"Oh my," worded Nikki, drawing attention to Brie exiting the changing room, dressed in a lilac toole gown with leaf and floral embroidery. "You look stunning," she complimented, starting a chorus of similar compliments from the other ladies present. Even the assistant helping them threw a compliment or two in. The only one who didn't was Serenity, who offered quiet remarks and ugly comments, all while she continued to search for her perfect dress. Brie could only grin widely; she felt beautiful, looked perfect, and found her dress. The first of the group to do so. Now, all she needed was to find out her mystery prom date; then, everything would be set for the prom.
"Nikki, how about this one?" said AJ, holding up a burgundy dress with lace detailing. Although simple in style, it matched what Nikki had mentioned she was looking for. At the same time, Nikki held up a sparkling silver dress with a sheer cape and pointed at AJ as she smiled widely. Identical chuckles escaped both women as they swapped the dresses they'd found before heading off to the changing rooms together. Rhea, by now, had music playing through her phone as she, Echo, Cross, and Summer searched the racks closest to the changing rooms, the darker colors and often the ones people avoided for one reason or another.
"Bex," called Echo, a bright smile on her lips as she walked over to the Irish lass. The two hadn't spent time together outside group settings since the drama started. "What kind of dress are you looking for?" she asked in an attempt to mend what had long since been broken between them. However, the gothic teen hadn't said it aloud; she did miss Becky, the jokes they shared, and the fun they used to have before everything blew up and the drama got in the way.
"Green, I'm not sure about the style, though," replied the fiery redhead, reaching to pull Echo into a hug when the gothic teen was close enough. No words had to be spoken between them. They both missed each other. "Black and sparkly for you, right?" she added, displaying how much she knew the other teen. All who knew Echo knew she wouldn't go far from her dark colors; however, that wouldn't stop her experimenting with different styles.
"Ugh!" muttered Serenity from a few racks in front of the group of girls near the darker-colored dresses. Becky joined the girls after being prompted by Echo. Summer had collectively nicknamed the smaller group the Darkling girls, much to the amusement of Maryse and Carmella nearby. "Are there other dress shops round here?" she asked, scrunching up her face when looking around the store again. Nothing there was what she was looking for. She already knew what she wanted, either a white or pink gown, which made her feel like the queen she already knew she was.
"There's a couple of others in the mall," replied Brie, her smile unmoved even when she spoke to someone she wasn't fond of. "We already plan on going to them, especially Dark Enchantments," she added, hearing Rhea comment, thank god in the background, clearly displaying she'd not found anything to her liking. Maryse commented she wanted to nosey through the dresses there, even more so when she'd gotten some bits and pieces from there before, despite the target audience for the store being those of gothic or darker styles.
"We aren't going to Dark Enchantments; that store's for creeps," voiced Serenity, her demanding tone indicating that she expected every one of the girls to follow her lead, including on the dresses they eventually chose. After all, she had a few dresses for each in mind and having them pick from them. After all, Serenity didn't want them to outshine her at prom; she wanted them to blend into the shadows and hide away if needed.
"Guess we're going without you then," called AJ as she stepped up on the podium before the mirrors near the changing rooms. A bright smile graced her lips. Although the dress was tight fitting, it was stunningly beautiful, and the cape gave it that extra flair. Nikki followed her shortly after, wafting the skirts of her dress and twirling shortly after.
"Mella," called Echo, holding up a sage green dress, like AJ's, complete with a cape. The top of the dress was elegantly decorated with shimmer beads, as was the shoulders of the cape. Carmella all but ran over to the gothic teen, taking the dress before pressing a light, playful kiss to Echo's cheek and running off toward the changing rooms.
"Hey, where's mine," voiced Cross, once again laughing before she pulled out a dark blue dress with silver beaded decorations. There, she eyed the dress carefully as if deciding whether or not to try it on before shaking her head slightly and walking over to Renee, as if she'd remembered the beautiful blonde mentioning looking for a dress similar to it. Although no words were exchanged between the duo, they understood each other. On the other hand, Serenity sighed again; she wanted attention, leaving the store to head to the next one. However, her complaints were soon forgotten when she turned to her phone and began interacting with the group chat containing her old school friends, Samantha, Avery, and Allegra. Quickly, she typed messages out as if she was filling them in about something or making plans for a future date.
"If that's you're boyfriend, tell him he sucks from me," called Nikki before returning to her previous task. "Dark Enchantments next?" she asked, curious if Serenity would follow, even when she'd made it clear she didn't want to go there. "Glam "R" Us is across from it if you wanna go in there, Serenity," she continued. Like Brie, including Serenity, even when she wasn't thrilled about the stuck-up teen being with them, especially after the earlier confrontation.
"I'm not going in there alone," Serenity harshly responded with attitude, anger written across her features as if the very thought of it was a horrifying nightmare come true to her. "Dress shopping is supposed to be a group activity; I'd look like a pathetic loser if I go looking alone," she added, looking to the extended group of girls as if waiting, expecting one or more of the girls to volunteer to go with her.
"No more of a loser than hanging around with us," commented AJ under her breath. Her words only heard by those who stood closest to her.
"We can skip Dark Enchantments and get straight to Glam 'R' Us," continued Serenity, as she once again believed she was the queen and they lowly companions, even when she didn't think they were worthy of spending time with her, they were all she had at that moment. Her old school friends wouldn't arrive for another hour, and Kaitlyn and Eva tried to fix the broken trust the teaching staff and former friends had in them. "Wait, where are you going?" she asked, concern flooding her voice when a select number casually walked off as if they didn't know her.
"To pay for our things," replied Carmella as if the answer was obvious; after all, neither of them was about to leave the store without paying for the dresses and accessories. Despite being a group of mix-and-match students, they weren't delinquents; they didn't believe something should be theirs just because they wanted it. Instead, they aimed to be good members of the society around them and be role models for those looking up to them, even if they went about it differently than expected.
"Game plan," called Maryse, a bright smile on her lips, although it dwindled slightly upon seeing the time. Soon, they'd be going their separate ways for the evening. After all, each had different plans for the evening, from babysitting to family time to catching up on things they'd fallen behind on. "We split up. Darkling girls head over to Dark Enchantment, Mella, AJ, Renee, and I head to Delavega's while the rest head to Glam. "R' Us with Serenity, meet back at the court after," spoke the French-Canadian, hoping to break up the growing tension.
"That doesn't work for me," voiced Serenity, as if to purposely make things more difficult. "Dark Enchantment isn't going to be on the itinerary; it doesn't matter who's going there. I'm the pregnant one. We should do what I want to do," she added, a wicked smile on her lips. "I want to go Glam "r" us, I don't care for Delavega's or whatever the stupid place is called, then we're gonna get something to eat, after that baby shopping then perhaps the cinema."
"Good luck telling them that," replied Brie, noticing those branded as the Darkling girls hadn't stuck around to listen to the rant. Those who did had only done so out of kind courtesy; all of them had regretted it. "Who do you expect is gonna pay for your cinema ticket?" questioned the youngest of the Bella twins, knowing the whole trip was to find prom dresses before heading home for the evening, perhaps a group video call later on with the boys, is only so those with a date could inform the boys of the necessary information.
Despite Serenity's protest, Maryse came up with the enacted plan. Rhea, Cross, Echo, Summer, and Becky headed to Dark Enchantment. At the same time, Mella, AJ, Renee, and Maryse split off to go in the opposite direction, each bidding the others good luck before going to the different stores. Serenity reluctantly followed Nikki and Brie to Glam "R" Us, huffing, puffing, and complaining the whole way there, even throwing nasty comments to all those who'd refused to give in to her and bend to her will. By the time the trio got to the store, Serenity was throwing threats at the others, saying each would regret not giving in to her wants and demands and, for the first time, showing her true vindictiveness and astounding entitlement.
"The pink and wedding gowns are over there," spoke Nikki when the trio entered the store, already fed up and wishing to rejoin the others. A longing glance at Dark Enchantments across the way only strengthened the desire even more so when Cross was already running toward the changing room with a dress in hand. "Looks like Cross has found her dress, especially if the excitement is anything to go by," commented Nikki, smiling small.
"Who do you think my secret date is?" asked Brie, her smile matching Nikki's as she glanced over to Serenity briefly. For the first time since the conversation about prom, she'd allowed her curiosity to show and finally get the better of her. "I've been wracking my brain all day. No one stands out," she added, suspecting her date was someone she knew, although she once again found herself hoping the admirer wasn't Daniel. She didn't want to go back to who she was at the start of the year, and she didn't want to be reminded of the horrible things she'd done to innocent people.
"I have my suspicions," replied Nikki, her smile brightening as she remembered talking to Echo about the relationship subject. "You won't be let down, although I think you should probably be with those girlies there," she added, pointing over to the group in Dark Enchantments, at least hinting at who she suspected the date would be.
"How do you think Seth's gonna ask Echo?" asked Brie, her smile growing once more. A small bout of laughter escaped her when Cross came running out of the glass-front store with a large black shopping bag, joining the pair before pulling them into an excited hug and bouncing on the spot. "Found your dress," laughed Brie, knowing the Darklings had a vision for the dresses; despite not being outwardly girly, that never stopped them from searching for perfection.
"What do you think?" Serenity called out, coming out of the dressing room in a corsetted wedding dress. Crystals were sewn into the corset, making it sparkle like stars in the night. The skirt was layered and puffing out at the hips. A top of her head was a sparkling tiara to go with her chosen dress. "I feel like a princess, but I'm not sure it's gonna fit in a few months," she added, her smile fading as she thought about the baby bump being more prominent, which meant someone would advise her not to wear a corset dress. "Second thoughts, better find another one, baby and all," she added as if the idea wasn't her own but one she had to comply with. Only now was she beginning to second guess herself and the decision to go through with the pregnancy? Was it what was best or her wishful thinking at the moment?
"To prom, probably something sweet that sums the pair up," replied Nikki to Brie's earlier question, noticing Cross had wandered off again, strolling further into Glam "R' Us upon something catching her eye. "To give him another chance, anyone's guess. However he does it, it will be another chapter in their story," she added, recalling how her high school romance with Drew had taken off; the pair had tried to keep it quiet, but that had failed at the homecoming game when Drew had all put ran up the bleachers to her after scoring a goal.
"Do you think she knows what he's been up to?" asked Brie, this time being purposely vague due to Serenity creeping closer so she could listen to the conversation. "About the campaigning," she added, recalling all the secrecy surrounding it and how quiet he'd been to ensure the intended queen didn't find out. The moment was soon broken up by Serenity huffing again, frustration evident, although it was unclear what for, maybe it was because she couldn't find a dress she liked, or because she had competition for the title she so desperately wanted.
"I'm pretty sure she doesn't suspect anything," Nikki said, knowing it was likely accurate. "You've got more than the mystery pair as competition, Serenity," she said, calling out the judgmental teen's terrible act and obvious eavesdropping. "Charlotte, Eva, Maria, AJ, Maryse, Carmella, Naomi, and Sasha are also actively campaigning for Prom Queen," she added, highlighting the competition set before Serenity and how much bigger it was. The one they referred to had no clue what was going on, and no desire to be queen nor was she actively campaigning for the title, instead she helped her friends in Maryse, AJ and Carmella with their campaigns, as any friend would.
"They don't matter; in the end, I always get what I want," Serenity responded, a wicked grin plastered across her lips. "You bitches can go now. My real friends are here. The people who understand how the hierarchy works and how important my opinion on things are" threw Serenity as if her words were weapons meant to cause significant harm. As the words left her painted lips, the small group of three girls joined Serenity, greeting her with happiness and hyperactivity. Clearly displaying the four hadn't seen each other in quite some time. Almost instantly, the whispering between the four began, getting louder as they walked across the store together, hoping to find Serenity the perfect prom dress fit for the future title she was determined to hold. Neither of them paid any mind as Nikki, Brie, and Cross left the store, joining the group across the way, their happiness returning the further from Serenity they went.
"Did you get the information needed?" asked Avery, the petite brunette with a cruel streak. Carefully, she flicked through the dresses, although her thoughts were clearly on what they had planned to do later.
"Of course I did," replied Serenity, holding out her phone with a bright smile. "Thanks to the dumb twins, I got the names of my competition too," she added, "It shouldn't take much to take out most of them; a couple of rumors should throw them off; Charlotte's going to be the biggest thorn, Maryse, AJ, and Carmella too. Got to find out the mystery bitch running for prom queen now as well," she continued, although Serenity did wonder if the mystery one was just a ploy meant to torment her with curiosity and wonder, to throw her off from fulfilling her goals.
"Leave the rumor mill to me," called a cute blonde with a glare akin to daggers. "All I need is the names and a bit of creative magic, then those girls will be eliminated in no time," she added, flicking her bottle-blonde hair over her shoulders before reaching for the powder pink dress she'd spotted amongst the other dresses on the rack before her. A gentle smile graced her lips as she held it out for Serenity, it was her style after all, sexy but elegant, classy and could accommodate and hide her baby bump, the little details being something Serenity would love too.
"Let me try it on," spoke Serenity as she took the dress and walked off to the changing rooms, a small smile appearing now, gentler and friendlier than before. Samantha, Avery, and Allegra were her friends; they were always helpful and supportive. They were her sisters, bonded together through their mean-girl behavior and like-minded thinking.
"How's everything going with your boo?" asked Samantha, getting comfortable on the small leather sofa outside the changing rooms. "Everything still going to plan when it comes to going back tradition?" she asked, recalling the many rants Serenity had gone on about All Star Academy, how everything was upside down, the cool kids were almost looked down upon, the freaks and weirdos were in the spotlight, and the famous sports stars were dating those she'd personally branded as undesirables. What annoyed Serenity most, however, was her cousin Echo, the person she'd been competing with for years, was the reason for the change. Seth turned everything upside down in his attempts to prove he was serious about being with her.
"Our act didn't go as planned, but that's not going to stop us being at the top of the mountain. Other than that, we're doing great, talking about moving in together after we graduate, settle down, and be a little family with our little one," replied Serenity, recalling the recent talks with Roman; once they left school, the act would be over, and they'd be truly happy. He'd become the pro wrestler he wanted to be; she'd be a stay-at-home mom and eventually wife. "We're both focused on prom, destroying that pathetic group, and getting out of the trouble others blamed us for," she continued as she walked from the changing rooms in the dress, feeling far more comfortable and happier in it than she had the bridal dress she'd tried on before. She felt like the queen she was rather than another fairytale princess.
"They're leaving," called Allegra, noticing when the larger group left the opposite store. Each girl had a large shopping bag, smiling and talking amongst themselves as they headed to whatever predetermined destination they had in mind. "You know where they're going?" she asked, ready to follow the girls if needed; she smiled more when Serenity nodded to the question.
"Let get moving," said the judgmental brunette, returning to the changing rooms. She had already decided to get the dress, perfect in color and style. Now, all she needed was shoes, accessories, and potentially a shawl or something to go over her shoulders. The moment she had her purchases, the group of four headed to the court, talking and bonding as they did each time they spent time together. "Aim for the black SUV," muttered Serenity when her small group followed the larger one to the parking lot; her wickedness only grew upon Samantha whispering she'd parked on the same level as those they practically stalked, thrust, making their goal far more manageable to carry out and complete. Serenity was determined to eliminate three at once, one way or another, no matter the cost of her planned actions.