Chapter 3
So here is chapter 3. First of all, as many of my reviewers pointed out, I spelt Riza wrong last chapter. Wow I'm sorry-I never really noticed! I fixed it now, and I promise in this chapter I will spell it correctly!! Thanks for pointing that out!! Also, thanks to Maybe Nothing Maybe Something, AnimeCookie93, Pie Alchemist, Devon Marie Darling, and Fun-Sized Kirk for reviewing. I really appreciate your reviews & comments: they help me & motivate me so thank you so much!! Thanks also to everyone who favorited, alerted, or read what I've written so far. I really appreciate it! Here is the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist
Winry laid spread out on her bed in Gracia's house. Magazines surrounded her, all of them open to different pages about the best hairstyles, makeup, or skin creams. Since coming back from the dress shop about a week ago, Winry had been researching for the ball by reading every style or fashion magazine she could get her hands on, and she found it boring and brainless. She missed working on automail: drawing up the plans, connecting all the wires, putting arms or legs together to help people. Now, instead of doing all of that, she was stuck reading "New Style" and wondering exactly how that girl on page 12 got her hair to stay like that.
Winry sighed in frustration, shut the magazine and turned over, causing the papers under her to crackle. She closed her eyes and saw Edward. She was doing it for him, and she had to do it right. She sighed again and started turning over to continue reading the magazine when all of a sudden the phone rang.
After Winry had read enough magazines to know which salons and spas were the best in town, she had started using the phone to call all of them up. Finally, about three days and eight hours in phone use later, Gracia told Winry that she was no longer allowed to use the phone. So Winry ignored the ringing phone and started reading the magazine.
"Winry, the phone call is for you!" Gracia called up all of a sudden to Winry.
"Really?" Winry was shocked. Who did I give the phone number to? She wondered, but could think of no-one but Riza who knew that she was in Gracia's house now. "I'll get it!" Winry got up and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Winry Rockbell? This is Madame Larise's Dress Shop. Your dress is ready. Please come to pick it up at three." Winry suddenly remembered about the dress shop and their promise to call her once the dress was finished in about a week. Winry had of course not forgotten about the dress, but she hadn't thought that a week had already passed by so quickly.
"Thank you! I'll be there."
"Goodbye." The line went dead.
Winry hung up the phone. She felt excited and undeniably a bit nervous. What if the dress looks really weird? Or what if it's a dress that doesn't get me noticed at all? She worried. As she glanced at the clock, she noted that it was ten in the morning. She sighed once again. It was going to be a long day.
Winry stood outside of the dress shop at five to three. As she had predicted, she had been nervous and excited and really jumpy the whole day, and had ended up leaving the house and just walking around simply because she couldn't sit still. Finally, though, it was time. She looked up at the store, took a deep breath, and entered.
As soon as Winry entered, the door maid gave her a look that most people give starving dirty street dogs. Winry ignored her and walked up to the other maid, whom she remembered was called Marie.
"Hello, I'm Winry Rockbell. I'm here to pick up a dress." Winry said as nicely as possible.
"Follow me." Marie walked off to another room and Winry followed behind.
"Madame, the commoner has arrived to pick up her dress." Winry sighed behind her. What's with this "commoner" business? She wondered. I'm a paying customer too, so don't I deserve some respect?
"Excellent!" Said the lady with a smile. She looked over Marie's shoulder and saw Winry standing in the hall. "Well? Let her in and then leave us."
"Yes Madame." Marie stood aside and Winry entered the room.
"Welcome my dear. What is your name?" The lady sat down at a table and motioned for Winry to do the same.
"Winry Rockbell." Winry sat down a little awkwardly. She had been expecting to simply pick up her dress, but now she was sitting talking with this lady, whom Winry assumed was Madame Larise.
"Well Winry, I have completed your dress and it is simply magnificent." Madam Larise looked exceptionally proud of herself.
"May I see it then?" Winry asked timidly.
Madame Larise laughed and Winry felt her cheeks turn red. "You will try it on soon. I just wanted to talk to you about money first."
Winry gulped. Money was the thing she was really worried about. She had brought all of her money with her, but it wasn't really a lot and this store looked like it was extremely expensive.
"Normally, I charge this amount to my customers." Madame Larise wrote down a figure on a piece of paper and passed it to Winry, who read it and gasped. It was more expensive than her house was worth by a lot.
Madame Larise smiled again at Winry's reaction. "Because I wanted to design your dress so badly and because I know you will look amazing in it, I will offer it to you at a lower price." Again, she wrote another figure on the piece of paper and passed it to Winry, who looked at it cautiously. It was much lower, but even so Winry knew she didn't have enough money with her. She sighed. She had really wanted to have a beautiful dress, but she simply couldn't afford it.
"I'm sorry but I really cannot affo-" Winry started but was cut off by.
"Just wait until you see the dress and try it on before you make any decisions. It will look spectacular on you." Madame Larise went dreamy-eyed at the thought.
Winry didn't really want to see the dress-it would probably be beautiful and make her feel bad because she wouldn't be able to wear it to the ball-but she was sure that Madame Larise wouldn't let her leave until she tried it on, so she agreed. "Okay then, I'll try it on."
"Excellent." Madame Larise got up and opened the door. "Marie, please bring Miss Rockbell's dress for her to try on."
Marie walked through the door holding the dress. "Here it is, Madame."
"Hold it up." Madame Larise demanded.
Marie did and Winry gasped again. The dress was beautiful. It was pale pink and was skinny until the waist, where it went into many almost feather-like layers that extended to the floor. It was the most incredible thing she had ever seen, and it was definitely the kind of dress that people would notice.
"It's a beauty, isn't it?" Madame Larise asked Winry, who nodded. "Try it on."
Winry put the dress on with the help of Marie. When she saw herself in the mirror, Winry couldn't help but smile. The dress fit her perfectly and she looked incredible. It was perfect. All she wanted to do was see Edward's face when he saw her in it. Then she remembered how much the dress cost. She couldn't buy it, she just couldn't afford to pay for it. Unless…
"Can I just make a quick phone call or two?" Winry asked.
Thirty minutes later, Winry exited the dress shop with a large box under her arm. She had called Gracia, Riza, and Sheska and had managed to convince each of them to lend her some money. That, along with almost all the money she had brought with her to Central, was enough to buy the dress, and now all Winry had to worry about was how to pay them each back, or how she was supposed to afford much else for the rest of her time in Central.
"Winry?" a voice shattered her thoughts. Winry looked up to see Edward looking at her as if he couldn't believe she was there. "When did you come to Central?"
Too late Winry remembered she hadn't told Edward she had arrived in Central. "Just the other day. I thought that counting I had to come to Central, I could come a little early and visit everyone." She lied, not wanting Edward to know how important this ball was for her.
"Oh. So what's in the big box?" Edward asked, pointing at the box holding Winry's new dress.
"Um just automail stuff, you know wrenches and wires and screws and stuff." Winry said quickly, glad that the part of the box that said "Madame Larise's Dress Shop" was hidden from view.
"I thought you waited to buy automail stuff until I came with you so I would pay for it." Edward replied.
Winry glared at him but didn't retort. "What are you shopping for?" She asked instead.
Edward turned red and said "Um, I need boots for the ball. I have to wear the military uniform but I need boots for it…" He trailed into silence and then they stood there awkwardly. Winry sighed internally and thought, this is what happens if two people who are only considered friends by at least one have to go on a date-it turns awkward.
"Um thinking about the ball, I'll pick you up so where are you staying?" Edward turned even redder and was now talking to the street.
"Gracia's house."
"Okay then I'll pick you up there at five for the ball, okay?" Ed asked, still not meeting Winry's eyes.
"Sure."
"Um well then I have to go buy my boots. I'll see you later."
"Bye." Winry said, and then Edward raced down the street. She watched him until he turned the corner and sighed out loud this time. After the ball, after he notices me, he wouldn't ever run from me or feel awkward around me, Winry thought hopefully. Then she turned and walked home, with even more to think about then where she had left the dress shop.
Winry sat at the desk in her room in Gracia's house. It was now the day of the ball, and Winry had woken up at five and felt too nervous to sleep. She had therefore spent the day getting ready and trying to calm herself down. She had done everything, made her hair, done her nails, put on makeup, put on her dress, jewelry, and shoes, and now she was waiting. She glaced at the clock on the desk, which told her it was five ten. He was late. She drummed her fingers on the desk and worried. Is he just late or did he ask someone else and not tell me? Or maybe he just decided not to go? Winry wondered anxiously.
Just as she was panicking, the doorbell rang. Winry rushed down the stairs and opened the door.
"Sorry I'm late I just-wow." Edward looked up and his eyes widened when he saw Winry. Winry blushed at his gaze and Edward did too. "Winry, you look incredible."
"Thank you Edward. You look very nice too." Winry smiled and admired Edward, who was wearing a military uniform and brand-new boots.
"Your dress is… wow. And um… well you look great." Ed didn't look like he had gotten over the shock yet.
"Thank you." She said again.
Edward shook his head a bit and then said "Are you ready to go then?"
"Ya, let's go!" Winry walked out and locked the door behind her. She then turned and walked with Ed to the car waiting for then that would take them to the ball. Well, he certainly noticed the dress. But will he notice me? Winry thought, and shivered with excitement and nerves.
What did you think?? Please review this-any feedback is really appreciated and super helpful!!! By the way, if you guys want to see the dress that inspired Winry's dress, please PM me. I tried posting it like 3 times but it didn't work so just PM me please. I do not own the dress either, but I thank whoever made it for inspiring me. Please review! The next chapter will be the ball!
