THE STRIP MALL DIDN'T give many store options for her particular needs, but Gwenn was determined to find a dress, no matter how tattered or low quality. If it meant strutting to that Christmas gala to face the suppressed wrath of her mother and see the severity of the situation, then she would get whatever piece of cloth she could find that was good enough to be labeled black-tie.
Gwenn entered the first clothing store she found. As she walked in, her senses were attacked with bright fuchsia walls and the blaring of bubblegum pop songs. A female cashier leaned against the register, flipping through a glossy magazine. About like three other girls perused the store, pushing hangers across racks and pulling out pieces to inspect. She followed their lead by walking to the dress section near the back, right next to the shoe section.
A pair of pumps caught her eye, a demanding pink color. It reminded her of the red-bottoms she ordered for Aura for Christmas, but those didn't have the quality as the high-end fashion brand.
She shook her head and dug her hand into the first rack she found, pulling out a navy blue dress covered in sequins. It had a plunging neckline that would highlight her bust, and short sleeves to show off her arms. But the dress only had so much fabric-she pursed her lips at the mini skirt that would leave her legs out for the whole world to see. The last thing she needed was for her mother to scold her for wearing a dress inappropriate for a black-tie event. She put the dress back on the rack, letting it clatter against the metal.
The ticking of time brought a sense of restlessness as she perused the rest of the dresses-none of which were apt for a gala. They were either too short or too casual. The longer she stayed inspecting every piece, the more aggressive her motions became. She grabbed the last dress in her size and almost threw it against the rest of the hangers, inspecting the polyester between her fingers. Her eyes narrowed at the smallest stain near the sleeve.
She should've expected not finding a dress appropriate for a rich gala in there, but the sliver of hope burned brighter than the logical part of her brain telling her she wouldn't find what she needed.
Stomping out of the store felt like she reverted back to being a child when her parents told her she could not drink hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream before bed. A scream was lodged in her throat, desperately clawing up her windpipe to be let out, but she swallowed it down.
Repeated scenes of Sunshine Diner, the old chest, her mother lying right through her teeth, and Ronan pretending how hard it was to find her biological mother flashed in her brain, and her body began to shake as she stopped in front of an actual boutique. She breathed in, closing her eyes, in hopes of calming the boiling of her blood, and opened the heavy door.
White lights shined overhead, and she blinked several times to get used to the brightness. Soft classical tunes played from the speakers. Rows and rows of racks covered the walls all holding dozens of dresses, short and long. Gwenn turned to the cash register, where a petite woman perked up at a new customer.
"Hello," she greeted, jogging around to meet Gwenn at the entrance. "Welcome to Lilac. My name's Mabel. How can I help you tonight?" Her cheeks flushed under the lights, bringing out the freckles spread across her nose.
Gwenn sighed, wishing the ground would crack open and suck her right in. "I have a gala to go to tomorrow night, and I need a dress."
Mabel straightened up even more. "What kind of gala?" A thrilling hunger passed through her black eyes. Gwenn thought the cheery saleswoman would love the company of Aura, both squealing and gushing about fashion and high profile events.
"A Christmas gala for a company," Gwenn said. "Got invited today. If you have any suggestions for a black-tie dress, I'll take anything at this point."
YOU ARE READING
Forever Luminescent
General Fiction"Just shine like you always do." Gwenn Davidson has always known she was adopted, but after clearing up her stuff for her first move out of her parent's house, she finds an old blanket gifted to her by her birth mother that triggers an avalanche of...
