Saturday morning, Sue woke early thanks to a call from Erin causing her cell phone to vibrate under her pillow. She'd only called to make sure Sue was awake in time so Sue told her she was, pressed the 'end call' button and quickly got dressed. She was meeting the rest of the gang to go shopping in town. With only one more week until the Prom, they had to find dresses fast. She went into the kitchen, grabbed a breakfast bar, and throwing on her black parka she rushed toward the door, yelling her goodbyes. It was only 10am and the rest of the household was still asleep though, so her yells fell on deaf ears - so to speak.

Sue waited at the bus stop for over half an hour, finally the bus she'd been waiting for since ten minutes past ten, showed up at twenty to eleven. So much for the number 62 bus being every seven minutes, she thought as she paid her fare, just as well I left early. The bus ride was only twenty minutes to the city center so she would get there in perfect time - the gang was meeting at eleven o'clock. Though, when she stepped off the bus only Helen and Tara were there.

"Hey guys!"

"Hi, Sue. Any idea where the rest have got to?" Helen asked

"Nope. Erin called this morning to wake me up. She said she had just gotten on a bus."

"Well, she'll probably be here soon."

Just then Lucy walked up with Nikki and Amy. They were chattering about what kind of dresses they wanted to buy,

"Nah, I want a proper ball-gown." Lucy replied to Amy's suggestion.

"I think I'll go with Amy's idea." Nikki responded.

"What idea?" Sue said, reading the conversation when they were close enough.

"I was just saying I didn't want a 'traditional' prom dress. Long just isn't my kind of dress!"

"Yeah, that's obvious when I think of the length of the skirt you wear to school." Helen teased.

"Hey! Leave my school skirt out of it!" Amy retorted, laughing.

"Well it is short!" Nikki snorted.

"Oh yeah, you can talk! Your skirt isn't much longer than mine!"

"Children ... children, behave!"

The last comment was from Erin, who'd turned up late as usual. One thing the girls had learned from knowing each other all those years was that you could never expect Erin to be early or even on time. Whereas Helen and Tara were always first to wherever the gang was supposed to meet.

"So ... where to guys?" Sue asked.

"T.K.Maxx of course!" Erin replied

"Yep, only place for decent prom-style dresses." Amy added.

"Well the only place for affordable decent prom-style dresses." Helen corrected.

"True." Lucy and Nikki agreed.

"Well, that's settled then - let's go, it's freezing out here!" Helen exclaimed.

Laughing, they walked toward the St. Enoch center's T.K.Maxx store. Their conversation fell back to the hottest topic of the week around school - the 'Prom'.

"Hey Helen, you never told us who's taking you to the dance." Amy ventured.

"Didn't I?" She said, blushing. "Oh... I'm just going with James."

"James Harper?" Amy asked

"That would be the one."

"I thought you said he was an arse?" Was Erin's response.

"I did... but really he's not that bad. And, no one else asked."

"Didn't co-op guy ask you?" Tara said, using their nickname for him.

"Well he did... but I already said I'd go with James." Helen replied, wrinkling her nose.

They stepped off the escalator and into T.K.Maxx going straight for the rack at the back wall. Lucy, who'd already been in with Amy, knew exactly which dress she wanted and pulled it from the rack to try it on. Stepping back out of the changing room ten minutes later, she was wearing a long white gown. The strapless bodice was covered in silver glitter stars, and the flowing skirt skimmed the floor. The gang instantly chorused their approval and Lucy went to change back into her jeans and sweater. Erin was next to visit the changing room with a deep purple dress. The bodice was similar to that of a corset - Erin's typical choice of top - and the silk skirt had a netted material over it, with small lilac flowers dotted around. One by one the rest of them changed into their choice of dresses, and awaited the approval of the rest of the girls. Tara ended up choosing a simple black dress, which accented her curves without looking 'sluttish'. Nikki had chosen a baby pink one, similar to Tara's, but without sleeves. Amy's was a red figure-hugging Salsa dancing style. With flowing sleeves and a skirt that was split up to the top of her left leg, ruffling slightly at either side of the split.

"Only you would find a way to show a bit of leg in a long skirt!" Helen giggled.

"Well, when you don't have cleavage to flaunt you've got to find other ways to get a guy's attention!" She teased back.

Finally, Sue changed into a dress that was a deep, wine-red and sparkled under the light. The satin bodice had spaghetti straps, and was made to look boned like a corset, only without the actual whale bone. It boosted her cleavage, and hugged her slim waist. Helen's mouth dropped open. In sync with Amy's and Erin's.

"If I wasn't straight - " Helen started.

"Helen, you aren't straight." Amy pointed out.

"Might I remind you I'm going to this dance with a boy?" Helen replied.

"Yep, but most of your crushes aren't on boys!" Erin put in, laughing.

"Anyway, what about you two - were you just trying to catch flies?"

"Well she does look hot in that dress..." Amy admitted.

"I'd kill to have a shape like that!" Erin added.

"When you three get your eyes back in your skulls, let me know." Nikki quipped, walking toward the till to pay for her dress.

With their dresses bought, they headed back out into the street, opting for the more reliable Underground instead of waiting for a bus. Every few stops, one by one they got off the underground train to go home, agreeing to meet back at Sue's later that evening as they were having a slumber party.

Iteag! Dana's not happy with you - you promised to review all my fics for chapter ten and did you? No. Well, I suggest, by dearest best friend, that you get reviewing lots if you want the next chapter lol.