The difference this time was, of course, that she was mostly doing this to impress a girl that she liked. Chloe smiled, imagining her time with Tori as they ignored the gawking, confused expressions of those around them. The looks on the Frost Flakes’ faces as they realized that Tori ditched them for Chloe was reason enough to go.
Time slowed to a crawl at work while she waited for Tori. When she finally arrived, Tori nodded subtly as she headed to the back, browsing racks of jeans and sweaters before making her way to the dresses.
Chloe approached her, barely able to contain her excitement. “Can I help you find something, miss?” she asked professionally, though her twinkling eyes were a dead giveaway of their conspiracy.
“Yes, you can,” Tori responded casually, strolling to the dresses. “I need to pick out a dress for my holiday dance. Do you think you can help me?”
“Sure,” Chloe responded. Leading her to the racks of dresses, they began choosing styles that might look good on both of them. Chloe picked her favorite for Tori: an ankle-length, sequined red gown which promised to emphasize Tori’s flawless curves. Tori had already selected a few, and Chloe led her to a fitting room.
“Can you stick around and tell me how these look?” Tori requested as if to a stranger.
“As long as there are no other customers, yes,” Chloe replied, quickly scanning the room for new patrons. She walked over to the other clerk—thankfully not one who would recognize Tori as the person who’d trashed the fitting rooms in the past—and let her know that she’d be in the back helping out a customer. Struggling not to reveal their secret, Chloe followed Tori to the dressing room with a bored expression.
For the next half-hour, Chloe offered her opinions on at least a dozen dresses, not that she minded; it gave her an excuse to unabashedly gawk at Tori.
As Tori exited the stall in a low-cut, ankle-length blue dress that was slit nearly to her hip, Chloe had to stop herself from drooling. “You have to get that one!” she insisted. “You look amazing in that one! It goes great with your porcelain skin.”
Tori blushed, thanking Chloe as she peered in the mirror. “I think this is my favorite, too.” She looked at Chloe for a final nod of approval, then she changed back into her regular clothes. The blue dress draped over her arm, she helped Chloe return the other dresses to their rightful places.
As they were returning Tori’s dresses, they started browsing the racks again—this time for Chloe. Chloe was apprehensive about trying anything on in front of Tori; there were fewer styles available in junior plus, and she knew that not every dress would be as stunning on her body shape as they had on Tori.
They simultaneously spotted a dress hanging on the wall and rushed over to it, agreeing that it would be perfect for Chloe. Scanning the room again, Chloe snuck back into the fitting room and tried on the dress. It was burgundy with an empire waist that flared down to her knees, its cut accentuating her chest with embroidered, silver flowers and hiding any imperfections on the way down to her chiseled calves. She felt like a princess, and Tori agreed with wide, eager eyes.
Tori couldn’t help but stare as she watched Chloe twirl in the dress, her ample cleavage peeking over the top as it perfectly framed the rest of her tall, curvaceous figure. They both agreed that it looked exquisite on her, and Chloe put the dress near the return pile to purchase later. Smiling at their conspiracy, Tori bought her dress and left the store with a small nod. They both agreed that there was no need to come back on her day off to look at dresses; Chloe would buy hers as soon as she went on break.
Chloe couldn’t get her dress on fast enough when she got home, pinning up her hair and trying different jewelry combinations as she modeled her full ensemble. She was pleased at the way the dress fit her; her nose often crinkled when she saw her reflection, but with the dress on she felt like a goddess. She thought about Tori again and how beautiful she was, and she hoped that she would still look as astounding when she was beside Tori.
Chloe barely slept that night as she pictured what her first high school dance would be like. She hoped that it would be as fun as she and Tori anticipated.
Chapter 18
The night of the dance had arrived. Chloe and Tori were both on their way to the school with racing hearts, eager for a night of dancing and fun together. Chloe had suggested that they meet at the school and go inside together. Though she doubted that anything would go wrong with Tori after all of their planning, she felt that going on her own was the safest bet. Thankfully, the arrangement was fine with Tori; she was afraid to offer to pick Chloe up, anyway. They decided to meet in front of the gym shortly before the dance started so that they could avoid the throngs of students entering the event and get settled.
Before she could stop herself, Tori’s mouth went agape as Chloe got out of her car. Chloe’s hair draped delicately from the crown of her head in coiled tendrils, giving her the look of a Greek goddess. Her jewelry ensemble matched her dress to perfection: scarlet, crystal chandelier earrings hung from her ears, and a silver necklace with blood-red stones accentuated the exposed flesh of her bosom. Her makeup was stylish but not too flashy, mostly emphasizing her beautiful eyes. Her strapped, silver-toned high heels brought out the silver in her outfit. Chloe smiled at her and waved, her cheeks as crimson as her jewelry.
“Wow!” Tori managed, her eyes wide and unable to stop gawking. “You look incredible, Chloe!”
“Thank you,” she responded bashfully. “You look amazing, too.” Tori’s hair was in a bun encircled by a golden tiara that glinted in the street light from dozens of sparkling rhinestones. A thin line of blue eyeliner accentuated her eyes and matched the blue in her dress. Delicate, teardrop diamond earrings sparkled with her tiara, and a gold and rhinestone Y-necklace demanded attention as the strand ended right at the start of her cleavage. Her high heeled shoes and the slit of her dress only helped to emphasize her toned calves and thighs.
“Shall we head in?” Tori suggested with a coy smile, hooking her arm around Chloe’s. Though a bold move, Tori felt that it could be construed as a friendly gesture if Chloe wasn’t interested.
Chloe nodded, trying to hide the excitement that she felt from Tori’s touch. Her heart thumped in her chest as she was tempted to wrap her arms around Tori and kiss her before they went inside. She refrained, however, afraid of Tori’s reaction.
They walked in together, scanning the room as they entered. The Frosted Flakes, along with their dates, had occupied a corner of the gym near the bleachers. Tori knew from experience that the majority of their hushed conversations were making fun of other students’ dates and outfits. Aaron was with them, and Tori’s stomach fluttered with anxiety. She didn’t want to have to go over there, especially if Aaron was near. She was in such a good mood after seeing Chloe that she didn’t want to ruin her mood by dealing with him.
Chloe’s group was on the other end of the gym, and Jim was at Kristen’s side. Chloe felt a pang of jealousy as she saw Kristen slide her arms around Jim’s waist and kiss him gently on the lips. Chloe rolled her eyes and looked away. As she glanced in the opposite direction, she saw the Frosted Flakes waving Tori over, and she sighed.
It’s starting already, she thought bitterly. It was nice seeing Tori for the five minutes I got without those skanks snatching her up.
Tori glanced at Chloe, noticing the irritation on her face, and her brow furrowed. “I’m going to go say hi to them and come right back, okay?” She tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. Though she didn’t regret going to the dance with Chloe at all, she still felt slightly torn; going to parties and dances with her friends had been a tradition for years, and it was difficult to break herself of the habit.
Chloe nodded. “Go ahead,” she muttered, trying to sound supportive. “I’m not going to ask you to ignore your friends. I’ll go say hello to my friends while you’re over there.”
Tori squeezed Chloe’s hand, some of the tension subsiding. “I promise I won
’t be long.”
“Tori!” Mandi squealed, shuffling across the floor in dangerously high stilettos. “You look gorgeous!”
Tori smiled weakly. “Thanks,” she responded. She chatted with the group while nervously glancing over at Chloe every few minutes. She noticed that Chloe had migrated over to her friends and was laughing as she twirled in her dress. They made eye contact, smiling at each other before returning to their conversations.
Aaron came over to Tori, sneering. “Hello, Tori,” he greeted in a sickening-sweet tone.
Tori sighed, avoiding eye contact. “Hello, Aaron,” she grumbled, aggravated that he had the balls to even talk to her. She glanced over at Chloe again, wondering if she noticed Aaron approach her.
Noting Tori’s sideways glance at Chloe, he snickered. “So who’s your little friend?” He nodded over to Chloe. “She’s pretty hot. Is she taken?”
“Haven’t you slept with enough girls in this school?” Tori snarled.
Aaron rolled his eyes. “What, jealous that you can’t find anyone else that’ll put up with your shit?”
Tori scoffed. “Yeah, I’m so jealous that some tramp is screwing you, probably just because you’re some local football celebrity. She’s probably also doing the captains of the baseball and basketball teams, too, when you’re not around. You’d better wrap your junk up!”
Sabrina stepped forward, ready to snap at Tori.
Aaron scowled. “You’re such a bitch, Tori. Why don’t you go back to your dyke friend over there? I’ve heard all about her and her pink-haired girlfriend.”
Tori rolled her eyes as her face turned crimson. “Whatever, Aaron. Why don’t you worry less about who I’m hanging with and more about using protection so your dick doesn’t fall off?” She looked around at the remainder of her clique, noticing their shocked and scared faces, and decided that she’d spent enough time with them. “I’ll see you guys around.” She trudged away, trying to still her elevated pulse as she headed back over to Chloe.
Chloe chatted with Lisa and Mark, patiently awaiting Tori’s return. Her stomach involuntarily lurched with jealousy as she desperately tried to avoid looking over at Kristen while she and Jim made out a few feet from them.
“So what’s up with you walking in with Tori?” Mark inquired. “You’ve always been adamantly against school dances, and you guys are spending a lot of time together lately. It’s kind of weird, honestly. You’re not turning into a Frosted Flake, are you?”
Chloe laughed. “No, not at all,” she replied. “Tori’s a lot more like us than we realized. She’s a cool chick.”
Lisa rolled her eyes. “You know it’s all an act, Chloe. You’ve seen how she treats people.”
“I know,” Chloe began, “but she’s not the same out of school. The way you see her here—how she acts with the Frosted Flakes—is the real act.”
Tina frowned. “I don’t trust her at all, Chloe,” she interjected. “And you shouldn’t either. You’re smarter than that.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Chloe insisted. “You’ll have to hang out with us someday and see the real Tori. You’d be amazed.”
“But what about all the things she’s said and done over the years?” Kristen demanded, releasing her grasp from Jim. “What about all the things she’s said about all of us? What about all the shit she’s done to everyone in the school?”
Chloe shook her head. “I know it seems impossible, but she’s not like that anymore.” They all gawked at her with disbelief. “I know that sounds like bullshit, but it’s not. I can’t describe it. I mean, we’ve talked for hours about everything that she’s done in the past, and she regrets a lot of it. She admitted that she mainly picked on everyone so that no one would see how imperfect she really is, which I think is the basis for why any bully teases others. Haven’t you noticed that, since she’s been hanging out with me, she’s stopped bugging everyone?”
After contemplating Tori’s actions over the past few months, Lisa reluctantly nodded. “I hate to say it, but she’s right. Sabrina’s been the one who keeps getting on everyone’s case.”
“Indeed,” Kristen growled through clenched teeth, her eyes slits and hands balled into fists as she glared across the gym at Sabrina.
Tina frowned and shook her head. “I still don’t trust her. People like that don’t just change overnight. She’ll probably just act all reformed until you’re done working on that project together. She probably wants to con you into doing the whole assignment, and then she’ll go back to her old ways as soon as you turn it in.”
Chloe shook her head. “I sincerely doubt that, being that she’s been working just as hard on it as I have.” Her friends’ faces were plastered with the same skepticism. “I’ll be fine, guys, okay? You’ll see.”
Chloe glanced towards The Frosted Flakes again, hoping that Tori would be done soon. She heard a loud outburst of laughter from the Frosted Flakes’ direction and sighed with aggravation; from the sound of it, it seemed that Tori had no intention of leaving her friends any time soon.
I knew she’d leave me, she lamented as she started heading to the exit. Tori and I from completely different worlds. She belongs with the Frosted Flakes; I don’t. She’ll never like me the way I like her. I don’t know why I was so stupid to believe—”
Chloe yelped as she felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. She spun around and was greeted by Tori’s wide eyes.
“Sorry for scaring you!”
Chloe shook her head. “No, it’s okay; I just didn’t see you come over.”
“Sorry for taking so long over there; I got out as soon as I could.” She glanced at the door and frowned. “You weren’t going to leave me, were you?”
Chloe shrugged. “I heard a bunch of laughter and thought maybe I was in the way—”
Tori gasped. “Don’t be ridiculous! I was on my way back to you, I swear.” She hooked her arm in Chloe’s, no longer concerned about what her friends thought. “Are you ready to start dancing?”
Chloe chuckled, relief washing over her. “I definitely am.”
As they maneuvered around clusters of students on the outskirts of the dance floor, Chloe noticed that Tori was scowling. Her brow furrowed as she gently touched Tori’s arm. “Are you okay?”
Tori shrugged. “Aaron was just getting on my case a little,” she replied. “I’m kind of glad, though, because it gave me a good excuse to leave.”
Chloe frowned. “What was he bugging you about?”
Reluctant to admit to Chloe that she was the topic of conversation, she said, “He wanted to keep throwing in my face how he’s still with his whore.”
Chloe shook her head in disgust. “Let’s forget about that disease-ridden asshole tonight! We’re supposed to be hanging out together and ignoring everyone else, remember?”
Tori smirked. “Yeah, I guess.”
“So, do you want to get something to drink? I can’t promise it’ll be spiked, but it should be yummy.” Chloe smiled playfully, glancing at the punch bowl.
A smile finally escaped onto Tori’s lips. “I thought you’d never ask,” she replied as they walked towards the beverages.
* * *
They’d been at the dance for about four hours, and the night was winding down. Exhausted from dancing and laughing all night, Chloe and Tori took a break on the bleachers to sip punch and catch their breaths.
“This was a really fun time,” Chloe declared. “Thank you so much for making me go to this.”
Tori grinned. “No problem. Honestly, this is the most fun I’ve ever had at one of these things. It’s so different when you go with someone who has a personality and doesn’t worry about who is looking at her all night long!”
“Well, I didn’t think about who was looking at me all night long,” Chloe joked. “Still, I think I got noticed more tonight than I ever have.”
“That’s because you’re gorgeous,” Tori blurted out before she could stop herself. Her eye
s went wide as she glanced over at Chloe, wondering what her reaction would be.
Chloe blushed and gazed into Tori’s eyes. “You are, too,” she muttered.
After a moment of gazing into each other’s eyes, Tori turned away with a giggle. “Looks like most people are heading out.”
Chloe nodded, taking note of those who were still in attendance. Kristen and Jim were still dancing together, their arms wrapped around each other’s waists as they gazed at each other lovingly. She scowled and looked in the opposite direction, trying to ignore the envious monster in her stomach yearning to rip the two apart. She saw Aaron and Sabrina exceptionally close to one another as they talked, and she glanced over at Tori to see if she noticed.
“You know, I still don’t know who Aaron cheated on me with,” Tori commented, her eyes trained on Aaron and Sabrina. She was becoming a little suspicious about the kind of friendship that Aaron and Sabrina had as she noticed him staring hungrily at Sabrina’s body.
“Yeah, I know,” Chloe muttered, staring at the floor. She was tempted to confirm it, but she didn’t think that this was the right time to break the news to Tori. “You’ll figure it out someday.”
They chatted on the bleachers until fatigue began to kick in. Waving goodbye to their respective friends on their way out, they walked to their cars while recalling how fun the evening had been.
“Thank you again for the amazing night, Tori,” Chloe said. “I had a great time.”
Tori embraced Chloe, enjoying the citrusy aroma of her perfume and the fruity scent of her shampoo. “The pleasure is all mine,” she insisted.
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