The Teacher's Pet | Slowburn MJ FanFic

• | Chapter Sixty | •

The congested three-story mall was bustling inside and out with large groups of people filling the air with their loud conversations and jokes. Teens from nearby schools went store to store looking for their ideal outfit, shoes, and accessories to wear the night of prom.

Inside a popular boutique on the second floor, Jay held up a sequin-covered, emerald dress to get Michelle's and Riley's opinion. Both of their faces contorted into instant disapproval and she heavily sighed as she continued looking through the racks of dresses.

"How are your grades doing?" Michelle asked Riley as she looked at some jewelry on a 3-tier stand display.

Riley stood nearby, looking at another display herself. "They're getting a lot better. They said my grades should be back where they were by the end of the semester."

Michelle turned her head to face her and grinned. "So, that means you'll be graduating with us?"

"Yep." Riley couldn't hold back her own smile and breathed a sense of relief that Javen didn't do too much damage to her education. She couldn't really say the same for her emotional and mental health, and suppressed her frown.

Jay walked up beside her and threw an arm over her shoulder. "And what about prom? You're coming, right?"

She pursed her lips, then said unsurely, "I dunno."

"Why not?" Jay tilted her head slightly. "I heard Michael was gonna be there. You know you wanna see your man all dressed up in his suit looking like a complete snack."

Riley chuckled from Jay's teasing and the wiggling of her eyebrows she hadn't seen in so long.

"Just imagine dancing under the moonlight in his arms as he holds you close—" She started to say as she grabbed the fixated arms of a nearby mannequin and began to twirl it around on its rotational stand, making Michelle and Riley exchange amused grins, "—and you breathe in that magnificent cologne he always wears. The way his curls would brush against your face as you two lean in for a kiss." Jay puckered her lips and made exaggerated kissing noises, causing both girls to laugh.

"You should come. We'll pay for your ticket." Michelle offered after her laughing had subsided.

Riley sighed as her eyes briefly scanned the variety of dresses surrounding them. Her mind went blank as the thought of having to find the perfect dress in little time made her a little anxious. "I can buy my own ticket, you guys. But thank you, anyway."

"Ry," Jay started off softly, "if you think I'm just gonna run off with Craig all night, that's not the case. The guys can hang with themselves and us three can have some fun together. It's the final dance for us before we graduate and go in different directions."

"And if you're worried about Javen, there are going to be plenty of security guards on duty. You have nothing to worry about." Michelle added.

Her eyes bounced between their pleading faces as she pondered. They did have a point. It was her last and final senior event before graduation, security was tight, and she did enjoy seeing Michael getting all dressed up. She might as well go enjoy herself.

"Fine, alright." She agreed just before the girls squealed in excitement and she laughed again. "Let's go try on some dresses."

After about two hours, or three, of trying on different dresses and checking out some more stores, then getting something to eat in the food court, the girls were walking through the automatic sliding doors of the mall to Jay's Jeep carrying their own conversation.

"Maybe we can try one of those outlet malls down in SoCal sometime this week." Michelle suggested as they were beginning to walk onto the crosswalk. "They probably have better dresses over there."