestone if someone touches this car. And I mean that." Laura just rolled her eyes casting her sights out of the oversized windows, feeling up the armrest. How the other half lives.
"Okay, just drive me somewhere nice to buy clothes," Laura said finally.
They pulled out of the school parking lot, cautiously, he triple checked the road. Laura was suddenly wary of where he was turning.
"I appreciate you going out of your way to do this for me," Laura complimented, he smiled letting his eyes trail back to her, but then instantly to the road again.
"It's no problem, I am strangely comfortable with you knowing the truth." He sighed, before taking the exit that led them out of town, "I know a place, my mom used to take me shopping with her there, it's really not far from out of town, but they have nice clothes."
A small knowing smile spread over Laura's lips; the feeling of loss slowly started to go away. She didn't feel awkward with him anymore, she only felt at peace then. The sun started to come down in the sky, the sky was orange with a glare of pink close to the sun. The horizon was so beautiful. She would've told Todd, but he was so focused on driving she didn't want to bother him.
The store he brought Laura to was in a city right next door, St. Louis Park. The downtown was pretty large with several large retailers at the end, fancy restaurants, and of course boutiques. The shopping district was rather empty. She spotted a few families and older women still.
The store front was small, she noticed the boutique was open until six, the hours painted on the windows. There was a mannequin behind the glass, she was wearing a wool blue coat with some matching gloves, she wore a long teal dress underneath it with high heeled cowboy boots. The mannequin's face is Avant-Garde with bright blue eyeshadow and a red grin, she is putting her hand on the shoulder of a small little boy mannequin, who is wearing a seasonal flannel with denim jeans, a typical pairing. On the other side of the door lays a more fanciful scene a woman, in a rather large brimmed white hat is standing, leg peeking out of a slit in a white satin dress, black pearls hung around her neck. She wears a black scarf to match the pearls tied around her hat. She also is donning a pair of black kitten heels. Her expression is painted in a large toothy smile like she is laughing at something awfully funny, Laura wondered what it could be. Before remembering that she was looking at a mannequin.
"Cute clothes," Laura examined, before both she and Todd jumped out of the car, "well, let's get to it, we have about two hours, and I am indecisive."
"Right!" Todd said, walking alongside Laura. As they entered the store, a bell dings notifying the clerk of their arrival. The woman greeted them both. She was rather matronly with frizzy, brown curly hair. Her face is shaped like a heart done up with warm autumn colors a shade of rosy pink on her lips, lightly jarring to her gentle features. She looked at them both, her eyes then mostly fixated on Laura.
"Hello, can I help you find anything?" she said. Laura let her know that they were just looking around.
"Alrighty then, I'll just be at the counter if you have any questions. But just so you know, we had a sale going on right now everything with a red mark on the price tag is ten percent off, whereas a blue tag is twenty percent off." the smiling woman went back to her counter, ever so slightly watching them. The decision fatigue hits right off the bat as Laura began to comb through the rack of dresses. Pink, lace, knit, too orange, not orange enough, silk, frilly, and almost see-through, she checked the price of the skimpy outfit, two-hundred dollars! For a dress that didn't even show up.
"So, what kind of dinner party is this anyway?" Laura asked growing curious as to why she was even invited.
"A merger, my dad co-owns a company in Minneapolis, they acquired another company, there's a big celebratory party. I should tell you that is where the party is Minneapolis, anyway thing is I was going to bring Elise, but as you know she broke up with me," he said sarcastically, "and I couldn't bring Mark, because he doesn't qualify." Laura saw his eyes drift down to a particular red number, "so I thought of you," Todd took out the dress from the rack, "this should work right? You're a redhead, you match."
Laura shook her head, glancing at the price tag, eighty dollars. She frowned at him.
"Too expensive, friendship can't be bought you know, plus haven't you heard redheads aren't supposed to wear red?" he just shrugged, clearly, he wasn't much for following the rules.
"At least try it on, or we will be here all night," Laura relented, pulling the dress out of his hands, she puts it up to herself it goes slightly past the knee, it was strapless in its main form and backless if not for the mesh layer of lighter red that it is coated in, sparkling jewels and glitter fall randomly on the mesh of the dress. The main dark red form is well structured but flattering, it would hug the body but not entirely. The meshing ran down the arms creating long belled sleeves. The dress itself was simply like a rose. She knew it was too beautiful for her, but she went to the furthest changing room in the back.
Laura opened the heavy doorlike curtain, which she was certain was a reupholstered rug, with gold shower curtain rings. Laura inched her way into the dress, she stood in front of the mirror and stared in awe at the beautiful dress, not so much at herself. It looked way to out of place on her frumpy figure. The dress was so princess-like, so regal she couldn't stop staring. It fit her beautifully, so she took a chance and stepped out of the changing room. Todd gave her a pleased smile before saying.
"You look great Laura." Laura sighed bringing her hands to her front she grasped one hand in the other, squinting at him as she rocked back and forth on her unfitting converse. The look of contemplation draws his attention away from her dress, "why don't you think so? I mean it really suits you."
Laura nodded hesitantly.
"Yes, okay, but is it not too much?" she asked.
"It's not enough for you, I get it." He smiled, Laura went back into the changing room. She changed into her street clothes quickly. Then walked up to him, dress in hand.
"We'll just save it and come back to it, but let's start searching like you said you're indecisive."
With that, the evening came and the last of the dresses was chosen, it was between the first red one with a black cold shoulder dress that was plain but fit. It was certainly not as out there as the red dress, but it was definitely made of cheaper fabric.
"I know which one you like the best, Laura."
Laura inspected both dresses, she really did hate to admit that Todd was right, she did feel like a princess in the red dress. She looked at Todd, who looked at her wide-eyed before staring at the red dress.
"You win, red dress it is," she said, he gave her a smile, perhaps at the party, this dress would at least coax her out of her shell a bit, inspire some hidden confidence in her, not that she needed to be coaxed out of anything. The store clerk checked them out, examining the dress as she scanned it.
"What a pretty dress, it'll look lovely with your hair, I am jealous of you redheads," the store clerk gushed, Laura felt a piece of her scraggly hair between her fingers.
"Thanks," Laura said that old fashion faux pau was meant to be broken anyway, redheads could wear any shade of red they please.
He dropped her off at her house and she grabbed her backpack and sparkling new possession from the fresh clean floor of the Benz, she took off thanking Todd for the dress. She stepped into her house feeling the warm against her skin after being away in the cold Minnesota air all day. Her mom and dad were in the kitchen awaiting her arrival home.
"What's in the bag?" her mom immediately asked, the label read Miss O'Hare's Boutique, Laura stepped closer and handed her the bag, hoping she wouldn't look at the price tag. Unfortunately, her eyes went right to it, but then she lifted it out properly and examined the fabric slightly stretching it in her hands.
"Wow, such a pretty dress, I am so glad you got yourself something nice."
An unexpected reaction for sure, her mom was always telling her not to waste her money and to keep track of expenses. She apparently had a change of heart. Laura's dad smiled as her mom handed him the bag, he peaked in and lifted it up gently seeing its mesh nature. It was hopefully modest enough to get a pass from her father.
"You should never wear that outside this time of year, you'll catch a cold, bring a jacket." He handed the bag back to Laura, "It looks beautiful."
"Are you wearing it to prom?" her mom asked assuming Laura would even go to prom was a stretch, but Laura nodded, thinking to herself could just make up an excuse that day in order to miss it.
Laura brought herself upstairs to put away the dress before joining her family for dinner, tonight was pork chops.