Chapter Thirty One-"So that's a yes?"

~Dedicated to every girl's perfect dress~

Chapter Thirty-One

Have you ever felt conflicted? Like you know when you’re supposed to feel sad because you just broke up with your boyfriend but at the same time you’re ecstatic beyond belief? That’s how I felt and I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing especially since I was out with Juliet Prom shopping. Juliet had called earlier that day and literally screamed my ear off because she had been asked to go with, no surprises, Chris Martin. And while I was happy for her, I was still a little envious too.

Juliet was getting her perfect fairy tale ending whereas I was still single, and yet I had gone through with a complete makeover to turn myself into someone popular just to get back at Matt, I was still alone like a nun. Was a part of me disappointed that I hadn’t been asked to Prom by anyone yet? Definitely, but I wasn’t going to let that disappointment rule my life. I could still have fun even if I went to Prom on my own. Oh who am I kidding?

“Let’s try Roses Boutique,” Juliet suggested, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I glanced up to the small boutique which was filled with dazzling Prom dresses and of course the most gorgeous of jewellery that were sitting under protective glass cases. Smiling, I nodded to Juliet who then hooked her arm through mine as she led me into the boutique. The door let out a small set of chimes, notifying everyone that we had arrived. I was hit with the smell of coffee and heard chatter of women. Glancing around, I noticed that the shop had a few girls from school, all going through the one-of-a-kind dresses before trying them out.

“Looks like everyone’s here for Prom,” I whispered under my breath.

Juliet nodded in agreement, “Totally. This place has the best dresses money can buy.”

A woman in her mid-thirties approached us with that whole cosmopolitan attitude and look about her. She was tall and wore a simple, black pencil skirt and a tight black coat around her small frame. Her wispy brown hair was pinned away from her face and she smiled a smile reserved for customers only.

“Hi,” she greeted in a sophisticated tone, “I’m Ariel. How may I help you ladies?”

“We’re here for Prom dresses,” Juliet answered, “everything is très belle.”

“Oh you speak French,” the woman cooed delightedly, “How wonderful!”

Juliet and I shared a look before grinning to ourselves like freaks. Times like this, I was glad that Juliet was fluent in French. No matter what the situation people always found her ability to speak the language of love so much more alluring than the fact that she could eat two plates of spaghetti and still ask for more. It was a hidden talent and Juliet made sure she used it to win over snobby people like Ariel.

“Yes thank you,” Juliet answered in a bored tone, “Now if you may, we’re looking for something elegant but at the same time will make us look sexy.”

The woman nodded, before she replied, “I have just the dresses! Come, we better hurry before anyone else gets to them.”

Ariel led us across the boutique towards a small, metal spiral staircase and then walked up to the second floor of the shop. Juliet gave me a grin as we followed her up to the second floor that had small leather sofas placed at one end of the floor while on the other side were rows of dresses still packed in their plastic bags. Turning to us with a proud look, Ariel smile widely and then began to lead us towards a rack filled with dresses.

“So tell me,” Ariel began, “what kind of dress would you like?”

Juliet sighed dreamily, “I want a gorgeous dress that’s long and whimsical…”

Ariel laughed slightly before nodding, “I meant with colour?”

“Oh,” Juliet replied, a slight blush heating her cheeks then she spoke, “I was actually thinking of going with gold.”

“Marvellous choice,” Ariel replied, “it will bring out your inner beauty.”

“Hear that Viv,” Juliet whispered, “I have inner beauty.”

I rolled my eyes in amusement as I replied, “Everyone has inner beauty.”

“Sorry but I beg to differ,” Juliet protested, “Have you met Jessica?”

“Jessica’s not that bad,” I replied, “she’s nice when you get to know her.”

Juliet scoffed, “To you maybe, but to me that girl is just another blonde trying to be Prom Queen.”

I bit back my reply as my mind wandered back to the day I had discovered that Jessica really wanted to win Prom Queen. It would be sad if she didn’t win, after all this meant everything to her. And what was the point of me running for Prom Queen anyway? I was Vivienne Lanter, the geek turned popular all because of some silly revenge scheme at Matt Jacobs. I didn’t know the first thing on being Prom Queen.

“And what about you,” Ariel asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I turned to her then smiled sheepishly as I replied, “I’m not sure?”

“Not sure,” Ariel repeated with a slight gasp, “Honey, this is Prom, you can never not be unsure on what type of dress you want.”

I bit my lower lip nervously before I mumbled, “Something pretty?”

Juliet rolled her eyes at my lame answer before she took over, “Get her something girly yet bold, she is after all running for Prom Queen.”

“You are,” Ariel questioned in surprise, “I would never have guessed.”

I shrugged, “My thoughts exactly,” I breathed.

After countless of changes into almost half of the dresses that Ariel had thrown into the changing room I stood in, I finally was ready to give up. None of the dresses looked right, they were either too bold or too frilly and the olive-green one that was on me at that moment just looked like I had emerged from a rollercoaster filled with people who all had a weak stomach. Yes, it looked as though someone really did puke on me.

“I don’t know about this,” I stated as I pushed open the door, “this dress really well…”

“It looks like crap,” Juliet replied for me.

Ariel cringed at the empire cut dress which came down to my ankles and flared out in all the wrong places. Talk about a bad Prom dress Viv. Look at it! The green doesn’t even look right, not with all those ruffles at your waist and let’s not start about the way your body just disappears in the whole thing. No wonder you have no date, look at the dress you’re wearing!

“How about something,” I began, “more romantic?”

Ariel beamed, “I have just the dress for you!”

After disappearing behind a closed door, Ariel emerged carrying an elegant, long dress that was a pale pink colour in the light. She smiled at me as she handed me the long dress and nodded with a look I could only describe as ‘wise’. Walking back into the dressing room, I stripped off the olive-green dress and shuddered slightly as I gazed at it before I pulled on the strapless dress which seemed to have been made especially for me.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror before a slow smile took over my lips. The dress cascaded down to my feet and flowed freely around my legs. The bodice was decorated elegantly with small silver, metal curls and twists with small roses at the ends which held tiny pink pearls. I sighed as I ran my hands down the soft material and stared at my reflection. The almost sheer white dress looked brilliant and I couldn’t help the smile which seemed to radiate along my lips.

“Are you going to show us what you look like or-” Juliet began as she flung opened the door then stopped.

I smiled softly, before asking, “You like?”

“I love!” Juliet replied before she yanked me out of the small cubicle and showed me off to Ariel.

“I think you’ve found your dress,” Ariel breathed as she looked over the dress.

“I think I have,” I murmured at my reflection.

School was everything you’d expect it to be before Prom; girls chattering excitedly about their dresses, guys still trying to figure out who to ask in the last week and of course the whole buzz about our theme which this year was ‘A Fairy Tale Fantasy’. Angelica, the student body president, although was a stuck-up snob who preferred spending her time hanging around the rich kids at school, still seemed to have done a great job at capturing what everyone wanted.

Since Prom was at Redwood Hotel, the only things around school that gave away any hints that Prom was only around the corner were the countless flyers and poster and of course the little box at the entrance of school where everyone was allowed to cast their votes for Prom Queen. Eyeing the box nervously, I really wished that somehow that Jessica would win.

“Vivienne,” Jessica called.

I smiled, “Jessica, hi,” I greeted.

“So,” Jessica beamed enthusiastically, “Prom Queen huh?”

I nodded as I replied, “Yeah…Prom Queen, cool…”

“Look Vivienne,” Jessica said with a serious expression, “I just wanted you to know that I’m okay with whatever happens.”

“You are?” I asked slightly shocked.

“Yeah,” Jessica replied, “I mean, you deserve the crown as much as any other girl does so I just wanted to say, good luck.”

I smiled up at Jessica before she turned to see a few cheerleaders walk passed. Turning back to me she smiled again before she ran after them. For a moment I stood there, watching as she left after them before I shook away the happy thoughts which were swirling around my mind and glanced back at my locker. I turned the combination before I swung the door opened only to be greeted by an envelope which sat in the middle of it.

My brows furrowed in confusion as I pulled out the envelope that had printed clearly in bold on the outside ‘To Vivienne Lanter’. Running my finger along the seal, I opened the envelope which revealed a folded page. Unfolding the page, I couldn’t help but smile slightly as my blue eyes ran over it. The page seemed to be a small treasure map complete with an ‘X’ at the end and photos for clues. As I shut my locker door, I glanced up at the clock then then decided I had enough time to follow the ‘treasure map’.

The first clue revealed a small photo of our school music room with a few students singing and I smiled as I walked towards the music room where my whole becoming popular makeover began. As I passed the empty classes and a few lingering students who didn’t go to the lunch room, I wondered who would have sent me the envelope and almost instantly my mind could only come up with one answer.

I arrived at the music room and noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Pushing the door open, I entered it and found it to be empty with the exception of a red rose that was lying against the window. Picking it up in my hand, I brought it to my nose and inhaled the sweet scent. I glanced back at the map and smiled before I made my way to the soda vending machine. A small photo was stuck against the machine and I reached out to pull it off. Grinning slightly at the picture of the Coke on it, I turned the picture around to reveal a small silver coin.

I slipped the coin into the machine and pulled out a Coke before I turned my attention back to the map. The next clue was the last clue to reach the red ‘X’ at the end and I began to make my way to the photography room after glancing at the picture of the camera. The school’s photography room was at the far end of school and mostly deserted aside from the school newspaper photographers.

I knocked against the wooden door but got no reply. After a moment of debating whether I should go in or not, the curiosity won and I pushed open the door. The lighting inside was dim and I found my eyes going over every detail of the room which was filled with cameras and film being developed. Looking around, I noticed a small board lying at the end of the room and slowly I made my way to it.

Tons of photos outlined the board and my eyes widened in amazement at every one of them. I ran a finger over the photos, taking in the different time and place. One of me at the salon when I went to get my hair cut and dyed, another was from the party at Chris’s house of Sean and me dancing. As I scanned the photos, each different from the other but a part of my life somehow, there was no doubt at all who had sent me the ‘map’.

“Lanter,” Sean suddenly spoke, causing me to jump up in shock.

I spun around and blushed a deep red, before I replied nervously, “Sean…uh…”

“You got the map huh,” he asked with a smile.

I nodded then turned around to the photos again, “I didn’t know how many pictures you took,” I breathed.

Sean turned to the board before he held it up. For the first time since I had entered the small room, I noticed the writing in the middle.

“Will you go to Prom with me?” Sean asked as I read the words on the board.

I licked my lips as I looked up at Sean who had an expectant look on his face.

“I…” I started then sucked in a breath.

“There’s no pressure,” he quickly reassured, then laughed slightly, “uh you don’t have to say yes…I’d understand because with you just ending with Dave…”

I looked back up at Sean and found myself grinning before I replied, “I was hoping you’d ask me.”

Sean’s hazel eyes snapped back to mine as he spoke, “So that’s a yes?”

Chewing my lower lip, I nodded. I was taken aback by surprise when Sean leaned closer and pressed his mouth against mine. For a moment, I stood there stunned before I allowed myself to give into the kiss. I could feel the smirk along Sean’s lips as he pushed his tongue into my mouth, causing a heated sensation to form at the base of my stomach. Moaning softly, I pulled away to catch my breath and noticed the small smile on Sean’s lips as his arms circled along my waist.

“What,” I asked, my voice coming out breathless.

Sean grinned as he leaned closer, “I’ll pick you up at seven okay?”

A/N So Geeklings, a short chapter but I'm suffering hugely from writer's block at the moment so don't hate on me if the chapter wasn't great.

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Mona-Mae