skinny || h.s. au [Rewrite Now Up!]

thirtyfive

It's Saturday. And walking into the mall is a strange enough occurrence for Marley as it is. Not to mention her shadow taking the form of an attractive boy with troubled kind of green eyes that remind her of summer grass and warm breezes.

There's far too many people outside a few stores that Harry suggests, so Marley just keeps walking. She never thought of herself to be shy, just reserved for her own well-being. That is until now. When large groups of teens her age make her want to run back to Harry's car and pout until he takes her home.

But then they finally find a store that has what Marley is looking for. Not many people, with a selection of dresses that don't look outrageously over-priced.

She can see why no one wanted to go inside, however, as it doesn't have peppy young workers or cool displays for anything. Just a bunch of metal racks organized by size and a multicolor sign by the entrance that simply labels it "That Dress Place."

How creative. Maria thinks.

"What about this one?" Harry pulls a red dress off the rack, holding it for Marley to see. It's far too long for her, brushing the ground when he holds it to his shoulder. And the top is far too sparkly for the semi-formal dance.

"It's homecoming, not prom." Marley shakes her head. Looks back at the rack she's skimming through. "Plus, I'd look awful in red. I'm too pale to pull it off."

"I think you'd look hot in red." Ands in a lower voice to himself. "Or any other color, really." Smirks. Places it back on the rack. "But oh-kay."

Marley's fingers freeze on the pale purple dress she was gazing at. His words shock her. Enough to trip her up momentarily.

"What about white?" Harry asks, moving on to another dress.

But she doesn't say anything. Just turns and stares at him a moment.

"What?"

"I-umm... white is okay." Marley stutters. Looks away from him again. Regains her confidence when she adds, "but not really for homecoming."

"Any color you do like?" He laughs. Walks over to her, leaning an arm on top of the rack beside her where she's looking.

She smiles. Because Marley knows she's being picky. "Black, like my soul."

"Marr."

"Okay, maybe...blue? Or purple?" She shrugs. "I don't know."

"This is why girls take so long to shop." Harry jokes. Turns to look at dresses beside her.

She rolls her eyes at his comment but says nothing.

And he ends up gazing down at her.

Admiring her.

Thinking she's so goddamn beautiful.

Marley has her inner cheek between her teeth as she skims. Harry can tell by the way her cheek pokes inward and how she shifts her jaw. Oh how he would love to lean down and kiss that jaw. Mark it with soft lovebites. A light purple on porcelain skin. Scattered around like the freckles on her cheeks.

"Ooh, I like this one." Marley says. It's silver and a blueish-grey that kind of reminds her of icicles. Feels the material and thinks maybe just maybe she would look okay in this dress.