Aster put an arm around her twin. “I was trying to be excited because you were so excited,” she said.
“But it’s the best party of the year,” Rose said weakly.
“For you,” said Aster. “I hate parties, Rose. You’re going to have a great time. And you’re going to have an even better time if you don’t have to worry about me.”
Mom dabbed her eyes with the day’s bandanna, which happened to be purple. “My girls,” she said. “You were both trying to make each other happy. That’s really sweet.” She blew her nose.
I grinned at Aster. “I thought you were going crazy! You agreed to do manicures and pedicures! You were going to wear a rhinestone T-shirt!”
Aster grinned back. “She’s my twin,” she said simply.
Rose smiled at Aster. “Thanks, sis,” she said.
Mom ushered me and Rose out the door. “Hurry back!” she said.
And Aster waved to us merrily, a big grin on her face.
I brushed my hair until it was shining, parted it on the side, and pulled it back with a rhinestone barrette. My dress was pale blue with a matching bolero jacket and was actually supercute. I thought about Becky’s pink dress that we’d bought together and my throat tightened. She still hadn’t called me back. It was the longest we’d ever gone without speaking.
Pushing Becky out of my thoughts, I put on my white flats that were trimmed with blue rosettes. I swiped on some lip gloss of Mom’s, then made a face at myself and swiped it right back off. Too sticky.
Rose met me at the bottom of the steps, in the pink rhinestone T-shirt and a pair of capri jeans. Her Hello Kitty overnight bag was slung over her shoulder. What I wouldn’t have given to see Aster in the very same outfit!
“Have a great time, girls,” Dad said, giving us hugs. “And Del, as W. H. Auden once wrote, ‘Dance till the stars come down from the rafters; Dance, dance, till you drop.’”
“Um … sure, Dad,” I said.
He went back to tend to Poppy. He had set up the sick couch for her, which meant he had covered the couch with a sheet, added pillows and a soft, light green blanket, and placed the bathroom garbage can within easy reach. Poppy was watching The Little Mermaid, a glass of ginger ale on the coffee table in front of her.
“Bye, Poppy,” Rose and I called. “Feel better!”
She stuck out her lower lip. “I’ll never eat three Milky Ways in a row again!” she groaned.
“Followed by a pound of Twizzlers,” said Dad, shaking his head.
Just thinking about all that sugar gave me a stomachache. Or maybe it was the thought of what was waiting for me at A Night in the Tropics. I wasn’t quite sure.
When we got to the store, a high school boy in his tux was just paying for his date’s corsage. “Looks great,” he called to Mom before he ran out the door. “Thanks!”
Mom clasped her hands together. “Oh, look at you both!” she squealed at me and Rose. “Let me take your picture!” She rushed off for her camera, then remembered my corsage. She disappeared into the cooler, and returned holding a box.
I opened the box. “Oh, Mom!” I breathed. It was a snap-on wrist corsage, the band covered in tiny, pale blue seed pearls. In the center was a cluster of creamy white roses and a sprig of Bells of Ireland, an elegant flower. The thinnest pale blue ribbons were looped between the blooms. It was stunning in its simplicity. And it would look amazing with my light blue dress.
“This must have taken you forever to make!” I said. “It’s gorgeous!”
Ring-a-ling-ling. We looked up, expecting to see another out-of-breath high school student. But it was Great-aunt Lily.
She always looked well pulled together, but that night she looked extra fancy. She had on a cream-colored tweed suit with a pale green silk blouse underneath. She was wearing a hat I had never seen before, off-white with a sprig of pastel flowers. She was even wearing high heels!
“Looking good, Aunt Lily!” said Rose. Then she clapped her mouth shut, terrified that Aunt Lily was going to yell at her.
But Aunt Lily just looked pleased. Or maybe I should say, she didn’t look totally annoyed, the way she usually did when confronted with the Bloom family. “I thought I would stop in on my way to the Library Gala,” she said. “I heard you ended up doing quite a lively prom business!”
“We did,” said Mom. “We really did.”
“Congratulations!” said Aunt Lily. “I don’t know how you managed to pull it off.”
We all smiled. Another compliment from mean old Great-aunt Lily. Would wonders never cease?
Aunt Lily looked at the corsage box on the counter. “What a beautiful corsage,” she said.
“Thank you,” said Mom, blushing. She was unaccustomed to praise from her aunt. She looked almost confused.
“Is it for your dance, Del?” she asked me.
I stared at the corsage, then at Great-aunt Lily. Then I had an idea.
“No,” I said. “It’s for your gala!” I said, picking up the box and thrusting it into her hands.
“For me?” Aunt Lily said. She looked stunned for a moment. She picked it up, and was unsure of how to put it on. I snapped it on her wrist and she held it up in front of her face, admiring it.
“Thank you, Del,” she said softly. “It’s beautiful. I feel like a princess.”
Rose smiled a big smile. Aster’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
“Congratulations on your prom business,” said Aunt Lily. “And thank you for my wonderful corsage!”
We looked at one another in disbelief. Then she brought us all back down to earth, as only Aunt Lily can do.
“Just remember, you’re going to need all the help you can get to keep the store afloat through the summer!”
We smiled at each other ruefully. There was the Aunt Lily we knew.
The door closed behind her. Mom shrugged. “Well, that was typical,” she said, shaking her head. “But really, that was a lovely gesture, Del. Really lovely.”
“Well, after that lame prom date of hers, it was about time she had a nice corsage!” I explained.
“Enough!” said Rose, grabbing my arm. “Can we please go?” she begged.
Aster waved good-bye and Mom gave us both kisses on our cheeks.
After I dropped Rose off at the party (the squeals were deafening!), I headed over to Amy’s. I spotted the white stretch limo as soon as I turned the corner. Amber, her friends, and all their dates were posing in front of it. The boys looked handsome in their tuxes, and the girls’ dresses were spectacular. It was like the high school version of the Academy Awards. One girl wore a floor-length, Grecian-style, one-shouldered dress, her hair in a cascade of golden curls. Another girl’s hair was done up in hundreds of perfect tiny braids with sparkly crystal beads on them that exactly matched the icy blue of her silk, strapless gown. Another girl wore a short, glittery gold dress and matching strappy sandals that laced up her legs. But my favorite dress of all was Amber’s: a simple black sheath, glammed up with a big pearl necklace.
I smiled. Each and every boy and girl was wearing a Petal Pushers signature corsage or boutonniere. Ponytail holders, rings, bracelets, purse corsages. Even one of Rose’s ribbon chokers. I felt really proud of my family and all our hard work. This victory hadn’t come easy. Take that, Hamilton, I thought.
The parents kept snapping pictures. “Over here!” and “Look at me!” they called, like a group of paparazzi.
“Enough, Mom,” Amber groaned. “We’re totally going to miss the prom!”
The kids started piling into the limo. As Amber was about to get in, she spotted me and gave me a wave. “You look great, Del!” she shouted.
I blushed a deep red as all her friends turned around to look at me. I waved at them awkwardly. “Have fun!” I called.
Amy finally came outside. She was wearing a 50s-style red halter dress with white polka dots. She looked very pretty. “Did you notice my shoes?” she said excitedly. They were white with red polka dots and had big red b
ows on them. They made her look a tiny bit like Minnie Mouse, but wisely, I kept that thought to myself. “Very cute!” I fibbed.
“You look very nice, too, Del,” she said politely.
“Thanks,” I replied. “Are you ready?”
It was time to find out what was going on with my best friend. Time to face seeing Hamilton and Ashley. Time to face the music.
Chapter Thirteen
Amy and I chatted as we walked, but the closer we got to school, the less we spoke. I think we were both nervous. I had no idea what I was going to do when I saw Becky. Especially when I saw her with a Fleur corsage on her wrist.
Outside the school, kids milled around the front entrance. Girls wearing shiny dresses in every color in Poppy’s crayon box. Boys in jackets and ties, all with their hair combed neatly. Carmine was even wearing a tux. He looked nervous as he stood next to Penelope, who wore a white dress with spaghetti straps and a wide black sash.
“Hey, Carmine,” I said as I got closer.
Looking panicked, he grabbed my arm. “Am I the only one in a tux?” he hissed. “Do I look like a waiter?”
“You look like James Bond,” I assured him.
Carmine grinned. James Bond with curly black hair and a slight overbite, to be completely truthful. But complete truths seemed unnecessary tonight.
Amy squeezed my hand. “We’re going to have a great time,” she said. “Even if we don’t have dates!”
I squeezed right back.
I was surprised to see so many parents, posing their kids on the stairs as their flashes went off. I passed by Mike Hurley and his date on the steps. “No more pictures!” he whispered to his mom, who kept snapping away. “You’re embarrassing me!”
I was grateful that Mom and Dad had let me come by myself. This prom was stressful enough without dealing with overeager parents!
Amy and I pushed through the crowd and got in line to hand over our tickets. I had a brief moment of panic as I fished through my mom’s antique beaded purse. But then I spotted the ticket, which I had placed in the satiny pocket.
Mr. Rolando was behind the table, wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie.
“Good evening, Del, Amy,” he boomed. “Welcome to A Night in the Tropics.”
I smiled. It was funny to see him so dressed up, and not in gym shorts and a polo shirt. Even stranger to see him without his whistle!
Amy stepped forward and I followed her through a clattering bamboo curtain and into the gymnasium. I blinked in surprise. I could hardly recognize the place. There were sparkling white lights and a disco ball hung from the ceiling. Multicolored balloons formed an arch over the refreshment table. This was no cold-pizza-and-flat-soda event. I could see real hors d’oeuvres on serving trays, and there was an actual drink station with a “bartender” serving up Shirley Temples and tropical drinks. One corner of the gym was filled with sand and tiki torches. It was stunningly tacky and also really, really fun.
I smiled as I saw some of my classmates balancing on a surfboard for their official middle school prom photo.
“Aloha, Del,” said Ms. Studdert as she placed a brightly colored plastic lei around my neck.
“Aloha, Ms. Studdert,” I said, getting into the spirit of things.
I spotted Ashley, in an off-white strapless dress that fell nearly to the floor and an expensive looking tiara in her hair, holding court and greeting students as if she was the hostess. I steered clear of that side of the room.
Kids were standing around in groups, talking and laughing nervously. I felt a small tremor of excitement as I stood on my tiptoes, scanning the crowd. I spotted Amy’s rejected date, Jimmy, heading our way with Eleni.
I turned to Amy. “Jimmy’s coming over,” I warned. “Promise me you’re not going to get upset.”
She nodded. “No problem. I’m totally over it.” Then her eyes widened. “Now promise me that you won’t …”
I looked up. I was face-to-face with Bob. Shockingly enough, he appeared to have a date.
“Hey, Delfoodcoloring,” said Bob.
I grimaced at him. Then I turned to his date. “Uh, hi, Cici,” I said. I stared at her, wondering why in the world she agreed to go to the dance with Sarah Josepha Hale’s biggest bully. To each her own, I guess.
“Dateless, I see?” he said charmingly.
“I’m here with friends,” I snapped, indicating Amy. “Heard of the concept?”
Bob scowled. Oops, had I hit on a sore point? I was surprised to find that I felt a little bad. So I smiled at him and Cici. “Have fun tonight,” I said.
“Thanks, Del,” said Cici. Bob just looked surprised.
I rejoined Amy. “That wasn’t so terrible,” I said. “How about you?”
She sighed. “I felt a little awkward seeing the two of them together,” she admitted. “But not as awkward as I’ll feel when I see Brian. I wonder if he brought a date?”
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I said.
Just then a Beyoncé song came on and all the girls squealed and rushed the dance floor. Amy grabbed my hand and pulled me along. On the way I spotted Heather. She was sitting on a folding chair, looking bored. Behind her, I saw Billy and his soccer buddies, pushing and shoving each other and acting like, well, boys at a school dance.
“I’ll meet you on the dance floor in a minute,” I said to Amy.
“I’m going to look like a loser, dancing by myself!” she complained. “Oh, look, there’s Jessica and Jackson!” She danced over to them.
I made my way past my dancing classmates to Heather. I sat on the cold metal chair next to her.
“Having fun hanging out with the soccer team?” I couldn’t resist asking.
She sighed. “You were right, Del,” she said. “And so was Jessica. I can’t believe I thought I’d have a good time at the dance with Billy. Popular does not equal fun,” she added sadly. “The only thing we have in common is that we both think he’s cute.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at this.
“Surprisingly enough, I think Becky was right, too,” Heather added.
“Becky?” I said. Hearing her name made my blood run cold. “Have you seen her? What do you mean?”
Heather smiled. “I’ll let her tell you herself.” She stood up. “I think she’s by the refreshment table. Meanwhile, I’m going to go dance with Amy and Jessica.” She glanced back at the horseplaying boys. “I doubt my date will even notice.” She laughed ruefully and headed off.
I took a deep breath. So Becky was here. I wasn’t sure what I would say to her or even if I wanted to give her a chance to explain herself. I didn’t get to think about it for long. The next thing I knew, Becky had plopped down on the chair next to me.
“Del,” she said rather coldly.
“Becky,” I responded tersely.
“That was some message you left me,” she said.
I sucked in my cheeks and stared at my white flats. “What do you expect when you shop at the competition?” I demanded, not meeting her eye. “You know how important Petal Pushers is to me. And you completely betrayed me by going to Fleur.”
Becky’s icy composure broke. “I know,” she said, her voice shaky. I looked at her, and she was holding back tears. “I felt terrible about it. But I didn’t have a choice.”
All of a sudden it all made perfect, horrible sense. My mouth fell open and I felt a huge lump in my throat. I couldn’t even look at her.
“You went to Fleur because you have a crush on Hamilton,” I said flatly.
Becky laughed. “What? Are you crazy? Oh, Del, don’t be ridiculous.”
A terrific sense of relief washed over me. “So then why did you go get your corsage at Fleur when I offered you a free one from Petal Pushers?” I didn’t even give her a chance to answer. “I can only imagine what it looks like,” I said snottily, grabbing her wrist to take a look.
And I gasped. Around Becky’s slim wrist was the beautiful corsage that Mom had made. The one with the butterfly delicately
perched on the pink and purple hydrangeas. The one commissioned by the nice boy to give to the smartest and prettiest girl in the whole school.
I stared at Becky, totally confused. “But …”
“My corsage is from Petal Pushers,” Becky said simply. “My date bought it for me there.” She lowered her gaze and stared at her delicate silver shoes. “I was embarrassed to tell you I had a date,” she explained. “I mean, when Amy and Jessica and Heather were talking about dates, you always acted like you thought that stuff was ridiculous, and that you expected me to side with you on it.”
I felt a stab of guilt. I had always assumed Becky and I were on the same page with everything. It had never occurred to me that we might feel differently about certain things. And, I realized, I did kind of care about boys and dates and stuff like that. Why else had I gotten so upset about Ashley and Hamilton?
“I’m sorry about that,” I said. “I wish you felt like you could tell me!”
“I tried a few times,” Becky said, shrugging. “But you didn’t make it easy …”
“So who is your date?” I asked.
She took a big breath. “It’s Matt,” she said softly.
“Matt!” I cried. “You mean Bob’s friend? No! It can’t be. He’s such a …”
Becky shook her head, smiling. “Actually, Del, he’s great. We started talking in the library one day after school and he’s really interesting. And funny! He knows that Bob can be an idiot, but he feels bad for him because he doesn’t have that many friends. He was glad when your teacher gave him a new lab partner. He says he’s been getting good grades on his labs for the first time all year!”
“But …”
Becky looked at me. “Del, I never have crushes on boys. Never. He’s just so nice. And he’s totally into astronomy, just like me.” She looked into my eyes. “You’re my best friend. Would I agree to go to the dance with someone who wasn’t …” Then she said a word I never expected to hear come out of her mouth. “Crushworthy?”
I gave her a small apologetic grin. “I believe you,” I said. Then I told her the story Mom had told me about the corsage.
Becky looked pleased, but totally embarrassed. “So now you get it?”
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