5. iGot a Limo
Sam didn't care for bright colors. Especially pink. She'd only worn it a few times in her life, and never like this.
Despite her grumbling that she hated the idea of dances and wearing fancy dresses—which she genuinely did—she wanted to make the night special for Cat. So she dipped into her savings and bought a prom dress. It wasn't her favorite option at the store, but she was on a budget. It was either go with this pinkish one and be annoyed by the color, or go with the dark blue one and spend half the night wondering if everyone could see her ladybits. Since she wasn't by any means the sort of girl who liked to flaunt her stuff (she knew she had stuff to flaunt, she just didn't see the point), she opted for the more modest option.
Not that she didn't rock the color. Her fair complexion and blond hair looked great in pink. Her twin sister Melanie wore the color all the time and pulled it off fabulously. It just wasn't Sam's cup of coffee. But she knew Cat would like it, and for some reason that mattered more to her than being entirely comfortable.
Some reason. Like she didn't know what that reason was. Ha.
She still wasn't sure what this was to Cat, though. She had said it was a friend thing, but Sam felt—or maybe hoped—that Cat was trying to ask her to the prom, like a proper date. Maybe she had just been too afraid to come right out and say it.
No surprise there. Sam's angry disposition often led to people sugar-coating things for her to avoid making her angry. Which, of course, made her even angrier when she eventually found out. She didn't understand that mindset where you lie to someone just to avoid making them angry.
She didn't mind the lying part. She did it all the time, but that was out of laziness, not fear.
She knew Cat wasn't trying to sugar-coat, either. More than likely, if Cat did entertain any feelings toward Sam, she was afraid to admit them because she didn't want to ruin a friendship. Which was a big part of the reason Sam hadn't admitted them either. That, and the fact that she planned on leaving town as soon as she worked up the courage to grab that suitcase and go.
She tugged at the front of her dress. It was squeezing her considerable breasts just a bit too tight. The result was some damn fine cleavage if she did say so herself, but it was also a little uncomfortable. She looked at it as a trial of endurance, something to toughen her up. Hell, that's what the entire night was going to be.
She opened her small makeup kit—another change brought into her life by Cat—and set about applying some eye shadow. She had never been a fan of makeup. It was a sign of vanity, something ugly people did to make themselves feel pretty. At least, that's what she had always thought, even on the rare occasions where she'd borrow some makeup from Carly. But Cat wore it all the time and she wasn't the least bit vain. She looked at it almost like playing dress-up, and her child-like innocence had prompted Sam to reconsider her opinion. Cat had forced Sam to reconsider her opinions about a lot of things, and Sam honestly felt like she was on the cusp of becoming a better person because of it.
Cut those ties, Puckett. Cut 'em. Take the suitcase and run.
There was a knock at the door, followed by Cat's voice. "It's almost time. How's it going?"
"Just another minute," Sam said.
She hurriedly finished the eyeshadow, put on a bit of lip gloss, and stepped back, taking herself in. The dress was long and classy; it went almost to the floor and hugged her curvy hips tightly. The thin shoulder straps were sturdier than they looked, squeezing Sam's breasts together and pulling them up to create the cleavage she'd been admiring.
I'd do me, Sam thought. She wondered if Cat would. Stop those thoughts. She said it was a friend thing. And even if it weren't, you're leaving. Before she can graduate and bail on you.
But her brilliant plan was getting more and more difficult to pull off. Cat seemed to be instinctively reaching out to her, making it more difficult for Sam to put some emotional distance between them. And, friend or otherwise, what Sam had planned for this evening would probably fan those flames.
Sam finished up, closed her makeup kit, and left the bathroom. She emerged in the living room to find Cat sitting on the couch. As the redhead stood, Sam nearly tripped.
Cat's hair was up in loose curls. A few playful strands of bangs framed her gorgeous face. Her elegant neck was bare, as were her dark shoulders, creating a flawless, graceful neckline that Sam wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into. Cat's dress was black and covered in sequins from breasts to waist, where it poofed out just a bit until it reached just above the middle of Cat's shapely thighs. She wore a beautiful smile, with just a hint of nervousness.
Sam swallowed hard, her throat once again dry. Cat had always been gorgeous in Sam's eyes, but what she saw today seemed impossible; an angel, given human form. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Cat, that's…wow. You're…you look…I mean…"
Sam caught a flash of red in Cat's cheeks. "Does that mean you like it?" she asked, swishing the dress from side to side.
That's the understatement of the century. "I do. I really, really do."
The dress continued to swish as Cat approached, her cheeks aglow. She seemed to really notice Sam's ensemble for the first time. The smile that crossed her lips stole Sam's breath. Cat's eyes drank Sam in from head to toe, lingering especially at her hips, breasts, and her face.
"Sam, you're wearing a dress," she said.
"What? Ah, crap, you're right. I can go change, then."
Cat grabbed Sam's wrists. "Don't you dare! You look so beautiful. I can't believe it. I mean, I can believe it because I always think you're pretty. But you look so amazing! Wow!"
Sam felt the red flush in her cheeks. "You really think that?"
Cat nodded. "So much."
The sincerity in Cat's eyes and voice shook Sam. Had anyone ever called her beautiful? Ever? Sam felt her hands begin to tremble. "We should, uh...we should go. I found us a ride."
"Kay, kay."
Sam opened the door and allowed Cat to pass through it first, then closed it behind them. On a whim, she offered Cat her arm. Cat glanced at it, met Sam's gaze and smiled.
"Why thank you, miss," she said with a ridiculously cute smile. She slid her arm inside of Sam's. The blonde led Cat down the walkway, to where she knew Dice was waiting with his cousin's limo. Every step was an eternity. Sam hoped the surprise choice of ride would be...
"Oh, look, there's a limo!" Cat exclaimed. "I've always wanted to ride in one! I wonder if someone famous is here."
Dice hopped out of the front passenger seat of the small black limo, decked out in a sharp tux of his own, complete with a top-hat mounted on his black, curly hair. He was just a noisy kid when Sam had first met him, but he had grown, or at least was in the midst of growing, into a handsome young man. She still couldn't get over the drop in his voice. He sounded more like an Italian mobster than ever.
"Ladies, your chariot awaits!"
"Chariot?" Cat whispered to Sam. "Doesn't he know that's a limo?"
"He knows. It's a nickname."
"Oh. Waitaminute! Did he say it was 'our' chariot!?" Sam nodded. "Aahhh, shut the fridge! You got us a limo!?"
"Kind of," Sam said. "Dice technically got it for us, I just paid him."
Dice lit up at the chance to share the story. "My second-cousin runs a service. He owed me a favor. I called him on it. Nice, right? Wait 'til you see the inside." Dice pulled open the back door for them, then removed his hat and motioned for them to get in.
Cat couldn't get there fast enough. She took off running and practically dove inside, laughing the entire time. Sam smiled and gave Dice's shoulder a squeeze before she slid in. She'd have to remember to give him some more of her hair later as a thank you.
The interior was modest; it wasn't the biggest limo Sam had seen, but it was great. Perfect for two, with tons of amenities they wouldn't have time to use (like the 30-inch plasma screen and more candy than even Sam could eat). Goomer looked in the rearview mirror. He smiled and waved at the girls. "Hi, girls! Look at me, I'm a limo driver tonight!"
"Hi, Goomer!" Cat said. "Look at us, we're going to the prom!"
"Wow," Goomer said, dumbfounded. "You both look so pretty, too! Your dates are lucky guys!"
Sam glanced at Cat to see her reaction to that. She still wore her gorgeous smile, but seemed to be holding back a response. "Please," Sam said. "There aren't any guys out there that are lucky enough to have us. We're going together."
"Oh," Goomer said in a way that implied he understood. He didn't. "Wait, you mean like a girl date?"
Dice slid into the front seat next to Goomer. "Lets go, man. We don't want to hit traffic."
"Kay, kay," Goomer said.
Dice glanced over his shoulder at the girls. "I'll give you some privacy," he said. Realizing the implications, he quickly added, "I just mean so we don't annoy you. Not that I think you need privacy for anything. I mean if you do that's cool, I'm not saying it's not, I just—"
"Dice."
"Yeah, Sam?"
"Shut up and close the window."
"You got it, Sam."
The privacy window slowly slid up. Sam grabbed a cold soda from the cooler. "Want anything, Cat?"
"This is everything I've ever wanted," she said dreamily. "I can't believe how amazing this is."
Sam eased back into her seat and took a drink. As she sat the bottle into the beverage holder, Cat slid close to her and rested her head on Sam's shoulder. She smelled so damn good.
"Thank you, Sam. It's everything I dreamed my last prom would be."
Sam hesitated, then laid her head atop of Cat's for a moment. Seriously, she smells so good. Is that vanilla? "I'm really glad you like it. I tried to get all the bells and whistles. Just no handsome prince to escort you."
Cat lifted her head and faced Sam. "Not every princess needs a prince."
Sam felt her pulse quicken in her ear. Sweat started forming under her arms and, even worse, under her breasts. Oh god, not boob sweat. Not tonight.
Cat's eyes were boring into Sam's cheek. She could sense Cat's stare, and an unspoken desire for Sam to turn her head, to meet her beautiful, big, doe-eyed gaze. She wanted to do it, too. She wanted to look into those eyes and kiss those lips. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was the damn elevator all over again.
Sam was in too deep at this point. She wasn't sure she wanted to know how Cat felt now. If she did feel the same, if she wanted more, then Sam felt cruel for putting all this together only to bail on her. That was almost as bad as what had happened with Carly. No, it was worse, because Carly had a good reason to leave. Sam was just being an emotional, selfish ass.
Sam glanced around the car, hoping for a way out, a way to break the building tension. It was then she noticed the sunroof. Perfect. A distraction. "Whoa, check out the sunroof!"
Cat didn't look, not right away. She kept her eyes trained on Sam for another few seconds. When she did finally look, she squealed. "Oh, that's so cool. How do you open it?"
Sam reached up and pressed the button. The glass slid aside. Cat was on her feet right away, though she could barely get much more than her head out. She glanced down and moved her legs to the edge of the seat. This gave her the boost she needed to get partly through the opening. She laughed.
"It's so fun out here! I'm flying!"
Sam settled back into the seat, then immediately realized what a bad idea it had been. Cat's dark legs stretched out before her. Her calf muscles flexed as she balanced on the seat. Sam followed the smooth, silky curve of Cat's legs up to the edge of her dress. Her stomach flipped. She felt a burning below it, and a desperate urge to run her hands up and down those perfect, perfect legs. And maybe to reach up between them and—
Goddammit, Puckett, stop! You're acting like a horny teenager.
Sam knew full well that she was, in fact, a horny teenager in that moment. But she still resented acting like one.
Mercifully, Cat shifted and slid back down into the limo. Sam felt the redhead's bare skin against own bare arm and her heart jack-hammered again.
"That was fun, you should try it!"
"Maybe on the way home. I spent like an hour on my hair for once, I don't want it to get blown around."
"It looks beautiful," Cat said sweetly. "All of you does."
You're an idiot, Puckett.