Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

continued to watch me with a boyish grin but my good-for-nothing cardboard tongue didn’t want to move, so I snacked on my corn chips, and smiled instead. I didn’t have much to contribute since my world revolved around the swim team. But there he was, Mr. All Star Pitcher, eating his burrito and looking incredibly gorgeous, sitting next to me.
    “ So, everything’s cool with Senior Ball?” he asked me quietly once Georgia got distracted and started to chat with Shannon and Gracey, who happened to pass by but couldn’t keep their eyes off of us. Callahan didn’t notice.
    I nodded and rolled my eyes. “Yeah. Sorry about hanging up so quickly. I have an annoying little sister who seems to know when I’m on the phone and likes to barge into my room.”
    “ I have one of those, too.” He smiled and his eyes sparkled under his brown hair that practically begged me to run my hands through it. I giggled and melted into a puddle for the second time that day.
    The school day ended better than expected, minus the run-in in the hall with Myranda, one of Brooke’s clones who bumped me, purposefully knocking my book on the floor. Other than their evil looks, that was it. I’d expected so much more.
    But Callahan liked me and asked me to Senior Ball. Neither my uncouth conversational skills nor reeking chorine-infused skin seemed to bother him. Instead he walked me to my last two periods and asked if he could call tonight. I’d already decided to prop the chair under the door knob to keep Lucy out when he did.
    Snow continued to fall as I jumped from Georgia’s passenger seat with damp hair from practice. We’d made plans to go shopping. I just needed to ask permission and get some money.
    The bell to the store chimed as I entered. I scuffed off the ice from my boots and waited as Mom stood behind the counter, her cacophonous voice filling the small enclosure. With flailing arms, she continued on with her story as she rung up the merchandise, oblivious her customers were antsy to leave. I stayed back by the window so Georgia could still see me, secretly scrutinizing the closed sign at Captain Jack’s with hopes Tatchi would walk out the doors.
    “ I know you’ll be happy with the quality of those sweatshirts,” Mom called out to the blissful couple. “Have a nice day.”
    I smiled as they exited; mom’s gaze fell on me.
    “ Thank God for the snow. Lucky for us, they packed for warmer weather. So how are you doing today?”
    “ Great, Mom,” I said with a smile, actually showing some teeth and her face stayed lit up.
    “ Well, that’s wonderful to hear. Something exciting must have happened today.”
    “ Kind of.” I removed my gloves and smoothed the front of my jeans with my hands. “I don’t know if Dad mentioned anything, but—”
    Mom snapped her fingers and pointed. “That’s right. Senior Ball. So I guess we need to go get you a dress, don’t we? Just give me a minute to close up here.”
    The reason for her joyousness made sense now. She hoped we’d go together, a mother-daughter bonding moment. I swayed as the last shopping trip came to mind. She’d held up every ugly or too-much-skin revealing outfit and mocked the designer while I tried to blend into a rack of clothes next to me.
    “ Actually, Georgia’s in the parking lot right now, and we’re going together this afternoon, if you don’t mind.”
    Her curled lips fell into a straight line. “Oh. I see.”
    Guilt hit me hard, pulling my shoulders forward. “Sorry, Mom. She offered and I thought you’d be busy.”
    “ It’s okay. You’re right.” She began to refold the shirts fanned out on the display table in front of her. “I do have to finish sorting that shipment.”
    “ I knew you’d understand.”
    She continued to straighten the shelf and brush off the invisible dust while I stalled, waiting for her to offer up cash.
    “ I—I need some money.”
    “ Right. How much are formal dresses nowadays?”
    Honestly, I didn’t have a clue. “Like a hundred or so—?”
    “ And shoes, I imagine.” Her eyes glazed over as she mouthed something inaudible. I braced for a discussion when she walked over and opened the cash register. “Here’s two hundred. Spend it wisely. Oh, and don’t forget to order your date a boutonniere.”
    I blinked at her as she put the bills into my hand and went back to arranging the display. Whatever Dad said to her yesterday had worked. This was much less painful than I expected.
    “