Dress Shopping: Rose

"I don't know guys," Angie says, hesitantly. She leans against her door with crossed arms.

Penny and I have invited her to come dress shopping with us.

"I really haven't thought about homecoming this year, or prom even."

She may as well have cursed in front of Penny, who clutches her pearls.

"I've just had a lot on my mind lately," she says, twirling a finger through her short curls.

I've finally gotten used to the length. Grandma, however, almost had a heart attack when she saw. I don't care that she cut it, I care about the why. I don't like how these rumors have taken a toll on her.

"Then, come help us pick out our dresses." Penny loves proposals. "When we're there, if you still feel the same way, we'll drop it. Okay?"

Angie looks at me with a sigh. "Fine."

~

Grandma is the slowest driver that I know. She's our only option though, so we keep our comments to ourselves.

"I'll be back in an hour," she yells from her window after dropping us off downtown.

Penny flags her down before she drives away. "An hour? That's not enough time, Mrs. B." She says it nicely, but it won't help any. Begging doesn't work on granny.

"Good try, Pen," I say.

"Alright, two hours then." She waves goodbye, pulling away from the curb.

My mouth hangs open.

Penny blocks the sun from her eyes. "What?"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" she asks.

"Persuade people."

Angie holds open the boutique door. A bell chimes. This store has been around since my mom was in school, but they've kept up with the place. Pop music plays on the radio, and the store owner's granddaughter bops her head to it at the counter.

Penny shrugs. "I believe in the saying, you have not because you ask not."

I consider this while sliding dresses around on a rack.

"What colors are you two going for?" Angie asks.

"Something maroon with lace."

Penny pulls a light blue dress from the rack, holding it against her frame. "I'm looking for something this color. Sparkly of course."

Angie gives a thumbs up. "I'll look around." She leaves us, hauling anything dark red or light blue over her shoulder.

I sigh, knowing that I'll have to try on a mountain of clothes.

Penny talks low, keeping her eyes on the rack she's sifting through. "What's up with her? She's always wanted to go to prom."

"She says she doesn't care about that stuff anymore." I shrug. "But it could be the video, too."

"Well, we can't let her bury her head in the sand."

"I know, but she puts up these walls. I'm too afraid to ask her to take them down. I feel like we're finally good again."

"Don't be afraid to check on her. If she shuts you out then that's on her, but pretending that she's fine because you don't want to lose her is still losing her. Just in a different way."

She's right. Avoiding it doesn't help.

My smile is small. I nudge her arm with mine. "You're on a roll today."

"I call it, The Penny Persuasion."

"Whoa."

"That good, huh?"

"No, look." I nod to the dressing rooms in the back of the store.

Angie looks nervous, awaiting our approval. Her strapless gown is long and beige-pink. The top half is completely covered in sparkles. They trickle down, fading at the hips like stars.

"If you don't go, I'll cry."

Angie laughs, knowing that Penny's completely serious.

I'm still gawking. "Angie you look beautiful!"

Her smile fades, and she rolls her blue eyes. We're surprised by her sudden mood change.

"What's wrong?" Penny asks.

She presses her forehead roughly, like she's trying to rub away skin. "I am not beautiful."

I've never once in my life heard Angie say that she wasn't pretty. It was always the opposite, actually.

"Ang, that's ridiculous." I step closer. "You can't actually believe that?"

"It's true." She crosses her arms.

"Is this about Dan?" I ask.

Something flashes behind her eyes before they drop to the ground.

"Was he your first time?" I ask, immediately wanting to take it back.

There's a severely long pause while she bites her lip. Finally, she nods.

"Every girl wants her first time to be special, or at least private," Penny says. "Even still, it doesn't change your value."

Angie looks up when she squeezes her hand, though not seeming entirely convinced.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," she says.

I hug Angie from the side. I'm short against her tall frame. After a moment of silence I speak up.

"If I feel short, what about you?"

Penny swats my hand away.

Angie's laugh rings in my ear. She sounds like her old self. She gets the dress after deciding to come to homecoming with us after all.

When I've tried on more dresses than I can count, Penny helps me find a long maroon one with lace at the top, and a collar instead of sleeves. The neck plunge is sheer down the middle, really making the whole look.

It was under the clearance rack by mistake, and I almost get discouraged when I learn the actual price. Luckily, Penny the Persuader is with me. She kindly asks for the price to be dropped due to the misunderstanding, and to my non-surprise that's exactly what happens.

Penny spoke her dress into existence. It's light blue with jewel embroidery on the top half, and a sheer sleeveless collar. It looks like what Cinderella would've worn to the after party.

Next stop is the high heel store next door. We strut down the perfumed isles, striking poses. Some older ladies hype us up.

My ankles wobble in the gold stilettos that Angie begs me to try on. They're perfect for my outfit, but I'm sure that I'll get myself killed in them.

I stand back as they show me how it's done, owning the store like a runway. I learn how to walk tall and "Y-step" as they call it. I'm nervous at first, but when I walk an isle without falling I grow excited.

By the time we're through, we feel fine enough to spin heads. The boys should count themselves lucky that we don't ditch them and take ourselves instead.