you can hear it in the silence

Chapter Six- December

hey!! I hope you like this chapter, it was a ton of fun to write. comments and votes make my day!!!!!

In my opinion, Christmas is a bit of a let down. Every damn year I decorate my room, wrap presents weeks in advance, and beg my parents to let the elf on the shelf go on for just one more year. Once the 25th arrives, I'm waiting for this big holiday moment that never comes. After presents are opened, it's like a balloon has popped. There's nothing to look forward to anymore. Kind of like when you listen to an album you were waiting for, but have to wait another year for more music. I'm looking at you, Harry Styles.

The let down Christmas usually supplies doesn't stop me from playing Christmas music on December 1st. I need all the joy I can get, considering Zack is picking me up for the movies in an hour, and I'm sweating so much that my foundation slides off the second I put it on. Thing is, I've never been on a date before. And I know that technically this isn't a date. I made that quite clear. But I can't shake the feeling that this isn't romantic in some way.

The outfit I'm wearing could be better. I went with jeans (just in case) and a low cut sweater. The pink of the sweater kinda looks like pepto-bismol, but it's fine. Maybe if he has a stomachache, I can back out. My phone buzzes with a snapchat notification. I guess I can't back out now.

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"You like it?" Zack whispers, sending a shiver down my spine. The dark of the theatre is great for hiding how nervous I am. If you asked me what the plot of this movie was, I would just tell you someone died, and someone beat someone else's ass.

"Shh." I giggle, elbowing his stomach. You could actually say I elbowed his abs. I forgot how muscular he was. The movie continues, and he pulls the old yawn-arm-around-the-shoulder trick. I know it's cliche, but things are popular for a reason. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Rap music is playing in the background while Zack drives me home. His truck is new and shiny, unlike my beat up Beetle. Everything about Zack is shiny. His teeth, his hair, his eyes. He's like the Ken doll I grew up dreaming of. We got to my house too soon.

"Could we maybe do this again sometime?" He scratches his neck. "As friends, if that's what you want." He rushes to add. I forgot this was supposed to be friendly, and I realized maybe I didn't want it to be. It felt nice to be wanted.

"I would love to."

I open the truck door, hesitating for a second. I look back at Zack and give him a swift kiss on the cheek before walking up the brick steps to my house. I hear the music in the truck switch to Taylor Swift. I smile.

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The mall is like, really crowded. I'm gripping onto Rachel's elbow so I don't lose her in the sea of teenage girls heading in a pack to David's Bridal for a SnowBall dress. Anna is clutching my shoulder, and Rachel leads us into an alcove for vending machines.

"I don't remember it being this crowded last year." Anna pants, hands on her knees.

"It was a ghost town last year!" Rachel cries. "What happened?"

What happened was the lack of dresses online. The problem with a winter dance is that all the homecoming dresses are sold out, but none of the prom dresses have been released. Last year, the hysteria could be avoided because we had a mall less than thirty minutes out of town, the second closest being an hour and a half away. Ironically, the online shopping craze closed that mall, and here we are with every girl in Southern Maryland trying to find a dress.