CHAPTER 26
Mindy threw open the front door, grabbed Anthony’s hands, and practically dragged him inside.
“I am so excited!” she declared.
Anthony laughed nervously. “I hope you still feel that way when I explain exactly what it is I’m looking for.”
He had called her yesterday and asked for help in choosing an outfit to wear to prom. That a boy existed who was willing to subject himself to such treatment filled her with glee. “Whatever it is, no matter how crazy, we’ll find it together.”
“Thanks,” he said, flashing a smile highlighted in pink lip gloss. “Cameron already tried to help me. Did he uh… tell you about any of that?”
“Nope.”
“Oh. Well… I’d like to wear a dress.”
Mindy blinked. “That’s so cool! You can try on some of mine!”
“Really? That would be great!”
“Hey, pumpkin.” Her father ambled into the entryway, peering at them both with transparent concern. “Who is this?”
“We’ve met before,” Anthony said, extending a hand and reintroducing himself.
“Oh! Of course. You look so…” Steve cleared his throat. “What are you up to today?”
“He needs my help.” Mindy took Anthony’s hand. “We’ll be in my room.”
“Again?” Her father grimaced. “Listen, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. We need to establish some ground rules.”
“Oh my god,” Mindy said, moving for the stairs. “He’s gay, Daddy. Stop being so old-fashioned.”
“Oh!” Her father sounded much happier when calling after them. “Don’t worry, I’ve had a crush on Judy Garland since I was a boy. I’m a friend of Dorothy!”
Anthony snorted on the way into her bedroom. “I don’t think he understands what that means.”
“He’s so embarrassing,” Mindy said when shutting the door.
“And kind of cool,” Anthony replied.
“I do love him,” Mindy admitted.
Anthony sat on the edge of her bed. “Sounds like you’ve had a lot of guys in your room lately. I want details.”
Mindy groaned. Yes, Galen was often up here, and the other day, Vonn had stopped by again. That’s what really had her father on edge. Which only made it more exciting. “Forget all that. How did you feel when Cameron asked you to prom?”
Anthony shook his head in exasperation. “I don’t know how I got so lucky. A little over a year ago, I couldn’t imagine coming out to my closest friends. Now my dream guy proposed to me. In public!” He laughed. “How is this my life?”
“Aww!” Mindy envied him. As thrilling as her own romantic exploits had been recently, he had what she desired most. Someone special to share each adventure with—the mythical prince of her romance novels.
She craved the sort of intimacy that accompanied commitment.
If only there were a way to combine Galen and Vonn into one person.
“All right,” she said, ready to get down to business. “Tell me about the sort of dress you’re looking for.”
She plopped down next to him and listened as he detailed searching department stores and second-hand clothing shops to no avail. “They make me feel like an imposter,” Anthony said. “If that makes sense.”
Mindy nodded. “My sister can wear things that I can’t.
I put on her cheerleader uniform once. I looked like such a poser.
” She stood again to size him up. He was wearing torn jeans and two layers of T-shirts.
“I bet the issue you’re having is none of the dresses you tried reflect your personal style. ”
“That’s what I was thinking, so I bought this cheap black dress from a thrift store and slashed it up, like I do my shirts and jeans, but I ended up looking more like a Halloween witch than… whatever it is I’m going for.”
“What about the night we gave you a makeover?” Mindy asked. “Did you like how you looked then?”
“Yes,” he admitted, “but I can’t wear a sweater to prom. Can I?”
She shrugged. “Most people would tell you that you can’t wear a dress.”
He laughed. “That’s true. I want to though.”
Mindy nibbled her bottom lip. “Maybe the problem is that you don’t know how you want to dress as a girl. Like, your style might be different than what you wear as a boy.” She opened the door to her walk-in closet. “See anything you like?”
Anthony’s eyes lit up. He eagerly joined her as they went through her dresses. That he was drawn to pink became immediately apparent, although he countered every option with, “This one is too girly.”
That threw her for a loop. “Are you sure you don’t want a pink tuxedo?”
“Positive.”
They had reached the back of her closet. “What’s this?” he asked, taking a garment off the rack and holding it at arm’s length.
“Oh my god,” Mindy said, covering her mouth. “Don’t you recognize it?”
“Is this the dress?” Anthony asked in disbelief. “The one from the date we went on together?”
She nodded. “You can still see a hint of the ketchup stain.”
Courtesy of Omar, who had accidentally splattered her while showing off. Mindy had been mortified. Now it all seemed like ages ago. Sophomore year just didn’t seem as important as it had back then.
“You were so sweet,” Mindy said, remembering the way Anthony had tried to comfort her after she’d locked herself in the restroom. He had given her a jacket to wear over the dress and joked that all she needed was—
Mindy gasped. “Try it on!”
Anthony held it against himself, not seeming certain. “It’s a nice dress,” he said. “But it’s too—”
“Humor me. I’ll be right back.”
She raced downstairs to the entryway and back up to her sister’s old room to grab a couple of options.
When she returned to her bedroom, Anthony was wearing the pink summer dress and considering himself in the mirror.
He was taller than her, making it more like a skirt but… “It fits you well!” she said.
“I do like that it’s not too loose in the front,” he murmured.
“Thanks for reminding me that I’m almost as flat as a boy,” she teased.
“You’ve still got me beat!” He angled himself left and right. “I can’t stand the bow.”
Which sat on one hip. “We can get rid of that,” she said. “But first…”
She handed him a leather jacket. “Try this on.”
The first was too tight. Anthony smiled at his own reflection regardless. “You’re on to something!”
The next belonged to her dad and was way too paunchy. The third… Mindy grimaced. The third jacket had been treasured by her sister before that psychopath Faith Song cut off the sleeves. Rather carelessly. Mindy never should have taken it to school, even for a play, but it was too late now.
Anthony shrugged on what was, in essence, a black vest, leaving his long pale arms on display. He was showing plenty of leg too, the fair skin devoid of hair. Anthony’s fingers moved to one of the shredded seams where two sleeves had been.
“We can try cleaning that up,” Mindy suggested.
“No! I love it.”
“Well good, because that’s real Italian leather. Personally, I’d pair that outfit with black high heels, but for you… How about combat boots?”
He spun to face her. “You’re a genius!”
She shook her head. “It was your idea, remember? That’s what you told me I should wear after Omar ruined the dress.”
His delicate features scrunched up. “Did I really?”
“Yes. That was your instinct, which reveals your style.”
“This is what I’ve been looking for,” Anthony said, turning around to grin at himself. Or herself. He really would make a pretty girl.
“Of course it doesn’t have to be that exact dress.”
He placed a possessive hand over his chest. “The memories make it even more special.”
“You might not feel the same way about the jacket,” she said before explaining how its present state came to be.
Anthony got a wicked gleam in his eye. “Even better! Troy would hate that I’m wearing anything even remotely associated with his girlfriend.” He checked his reflection again. “If we can get rid of the bow… Wait, what am I saying? This is your dress.”
Mindy shook her head. “It’s been hanging in my closet since we went on that date. The only other time I wore it was to homecoming. Consider it yours.”
“Thank you! Hey, are you going to prom with Galen?”
“I’m not sure.” She grimaced. “Have you ever been in love with two guys at the same time?”
Anthony scoffed. “I’m beginning to think that you and Cameron don’t talk about anything.”
“Oh right.” Of course he had confided in her about his jealousy toward Omar.
And anyone with eyes could see that Anthony had a thing for his best friend.
All of that had been resolved, mostly because Cameron had learned about his mother’s intention to move to a different state, but she had never heard Anthony’s side of the story. “How did you know who to choose?”
“Why?” he asked. “Is there someone else in the picture?”
Mindy nodded. “Galen knows. I’m not running around on anyone. Or breaking a commitment.”
“Oh.” Anthony tilted his head. “I guess, for me, it came down to who could love me back in the way I needed. Does that make sense?”
She thought about it and nodded. The trouble was, both Galen and Vonn made her feel beautiful and desired. She enjoyed spending time with each of them. Mindy could imagine herself being happy with either. So maybe, what it really came down to, was figuring out who loved her the most.
— — —
Cameron’s first day back to school, after the heady freedom of spring break, was a long one.
He reported to detention with a cloud over his head, well aware that instead of being here, he could be hanging out with the theater group, or working on his own projects at Sweet Tea Antiques, or keeping Anthony company at the record store.
All of these possibilities had been taken away from him for the next month.
Monday through Friday, anyway. He certainly wasn’t going to miss this school after moving.
His friends? Yes. But not the nutty mother hen who ruled her roost by pecking anyone who dared dance to a different beat.
The visual image made him smile as he reached his destination.
“Is there something you find amusing about detention, Mr. Huxley?” challenged a familiar voice.
His smile became a grin. “What are you doing here?”