"Shut up Nick. It's just the dress that I wear for the band concerts since we have to get dressed up in all black," Rachel responded, looking down as her hands were flattening the dress around her midsection. She glared at me. Her newfound height in the shoes still did not help her with her stare. She was as scary as kittens no matter how hard she attempted to be threatening.
I couldn't stop the rambling, "Rachel you look, wow."
"Do I really look that bad?" Rachel asked. Her eyes bulged and the new make-up around them did not help the effect.
Rachel really appeared uncomfortable with herself as she stared at me. She was staring down at her dress, her hands trying to smooth out the creases that were only in her head. Her feet facing odd angles as she couldn't stand still. Rachel's cheeks were tinted red on top of the blush.
"Rachel, you look really beautiful. Are those sparkles in your hair?" I questioned as I leered over to see her blond strands glistening in the light.
"Blame my friends for that. I didn't have anything to do with that," she shot out quickly as if to defend herself.
"I'll thank them when I see them. Now let's go already okay, Rachel," I responded, extending a hand towards her to take.
"Do I really look okay?" She put her hand in mine.
"Rachel, you look way more than okay," I replied, interlacing my fingers with hers.
I didn't lie and I saw that smile on her face start to form, the one that I was the only one that got to see. It was one of those smiles that seemed to make her whole face glow. Her eyes showing that glitter of laughter that made it seem as if she had stars in her eyes. Rachel’s cheeks were holding a slight blush as if she was embarrassed that she was grinning, or from the dress, I could not tell for sure. Not like a full laughter her friends got, just something different and yet gorgeous. We left to go to the party, both smiling. Her hand in mine, our fingers moving so that our fingers were interlaced the whole way there. Our fingers were locked and sealed unable to be broken apart.
13
Rachel
A quick, cold, fresh breeze whipped us as we walked out into the cold December night. My legs stung from being exposed. I could not wait to put on my pajama pants, or any form of pants at this point. Nick and I were making our way back to our house after the party that the school was hosting to keep us busy and both of us were feeling kind of stupid about being out in the middle of the night dressed for a formal. Well at least I was, but going by how Nick was playing with his tie I could tell he was ready to get into anything else. Part of me was waiting for a naked comment from him. I was holding my shoes not wanting to wear them anymore, they weren't hurting me, but I love going barefoot, though cold cement didn't feel all that nice. I had lost my summer feet so that each ridge in the road was digging into my soles.
As the wind blew harder I wrapped the sorry excuse of a fabric called a jacket closer to me in my little black dress, knowing it wouldn't help at all, but I was willing to give anything a try to get warm. Nick and I hadn't danced at the party at all nor did we even come close to dancing. He and I spent most of the time talking to our friends. I wasn't fond of dancing so I was not going to start the dance with him. By the way things went I could tell Nick was not exactly in a rush to get out on the dance floor either. Even with the dance lessons we had on the trip about a month and twenty days ago. It wasn't like I was keeping track or anything…
"I hope it snows tonight so we have a white Christmas," I spoke, my voice sounding far off as I gazed up at the clouded night.
"That would be nice, Rach."
"It isn't like we'll have to drive anywhere tomorrow either so we don't have to worry about bad roads."
I tried to ignore the cement digging into my feet. I did not want to stop to put my shoes back on. A pebble stuck to my heel. My chest tightened, I would be missing Christmas with my family. It was a big holiday in my house.
"Do you regret not dancing tonight, Rachel?" Nick asked, making me wonder where that randomness came from.
I looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "No because I hate dancing," I replied, watching my feet one right in front of the other. I shaved my legs today and it felt nice to shave them, they felt smooth.
"You do realize you're a girl right?"
I slapped him in the shoulder as he chuckled. I couldn't hurt him, which is why I took advantage of slapping his shoulder or chest.
"Yes, I am more than aware that I'm a girl. What does that have to do with anything?" I snapped.
"Girls like to dance," Nick shrugged.
"Well I don't."
"But girls like to."
"Well Nick, guys are supposed to be charming and you're not," I barked at him, I wasn't having my gender questioned purely because I don't like to dance.
Considering he has been close enough he knew that I was indeed a girl. Jerk.
"I can be charming."
By the sound of his voice I knew I hit the right button.
"Ha, prove it," I smirked, putting my free hand on my hip.
Nick took my right hand in his left and placed his right hand on my lower back. His loving, bright, sapphire
