Stereotype

Chapter 9 : Set Me Up

SET ME UP

S C A R L E T T   E V E R S 

Junior Year

NEVER ever drink milkshakes on a date.

Never ever pay for a meal.

Never ever laugh- only giggle.

Always order a salad.

Always giggle at jokes.

Always keep friends updated.

Scarlett recited Jennifer's rules in her head as she strapped her heels on. Ashley handed her a black leather bag which already had all the necessities in it. Scarlett stood up to take in her appearance and looked for acceptance from Jennifer. 

"No." Jennifer said. Scarlett huffed grabbing another dress off its hanger. She stripped off the current dress and slipped herself into the next one. 

"If you're wearing this you need different heels." Ashley left to go get a different pair when Jennifer blocked her path.

"She needs a proper dress." Jennifer held onto Ashley's wrist until Ashley yanked it away cursing.

"Dont be harsh Jen." Scarlett whispered taking her dress off "Shes trying to help."

"Ash go get water and a proper dress," Ashley complied leaving the room hastily "Shes sabotaging you Scar. Im trying to make you actually look decent for once." Scarlett flinched under her reassuring glare. She stayed silent for a few seconds "Dont be quiet on me Scar."

"Im not Jen, Im nervous for my date." Scarlett went to wipe her forehead when she realised she'd make-up on it "Ugh." Ashley emerged holding three dressed on hangers with a bottle of water, she threw the bottle at Jen and gave the dresses to Scarlett.

"They're beautiful Ash." Gasped Scarlett when she noticed one of them was a skirt and top "This one."

"You will look gorgeous!" Ashley smiled taking the dresses back because Scarlett was still in awe over the outfit.

"Hello?" She stretched her head to see past Ashley at Jennifer "I said dresses."

"This ones prettier." Scarlett defended holding up her outfit proudly. Ashley nodded in agreement taking off her shoes "These will look nicer on you Scar."

"You are not wearing that." Jennifer raised her voice and Scarlett stared wide-eyed at her friends tone. 

"Why not?" Ashley questioned "Personally, I think the top goes really well with the skirt and matches her make-up, the shoes arent too high, because we both know Scar cant walk in too high shoes so at least shes comfortable in it and theres a good chance Parker will want to see whats under her clothes instead of already getting a full view with the proper dresses you selected."

Jennifer left bursting into tears. 

Scarlett didn't want to go after her at all. She bit her lip to stop herself smiling then hugged Ashley quickly and followed after Jennifer with little care for speed. What she heard from around the corner halted her, Jennifer sat on Ashley's dining chair eating a chocolate bar. Jennifer never ate chocolate for she had banned everyone in the group from eating it, Scarlett couldn't even touch her brothers chocolate mousse cups!

Jennifer barley spared a glance at her when Scarlett sat in the chair beside her. "Ash just defended me, maybe in a bit of a bad day but trying on tons of dresses all morning has stressed her out." Jennifer acknowledged her comment by adding a sniffle. "Jen can you look at me?"

"I am not a slut." Jennifer declared "Nor am I someone who can be ganged up against. I will not have my best friends treat me like an outsider when I have supported you guys through everything. All because of a freaking dress that I thought you would look nicer in!" Jennifer snarled putting the last chocolate piece in her mouth.

"Youre right, I will ask Ash o dial it down and not put her anger on you." Scarlett became happier on the inside knowing that this was the first time in awhile Jennifer has actually expressed her emotions or even called them her best friends. 

"And..."

"And I will wear whatever you decide." Scarlett pulled Jen up hugging her, the two of them walked back upstairs where Scarlett signalled for Ashley to not speak at their actions of Jennifer picking an outfit. "She needs this Ash."

:::

Waving goodbye to het friends, Scarlett watched them drive away from the restaurant Parker had instructed her to go to. She fiddled with her watch, occasionally checking the time then decided that after five minutes of being late, she would make her move into the building.

How Scarlett wished she had chosen a different outfit when she saw all the fancy dresses other women wore gracefully in their seats. Their eyes judging her from the moment she walked in wearing a skin tight navy dress. Scarlett chose to avoid their scrutinising looks and headed in a straight direction to Parker's table. 

"Hey." She smiled leaning down to hug him, he waved her off gesturing for her to sit beside an older woman.

"Scar this is my sister Kathy Davis. Kathy this is Scarlett Evers." 

Kathy rolled her eyes at Scarletts attempt to shake her hand "No shaking hands unless you have a strong grip, which I assure you, you wont." Scarlett deflated slightly under Kathy's eyes that pierced into her skin and faced Parker with a sweet smile of pure annoyance.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Kathy wanted to meet my girlfriend and you are her." Scarlett could feel butterflies fluttering im her heart, she was his girlfriend. "Lets order."

:::

To say that dinner went well would be a perfect term for the most awkward dinner ever. Nobody spoke throughout the entire meal, Parker left to take a phone call and didn't return for an hour, Kathy refused to form any type of conversation and the meal ended with Scarlett paying for a meal that clearly nobody liked because no amount of money could give them plates good flavour. 

In all fairness, Scarlett did order a salad. Kathy made sure to tell Scarlett that salads weren't doing a good enough job and maybe she shouldn't eat in front of them in such an attire. At least its over now. 

Scarlett leaned back in her seat taking a breather from that painful dinner, she waited for someone to tell her to leave the restaurant because she couldn't remove herself from the chair willingly to accept that a meal with her crush went terribly awkwardly. Why did he even ask Scarlett if he never really took too much of an interest in her before? They were just make-out friends and wouldn't even class themselves as friends. Half the time, he forgot her name and she wouldn't bother to correct him.

Although eating in front of him was a bad idea, therefore, next time she would order a starter as a main. Hopefully that would please Kathy too. Scarlett thought about what to change next time as she strolled to a nearby bus stop. Perhaps dressing appropriately for a dining place would be the best start. 

She halted in her steps realising something; Parker and Jennifer were very close friends.

Wouldn't Jennifer have known where Scarlett would be going for her date?