Against all Sanity

~10~

Get ready to get awkward... the ride starts now. Enjoy!

Also please read authors note at the end regarding updates.

All the progress that Landon and I had done that night at the school had disappeared at the carnival, and everything had gone back to normal by Monday. We continued to ignore each other at school – when we weren't fighting that is – and no one really suspected anything, not that there was anything to suspect.

About 4 days had gone by and it was now Thursday night, and I was working my shift at Mr. Joe. I wasn't working with Carmen tonight, but because I had asked her for help with my homecoming dress – which I had to have by tomorrow - she had promised to come by.

The shop was empty except for Maria, the other barista, and I behind the counter when Carmen walked in the door with a big bag in her hand.

"I'm here to rescue you honey!" she exclaims as walks inside.

"Thank God, I was scared I would have to wear a brown paper bag," I joke. I mean I could afford a pretty dress, but not at all a homecoming dress.

"There's no shame in not being able to pay for a homecoming dress honey, those things are crazy expensive. Lucky for you I brought one of my old ones, and I think that it will fit you perfectly." This right here was the difference from Carmen and my other friend from school. Carmen knew about my financial situation at home, and since she was a college student she knew all too well what having financial problems felt like. But as much as loved Carmen we didn't really see much of each other outside of school, so we weren't as close as I was with for example Skylar. But Skylar would never understand what not having money felt like, and I was scared that if she found out that I had lied to her our friendship would be over.

"I'm really grateful to you right now," I say as Carmen hands me the bag. I look into it, but all I can see right now is a mess of black fabric and silver beading.

"You can thank me after you've tried it on," she says as she shoos we towards the back. "Go change, Maria and I will handle it out here."

Carmen all but pushes me out back and I walk into a closet to change. The closet is small and smells like cleaning chemicals, but it's okay because I didn't need much space, and breathing is overrated anyway.

When I slip into the dress I'm surprised to find that it fits perfectly. I'm not stick thin but Carmen does have a little more curves than I do, and therefore I was scared that the dress would be too big, though that was definitely not the case.

The dress was a short, figure hugging two-piece dress. The dress was black, but the top part was all covered in silver beading, while the bottom was almost all black except for the top part which had an intricate design, also done with silver beads. It was absolutely beautiful.

I slowly step out of the closet careful not to trip over the brooms on the floor or maybe spilling bleach on the dress, and I step into the still empty shop where Maria is talking with Carmen who has a cup of coffee in her hand. They both grow quiet when I walk out, and Carmen gasps and almost drops her coffee.

"You look gorgeous, that dress was definitely made for you," she exclaims and Maria nods her head in agreement.

"I really owe you," I tell Carmen as I hug her. "Thank you so much."

"Nah you don't owe me, but if you really feel like it I would love for you to write my assignment that's due tomorrow," she jokes and we all chuckle. Carmen had a reputation for not starting the assignment until the absolute last minute, but somehow she always pulled through, and I envied that. Well not the stress, but that she didn't have to put in that much time to get a good grade.