Societies Misfits (Completed)

Chapter Four

Malls give me anxiety. The number of people compacted into one small space is the worst. You have no idea what could happen, like what if someone is planning to rob you as you're walking with your handbag on your shoulder to the restroom. I remember seeing that on the news once this elderly woman was pushing her groceries in her shopping cart and her handbag was placed in the seat where little kids sit in the cart and when the lady was loading up the back of the car a man came up behind her and grabbed her handbag. I say serve her right for leaving her bag without holding onto it but it is also stupid for me to say that because nowadays we have to be so aware of everyone around us, Because you truly don't know what another person could be plotting to do like coming up behind and trying to rob or even hurt you.

We have one massive mall in Crestwood which holds about eighty stores. Like your usually grocery stores, clothing, toys, books and even a pool store. We only have one huge dress store called "Diamonds and Bedazzle" it only recently opened but it's huge. Bigger than any other store I've ever seen in my whole life. Not a lot of people shop in there because it's highly expensive only the wealthiest families shop there.

The interior is laid out with rich white marble countertops with diamond encrusted lamp shades around the lights. To me, the diamonds look fake. I mean I own some diamonds and this just doesn't look like a diamond. It doesn't have that shine it's meant to have. And also there would most likely be a security guard watching patrolling the store but there is just a middle age woman watching us from the counter.

Clair and I step in while Brent meets his boyfriend Max at the food court in the mall.

"It smells like an old lady in here," Clair says holding her nose with her fingers.

"Its called luxury Clair but maybe it's just your dirty gym clothes that smell," I say not meaning it

Clair and I browse the hundreds of dresses on display but can't find the perfect one.

"Do you girls need help? " the middle-aged women says from the counter

"As if we need help from her" Clair whispers to me while looking at her up and down.

"Don't be rude Clair, I trust her opinion more than my own, she looks like she has experience with men," I said winking

"Hi yes I'm looking for a dress to impress someone, and you look like a person who likes to dress to impress," I say looking at her silver plastic party crown she is wearing on top of her head which I've seen in the dollar store.

"So you're looking to stand out and make all the boys jaw drop," she says twisting her yellowing hair

I nod

"Well you've come to the right place, follow me, " she says walking to a white door.

"Behind here is where we keep our most prestigious dresses and accessories," she says with a twinkle in her eye

Clair and turn to each other with excited looks as the lady grabs a humongous keychain full of antique looking keys.

"Too many keys on this, it could take a moment," she says fiddling with the lock and multiple duplicate looking keys.

The key she used to unlock the door was among the smallest of all. You think for a room as exclusive and well hidden as this you would never think a little key like that would open a room as magical as this.

The door swings open and inside it looks unreal. The gold walls and the diamond floor titles are just among the few things so fascinating about this room.

"These dresses have been worn by some of the most famous people in Hollywood," she says pointing to a blue and pink dress.

"This dress was worn by Lady Lucinda a famous Hollywood actress from the early 1930's," she says proudly

"I thought she was going to say Beyoncé or Rihanna wore this, not some deceased old Hollywood actor," Clair says elbowing me in my rip.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a beautiful velvet red dress which sliver sparkles shiny from every inch of the room.

"Excuse me is this dress for sale," I say pointing to it

"Why yes but it is the least expensive and frankly not that Impressive," she says

Her version of impressive is far more different then what I think is impressive. To me, impressive means Elegant practical yet breathtaking at the same time but also stands out from all the rest. What I gather from her is her version of impressive is big fluffy majestic and grand oh and don't forget old. Almost like in a storybook. But it's not Halloween and I'm not dressing up as Cinderella for a house party.

"How much is this dress?" I say crossing my fingers and toes that it's not hugely expensive

"it's $1235 full price but if you want to rent it for a special occasion it's $348," she says looking at the price tag.

I turn to Clair "What do you think"

"Its very beautiful Bridget but are you sure your mom will let you spend that much"

"Clair I have to impress Jackson Riley and besides I'm only renting it for the night"

"Omg good I thought you were buying it straight out, I got scared that you wouldn't have enough money for shoes"

"If anyone can even see my shoes under this dress"

I pay for the dress while Clair admires the overly priced prom dresses in the window.

"Three thousand isn't a lot right?" Clair says as I make my way to her with my dress neatly packed away in a beautiful black and gold box.

"Too much for you," I say and we meet up with Brent and Max.

Later that evening Clair and I sit in my bedroom getting ready while Brent puts up party decorations and a photo booth outside. He sets out chips and some beverages which we picked up from Walmart earlier today.

"I hope no one breaks anything," I say to Clair as she puts her earring in her left ear.

Two summers ago when Clair and I went swimming at the public pool Clair didn't have her earrings in while swimming and the next day she woke up and her right ear where the hole for the earring was closed up. She's been too afraid to ever get it Re-pierced again because last time she fainted. So know she uses one real earring and one clip on earring which looks ridiculous because for the most part if she's wearing her emerald earrings she will clip in a cheap seaweed looking colored earring on her other ear.

Clair looks down at her phone to check the time.

"Omg I Have to meet Hudson at his house in ten minutes," she says realizing the time.

"Why doesn't he just come here"

"Because we have to make an entrance together," Clair says slipping on her silver 4-inch heels.

Half an hour later and I can finally hear the first of the guests arriving at my house. I quickly put on my velvet red dress which I purchased earlier today with matching matte red high heels. Looking in the mirror I don't even recognize myself. Clair did an amazing job with my hair and makeup I feel like crying. But I compose myself so my makeup doesn't get ruined.

I open my Bedroom door and I am greeted with Brent.

"He's here"

"Already?"

"Yeah and he looks hot"

Brent holds my hand and we walk down my white hallway. As I'm walking I look at all of the all the photos hanging up of me and my mom together. One at the park. One at my fifteenth birthday party. And one when I was born. I notice in all of them she's not smiling. I've never noticed that before I say to myself and mentally take a note to remind me to ask mom about that later. Brent walks downstairs and I wait at the top of the stairs almost like a princess in a movie. I silently pray to myself that Brent doesn't announce me like I'm some princess in a Disney movie. Thankfully he doesn't.

I slowly descend the staircase as I ever so carefully walk down the long flight of wooden stairs and I hope and pray I don't slip and cut my head open on the sharp wooden steps. I wish mom would have stuck to carpeting the stairs like she used to have them when I was little but she says carpet on stairs is so 2007.

Everyone turns when I make my way down the stairs and someone turns down the blaring music which was playing some new Drake song.

Someone whistles as I take my last step down the fourteen long and agonizing steps.

"Hello everyone and thank you for coming to my house party. I say at the bottom of the stairs.

"I would like to just make it clear to you guys to not break anything that looks old or fragile my mom will kill me, and don't go upstairs I've locked all the rooms so if you want to get down and dirty this isn't the place for you. And finally, the pizza should arrive soon so until then I let the party begin"

And the music resumes accordingly

"One more thing"

"Drive responsibly, I don't want to see anyone of you on the local news tomorrow"

I can already see the news headlines in my head. "Intoxicated teen crashes head-on with an oncoming truck."

Piper Lottie and Sean Owen are both making out near the fireplace while it's lite and It's giving me major anxiety. I imagine Piper inching closer to the fireplace and the side of her dress catching aflame, and the whole of her dress burns her to smithereens like charcoal. I trying brushing that morbid thought away as I continue looking for Jackson Riley.

Brent did an amazing job with the decorations. The gold theme is wonderful. He placed Gold balloons around the whole house some with helium floating up towards the roof. He even taped some on opposite sides of the bathroom doors. Which I think is genius because most drunk people don't know where they are half-time or where to pee.

"Are you ok?" Brent says he finds me in the kitchen.

"Wheres Jackson," I say looking around hysterically

"Outside sitting by himself"

"Did anyone bring kegs?" I say too nervous to walk outside without at least drinking something to lift my nervous.

"Of course queen," Brent says running to the refrigerator avoiding a small barrel looking thing which I assume is the keg on the floor.

He pours me a glass of what looks like white wine and I skull it down and hand him the cup.

"Thanks," I say and his eyes are wide

"I thought you said you've never drank before"

"Mom hides a bottle of brandy in the basement fridge and sometimes when I'm stressed I will take a shot of it"

"I love you even more for that", He says and walks away with two red solo cups in hand.

My backyard is probably the smallest area of my house. It barely fits a pool and mom got our gardener to replace the grass with cement a couple years ago. I don't mind it though, I rarely go outside in the backyard let alone swim in our small pool. We once had a dog named Dot she was a Dalmatian puppy, we had for about three months before we had to give her away because mom said she felt sad to leave a big dog like her in this small backyard, which I could understand a dog can't live in a backyard the shaped of a basically small Snickers bar.

Outside its very cold for an early spring night. I wish I would have worn something less revealing and more suitable for this weather.

Jackson Riley is sitting alone on the park bench in front of our only tree in our yard which has been there since we moved in.

"Hey," I say heart beating a thousand miles a minute as I walk past some of the party guests who are waiting outside the photo booth for there turn.

"You look amazing," He says staring at me

"Wow thank you, I was not expecting that, you don't look half bad yourself," I say sitting next to him.

He is wearing the same jeans from earlier but has changed his leather jacket to a sky blue jacket.

"Sorry parties aren't really my thing," he says looking down at his clothes.

"You didn't have to come," I say noticing he has a piercing at the top of his ear.

He turns away

"I came for you," he says so I can barely hear him

My heart skips a beat.

"You... You came for me" I say just asking to make sure I heard those words correctly not believing what he said.

"I bought you this, it isn't much but I found it in this antique store near my house and I thought it matched your eyes.

He says pulling out a small rose gold colored box.

"Jackson you didn't have to," I say blushing

"Open it", He says smiling

My hands shake as I slowly untie the ripen not wanting to ruin the decoration. I slide the top of the rose gold box off and look inside.

It was a golden necklace with a pendant of a key hanging from the bottom

"Jackson it's beautiful", I say holding it in my hand

I notice that it has initials engraved on the side of the key. Did he just regift me this necklace with the initials of an old ex-girlfriend that he probably bought as a gift but she gave it back to him when hey broke up I think to myself?

"SM," I say looking confused

But when I look up Jackson is gone.

I walk to the photobooth and open the curtain like a mad person, thinking he is in there hiding from me but it's just horny Piper and Sean making out again.

"Sorry, "I say and quickly run inside.

"Have you seen Jackson?" I say to Clair as she too is making out with her newly official boyfriend Hudson Michaels on my couch.

"Bridget you missed Hudson and I's cute entrance," she says pulling away from Hudson.

"We both entered with cute.."

I cut her off "Clair I asked you a question" I said angrily

"Oh right she says, I haven't seen him," she says and process biting Hudsons lip off.

"Gross Clair are you drunk?" I say to her as I pull her off Hudson.

"I'm tipsy but fine," she says slurring her words.

Brent comes up behind me and taps my shoulder

"Whos ready for cake", He says holding a huge kitchen knife.

.........