❀ 17

                                    

                                          
Two hours had drifted away and I was dressed and ready to go. 
                          
Olivia had assisted me in picking a dress, which I now donned, and also in applying some makeup on my face. She had made the effort to mention that I was going to look wonderful with her help. I didn't doubt her skills - not one bit - when the proof sat in front of me, asking me to close my eyes when she brushed on some eyeshadow. 
                          
She chose a pink silk dress that hung delicately on my shoulders on spaghetti straps. The dress clung to my body, however, still remaining modest with the fact that it didn't stick to my body too tightly. It ended slightly above my knees and an elegant slit ran across, rendering and allowing more movement for me. 
                          
I've worn a large assortment and variety of dresses before, despite daily donning a simple pair of shorts and a T-shirt, but because of the fact that I rarely wore dresses like this, I felt a bit exposed. When I mentioned this to Olivia, she quickly and expertly rifled through my closet for a simple dark jean jacket that completely contradicted the style of the dress which was elegant, stylish, and a little bit daring. 
                          
I slipped it on, a little sceptical that it would fit with the atmosphere of the dress but I should've never even tried doubting Olivia's colourful fashion sense, because in the end, it somehow pulled the look altogether. After that, she'd sat me down onto the chair applied makeup that she brought from that tiny bag of hers, brushing it across my face like I was the canvas and she was the artist. 
                          
I closed my eyes when needed, and smiled when she added the blush to the apples of my cheeks. After that, she searched through the drawer of my vanity table, finding a curling iron that I'd tucked there, the wire wrapped around the device ending where it connected to a plug. 
                          
Expertly, she curled my hair, wrapping locks of my dirty blonde hair around it and I watched in fascination, my eyes glued to the mirror watching the reflection of her fingers letting my curls fall and bounce like springs. 
                          
Brown woke up soon after, watching Olivia with amazement as she finished up the last strands of my hair. She topped it all off and made sure it would last for the night by using a hairspray and spraying it lightly all over my hair. 
                          
After I was all glammed, I took a black clutch that was discarded in my closet and tucked my phone in it. I knew there was a risk in bringing my phone, but I doubted my parents wanted to go through sweaty throngs of people to find me when they could just use technology to contact me right away. 
                          
Olivia turned to me and said that she had to go to start the party and make sure that uninvited people didn't sneak in. She told me that she found a nice pair of heels for me before she left, packing up all of her makeup back into that small bag of hers. 
                          
I nodded and told her I would be there in a while, weirdly starting to feel nerves flare up in me. Just earlier I had hopes that I would be able to not be flustered and weird around Cameron, but now as the party was beginning, I was doubting myself. 
                          
Was it something I could easily control? I didn't even know why I was feeling that way, so how was I sure that it wouldn't appear today? I could feel my palms slowly go clammy and as I fidgeted with my clutch, I told myself that nothing would go wrong and that if I worried more, there would be chances that something would go wrong. 
                          
With a faltering determined mind, I picked up Cameron's wrapped gift. I exited my room with shaky legs, aware that a little brown furred dog was following after me. I paused by the staircase, bending down like I usually did, but today with a lot more care as I was wearing a way flimsier outfit than usual. 
                          
Brown stared at me with her big eyes, cocking her head to the side and I smiled. I always had an inkling that she knew every little bit that was going in my life. Like how she'd been in my room the whole time when my nerves were on fire, which they still were right now, I reached to ruffle her fur. She snuggled her small head in my hands and stayed there for a while before she bumped me away with her noggin. 
                          
I stood up and gave her a thumbs up as if she was able to return it to me then padded down the staircase. The television was still playing, the sounds of the actors talking clear in the background as I stepped onto the ground floor. 
                          
My parents seemed to somehow know of my presence as their eyes immediately and swiftly turned to me. "Oh, look at you, all dressed up." My mum cooed, reaching for the remote to pause the show. 
                          
She stood up and in a few steps she pulled me into a hug, her sweet and homey scent filling my senses. I hugged her back and when we pulled apart, she gave me a once-over. "You look amazing." She said, smiling. My dad walked by her side and looped an arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him as he nodded. 
                          
"You look great." He said, however, that was not the end of it. "Make sure to come home in one piece, Heather. Do you have your phone with you?" 
                          
"Yes." I replied. 
                          
"Good, now if you have anything you can call us, okay? I know the party is right next to us, but I still want you to be safe, okay?" 
                          
"Okay." I said with a smile. It warmed my heart that my parents were so caring and supportive, so it only made sense that I pulled them into a big hug which sparked a bark from Brown.
                          
My mum pulled away with her eyes twinkling. "I think she wants a hug too."
                          
I picked Brown up and we squeezed each other for a little while before I left her back on the ground with an equally nervous and excited smile. My parents retreated to the living room couch again, my dad blurting out a few more safety precautions while my mum reassured him that I was going to be be okay. 
                          
I walked to the shoe cabinet and right in front of it, was a pair of pink shimmery heels that matched with my dress. I assumed Olivia them left there. I slipped them on, the heels providing a little more height than I already had and with shaky hands, I twisted the doorknob and opened the door. 
                          
The evening breeze made me a lot more grateful that I'd opted for a jacket after I made sure I closed the door and made my way over to Olivia's house. Somehow, it seemed that in those few minutes that Olivia had left from my home, the party had already started. 
                          
The indication of this was the music that seemed to match the beating of my heart, the colourful lights and also the laughter coming from inside the house. Then with a few more reassurances that it easy going to be okay, I fumbly opened up Olivia's front door, effectively making the music thud louder in my ears. 
                          
It was going to be okay. 
                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          
Any thoughts? Do you think that she'll still act all "awkward" around Cameron? 🤔
                          
Or do you think that she's going to act "normal" like she hopes she does?
                          
Thank you for reading and sticking around! I'm really excited for the next few chapters 😉