“Don’t laugh at me!” I demanded ruefully. I knew she couldn’t see me, so I put every ounce of angst I had into my voice.
“I’m just glad that it’s not me who’s going with you,” my mother called as I walked out the door and secured it behind me.
I grumbled to myself as I walked to my car. I was blessed with an awesome mother, but she had a way of irritating me like no other.
I pushed thoughts about the odd phone call I had received to the back of my mind. I had better things to think about.
I drove into town, stopping briefly to pick up a couple of things from the auto parts store on Main, and was soon pulling into Adam’s driveway. Nadine was already there, her arms wrapped around my best friend. The two of them were sharing a laugh. I scowled. Couples made me queasy these days. I got out of the car and handed the keys to Adam.
“Better treat her right,” I said to him as he took the keys from my hand.
Nadine looked me up and down. “God, Dawn! Do you own anything that isn’t black or a very dark gray?”
“I don’t see anything wrong with what I’m wearing,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“And your hair! Do you honestly think dying it that color works?” Nadine put her hands on her hips.
I groaned inwardly. I wasn’t in the mood for a makeover session.
“My hair is naturally this color,” I retorted.
I wasn’t about to tell her that up until last summer my hair had been blonde. I hoped she wasn’t planning a full hair makeover as well. It was bad enough she had convinced me to go to the stupid dance in the first place.
“Well, in that case, impressive,” she said, putting her thumbs up.
“Thanks,” I replied dryly. “Anyway, be good to her,” I reminded Adam, gesturing at my beloved car.
“No problem. Just realize that if I drive her off an embankment into the river, the car made me do it.”
“I hope I’m going to be safe in the hands of your girlfriend,” I said, grimacing.
“She means well,” he replied, returning my expression.
“Everything you need is in the trunk,” I told him as Nadine started pulling me toward her Civic. “Pray for me!” I yelled as she pushed me in and shut the door.
I watched the two of them in the mirror as they said their goodbyes. Nadine got on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck, then kissed him three times on the lips before walking away with a smile on her face. Adam shook his head and headed for my car. This was what relationships in high school were supposed to be like. Good while they lasted, but not something that would cause the end of the world.
I wanted that kind of relationship. I didn’t have to fall in love; all I had to do was love spending time with someone. We don’t find our soul mates in high school, or at least we’re not supposed to. It was good Wesley was gone, but yet it was bad that I had to save him. I missed my blue-eyed boy with every fiber in me; however, my body might object; I could never be with him. We were different beings now. He knew what I was. No boy in their right mind would be with a girl who they knew had demon blood in her veins. Notice that I mention “in their right mind.”
“You ready for today?” Nadine asked as she started the Civic.
Her happy bubble-gum pop started to play loudly through the speakers. She immediately started to sing along. The sad thing was that I knew the song. It had been one of my favorites when I lived with my father. I would put the CD on repeat, grab my brush, and Mitch and I would run around the house like it was a video shoot. Well, mostly me. Mitch just sort of followed behind and picked up the mess that I left. I shook off the memory and looked at Nadine. This could have been me, bright, bubbly, and full of life. Instead, I’d turned out dark, mysterious, and invisible. It’s amazing what four years can do to a person’s appearance and personality.
“You know I really don’t want to go to this prom,” I said, reaching out and turning down the volume, thankful for the relative quiet before she turned it back up.
“Yes, you do,” she countered. “If I’m going to be at a Midvale event, I want my best girlfriend there with me.”
When had I become her best girlfriend? I mean, she lived in Branson, about an hour away. Surely the girl had friends at her school? I looked across at her.
“Don’t you have friends at your high school?” I asked, blinking.
“Of course, silly, but none of them are like you.” She reached over and patted my leg. “You are a diamond in the rough, Dawn. I knew that when I met you the first time. We are lifelong friends, no matter how different we are.” She laughed.
I felt like I wanted to drive my head into the windshield and knock myself out.
“Oh, my gawd!” she squealed without warning. “This is my song!” She turned up the radio to a pitch that made me want to rip the ears off my head.
Nadine drove me crazy all the way into the city. The singing, the car dancing, the waving at “cute” guys in other cars... she was a menace! Finally, right before the exit for the mall, she turned the music down. I swear I didn’t know she was speaking until I looked over and saw her lips were moving.
“So, we’ll hit up the dress shops in the mall first. If for some reason we can’t find you anything there we’ll start on the boutiques. My mom told me about one that you would probably just love. It’s
