Chapter 12- THE GALA INVITATION.
952 Words
The countdown to the Autumn Charity Gala had officially begun.
Only one week remained.
Willow Creek High buzzed with excitement as students discussed dresses, suits, hairstyles, and who would be crowned Gala King and Queen.
Rory, however, was far more interested in finishing her photography assignment than thinking about dresses.
"You seriously haven't chosen one yet?" Emma asked as they walked through the hallway.
Rory sighed.
"I have three hanging in my closet."
"And?"
"I don't like any of them."
Emma stopped walking.
"You've had a month!"
"I know."
"And you've made no progress?"
"I've narrowed it down."
"To?"
"Three dresses."
Emma covered her face dramatically.
"We're going shopping after school."
Meanwhile, in the gymnasium, Coach Reynolds had gathered the basketball team.
"You've all been invited to attend the gala as representatives of the team."
The boys nodded.
"The school board expects you to behave professionally."
Everyone groaned.
Coach Reynolds folded his arms.
"I heard that."
He looked directly at Noah.
"And Brooks..."
"Yes, Coach?"
"Don't spend the entire evening talking basketball."
The team laughed.
"I'll try," Noah replied.
"You'd better."
After school, Emma dragged Rory through nearly every clothing store in Willow Creek.
"This one!" Emma exclaimed, holding up a deep emerald-green dress.
Rory shook her head.
"Too fancy."
"What about this blue one?"
"Too sparkly."
Emma sighed dramatically.
"You are impossible to shop with."
"I didn't ask to be."
Just as Rory turned another corner, something caught her eye.
A simple floor-length dress in a soft dusty-blue color hung quietly at the end of the rack.
It wasn't covered in glitter.
It wasn't flashy.
It was elegant.
She smiled.
"I think..."
Emma noticed where she was looking.
"Oh."
She smiled warmly.
"That's the one."
Later that evening, Rory stood in front of her bedroom mirror holding the dress against herself.
Mrs. Hart knocked gently before entering.
"Oh, sweetheart..."
Her mother's eyes softened.
"That's beautiful."
"You really think so?"
"I do."
Rory looked at her reflection.
"I just don't want to look... silly."
Mrs. Hart walked over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Rory's ear.
"You could never look silly."
Rory smiled.
"Thanks, Mum."
Mrs. Hart hesitated for a moment before asking,
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Are you excited about going with Noah?"
Rory blinked.
"We're not... going together."
Mrs. Hart smiled knowingly.
"No?"
"We're just attending the same event."
"Mm-hmm."
"And we were assigned as dance partners."
"I see."
Her mother chuckled.
"You know, when you were little, you used to tell everyone you were going to marry Noah."
Rory's face turned bright red.
"I did not!"
Mrs. Hart laughed.
"Oh, you absolutely did."
"I was six!"
"You were very determined."
"I can't believe you remember that."
"A mother remembers everything."
The next morning, Rory arrived at school carrying her camera as usual.
She had barely reached her locker when someone called her name.
"Rory."
She turned around.
It was Lily.
"Hi."
Lily smiled politely.
"I was wondering..."
She hesitated.
"...could you help me?"
"Sure."
"I'm terrible at taking pictures."
Rory laughed.
"I can teach you."
"My English project needs photographs."
"Oh."
"Would you mind?"
"Not at all."
The two girls spent the next half hour walking around campus as Rory explained camera angles, lighting, and composition.
"You make it sound easy," Lily said.
"It gets easier with practice."
Lily smiled.
"Noah was right."
Rory looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"He told me you're the best photographer in school."
Rory felt warmth spread across her cheeks.
"He said that?"
Lily nodded.
"He talks about you a lot."
Rory looked away quickly.
"...Really?"
"Mostly stories from when you were kids."
Lily laughed softly.
"I feel like I already know you."
For reasons Rory couldn't explain...
That made her smile.
That afternoon, the basketball team practiced while Rory took photos for the school newspaper.
Coach Reynolds blew his whistle.
"Last drill!"
The players sprinted across the court.
Noah stole the ball, dodged two defenders, and jumped.
Swish!
The gym erupted in cheers.
Rory instinctively lifted her camera.
Click.
She captured the exact moment Noah landed, laughing with his teammates.
He looked over and saw her.
Even from across the gym...
He smiled.
Not the polite smile he gave teachers.
Not the confident smile he gave teammates.
It was different.
Warmer.
The kind of smile reserved for someone special.
Rory smiled back without thinking.
As practice ended, Noah jogged over.
"Did you get any good shots?"
Rory scrolled through the photos before handing him the camera.
His eyes widened.
"These are incredible."
She shrugged shyly.
"I had a good subject."
"You always say that."
"Because it's true."
He looked at her for a moment.
Then quietly said,
"I'm glad you're coming to the gala."
She tilted her head.
"Why?"
He smiled.
"It wouldn't feel right if you weren't there."
Before Rory could answer, Coach Reynolds called Noah back.
"Brooks!"
"I'm coming!"
He looked back at Rory one last time.
"See you tomorrow."
"See you."
That night, Rory couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said.
It wouldn't feel right if you weren't there.
Such a simple sentence.
Yet somehow...
It made her heart race.
She picked up the giant teddy bear Noah had won for her at the Autumn Festival and hugged it tightly.
"What is happening to me?" she whispered.
Outside her window, the moon shone brightly over Willow Creek.
The old oak tree stood quietly beneath its silver light.
Only a few months remained before Rory and Noah would return to it.
Neither of them knew that the letters buried beneath its roots held words written by innocent children...
Words that would soon reveal feelings neither of them had been brave enough to say aloud.
- Writer
