I pulled the skirt from my legs, in a failed attempt to remove the soft material from my legs. It was late June when Lara got her shit together and decided that it was time to pick out brides maid dresses. So at six o'clock, my phone buzzed with a message from Lara to remind me that today was fitting and picking of a dress that I would wear once, how she got Austin's old number is beyond me. So at that inhumanly time of the morning, I dragged myself from the warmth of my bed to get ready and meet Lara and her friends at the Wedding Shop five miles from my house and seeing I had no car, I had to walk. I dressed in shorts, a shirt that I found in the bottom of my hamper, and a pair of converse. I made coffee and started five miles across town when there was a wedding shop just down the street from my house.

I arrived at the shop, just in time to avoid Lara and her "crew", meaning I was late. My soon-to-be stepmother was telling her friends about 'this time Lester ate horseradish at a restaurant', woo-fucking-hoo. Upon my arrival Lara stopped mid-sentence, with a brief sizing up and greeting, we were sent off to find dresses. I felt out of place, mostly most of the other women were wearing knee-length dresses, with a cardigan and flats. Oh, how I would have fit in three and half years ago. They all looked as if they had planned out their outfits so they would all look alike. I found a knee-length blue dress, with a lighter blue sash, I loved it. I asked for my size and they fitted me in a cramped room, meant most likely for only one person. I found my way through the maze of racks; I finally got back to where everyone was standing around with their choices if that is what you could call them. The very first lady, who was shaped like an upside down pear, was wearing an orange, and I mean ORANGE dress that screamed orange. I could hardly notice anything else besides that she picked the orange dress. The next one was super tall and thin, was wearing forest green, long sleeve, floor length dress that fell like a wet rag. The maid of honor seemed to be color blind because she picked out a color you couldn't put in the category of pink because it was trying to be red. It had a high collar and went mid calf, which helped her out because she was stumpy and wide. The lady next to me was wearing a brown ensemble that consisted of fifteen different colors of brown, she had super long white/blonde hair, and was tall as well.

Lara took her time examining each dress, nodding and giving "helpful" comments to each lady. When she finally got to me, I was sweating, because had taken her an hour and forty minutes for us to get through four people. She circled me and looked at the dress or rather me like I was a fresh piece of meat and she was a very hungry lion. She took her time examining each tattoo, shaking her head at each one. She finally stopped in front of me and pulled something I had a feeling she would.

"Now Allison, why do you think this should be my bridesmaid's dress?"She questioned, a smug smile tugging at the corners of her thin mouth. Lester must have told her I was shy, too bad that I grew out of that a long time ago.

"Well Lara, it's a summer wedding after all, and may I say, personally, I want to wear something bright and light. Also, we will be on a beach, it will be much easier to walk on the beach in this dress," I inform a smug smile of mine on my lips.

"Well Katherine's dress is bright," she fires, crossing her arms.

"There's a thin line between bright and caution," I say, Lara purses her lips.

"Very well," she sighs clearly annoyed, "Let's get you all fitted for the blue dress."

I fight down a smirk and go to the back to give the lady my measurements; she gives me a warm smile and tells me that the dress with show up at my door in three weeks, the wedding is in four. I start to head out when Lara's shrill voice calling back to her pack that I so desperately want to avoid at all costs. I turn and walk as gracefully as I can towards her,

"Would be so nice to join us tonight? Lester and I are hosting a dinner for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to attend with their significant other. It's at Tresdon. We would be delighted for you to come," she says, in a fake voice with an equally fake smile.

"It would be my pleasure," I said in her fake voice.

She frowned, "Well you don't have to bring anyone, I'm aware of you recent breakup."

How does she know these things?! I smile politely, "I will be attending with someone, thank you."

"Oh and I almost forgot, it's a formal dinner. So knee length is the highest you can go. It starts at six if you can pull that off."

"I'm sure I could," I say and then I walk out, I sit at the bench and dial Trish.

"Hello? Austin?" the Latina asks.

I laugh, we had meet-up last week and we talked about Jay and caught up, but I called her off of the club phone, "No, no. It's Ally."

"Oh, Ally. Hey chica, what's going on?"

"Oh just have to go to a formal dinner with the evil step-mother and her henchmen."

"Oh lord, I'll pick you up and we will go shopping. Where are you?"

"Outside of Madame Martins Wedding Workshop," I cringe at the got awful name.

"Ok see you in twenty."

"Okay bye."

I hang up and dial Austin, as always he picks up on the third ring.

"You are going to be the death of me Dawson, it's like nine in the morning."

I laugh, "More like ten thirty, any way you busy tonight?"

"Why do you want to see me?"

"Well there's that, it been what 16 hours, but no I have to go to dinner with Lara and Lester and their friends and I need a date."

"Ouch, I think I'm free but you have to break it to Dez that our guy's video game marathon is off."

"That can be arranged, okay so pick me up at like half past five. It's formal by the way."

"So a suit, okay got it, see you then."

"See you."

He hangs up and I play on my phone until Trish pulls up in a black Cadillac. I get up and join her in the car.

"Hello love," she says.

"Hello my darling," I say, she pulls out and heads into town.

We came to a very large, very expensive looking dress shop. Trish parked and we got out. I stood there with my mouth hanging open wondering how in the hell am I going to afford a dress. Like she could read my mind, she said, "Don't worry, I'm treating you to a shopping spree."

She linked arms with me and we entered the extremely fancy shop. The second we stepped in, Trish told me to go sit in the chairs near the dressing room. She walked up to the lady at the counter. The lady seemed peeved then brightened right up when Trish told her name, clearly Trish was a major fashion icon. The lady got out from behind the counter and lead Trish throughout the store, Trish on the way picked out various dresses. I sat patiently waiting for her to dump them on me to try on. I leaned my head back and studied the ceiling that became suddenly very interesting. But it was cut short because the Latina came running up with about twenty dresses gathered in her arms, I stood and took them from her. I went into the dressing room and tried the first one off the top, it was light, light purple. It had a halter top and a flowing skirt. I walked out, Trish shook her head and told me to try on the next one. Which was light pink, and had a high collar top. I tried it on, she shook her head again. This went on for twenty or so dresses because by the time I had finished the first set she had placed another stack in my arms. Finally dress number 47 we found one that would work "for now" was her words. It was black and high collared, knee length, and lacey. I loved it and planned to wear it many more times. I get it fitted by the lady that seems to have a permanent scowl on her face, she probably hates her job. She finishes and puts the dress in one of those hanger bag things and hands it to me. I come out of the dressing room and find Trish staring googly eyed at her phone.

"Dez?" I ask knowingly.

She looks up and nods with a huge grin.

"Can you tell him that Austin and I have a date," I ask, she shakes her head.

"He's coming down to have lunch with us," she informs me and tucks her phone into her Louis Vinton purse and ushers me out of the shop. We go to a small café on the beach, Dez is already there. He hugs and kisses Trish then gives me a hug then we sit down and order food. We have a nice waiter, he keeps dropping hints that he likes Trish and Dez keeps his cool and bends over and kisses her every time the waiter comes by. I inform Dez that Austin has to bail on their Guy's night.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because Ally and Austin have a date," Trish says slowly and smirk growing.

"Ohhh I see, that means you win Trish," Dez says just as slowly and pulls out a twenty and hands to Trish and kisses her on the cheek.

I look at them and they suppress their giggles, then Trish nudges Dez and nods to me.

"Don't worry just a part of a bet," he informed with a hint of 'I'm not letting you on completely'.

I sighed and continued eating, we spent a good two hours there, I felt like I was the third wheel but it was nice to be in their company, sorta. Around the last twenty minutes, Austin calls me and asks me what color the dress is.

"Black," I say.

"Why so dark?"

"It's so beautiful Austin."

"So I'll wear a black tie, I'll call you in a bit. Tell Dez to come down to help me get ready."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

I smile and hang up when I look back up Trish is giving that knowing stare along with Dez. I sigh.

"Austin calls upon you Dez for assistance in getting ready."

Dez laughs and kisses Trish says good bye then gets in his car and heads out.

Trish watches him go with a soft smile, that's what it must like to be in love.

"Trish, can you help me dye my roots?"

She shrugged, "Ya sure, let's go."

She pays and we go to the store and buy that root dye comb. We pull into my parking lot and head up, we go on the Level C and who do we see but none other than Jay.

"All-," He starts, but Trish cuts him off.

"Keep walking pal," she says in a dead-serious and scary tone.

He pipes down and turns around to the other staircase. Trish studies me.

"Are you okay?"

"To be honest, I don't even really care."

She smiled and we climb to my floor. The hall is empty as always but there's the middle aged man that witnessed me break a phone. He sees me and arts back to darts back to his apartment. I laugh and unlock my door. Trish doesn't take a second glance at the apartment, she heads into the bathroom and makes a large amount of noise. I wince and stand quietly in the middle of my living room while she does her magic. At one point she comes out and gets a chair from my table and drags it into the bathroom. She finally finishes, she pops her shower capped head out and waves me into the bathroom. I shuffle forward enough so she can latch her hand onto my arm and jerk me into the bathroom. She sits me down in the chair, I look around. She has set up makeup and a curling iron and a flat iron, and the hair dye which was something else than I thought she bought.

She clapped her hands together, "Let's get this started!"

I looked at her nervously, and she just gave me a wicked smile and pulled my head back.


and yet another chapter.

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mimican1234