Damn Good Reasons **DISCONTINUED - SEE NEW VER!**

Chapter 23 - Rivalry

I made Ace wait in the backstreet while I jumped the picket fence into Natalie's backyard and went to her window. She was waiting for me, and I helped her climb down into sweet freedom.

"Hi Cassie," she whispered. She hugged me so tight I felt my intestines move.

"Natalie... air..."

"Sorry." She let me go.

I saw that she was wearing a pinafore style dress and long sleeve blouse underneath, similar to the outfits she always wore. It hung at her ankles and was more conservative than a Catholic school uniform.

"Are you excited?" I asked. Although, by the way she was beaming from ear to ear and nervously fussing, it was obvious.

"Oh yes. My first date. Oh, I'm shaking inside. Is Vince here yet?"

"No. There's been a change of plans. We're meeting him at my place instead. Come on, Ace is waiting."

"Ace?"

"Yeah, he's our ride." I had actually forgotten that Natalie didn't know about us yet. "I... took a chance."

"Oh! Oh... very well then..."

I sensed her hesitancy and put a reassuring arm around her. "Don't worry, he won't bite."

"How can you be so sure?" she said with an anxious laugh.

Ace barely acknowledged her, which I thought was quite rude, but now wasn't the time to be sorting out the issues between them. I had half an hour to get Natalie ready before Vince would arrive, and I couldn't waste a second of it.

I made Ace wait by himself in my living room while I pulled Natalie into my bedroom.

"What are we doing, Cassie?" she asked.

I took the large, square, flat box from where I'd left it on my bed and handed it to her.

"A gift? You bought me a gift?" She looked at me like she suddenly wasn't sure if I was real anymore - like I was too good to be true.

"Just don't ever let your folks see it, because I bet they'd burn it."

She took the top off the lid, and her eyes went wide in surprise as she revealed the pastel green fabric. I did her the honor of taking out the bundle and unraveling it for her to see. It was a simple strapless style that tucked in at the bust and had a petticoat underskirt that made the dress flare. I had also bought her white heels and a white jacket to complete the look.

"Oh Cassie... it's gorgeous." I noticed her eyes start to well, and I took a breath to sort out that raw feeling that was building in my throat. I felt like a parent seeing their only daughter off to the prom.

"At first, I was worried about Vince being the one to take you out, but now, all that matters to me is that you have a good time. You deserve a good time."

I fussed over her for a full twenty minutes, fixing her hair and filling her head with all sorts of motherly advice. We heard Vince's Studebaker pull up, and I told her to wait while I went out to meet him. While I went out to lecture him.

"What are you doing here?" Vince asked Ace when he walked in the door.

"Waiting for you two to fuck off so I can get laid," he replied.

Vince's eyes just darted between Ace and I; for once I was witnessing Vince speechless and, I must say, I liked him much better that way. He looked good though, dressed smart-casual in tidy jeans and a black collared shirt. I was thankful that he'd gone to some amount of effort.