Chapter 5
I breathed a sigh of relief and gazed over the gym, transformed into a shimmering winter wonderland with white and blue sparkles. With Lin’s suggestion, I’d gotten on the decorating committee, which should increase the appeal of my applications. Only one week left of the semester to survive.
As soon as I was done, I could head to DragonByte and a night playing my favorite game. If my computer could be fixed, then I could just disappear into the solitude of my room. My calves burned as I started down the ladder, and my shoulders ached from keeping my hands above my head for so long.
“Hey, Molly.”
I was almost to the floor when Ni’s breath on my ear as he spoke my name caused me to lose my balance. His hand pressed gently against my back, just long enough for me to regain my footing, though it burned. I finally turned my attention to him. “Hey, back.”
He slipped a small cardboard box into my hands. I was pretty sure my face froze in debug mode.
“I heard your laptop got fried. I just upgraded, so I thought you could use the power supply.”
He was right. I pulled up a flap. Where Lin had been clueless about how to help me fix my computer, Ni had known exactly what I’d needed. Letting me borrow his book had been one thing, but giving me a power supply—even used—was another level.
“You’re welcome.” That unfair smile of his flashed.
He wasn’t a friend. Guys and girls couldn’t just be friends. Dad and Val had taught me that. So, taking it couldn’t ruin our friendship... I knew I should refuse, but I really wanted it.
The gym was done, so I wrapped my arms around the box and darted out of the room like I was running a football into the end zone. I’d been thinking about him too much.
I didn’t make it to the exit doors, though, before Lin yanked me into a classroom.
She pushed me down into the chair surrounded by beauty torture tools and then stood behind me, while Charisse pulled up a chair in front of me and stole my coveted power supply, setting it aside.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Makeup and hair?” Lin was already tugging my braid free from behind. They were both already looking beautiful. I wouldn’t be able to compare.
Charisse started with a baby wipe on my face and applied who knew what out of tubes, rubbing it in. “What for?”
“For the dance, silly. Lin and I know that girly stuff isn’t really your thing. So, we’re going to be your fairy godmothers. And while I’m great at makeup...um, I’ve been banned from doing hair. I’ve been soooo looking forward to this.”
“What, you don’t want to tell her why your hair is so short? How you burned it off?” Lin’s voice held the slightest hint of amusement.
I jerked and simultaneously felt a pain at the spot where Lin was holding my hair, and pain in my cheek, where the sponge came perilously close to my eye. I blinked it shut.
“Oh! Are you okay? It’s best if you stay still.” Charisse fussed over me.
“I took care of the dresses,” Lin said.
My mind filled with horror. What had they gotten me?
Possibilities flashed before me. I’d look like a certain mermaid walking on land legs for the first time and wrapped in the first thing I saw.
Finally, the tugging and pulling stopped.
It felt like it had lasted forever, but was probably only half an hour.
“Done,” Lin said.
“Me too. She looks fabulous. And we both already look gorgeous. Now it’s time for the dress...Ooooh! I can’t wait. We are going to be the best-looking girls at the dance,” Charisse said.
My friends shooed me into the corner, then turned their backs to pack everything up. I unzipped the plastic garment bag and understood how Cinderella felt when she first looked at the dress the mice had fixed up for her.
The mauve velvet featured a wrap bodice and long sleeves.
The skirt went not quite to the floor, with a large circle of cloth that draped over my legs beautifully.
There were no difficult-to-reach buttons or zippers.
No pinching or uncomfortable parts as I pulled it over my head. Just stretchy, smooth velvet.
The black velvet flats waiting next to the dress made my feet want to cry with happiness.
So maybe my friends did know me. Except there was one problem.
I had done too good a job lying to them and everyone else.
I tugged at the neckline in a desperate attempt to cover my chest and turned to my friends for the disappointing reveal.
“Goodness gracious, bust. I think I might be jealous. Well, the sports bra look is definitely not going to work with that dress. And without one, it will definitely show too much skin. I know! I have a shawl in my locker. Give me a second, and we can make something appealing but covering.”
Charisse ran off in a satiny purple bodice, layers of fluffy fabric bouncing around her legs.
I waited awkwardly with my arms crossed over my chest, trying to maintain modesty.
Lin wore a red traditional embroidered Chinese dress that started with a high collar just under her chin and then fell to her ankles. I shot Mom a quick text, letting her know I’d be home late. Then my eyes traveled around the room and landed on the small box, filling the silence between us.
“Ni gave me a power supply.” I tried not to sound like I was bragging.
Charisse walked in at that moment, holding a large black velvet square with fringe.
She talked as she pinned the shawl strategically and securely with Lin’s help.
“That sounds like my Ni-guy. Do you know last year he missed second period because Maddox’s dog died?
He stayed with him in the bathroom until he was ready to leave, then walked him to the counselor’s office. ”
Charisse finished pinning, and we filed out into the hall as she spoke.
I suddenly felt deflated, like one of the balloons decorating the walls as we walked into the gym.
Though the dim lighting hid the imperfections, I knew they were there.
The music and voices hit me like a wake-up slap.
Just like his smile, when everyone got the same treatment, it didn’t feel special.
And why should I feel special? He was just kind.
So what if he was wrapped in an attractive, popular package?
It was none of my business. Yet I scanned the crowd for him as we threaded through the labyrinth, looking for an out-of-the-way place.
We found a hidden corner and danced. Charisse danced like an abstract painting come to life.
I had no other way to describe it. It was graceful as expected of her, but seemed impossible.
Lin was once again a bit of a surprise. She wasn’t a hidden dancing star, but the girl had some moves.
Time flew. Who knew I would actually have fun at a dance with them?
I danced like I didn’t care—because I didn’t.
It was just me and them, with everyone else’s attention on those in the center of the floor.
The mood shifted especially when the music changed, and the volume lowered. Lights pointed to the stage set against one wall. An announcer’s voice broke through the gathering, amplified by a microphone.
I blotted away some sweat with a napkin and gulped down half a bottle of water in one go.
“Well, it’s that time of the night, folks. Can we get all of our Winter Royalty candidates up here? First, we will announce the king and queen. Then, after their dance, we’ll announce the rest of the court. Ready?”
The crowd screamed “Yes!” Ni was already up on the stage. Everyone else kept their gaze forward, smiling vaguely into the crowd. Ni’s eyes scanned the gym as if looking for someone or trying to make everyone feel special. His gaze found me and widened. I glanced over my shoulder.
“And your king is...Nigel Galbraith!”
He stepped forward to accept his crown and sash.
“And his queen is our darling Stephanie Hall!”
Of course she was. They were a perfect couple if you were going by looks alone. But he was handsome all the way through. She was just fake.
“Ugh. I hate her.”
Had I said those words aloud? No, shockingly, they had come from Lin. But I didn’t have time to delve into it because my chest became compressed as if a dragon were sitting on it.
It was suddenly way too hot. I was suffocating, and I couldn’t take the darn shawl off because of the dress.
Ignoring whatever Lin had done to my hair, I nimbly French braided it while weaving through the dancers to get to an exit.
Both actions let some air move across my neck and shoulders, easing the tightness.
Escaping into the hall, I had a sudden urge to kill mobs.
I STOOD UP ON THE BIKE, pulling the hem of the dress out of the danger zone and pedaling as hard as I could so the bracing wind could dry my tears. I breathed in the last of fall as the setting sun rested on the road before me, as if lighting my way. It felt like I was trying to get to sanctuary.
It wasn’t like I really expected Ni to like me and want to be with me. He was just a pretty face that had been kind. Maybe it was because I was like my dad. The minute something shiny came along, I tossed all my principles out the window.
I skidded to a stop, locked my bike up and rushed inside. “Buzz.” I panted indelicately. I’d pushed myself hard on that ride. “I’ve got a power supply.”
“I take a look at it. See if I can fix,” Buzz said.
I handed him my laptop and the box with the precious power supply, as if Buzz were some sort of sorcerer that could cast Resurrection on its mangled body. I rather hoped he was. As much as I liked spending time here, sometimes I wished for the privacy of my home, especially after a crying jag.
“Especially since you came all dressed up to ask me.” Buzz gestured at all of me.