I regretted not having eaten at work. Even a fruit bar would've helped. It's not that my dad didn't allow me to eat, it was mainly because I didn't want to be around him while he watched television in the living room. The less time I had to spend with him, the better.
I yawned as the exhaustion from work set in. As I closed my eyes, I thought about the Omega Ball that would be happening tomorrow and envisioned wearing a pretty gown with all the alphas looking at me. The last thing that I thought of wastwirling in the arms of the stranger with the silver hair and purple suit. Mr. Lustfur was his name. He was so full of himself, but something about his assuredness turned me on like no other alpha I've met.
I finally drifted off to sleep with thoughts of dancing in his arms while he whispered sweet nothings in my ear.
The next morning,I woke up to the alarm blaring early at seven-thirty am. I quickly shut it off and rubbed my eyes. I was still exhausted as usual from sleeping on the thin mattress. My skin was freezing from the lack of blankets, and my pajamas were torn again from stretching it over my skin for coverage to make up for the lack of sheets.
The door was unlocked. Usually, it was unlocked in the mornings so I could get ready for work, and I could smell my dad’s coffee wafting upstairs. He was always in a better mood in the mornings, and there was no point in bringing up the night before. I didn’t want to make him mad. After showering and pulling on my blue scrubs, I packed my best outfit for the dance in my backpack. A pair of jeans and a sparkly red v-neck shirt. I knew it wasn’t a dress, but that was the best I had. The lavish gowns I daydreamed the night before was only a dream and nothing else.
I hesitantly went downstairs, nonchalantly slinging my briefcase over my shoulder.
“Let’s go,” my dad said, setting down his cup of coffee. He looked up. “You have to get to work bright and early for that money.” That was all he cared about. I never even got to enjoy my money. I didn’t know how it was to save and buy something of my own.
When he dropped me off at the hospital, I waited until he drove off before I snuck around to the back of the building. I was out of breath by the time I reached the parking lot in the back- where Jade and I agreed to meet. I didn’t have a phone, so I couldn’t exactly call her. My dad had the latest Eclipse Phone, while I had nothing.
I saw Jade standing by her silver car with a smile. Her hands were clasped in front of her and her black hair was done in curls around her face. She wore a simple outfit of jeans and a pink t-shirt. But I knew she was going to go all out later. She wasn't one to look simple for too long.
“Ahh, I can’t believe you’re coming with me this time!” said Jade. “All the other omegas are so snotty at the ball. And my family wants me to go every year, but no one wants a chubby omega.”
“I’m sure you’ll meet the right pack who’ll love your curves,” I said, wanting to get out of here as fast as possible before any co-worker saw me, or worse- the manager. I quickly got into the passenger seat and turned down the loud music she had been playing in the car.
“So what are you wearing to the ball?” Jade asked eagerly, her eyes on my dingy gray briefcase. I unzipped my bag and showed her my glittering red shirt and blue jeans. “Oh no, that won’t work.”
“I don’t really care how I look,” I protested.
“Let’s go shopping. Get yourself a new dress.”
Oh, shit.
“I forgot my card,” I said quickly.
“How about you can pay me back after?” she offered as she put the car into gear. She started driving towards the mall and I realized I was suddenly stuck. I couldn’t let her know I was broke and I couldn’t back out of going with her the ball. I was a doctor,for fuck’s sake. There was no way I’d let her know the truth of it all.
“Um, sure,” I said.
The only solution was that I was going to find the cheapest dress there was.
But I soon realized thatnone of the dresses were cheap. We were atMoon Cloud Mall, and it was packed on a Saturday. It seemed as if every person on Howl’s Edge was here. The beta cashiers looked overwhelmed, assisting long lines of shoppers.
I was looking through the dress rack, flipping through the dresses. My heart sank more and more as I browsed, unable to find something cheap enough. The cheaper it was, the more horrible it would look which was to be expected. I was going to just call it a day, and pretend I was too sick to go to the dance.
“How about this one?” asked Jade, holding out a pretty periwinkle blue dress.
“It’s loud,” I said, cringing at the dress. “I want something a little more lowkey.”
I stopped rifling through the dress rack when I saw it. A dress that caught my eye.
It was a black sparkling dress with spaghetti straps and a low neckline. The waist was tight and flowed elegantly down. Running my hands down the fabric, it was made of satin and soft to the touch. Then, I looked at the dreaded price tag, $39.99. I didn’t even have a dollar to my name. Scratch that, apennyto my name.
“Is that the one?” asked Jade, touching the dress.
“I want to try it on first,” I said before giving her a definite answer. I had to absolutely love it before going into debt forit. The shopkeeper of the store led me to the fitting rooms. Removing my scrubs, I pulled the dress on carefully over my head, scared to rip it.
“Can I see it?” asked Jade.
“I need help zipping it up,” I called, and Jade was waiting on the other side of the door when I opened it. She helped zip it up, and I took a long minute as I looked in the mirror. The black dress sparkled in all the right places, accentuating my waist and butt. I never felt so pretty in life and I shyly looked at the ground.
“It’s stunning,” said Jade. “With just the right amount of makeup and jewelry, you might snag a hunky alpha pack.”