Befuddlement:
verb
To confuse, muddle, or perplex
"Candace, you can't wear that to the dance!" I screamed, shoving her into my bathroom with the dress we bought just days before.
"Whats the point of even going? Madison didn't ask me, he obviously doesnt like me" She said through the door.
"Listen, you all are making me go in this stupid dress to this stupid dance with stupidly gorgeous Carter Shane, so you get out of those vans and in the heels" I seethed and the other side of the door went silent, except for the occasional ruffling of a dress.
Angelina and Candace had invited me over to get ready for the winter formal together. Angelina got asked out by some kid named Jason Smith or something like that, a fellow nerd in her honors physics.
And, if you couldnt tell, Candace didnt get asked by Madison, which is quite surprising. I was almost positive something was up, considering he hasn't been in school since last Friday.
I would dig into it, but as of the last hour and a hlaf, my stomach has felt like a wild stampede of Buffalo keep running back and forth. Will Carter like my dress? my hair? my makeup? does he even like me?
"You look perfect" I jumped from the sound of Angelina's voice.
"Geez, Ang, you gotta learn to take lauder steps." I stepped back. "But, thank you, you dont look so bad yourself" I smiled at one of my best friends, who was wearing a short blue dress and decided to ditch her glasses in favor for contacts for the night.
"I am in a dress! Are you happy now?" Candace emerged from the bathroom with a knee-length black sleeveless dress with white pumps and a white wristlet to match. Her blonde hair was done into a curly waterfall braid that she somehow figured out how to do in 15 minutes.
"you look amazing!" I exclaimed, looping my arms through hers and Angelinas.
"Let's go girls!" We climbed into the car as fast as it could and were at the school in less than ten minutes.
The three of us got out of the car together, but as soon as we did Angelina was whisked away by Jason, who was wearing a blue tie to match her dress and also had contacts in for the night. A nerdy match made in heaven.
I turned my head to catch sight of Carter, but it wasn't exactly him as much as who was next to him that got my attention. Nick was wearing a white button-down shirt with a red tie (which perfectly matched my dress) and black pants and dress shoes. His hair was perfectly messy, and he basically looked like he came out of an Abercrombie ad and not a regional high school.
He seemed to notice me before Carter did aswell, and for some reason he couldn't keep his eyes off of me. He smiled and sheepishly held up his tie and shrugged, as if to say he had no idea. I laughed and waved him off, before finally reaching the two boys.
"Wow, Kiera, just...wow" Carter said and came to hug me.
"Hey Kiera, you look great" Nick said and awkwardly side-hugged me.
"Thanks guys, you are both too sweet" I laughed before looking down to see that Carter was wearing a bright green tie, the complete opisite color on the color wheel from red. He just shrugged. "I didnt get the memo to wear red" he pointed at Nick and I, who looked more like a couple at that time than Carter and I ever would, or at least that was what I thought.
"I'm gonna go get some punch so...bye" Candace awkwardly waved and walked alone to the drink table.
"So Nick, who did you come with?" I asked, even though I knew the answer would be as painful as someone jabbing a knife into my stomach.
"No one actually"
"Wait bro, what?! you come to EVERY dance with some girl. whats going on? did you loose your game?" Carter bombarded him with questions.
"Yeah, I guess I did. The only girl I want to be with tonight is with someone else" He shrugged to make it seem like it didnt matter much, but I knew it did.
"Whoa, Nick, did I just here you right? Does Nick Mara have an actually crush on a girl?" Carter said as he snaked his arm around my waist. It felt so foreign so...wrong.
"Yeah, I guess I do" He smiled, almost seemingly at me, before saying "I want some punch too" And disappeared in an instant.
"Would you care to dance?" Carter asked as he led me to the dance floor. "I would love too" I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. Before we could begin dancing, I noticed someone in the distance.
It was Madison, who entered the party with a arm sling, busted lip, and black eye.
Tonight was about to get a whole lot more crazy.
