"I can't wait for tonight," says Star. I glance at her and smile.
"Saying it every five seconds isn't going to make time go faster," I say. She glares at me. \
"I'm excited too, but we have work to do." I say warmly. "But i'm also scarred for Butta Fingas and Mike, you know, cause they are the 'target' and their wedding is in five days."
"I know," Star says. "I really hope Blink will like my dress."
"He will," I say, "Come on, we have ten papes left."
She sulks as she counts them.
"Fine," she says, she heads off to the west side of the dock and starts yelling. Immediately six ask the headline, five leave with papes. She returns to where I am standing.
"Your turn," she says. I go to the east side and yell out a random headline and easily sell the rest.
"Done," I say, returning with a smile. "Now go get ready for tonight." She eagerly runs to the lodging house, and I don't see her until the dance.
Back at the house Ike is ready to go. He looks perfect; his tie goes perfectly with his gorgeous green eyes.
"Come on baby, let's get you cleaned up." He whispers. He starts the bath and I slowly step in. I rub myself down with soap as I hear him say:
"I'm going to take Lucy to the Landlady's house," and I smile. "I also have your dress and heals ready" he says. He leaves and returns in less than ten minutes. So happy we live close to the Lodging house. I blush, I know what's gonna happen next and I'm right. He slowly opens the door and walks over to me. "It's five thirty," he says. Come on; get out so I can braid your hair." There is no way I could miss the blush in his cheeks. I slowly get out and Ike hands me a towel. I am covered with bubbles, Ike smiles, trying not to stare. He leaves to go to the kitchen while I pull on my dress. It's a bit tight around the waist, but it will work. No wonder I forgot about this, I think. I step into the kitchen when I see Ike holding a dozen white roses. I sit down and he carefully dries my hair and braids it, weaving in silk flowers and baby blue ribbons.
"Elsa taught me how to do this," he says. "She thought it was the only way for me to get a girlfriend."
"And here we stand," I say. He finishes it off with small elastic at the end and I kiss him.
"Thank you," I say, looking into the mirror at my beautiful hair. I grab my roses and purse. We walk out to the doorstep and start for the theater. Suddenly, Ike picks me up bridal style and we walk straight to the theater, kind of surprising you don't hear screaming as you walk through the lodging house. As we walk in this way, we hear a cat-call, obviously Race.
"Way to arrive in style." He says. I burry my face in Ike's shirt, hiding my blush, Ike puts me down and I look around, everyone looks amazing. I see Star flirting madly with Blink. I also make a face at Davey when he sees me staring at him when he was looking at the wine. Ike and I walk up to Jack, he loves my dress. Of course, I think, I see Ike roll his eyes and start laughing. Smalls, Sketch and Butta Fingas walk up to me. Sketch and I are both wearing shades of blue that make us both smile. Smalls is wearing a beautiful in her purple dress, and Butta Fingas looks elegant in her red dress. I glance at Star wearing her pink dress and her matching heels. Davey comes over and kisses Sketch,
"Hey baby, Mike's gonna play a slow song first, want to dance?" he asks playfully, he twirls her twice as we all fade out to find our guys. I see Ike talking to Mike about what he will play. I smile as I run into Specs.
"I didn't find a date." He says.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I say.
"No its fine," he says, pushing his glasses up. He tells me a lame joke expecting me to laugh, and I do. Again, another cat-call from Race:
"Ike, I think your wife is having fun with Specs, if you know what I mean."
"Go choke on a cigar," I say. You can hear from the others it was a good come-back. I smile and walk away.
"Nicely done Hype," Sketch says as I walk back over to my friends, I high five Davey, Mike and Twig.
"Hey Race," Ike says. "Watch this." He twirls me and kisses me on the lips.
"She's mine." He glares at him, He hugs me and I see Race glare at us, then walk over to the wine. Jack comes up to him and whispers something to him. Race sulks like a puppy and doesn't perk up until the announcer says for this song; we have to dance with someone other than our spouse. I smile as I see Star taking forever to pull away from Blink. I also see Smalls walk up to Specs, and realize he is an incredibly good dancer. I think the song was half way over when Mike comes up to me.
"May I?" he asks, "Butta Fingas wanted to trade for this, to get her mind off the wedding." He says. Mike twirls me and is incredibly good at slow dancing. I only get quick glimpses of Butta Fingas and Ike, they look so happy. I quit caring about Race and finish the dance. At the end, the guys bow to their partners and the girls curtsy.
"You look beautiful," Mike says, as I stare at Specs and Smalls. I have no idea who Twig danced with. I head later that night Davey danced with Katherine, and Sketch danced with Race, because he was being cheeky and also at the end of the dance, we hear her slap him. That was amusing, I thought as I went to find Ike. I see Sketch carefully trained her eyes on Davey; he must be at the table for wine. She walks over to where he is standing. He twirls her around and pulls her close, you can see her face as she smells wine on his breath. Seconds later, I see Sketch pull Davey into a powder room, Race must see it too, so he lets out another cat call.
"Don't be so sure, Race." I say.
"You again" he asks, "didn't you already crush me tonight?" All of the sudden, we hear Sketch scream.
"Are you crazy?" she says, the whole theater bounces her words back and forth.
"No baby, I'm drunk." He says. I can only imagine the smirk on his face. We don't hear any more and the bad plays a happier tune. Five seconds later we hear the door swing open. Davey emerges first, half drunk and covered in lipstick. Sketch then comes out; she looks like she's been drugged. Race gives out another cat call, some song about a tree. I was looking for Ike before Specs approached me again.
"Hi Specs, did you enjoy your dance?" I ask politely.
"Oh yes, it was great, first we…." He trailed off. I kind of feel bad I left him, but I had to find Ike.