Page 52 of Spite

In the hall, Georgia said, “Let’s see it.”

I smiled to myself as I started to take it off, putting it back on the hanger. “You’ll have to wait to see it.” I threw my clothes on and walked out of the changing room, dress in hand.

“So you’re getting it?” Alec asked. “You’re really not going to let us see you? Did you take any pictures on your phone? Come on. You can’t make me wait until the dance to see you in it.”

“You’ll have to get a matching tie,” Georgia spoke with a smile.

“We’re not going as a date,” I said, to which Georgia gave me an are you crazy? look. “I’m going with Christian—he just doesn’t know it yet.”

Alec muttered something under his breath. I knew he wasn’t happy about my plan with Christian, but it was the only way I could think of to make sure he didn’t start dating anyone else in the few short weeks before the dance.

“What?” Georgia practically shouted it. “No. Tell me you’re not going with that dick.”

Now it was my turn to give her a look. “I have to. Alec understands.” He doesn’t like it, but he understands. I headed out of the back, meeting the clerk at the register. “I’ll take it.” She rung me out, and within five minutes, I was over four hundred dollars poorer but one dress richer. Of course, that said nothing about the shoes or the accessories, but those were not nearly as important as the dress itself. Those could wait.

Now it was Georgia’s turn to spend some money. We went back to the store with the pink dress that she liked, and as she checked out, I stood near Alec, clutching the dress, which hung in a bag, folded over my arm.

“You know,” Alec started, glancing down at me, “if you’re really going to get Christian to go with you, you’re going to need to explain some things to Jessie.”

I let out a sigh. Yeah, he was right. Jessie deserved to know. I’d explain everything to her Monday, and do it when Christian wasn’t nearby to overhear.

With two dresses purchased and the afternoon well upon us, it was finally time to go home. Georgia and I tucked our dresses into the trunk, laying them down carefully. As we got into the car, Georgia said, “No reckless driving, now.”

Alec smirked. “Right, because now there are two expensive dresses in the car, and those fancy pieces of fabric are way more important than us.”

“I’m glad you understand,” Georgia said, buckling her seatbelt.

After GPS-ing the way back, we got on the road. Alec would drop Georgia off at her house first, and then me at mine. Three hours later, Georgia was getting out, retrieving her dress from the trunk, and waving as she headed into her house. Then it was just me and Alec.

Alec shot me a fast look before backing the car out of her driveway. “You have no idea how hard it’s going to be for me to see you in that dress and know you’re at the dance with Christian,” he said. “Are you sure you really need me to come?”

From what Alec had told me of previous dances, how the gym’s bleachers were pushed to the side and how everything was set up, including the DJ and his projection and speakers, yes. I needed him to come, just like I needed Xander there, too.

“Yes.” I reached for his arm, squeezing it gently.

He let out a sigh. “You’re lucky I sort of like you.”

“Sort of?”

Alec grinned. “Okay, more than sort of. I like you a lot, El. A lot. More than I’ve ever liked anyone before.” His words, while they were not extremely eloquent, made me all warm and fuzzy. Happy, too. I liked hearing it.

Pulling up to my driveway, he asked, “You sure I can’t come in? Meet the folks?”

I hadn’t told him the details about my mother, so I let the folks comment slide as I got out of the car. “I’m sure. I’ll text you later, okay?” Bending down, I met his eyes. “Thank you for today, Alec.”

“Hey, you know I’m always down for spending long periods of time with you.”

I told him goodbye and got my dress out. I headed inside, only to find a note on the kitchen table. My dad and Diane had gone to the store, they’d be home soon, blah, blah. I supposed I could’ve invited Alec in, but that was okay. I needed to call Leah anyway.

Taking the dress up to my room, I hung it in the closet, quite thrilled with my purchase. It was the most expensive thing I’d ever bought, but it’d be so worth it. Even with my bra straps, I’d looked smoking. I closed my closet and dropped my wallet on my desk, reaching for my phone next.

Meandering to my bed, I was about to dial Leah’s number when I nearly sat on a box. A box that had certainly not been there before. I set my phone down, turning to study the box. It was…well, it was obviously a shoe box, but why? Who could have…

I opened it, eyebrows furrowing. A note sat atop the shoes in the box, scribbled in large, decorative letters. I knew who wrote the note without reading it, but still, I found myself reading it anyways.

Elle, these are the shoes I wore when I married your father. I think we’re the same size. They’re yours if you want them.

Diane. Fucking Diane. My mind flashed back, to the day when I first gazed upon her oh-so-lovely handwriting.

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