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THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DAY SEEMED NEVER-ENDING, and when it was finally over I was looking forward to just going home and getting some rest. But instead, I was heading out shopping with Pandora for a dress for the Loveball, which was definitely not where I imagined I'd be tonight.
Pandora was pleasant company though, always telling me how the dresses suited me, and how Freddie would definitely want to do surf and turf with me in them, but despite her best efforts to be her bubbly happy self, I could tell something was wrong. And as we got to the fifth shop, I just had to ask. "Panda, what's wrong? And before you even try and tell me you're fine, I can tell something is up." I said, crossing my arms to her as she fiddled with the clothes on the racks, a fake smile turning into a frown. "Fine. It's just... well, I wanted to go to the dance with Thomas, I really did, but he's still not forgiven me. It's been a week, and I just don't think he even wants to try and forgive me. I don't understand, I love him!" I sighed as she seemed to let all her emotions spill out, her eyes welling up as she slumped down onto the stools where you try on shoes. I sat down beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder as I spoke the truth, which probably wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, "Pandora, you need to try and understand how Thomas must feel. You hurt him. He told you he loved you, got sent away by his mother, then came back to be with you, but you'd already slept with Cook. And even after he came back, you kept seeing Cook, even when you had a chance to stop. Surely you can see why he's upset?" I paused as she nodded along, seeming to understand as she put her head in her hands, realizing how much of a mistake she had made. "I know you really love him and didn't mean to hurt him, but you did and you need to find a way to make it right. I'm sure he still loves you, love doesn't just disappear overnight, you just have to make an effort and prove to him you want to fight for you guys." At this point she smiled, pulling me in for a tight hug, to the point that I almost couldn't breathe. "Panda..." I wheezed out, and she immediately let me go, probably worried she'd hurt me or something. "I'm fine," I said and the worry left her face, her smile returning as she put her hand on top of mine. "Thank you, Rory. You know, Effy and I couldn't ever talk like this, she never understood." The mention of Effy's name unconsciously made my face turn sour, and Pandora went quiet, probably not sure what to say, worried that mentioning Effy would make me mad at her or something. "Look, I know Effy hurt you. Literally. But I don't think she meant to hit you." I shook my head, knowing that maybe that was true, but it didn't change the situation. "I know she was tripping, I get that. But even before she was tripping, she was acting funny to me. And the next morning, while I was still lying unconscious in the woods, she had every chance to make it right, and she didn't." Pandora nodded, as I stood up, ready to continue searching for the perfect dress for the Loveball.
It was at that moment that Katie and Emily walked into the shop, spotting us instantly. "Rory! I didn't know you were back out and about! You look good for someone who almost died." Emily nudged Katie as she spoke, telling her to shush, but I didn't care. "Yep, I'm back. A bit bruised and battered," I paused as I pointed at my large bandage-plaster on my head, "But life goes on, and somehow I've got signed up for this Loveball thing, so here we are." "We're going with Freddie and JJ." She smiled happily, Emily shaking her head, looking at me as if worried I'd be upset. "I spoke to Freds today, he told me you guys were going. Panda and I are going together." "Yeah, you know, go girls!" Pandora yelled excitedly, the cashier in the shop giving us a look. "We still haven't got our dresses, have you guys found a dress yet?" Emily asked, and I shook my head. "Pandora already has hers, but I can't find one for me anywhere. We've been to like five shops, I'm not having much luck." I said, looking through another clothes rail filled with dresses, flicking past ones that were too long, too short, or weird colors. "What about this one?" Emily pulled out a pink dress, laughing as she spotted the fluffy pink hem, putting it straight back. "Em! Look at this one, and they have two, which means we can match." She spotted her sister's hesitation, giving her puppy eyes in the hopes it would convince her. "Come on, for me?" She pleaded, and of course, Emily agreed, giving in as they rushed into the changing room, completely forgetting they were supposed to help me.
"Hey, Rory, I think I found it." I walked over to where Pandora stood, dress held behind her. "Ready?" She asked, and I shrugged, nodding with a weak smile, although I expected to hate it, clearly being picky because I didn't really want to go. But as Pandora waved the dress in front of me, I surprisingly didn't hate it. It was light blue, with a subtle tiger print, and little tie-up straps that look super cute. That was the dress, no doubt about it. I hugged Pandora, who squealed in excitement, shoving me to the dressing room, convincing me to try it on.
While I was changing, I could hear giggling outside from the twins, who had picked their dresses and probably looked amazing. I could hear the girl talking to two familiar voices, voices that undeniably belonged to Freddie and JJ. "Rory, you coming out anytime soon?" I heard Emily call from outside, and I peered through the gap in the curtain, Pandora spotted me and pulled me outside, suddenly leaving me feeling shy. "Wow! Rory, you look incredible!" JJ spoke, mouth slightly agape, and I smiled as he held his thumbs up, Pandora twirling me around in an attempt to hype me up, the girls flooding me with compliments, knowing I needed it. "Freddie?" Pandora asked, fishing for a reply, yet he seemed lost for words, JJ nudging him to regain his attention, his eyes still gazing at my legs. "Oh, er, yeah. Woah. You look beautiful." Katie looked between the two of us as if she expected more from us, but admittedly we seemed kind of awkward. "Thanks, Freds. I'll definitely get this one. Thank you so much, Panda!" I pulled her in for a quick hug before quickly heading back into the changing room, changing out of the dress, and heading to the cashier to pay. "That'll be thirty pounds, will you be paying with cash or card?" The cashier asked, and I mumbled "cash." as I handed over a twenty-pound note followed by a tenner. She delicately placed the dress in the bag, shoving the receipt in as she passed it to me. "Thanks for shopping with us, be sure to come again!" She called after me as I left the shop, regrouping with the others who had already made their way outside.
"Do you guys wanna grab some food? I bet the big plate cafe is still open, you know, the one near the green?" Katie suggested, and everyone seemed to nod in agreement, so we headed to the cafe, bags in hand, ready for tomorrow's ball. As we walked down the high street, giggling at each other's stories, it was easy to forget about Effy and Cook; only catching my reflection in car windows would remind me of my bruised face. That and my phone suddenly ringing, Cook's name appearing on the caller ID. "Who's that?" Freddie asked, probably noticing my face drop, but I brushed it off, "No one, don't worry about it. I'll catch up, you guys go ahead." I said, and they all seemed hesitant to leave, but I persisted, and eventually, they slowly walked away. Well, everyone except Freddie, stood by my side as my phone continued to ring, clearly curious as to who it was. "Aurora, who-" I shushed him as I answered the phone, not even sure what the hell Cook wanted.
"Cook, I really don't want to talk to you, especially if it's about Effy. I'm not interested." I didn't even give him a chance to breathe, speaking almost as soon as I accepted the call. He was speechless for a second, not even a stupid joke leaving his lips, and I almost felt bad for the way I answered the call. "If this is about all the stuff I said in the woods, I'm sorry. I was hurt and I lashed out, I never meant to hurt you." I rolled my eyes as he spoke; clearly, he didn't understand why I was pissed. "It's more than that James! You ran off with my sister after what she did, and you didn't even call to ask if I was okay?" Freddie got closer to me, desperately trying to hear Cook's voice through the phone. "Come on Rory, you guys just had a little sisterly argument, she probably called you some mean names or whatever but I'm sure she's sorry, okay sweetheart?" Freddie and I looked at each other confused, the words 'little argument' not quite making sense considering the bruising and stitches. "Little argument? Mean names? Are you kidding? I had nine stitches, James. Nine!-" "What the fuck do you mean, nine stitches? What the fuck happened? Who hurt you?" I paused, realization hitting me. Effy didn't tell him. "She didn't tell you, did she?" I said as Cook got increasingly frustrated, cursing down the phone, his anger boiling over at the thought of me being hurt."What? Tell me what? Rory, what the fuck is going on?" Cook yelled down the phone, Freddie stepping back slightly as l revealed the truth. "Those nine stitches, and all the bruises on my face. . . why don't you ask Effy about it? After all, it was her who bashed my head in with a fucking rock."
Silence filled the speakers, only Cook's heavy breathing could be heard as l waited for him to speak, to say something - anything. "Fuck, Rory, what the fuck? I'm sorry I didn't call, or text, I didn't know, I mean, fuck, I didn't-" I interrupted him, hearing his voice crack as if he was getting tearful. "James, It's fine, you didn't know, it's not your fault." Freddie had his arms crossed, shaking his head as I spoke, clearly not impressed, maybe he didn't believe Cook.
"I have to go. Effy's back. Fucking bitch." His voice suddenly turned stern as he called out to her, "When were you going to tell me about Rory, huh? What the fuck is wrong with you?" He hung up abruptly, leaving me standing there in shock. This whole time I thought Cook was a shit friend when in reality, he didn't even know I was hurt. "Fuck." I mumbled as Freddie pulled me in for a hug, neither of us knowing what to say.
