Hey all! It turned out to be a bit longer wait than what I was aiming for with this chapter, but life, and it's been crazy the last week alone.
I do hope that everyone can come around to liking Graham, as he's a good kid, and he'll be sticking around for quite sometime.
As for the next chapter, I do know what I want to do with it, its just going to take me a bit to sort it out.
Enjoy!
The week flew by. Despite it being a school week filled with a few exams throughout. Trying to avoid Lemon and her questions about Graham and about George, who had only asked Lemon at the very last minute to go with him, saying he was just nervous and couldn't work up the courage to ask earlier in the week. She spent her time with Wade when she could during the school day which happened to be at lunch, before and after school as they would walk to and from school every day. She found that Graham switched seats to sit next to her in not only math class but in science class as well, as those are the two classes, they have together and the option to sit where they want to sit.
Wednesday after school saw her in Mobile looking for a dress. She wanted a nice rich navy color dress, the same color she agreed upon with Graham. But, no her mom wanted her to go with a nice pale pink color, saying the navy and pink would go nicely together. And as much as she wanted to dislike the dress her mom picked for her, it was actually her favorite dress of the two they both liked.
The dress is a cotton candy pink, 50's style dress. Which she absolutely loved. It being her style already. The material is a sheer nylon and taffeta lining over a layer of tulle. It's a sweetheart neckline; the bodice is decorated with silver and pink embellishments. The straps are wide, and the back of the dress is a boning. The dress stops at her knees and she feels pretty wearing it. The same could be said about the navy dress she found.
The second dress showcases a high neckline, with spaghetti straps that cross in the back. A sparkly belt cinches the waist in, creating an hourglass figure if you will. It's silky soft to the touch made of satin, in the dark navy color she wanted.
She adored the way she looked in each dress, but the navy one called to her more. That, and she didn't know how well the pink would go with navy to be honest. The one thing the navy dress happens to be modest where the pink isn't so much, and she wanted her dad to relax about how revealing it happened to be.
With the dress decided upon, they found a pair of navy peep toe 2 and a half inch kitten heels that match the dress. A gem filled ring adorned the strap that went across her toes. She was certain it wasn't diamonds like it claimed to be. They weren't that expensive to have 25 diamonds on each shoe.
"Your date is going to be here in an hour," Candice stated, stepping into her daughter's room to see her working on her math sheet due Monday. "And you're doing homework instead of getting ready," she scoffed lightly. "You are just like your dad," she said, shaking her head. Harley was great at doing work right up to the second they needed to be leaving.
"I've already taken a shower, and did my makeup," she told her mom. Her makeup being more natural, except her eyes as they're a dark blue to match her dress, with black eyeliner. "It doesn't take me long to put my dress, shoes and accessories on," she said, looking back to finish the problem she is on.
"And your hair? You can't leave it down," her mother stated, quickly walking from the room, grabbing what she needed to pull her daughter's hair up into an elegant pony with curls.
"I don't understand what was wrong with leaving my hair down," Zoe muttered under her breath, trying to loosen the pony as it pulled on her scalp.
"What was that?" Candice asked, collecting her things up.
"Oh you know just a thank you for doing my hair," Zoe said, giving her mom a smile.
"You're welcome sweetie," Candice smiled, pulling the door shut behind her, only to open it back up a crack. "If you need any help holler," her mom said, shutting the door.
Zoe waited until she knew for sure that her mom wouldn't interrupt her again, before laying her dress out across her bed. With the dress and shoes on, she admired herself in the mirror, smiling at how beautiful she looked. She is happy that her mom put her hair up as well.
"Oh sweetie you look absolutely beautiful," Harley smiled, seeing his daughter for the first time with her dress on.
"Thanks dad," she blushed slightly, noticing that Graham stood by the door waiting for her with a bashful look on his face. "You didn't grill him about things did you?" She asked in a whisper.
"Of course I did; a father needs to know that his daughters' suitor knows how to behave," Harley stated with a smirk. "I trust he'll treat you right," he nodded.
"In doing so you don't have to embarrass me," she grumbled.
"Sure it does," he chuckled. "Now have a good time," he said, kissing her cheek.
"I'll have her home by eleven," Graham said, catching the eye of Dr. Wilkes.
"As you should," he nodded courtly.
"Just wait, we need pictures," Candice said, entering the entry way with a camera in hand.
After what seemed like a lifetime and a million pictures later, the teens were free to be on their way to the dance. Zoe profusely saying sorry for the way her parents acted. Harley went tough on him, and her mom couldn't stop crying about how prefect they looked.
"Zoe, I do believe I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look tonight," Graham said, as they walked to the gym doors of the school.
"Thanks," Zoe smiled, wishing for a moment her hair was down to cover the blush heating her cheeks up. "You look cute," she teased.
He wore black slacks, a black belt with a navy blue dress shirt that matched her dress. He forgo wearing a tie or a bow tie. His black hair is styled in a messy bed head sort of way, where it still looks like he fixed it. He wasn't just cute; he's rather handsome dressed up.
"Cute?" He asked with a pfft.
"Yep," Zoe nodded. "If that doesn't work for you, I can call you adorable," she shrugged, watching his eyes crinkle and the smile, he wore grow, from the corner of her eye.
"I'll take cute," he playfully grumbled.
"Good, but you do look quite dapper," she stated, walking through the open gym doors, the loud thumping of the music fully reaching them.
"Dapper, huh?" He asked, whispering into her ear. "I can work with that," he chuckled.
"I figured as much," she loudly said to be heard over the music. "Do you want to dance?" She asked, seeing a few people dancing, as most of their classmates sat or stood around talking and laughing.
"Why else does one come to a dance for?" He asked back, holding his hand out for her to take. She giggled, slipping her hand into his and let him lead her to a spot on the dance floor.
"Can I ask you a question?" Graham asked, as they sat at a table drinking a glass of punch taking a much-needed break from dancing.
"Sure," Zoe told him, giving him her complete attention. She was watching Lemon and George dancing, noticing that they were rather close for a song that wasn't exactly meant to be danced to like a slow song.
"If there's nothing going on with you and Wade or with George, who did, you want to take you to the dance?" He asked, his nerves coming out with the words he spoke.
"It's not a big deal," she told him. "It's really no one," she frowned. Before tonight that wasn't the case. Cole was the JV football captain and a real charmer. She thought she liked him but after spending the night with Graham, she found out that she made the right decision in giving him a chance. "I am here with the date I want to be with," she told him, blaming the warmth on her cheeks to how warm the gym was with so many teens inside dancing.
"So you wouldn't mind doing this again?" He asked, fiddling with his plastic cup.
"It'll be a while before there's another dance to attend," she teased him.
"Not entirely what I meant," he nervously chuckled. "Would you so kindly go on a date with me?" He asked, clearing up the confusion.
"I'd like that," she smiled.
"How does tomorrow sound?" He asked eagerly.
"I have a trip with my parents to visit family in the afternoon," she told him. Going over after lunch time to spend the afternoon with them and join them for dinner. "We can do something in the morning," she told him. To make plans on Saturday morning that weren't with Wade felt wrong, but with him gone until Sunday night, her Saturday morning freed up.
"I'd like that, but uh I don't want to cause problems with Wade," he shared.
"He won't mind," Zoe assured him. Because he wouldn't. As her beat friend, he wants her to be happy, he's said so himself. "And he's out of town until Sunday night, so it's fine really," she told him.
"Something about it doesn't feel right," he shared. She couldn't agree more. It didn't because he like everyone else knows how they enjoy their Saturday mornings together. He didn't want to cause problems with the friends because he really likes Zoe, and he needs to stay in Wade's good graces if he wants to have a relationship with Zoe. "We can do something on Sunday," he told her.
"Okay, Sunday it is," she nodded. "Let me know the details before you show up, just so I know," she told him.
"Once I figure it out, I'll tell you," he nodded. "Can I have this dance?" He asked, getting up to hold his hand out for her to take.
She easily slipped her hand into his, again letting him lead her to the dance floor as a slow song started to play. She placed her hands on his shoulders, his hands landing on her waist, as they moved in a circle, with some space between them. They went from slow dancing to just dancing as the song changed. Laughing and having a good time as they did so.
They went from dancing to getting something to drink while resting their feet back to dancing throughout the night, enjoying the others company. As the dance wore on, Zoe was happy that she did take a chance with Graham. Throughout the dance, she's found that she likes his company, and he can make her laugh. His words are genuine and not fake to charm what he wants out of you.
"I had a real fun time tonight, Graham. Thank you," she smiled shyly at her front door; the porch light left on for her. She wasn't a fool; she knew her parents were more than likely watching from a window. Both for different reasons.
"I had fun tonight too," he nodded, becoming nervous. "You're welcome, but I should be thanking you for changing your mind about going with me," he told her giving a shrug.
"In that case, you're welcome," she laughed. "Good night, Graham," she smiled at him, slightly turning before he stopped her.
"Zoe," he said, stepping close to kiss her check. The sensation lasting seconds longer after he moved away. "Goodnight, Zoe," he smiled, walking off.
"Night Mom, night Dad," she called, walking past where they sat in the living room, having stopped their conversation when she walked in.
"How was the dance? And Graham?" Her mom asked, stopping Zoe at the bottom of the stairs.
"The dance was fun and Graham was nothing short of a gentleman all night," Zoe stated.
"Good," Harley said. "Night sweetie," he said, kissing his daughter's head, as he went back to the living room.
"Don't forget to take off your makeup," her mom reminded her. "Night," she said, letting Zoe go get ready for bed.
Zoe is more than happy to get the shoes and the dress off and into some comfortable pajamas. More than anything, she was happy to take the ponytail out, as it was starting to make her scalp sore from being up. With her hair brushed, and her makeup cleaned off; she curled up under her covers a smile taking up residency on her face as she fell asleep, dreaming of what Sunday has in store for her.