My mom had given me a bottle of Princess by Vera Wang for my birthday and it had been sitting on my dresser unopened for months. Ellie was always spritzing herself with perfume before heading off to school, so on a whim one morning I decided what the hell. I dabbed some behind my ears and on my wrists. It had been over a week since I had picked Brennan as my guy, and time was ticking. The prom was getting closer by the day.
Since English was my first block class, my perfume hadn’t had time to wear off. I chatted with Rachel in the hall until I was sure Brennan was seated, and then I entered, passing close by his desk. I thought I saw the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. However, he often smiled at me when I sat down. It didn’t really mean anything.
Moments later he leaned over and asked to borrow a pen. I purposefully handed him one wrist side up.
“Thanks,” he replied, taking it out of my outstretched hand. I swore I saw him take in a deep breath and smile. I couldn’t be sure though. Either way, I’d take it. It was a small start.
One of the first things a guy notices about you is your smile. Ellie was always going on and on about how great her smile was. Of course, part of that was due to the thousands of dollars our parents spent on her orthodontic procedures, but this is not the time or place to get into all of that. I believed she was on to something when she said having a great smile was important. A smile can say many different things about you – shy, happy, fun, flirty, or sexy. I suggest practicing in front of a mirror to master the different emotions you are trying to convey. Do you know the cliché – a picture is worth a thousand words? I say, a SMILE is worth a thousand words. Once you’re ready, flash him one of yours, and see for yourself.
One night after washing my face and brushing my teeth, I decided it was time to practice my own smile. My teeth were straight, although I did have a small gap between my two front teeth, which the dentist said would fill in once all of my permanent teeth came in, but it never did. I sighed as I stared at it in the mirror. Oh well, there was nothing I could do about it now. Luckily, I did have one really good thing going for me – dimples. I barely had to smile and my dimples would show. I know Ellie was jealous of them. I spent several minutes trying to appear flirty and then I moved on to trying to look sexy.
“What the - ” I shouted as Ellie came barging into the bathroom that we shared.
“What is taking you so long in here?” Ellie asked, eyeing me critically.
“Don’t you ever knock?” I snapped back at her. I tried to act like I had just finished brushing my teeth, but Ellie was too smart to believe that.
“OMG – are you practicing ugly faces in the mirror? I’m surprised it didn’t crack,” she said, making a big deal out of carefully inspecting the mirror.
“Do you always have to be such a bitch?”
Ellie laughed and gave me a look that said she thought I was the biggest loser ever. “I swear you must’ve been switched at the hospital.”
“Fuck you.” I spun on my heel and returned to my room. I wasn’t in the mood to stand around and get into it with Ellie. I heard her laughing as I slammed my bedroom door. Perfume and a great smile were a good start, but it wasn’t enough. I climbed into bed and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Prom was getting closer every day and nothing really had changed. A smile here and there didn’t equal a date to the prom. I needed something bigger to get Brennan to notice me.
Attacking my wardrobe had to be the next big task. Ellie was right; it was time to ditch the hoodies. I read every fashion magazine that Ellie had left lying around the house, getting ideas and tips from the experts. Then I called Rachel and we went to the mall. Spending half of all the money I’d saved from my birthday, I bought several new outfits.
I learned a lot during my quest for the perfect wardrobe. I thought buying “the right clothes” was going to be complicated and expensive, but it turned out to be much simpler than I thought. There are just a few basic guidelines to follow, which I have highlighted in this blog entry.
Let’s start with jeans - a quintessential component of any teenager’s wardrobe. I always thought that guys cared about labels, WRONG. Most don’t know the difference between Abercrombie, Lucky Brand, or Hudson. All they notice is how your butt looks in them. Make sure you turn around and look in the mirror when trying on jeans. If your butt looks great, you’re all set. Easy, right?
If you have really great legs, then grab a short skirt off the rack. Maybe he’s never seen what great legs you have hiding underneath your jeans, and it’s about time you showed him. He deserves to know the truth about your sexy legs.
The same principals apply to picking out what tops to buy, you’ll want a style that shows off your best features. Do you have great shoulders from the countless laps in the pool? Then wear a cute flirty tank top. Do you have sculpted arms from playing tennis, or big boobs that you inherited from your Aunt Sally? Try wearing a short sleeved fitted t-shirt. Whichever style is right for you, pick a color that brings out your eyes and coloring. Patterns should be simple, not busy.
Now that you have put together a rockin’ outfit, don’t ruin it by wearing your smelly gym shoes – been there, done that. I would also avoid wearing heels. They look good, but they can be impractical for high school. Pairing jeans with a killer pair of cowboy boots or flip-flops is always fashionable. One of my favorite looks is a jean skirt with converse sneakers, which come in an array of colors, or you can design your own you if you visit their website.
Once you have your kick-ass outfit, it’s time to focus on your hair and makeup. As you already know, my red hair is the bane of my existence. I hate it. I would give anything to change it, but I can’t. Sigh. You on the other hand, have potential. Smile. My best advice is to match your hairstyle with the look you’re trying to achieve. For example, if you want a schoolgirl look (plaid skirt, white blouse), try braiding a small section of your would-be bangs, and then pull it into a big ponytail in the back. If you’re wearing jeans and a trendy t-shirt, then wear your hair down. If you are wearing a short jean skirt, and you’re in a hurry, choose the messy-bun-look. You get the idea.
Makeup is the final touch before heading out the door. Personally, I’m not really all that into makeup, but it is a necessity, and a little can go a long way in producing big results. Let’s begin with drawing attention to your eyes. Applying eyeliner on the top of your eyelid and just below will make your eyes stand out. You can add a little color to your eyelid for further definition, and mascara to lengthen your eyelashes. Put it all together, and he’ll lose himself while gazing into your beautiful eyes. Moving on to the rest of your face, you’ll want to highlight your cheeks with blush to give you color. Adding a thin layer of lip-gloss to your lips will make him realize that your mouth is irresistible, and he’ll dream about kissing it. My favorite cosmetic, although not essential, is nail polish. I want my hands to look pretty, so that he’ll want to hold them while we walk down the hall or when we’re at the movies. Don’t be put off by the cost. Manicures and pedicures don’t have to be expensive. I love treating myself to at-home manicures and pedicures. Even the creative names of OPI nail polishes, like “you’re a Pisa work,” “red my fortune cookie,” and “who the Shrek are you,” put me in a good mood.
It will be impossible for him not to notice your new look. He won’t be able to get you out of his mind. As always, please leave a comment. I love hearing from my followers.
The next Monday morning I came down to breakfast wearing a short jean skirt that showed off my long lean legs. I knew most girls would be jealous to have legs as long as mine. I bought the skirt over the weekend, and I wanted to wear it before I lost my nerve. I pulled on a plain green t-shirt to go with it, nothing too revealing, but it was a deviation from the oversized sweatshirts that I usually wore. Even I had to admit that it really brought out the color of my eyes. I slipped a pair of black converse on my feet. Originally I had wanted to do something different with my hair, but I took so long deciding what to wear
that I only had enough time to pull it into a ponytail, like always. Anyway, I thought the skirt was enough. I didn’t want to be completely outside of my comfort zone.
As soon as Ellie saw me walk into the kitchen she exclaimed, “What’s the special occasion?”
“Nothing. I just felt like wearing this.” I tried to act like it was no big deal.
“As if. You haven’t worn anything other than those dreadful sweatshirts to school throughout your entire high school career, and now suddenly you feel like wearing something different. What gives?”
“Nothing. Leave me alone,” I said, as I reached around her to grab a bowl out of the cupboard.
“Let me guess,” she tapped her finger on her chin while looking up at the ceiling, “you still don’t have a date to the prom.” She chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. “And all this,” she pointed at me, twirling her finger to indicate my new look, “is all about trying to trick someone, other than that nerd Simon, into asking you.”
I slammed the milk down on the table. I inhaled through my nose, getting my anger under control. I had put a lot of effort into this day and I didn’t want Ellie ruining it. I poured myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes and began to eat.
Ellie wouldn’t let it go, “You’re all dressed up, pretending to be more interesting than you are. When in reality, you’re the same boring person you’ve always been.” She stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for me to defend myself.
I struggled not to dump my cereal over her head. It would have been so satisfying to watch soggy cereal drip down Ellie’s face, replacing her smug look with one of shock. I took one more bite, and then I rinsed out my bowl and put it in the dishwasher.
Continuing to ignore her, I grabbed my coat and bag, and left. Rachel was waiting for me in the driveway. She picked me up for school every day, so we could chat on the way.
“Wow, you look amazing!” she exclaimed, when I slid into the passenger seat. “That skirt looks really great on you. And your makeup looks just like it did when the lady in the store did it. We should’ve hit those stores ages ago.”
“Thanks,” I said, shyly. I wasn’t used to receiving such gushing compliments, even from my best friend. “You look great too.” Rachel normally wore skinny jeans and a plaid shirt, but she branched out on our shopping trip by buying a couple of new shirts, and she was wearing one of them now. “No, I mean it. That’s a great color on you.”
“Thanks,” she smiled. “You did a good job helping me pick this one out.” She turned up the radio; one of our favorite songs was playing. “Come on, let’s get you to school so that everyone, especially Brennan, can see how hot you look.”
I hadn’t told her about my 10 step plan yet, but she knew that I was secretly crushing on Brennan, and that I desperately wanted him to ask me to prom. “I hope he thinks so.” I looked nervously over at Rachel.
“Please. Brennan would have to blind not to notice you.” She smiled brightly at me.
Rachel and I anxiously waited out in the hall outside of English class. The plan was for me to enter the class just ahead of Brennan, that way he’d see me. I was so focused on chipping my nail polish that I didn’t see Brennan coming down the hall, until Rachel nudged me and whispered, “He’s your chance. Good luck.”
I said a quick goodbye, timing it so that I walked in just ahead of him like planned. I wanted him to see how good I looked in my new skirt. Quickly, I glanced back out into the hall at Rachel, who stood waiting to give me a signal. She made a thumbs up sign, which meant that he had noticed me. I did a silent cheer.
“Oh, hi, Brennan,” I said, trying to act casual.
“Hi, Josie.” I felt his approving gaze take in my new look as I took my seat. “You look… different.”
I raised my eyebrows, questioning whether he meant different in a good way or in a bad way.
Comprehending, he responded, “Good. You look good.”
“Thanks,” I answered, smiling shyly. I wanted to strike up a conversation, but I was too nervous. I pretended to be busy. I took my time pulling out the essay that was due today. I finally looked up when Mrs. Perkins walked in and began taking attendance.
Several times during class I thought I could feel Brennan’s eyes on me, but every time I turned to look, he’d quickly look the other way. I wasn’t sure what it meant. When the bell rang, I packed my things in a rush. I wanted to catch Rachel and talk to her before my next class. I wasn’t paying attention as I left the classroom, and the next thing I knew, I slammed into a hard lean body, momentarily stopping my heart. I looked up and saw that it was Brennan. He looked surprised. Shit! Shit! Me and my bad luck. My face instantly flamed red.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, stooping down to gather my books and papers that were now everywhere.
“Wow, everybody, look at that,” Tracy yelled, “Josie wears granny panties.” Everyone in the hall laughed. In my haste to collect my belongings, I forgot that I was wearing a skirt. I was giving everyone in the hall a free show. I quickly stood, tugged my skirt down, and ran, leaving my things scattered all over the hall.
“Josie,” Brennan called after me. I didn’t spare a look.
I ran into the bathroom, shutting myself into a stall, and cried. I wanted Brennan’s attention, but not like that. Now what was I supposed to do? This was even worse than having orange hair. I blew my nose loudly. I didn’t even have my phone to send Rachel a text. I cried even harder.
“Josie, are you in there?” said a male voice, several minutes later. Is that Brennan’s voice? It can’t be.
“Yeah,” I sniffed. I didn’t want him to know I was crying.
“I have your books.” Huh?
“Just leave them. I’m not coming out.” There was no way I was ready to face anyone, especially Brennan, after being humiliated.
“It’s not as bad as you think.”
“I’m sure it’s worse.”
He chuckled. “It’s not. Trust me.”
I sighed. It wasn’t like I could stay in here forever, even though I wanted to. “Okay, fine. Give me a minute.” I blew my nose again and slowly opened the stall. Looking in the mirror, I realized that my face was a mess. My eye makeup was smeared and my nose was bright red. I quickly splashed water on my face and then patted it dry. I walked out, keeping my eyes down.
“Here is your stuff. I think I got everything.” He handed me my books.
“Why are you being so nice?” I asked. “I made an idiot out of myself.”
“It’s no big deal,” he shrugged. “No one could really see your underwear. Tracy was just being mean.”
My eyebrows drew together. “Really?”
“Really. Although I’m not sure what everybody thinks of you taking off so fast.”
“They probably think it’s because I am wearing granny panties,” I choked out a laugh.
“Come on, we’re late to calc.”
***
I kept a low profile over the next two days. Even though I didn’t go back to wearing my hoodies, I didn’t dare risk wearing a skirt again. By the end of the week, everyone had stopped talking about me flashing my underwear in the hall, they had moved on to bigger gossip. Tracy and her boyfriend, Ryan, had broken up.
I hadn’t made any progress with Brennan. We had barely spoken. On Friday I saw an opportunity, so I took it. We left English class at the same time, and we both had calculus next. I fell in step beside him. Usually he walked to class with his baseball buddies, but today they seemed to be hanging back. Tentatively, I began, “Are you ready for the test?”
“I think so. The calc teacher at my old school was a total hard-ass. I honestly thought that all math teachers were like that until I met Mr. McCormick.” He smiled. Maybe talking to Brennan wasn’t going to be as hard as I thought.
I laughed. Our current teacher was the exact opposite of what he just described. “Yeah, Mr. McCormick is pretty laid back. It’s probably because he’s been here forever. My mom even had him, and trust me, that was a long
time ago.”
It was Brennan’s turn to laugh. “I can’t believe your mom had him too. Maybe that explains why he gets sidetracked so easily.”
“He does love to go off on tangents. I’m not even sure how he goes from teaching us about sine and cosine, to telling us how he bought a set of dishes at a garage sale for two bucks, and every time he used a dish he threw it away because he hated doing dishes. I can’t even imagine the look on his neighbor’s face when they were done eating, and Mr. McCormick got up and threw the dishes right in the trashcan.”
“I’m sure she was pretty surprised.” Brennan nodded in agreement.
“I guess he never heard of a dishwasher.”
We arrived at the classroom all too soon. “Good luck on the test today,” I said.
Brennan paused before finding his seat, “Do you want to study for the next test together? Even though my old teacher didn’t tell us stories during class, I think there is a topic or two that we didn’t cover that you guys already did. I’m a little worried that things I missed might show up on the final.”
I did another silent cheer. He noticed me. Mission accomplished. “Sure. That sounds great.”
I was smiling from ear to ear as I took my seat, and I didn’t stop smiling all period.
Comments:
blonde&lovinit: What can I say – I’ve always known how to dress. However I did take this opportunity to add to my wardrobe. I bought 3 pairs of designer shoes and a Louis Vuitton bag.
countrygirl: I took your advice and I wore a little makeup and a new pair of cut off jean shorts to show off my legs. And he asked me out! Yeah! We r going 2 a tractor pull.
The Perfect Prom Date Page 2