CHAPTER 18

                                    

                                          
 CHAPTER 18
                          
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Hey everyone! Woah it's been a while...sorry about that. I've been a bit busy in my holidays but now I'm back at home and should be updating more often :) Feels good to be back! :D
                          
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It's been a week since Jeremy and my walk to the abandoned park. We've been so busy with schoolwork lately that we haven't had much time to do that again. 
                          
Unfortunately, my mother found time to drag my butt to the mall to look for a dress. The one that I bought when I was with Jeremy and his sister is apparently 'not formal enough', according to my mom. Which is probably true. Urgh why does my school have to be so lame and have a stupid Spring Ball?
                          
"How about...this one!" my mom exclaims as she holds up a dress for the fifth time. 
                          
"No."
                          
"But look at this lace! And there's this cute little ribbon and—"
                          
"BUT IT'S PINK MOM!" How many times do I have to remind this forgetful woman that I refuse to wear such a clichéd, over-used colour?
                          
"Oh right, of course. Sorry dear," my mom places the dress back on the rack as I fold my arms and plonk onto the sofa. Yup, there's a sofa. In a shop. Well, this is one of those fancy-schmancy shops anyway.
                          
My mom turns to look at me and sighs.
                          
"What?" I ask her.
                          
"You could at least be a little excited for this ball, sweetie."
                          
I roll my eyes at her and fold my arms even tighter across my chest. I'm not sure why, but ever since my parents have become their old, good selves again I've started becoming my old feisty self again too. The same feisty self I was pre-Jeremy. Maybe it's because I feel as though my parents are hiding something from me.
                          
My mom raises an eyebrow at me. 
                          
"Sorry mom," I say. "I'm just really not in the mood for dress-shopping right now."
                          
"Are you ever in the mood for dress-shopping Jules?" my mother says with a smirk. 
                          
This makes me laugh slightly and I stand up. 
                          
"Okay fine. Which other ones do you have in mind?"
                          
*** 
                          
After trying on five dresses we finally walk out of the fancy-schmancy shop with an ankle-length navy dress. Well, my mom walked out. I practically sprinted out of there feeling as though I was in desperate need of oxygen—oxygen not infected with the smell of beads and all things bedazzled. 
                          
"Do you need anything else, dear?" My mom asks me.
                          
"No, I don't think—"
                          
"SHOES! You need shoes!" my mom says excitedly and pulls me by the arm towards yet another fancy-schmancy shop. 
                          
I'll have to admit though, shoe-shopping is way better than dress-shopping.
                          
It doesn't take my mom and I very long to find the perfect stiletto shoes to match my dress. 
                          
"I can't believe my baby is growing up!" my mom squeals when I try the shoes on. Honestly, how could she go from being this wicked, perfectionist to this in the span of about a week? I just don't get it. There's definitely something that they're hiding from me. 
                          
I want to ask my mom about it but it's probably not a good idea to bring it up here. Instead I say, "It had to happen at some point, mom."
                          
Two days later it's time for the ball. Yipee! Clears throat—sarcasm.