I Almost Killed My Crush's Mom

Chapter 20:: Little Red Dress

Chapter 20// Little Red Dress

“This one is cute,” Rita muses, holding a knee length red dress against her frame and looking down at herself. The dress is a high neck, made of tight chiffon material, with small sections cut out of the sides: where her hips will be exposed. It’s a pretty dress actually, and it’ll be perfect for the town’s summer dance in a few weeks. I still haven’t found my dress yet, and neither has Rita, although I’m assuming that she actually does have a million different dresses she could wear back at home. She holds the red dress away from herself again and examines it critically. “Do you think it will clash with my hair though? Because I’ve pulled off red before…but never a red dress.” She bites her lip and looks at me for advice.

“Does the dress come in other colours?” I bite my lip, “You could ask. I’m sure a green or blue would suit you better.” I’m completely making this up on the spot, but Rita takes my suggestion very seriously- nodding and examining the style of the dress. Then, without hesitation, she ambushes the nearest worker: a straight haired girl with glasses and a curvy figure. Her nametag reads ‘Zoe’. She looks terrified by Rita’s determination, and I don’t blame her.

I sigh, and turn back to the rack of dresses I was examining. The Hamilton Summer Dance is coming up in a few weeks, as we come into the last half of summer. It’s a modest occasion really: a layer of decking is set out on the beach, with some fairy lights and the music acts are provided by the high school- who select some of the more musically gifted students to perform. This year, The Beach Café is catering for the event, so Adam needs all hands on deck which is why I’m going. I get the first shift, which is good for me seeing as all I’ll really be doing is setting out food on the buffet tables in preparation. After that, I have no reason to stay at the dance if I find it boring, which is very likely.

I select a dress from the rails in front of me. I don’t want too much glitz and glamour, like Rita or Heather. I’d prefer just a simple dress which I can preferably use again. If it wasn’t for my growth spurt over last winter, I’d wear the dress I wore last year again. Rita would be horrified, but I don’t really mind what I wear. It’s only for one night, and it happens every year- it’s not like it’s my wedding or anything. Plus, I probably won’t stay for that long anyway.

“It comes in navy blue!” Rita cheers, heading over to me. “Now we just need to find you something to wear, and we can head to the changing rooms.”

I fold the material in my arms, not really paying attention to the dress I’m holding, and roll my eyes playfully. “Why don’t you just go to the changing rooms by yourself?”

“Because,” She replies defiantly, “Now let’s find you a dress. What’s this?” She pulls the grey dress out of my hands and holds it up between us, so that for once I pay attention to it. It’s a modest thing: a sleek grey dress with spaghetti straps and minimal detailing across the front. I can tell even before Rita has pulled a face that she won’t like it. I think it’s alright, personally, but it doesn’t particularly stand out from any other dress. She grits her teeth at the dress that I absentmindedly picked out, and slides it back into the railing. “No that colour is all wrong on you,” She instructs, “You need to go for a green, or possibly a red. With dark hair like that…you need to go for bright colours.” She grabs me by the shoulders and steers me towards a rack filled with red dresses.

“You have quite a willowy, slender figure,” Muses Rita, “Which means you need to go for a dress that hugs you in at the waist- accenting your curves. We’ll see if we can find you a little padding for your chest area too,” She bites her lip, staring confidently as she assesses my bust. I instantly blush, folding my arms across my top and considering my urges to throw her in front of a bus. Who’s flat now? I snort with laughter at the thought, but Rita is now searching the racks for something she deems suitable for me to wear. I doubt this is going to go anywhere- Rita and I don’t exactly have the same taste. To my surprise however, Rita doesn’t gravitate towards the bright, gaudy reds like I thought she would; instead favoring a darker tone.