"You what?!"
"I signed the deb card- for Susannah! But I really don't want to do this alone. Pretty please sign yours. Please!" Belly begs.
Oh my God, I can't believe I'm even considering this. I was ready to throw the invitation in the trash. "I- uh,"
"PLEASE."
I scrunch up my face and take the pen out of Belly's hand.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" She yells and runs away down the stairs.
***
"Oh my God, what's on your face? Is that a bruise?" Mom stops me.
"I bumped into someone." I assure her.
"Bumped into someone?"
"Oh my God!" Susannah walks in, stealing the attention. Thank you Susannah. "Belly is going to be a debutante!" She announces.
"I'm sorry, Like, Belly? Like my sister? Like my sister like that thing right there?" Steven points.
"Shut up, cretin!" Belly says.
"Both of the things right there." I quietly say as I hand my note to Susannah.
"You're doing it too! Wow, I didn't think you actually would! This is going to be so much fun." Susannah says excitedly. "Just you wait. There is, uh- there's the tea, the auction, the ball, of course, the rehearsal. I gotta write this down." Susannah stops herself, "We gotta go shopping!"
Belly laughs with a mouthful of cereal, I on the other hand fake gag.
"This sounds expensive.." Mom scratches her head.
"Oh, pfft, don't worry Laur it's on me." Susannah assures. "So, who is taking who to the ball?" She looks at her boys.
"Not me, I went last year." Conrad says, thanks, want to stomp on my heart anymore?
"Can't, swore off balls." Jeremiah adds. Steven laughs at it and they start bickering like five year olds.
"Jeez guys, stop fighting over us." Belly laughs sorely.
"We were planning on bringing our own dates anyway." I wink at her, a special Cam Cameron comes to mind. She giggles.
***
"No! The day you put me in one of those ugly headband things will be the day I die!" I push Susannah's hand away.
"Honey, it's a facinator and everyone of the girls will have one on. Even Belly." She pushes.
Belly's just laughing at me running away from Susannah in the store with her's already picked out. My mom is shaking her head with a smile.
***
Of course Susannah convinced me to get one, I mean she's Susannah. How could I say no?
"I think I shopped and now I'm going to drop." I huff my way up the stairs.
"Same here." Belly laughs.
***
this is what you wore to the first deb tea, but feel free to imagine anything.
***
"Thanks, Mom." Belly and I say getting out of the car.
"Girls," Mom says out the window, stopping us both. "I just want you to know that if you decided you hate it and the girls are mean, or even if the food is bad, you can text me. I promise I won't say 'I told you so.'"
"We'll be fine." I smile and take Belly's hand.
On our way in we run into Jeremiah. "Hey," Belly calls. She gets no response. "Jeremiah?"
His jaw drops, "Oh, my God. Uh, Belly. Wow. I uh, I didn't even recognize you."
"She put on a headband and you didn't recognize her?" I scoff.
"Now you I recognized, but I thought if I pretended you weren't there, you would leave me alone." He pauses and puts an annoyed look on his face, "I was wrong, clearly."
"Oh, look at that. Jeremiah admitting he was wrong." I mock a cuteness pout. He scrunches his face and turns his attention back to Belly.
"Tell me the truth. Do I look like a fool?" She asks.
"Uh..." He tries not to laugh, "Uh, no. No- you look good. You look good. Um, let me walk you over." He offers.
"Her knight in shinning armor." I say under my breath and walk away so I can leave them alone.