"Ashley!!!! You almost done?" Trish shouted from downstairs.
"Yeah!" I shouted back.
Today is winter dance and Christmas is in two days time. Trish was already waiting for me downstairs and she was also waiting for her date to come pick her up. Christian is at Caleb's getting ready. He left the house earlier today saying he wants to come pick me up the 'traditional way'.
I was adding the last touch of my make up when Trish burst through the door
"Bitch it doesn't ta-" she stopped mid sentence.
"Likey?" I asked facing her.
"Likey? Likey?? Girl I love it and your hair just wow."
"Thanks" I said going towards her full body length mirror. Trish and I had our hair done and I decided to go from being a blonde to a brunette. My hair was shoulder length and was in beach waves.
"You ready?" I asked Trish grabbing my purse.
"Yeah and I'm really nervous."
"Trish." I walked towards her and held her hands. "I bet he's just as nervous as you girl."
"You think so?" she asked unsure.
"Yeah and to make you feel better, I'm also nervous." I told her.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"And I thought you would never get to go with me to winter dance." She said with a smile.
"Ah the world works in mysterious ways." I smiled back at her.
"It sure does."
"Trisha honey, your date's here!" A voice called from downstairs.
"Coming mom."
"Quick! Your dad is eating him up." Emily shouts back with humor in her voice.
"Be right there! So how do I look?" She asked adjusting her hair and dress. I nodded and she smiled. "Time to go save Caleb from my dad. You coming?"
"Nah. I'll just add the suspense from here."
"Okay. See you there." She blew me a kiss and left.
A few minutes later I was called for
"Ashley hon, Chrissy is here!" Emily shouted.
Chrissy?
"Chrissy?"
"Yeah and he's waiting darling." She said back with laughter in her voice and as soon as realization dawned on me, I started laughing. I checked myself in the mirror once more and left for downstairs.
When I got downstairs, Christian was talking to his mom. He was wearing a white and blue shirt, white trousers, white and blue suit, black shoes and a blue bowtie. His hair was slightly gelled and he was holding a white corsage.
He briefly looked at me then at his mom and in a faster pace, whipped his head back to my direction and for a moment I thought it was going to snap. His eyes widened and I smiled.
"Ashley?"
"Hi Chrissy." I said with a small wave. His eyes widened again and he took a step forward. He didn't say anything and was just staring at me and I became nervous all over again.
"Christian won't you say anything?" His mom broke the silence.
"Your hair." He pointed to my hair.
"Yeah."
"It's...it's just...like wow."
"I know. It's short and different."
"When did this happen?"
"Earlier today."
"Wow. Just wow. He said again which made me smile.
"Words, Christian words" His mom chimed in again.
"You look beautiful." He whispered infront of me and I blushed.
"You don't look to bad yourself."
"Not compared to you." He said touching my hair and staring into my eyes. There was a strong pull in his eyes wanting me to stare at his and different emotions that I couldn't put a finger on were passing through his grey eyes.
"Um...sorry to interrupt but don't you have a dance to get to?" Emily asked interrupting our moment.
"Um.....yeah. Um.. I think I have to put this on you?" He asked lifting the corsage.
"Right." I said lifting my left hand and he put it on it.
"C'mon let's go. Bye mom." He kissed her cheek.
"Bye darling."
"Bye Emily." I hugged her.
"Bye sweetie."
"Wait!" Mark called from the kitchen. "I haven't got to scare him yet?" He said coming into view.
"But he's your son." Emily stated.
"So? Son come here." He put his hand on his left shoulder. "You may be my son, but let her get hurt, I'm gonna kill you. Come in a minute after eleven, I'm gonna kill you. And you do know I don't make empty promises. My shotgun isn't empty either got it?" He asked and Christian nodded briskly.
"Good now run along. You don't want to be late." With that he went to the living room.
"Bye darlings." Emily waved at us.
"Bye."
We walked to Christian's Lexus and he opened the door for me.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"Now let's go see how boring winter dance is." He said as he started his car, flashing me a smile and I was surprised.
"You've never been there?"
"Nope. First time."
"Wow."
Twenty minutes later, Christian parked his car infront if the school. Different colors and sizes of cars were everywhere.
"Told you." I said unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Wait-"
"Here. I know." I interrupted him and he smiled.
"Right." He got out and came to my side to open the door for me. As I got down, I muttered thanks and he held my hand in his.
"So where's the dance taking place?" He asked as we began to walk towards the school.
"The school ball house."
"Ball house?"
"Yeah. It's like a ball room but a building." I explained to him.
"So the building is a ball room?"
"Yup. It's not to big and not to small. It's just right."
"So where's it?"
"Just right behind the school, next to the school garden."
"The school has a garden?" He sounded shocked and I nodded.
"Yeah it's huge and at the end of the garden, there's a small lake. The garden is where the parents meeting is always held and the school brunch."
"School brunch?"
"Yeah. After graduation, the school holds a brunch the day after graduation for the graduating students to say their last goodbyes to the school. It's like an after party but it's the school throwing it." I said as we neared the ball house.
"And where's does graduation take place?"
"School field."
"And where's that?"
"Over there." I pointed to a large field like 100 feet from the ball house.
"Cool. And I'm guessing where we practice is not where we play?"
"Nope. The school has a basketball court "
"And where's that?"
"Not far from here. It's like a 20 minute drive from the school. It's a huge court, with rows and rows of bleachers. Every home game, the players come to school and the bus gives them a ride there while other students go from their homes."
"The school bus?
"Nope. The game bus. We have three or four different buses. One for games, two for rides, one for when we go for day outs." I said counting with my fingers.
"Cool." A ballman at the front door to the ball house was collecting tickets for entrance. We gave our tickets to him and we entered.
Everything was in blue and white. Just like snow and ice. The dance floor was in blue and white pokadots, the tables and chairs were also in blue and white and the decorations were in blue. The dj was also dressed in white and his stand was white.
One side of the hall held the snacks table while the other held drinks. On the stage, written in white and blue stripes on the wall was: WINTER BALL.
"I thought you said it was winter dance." He asked and I shrugged.
"The school calls it winter ball but we students call it winter dance."
"Oh."
"Christian! Ashley!" We turned to the voice to see Trish coming towards us with Caleb.
Wow.
Caleb was dressed in red and black. A black shirt, black trousers, black shoes, red and black suit with a red bowtie. On Trish wrist is a red corsage.
"Ashley?" Caleb asked in surprise looking at my hair.
"In body and flesh."
"Your hair."
"I know." I smiled.
"It actually fits you more. Not that blond doesn't fit but then you cut it and it just wow." Caleb said in a rush.
"What can I say, new look for a new year." I said and Caleb smiled.
"Hey man." Christian greeted Caleb
"Yo." They did their 'bro handshake.'
"So, what do you think?" Trish asked me.
"Bored already." I said.
"Me too." Christian said and I looked at him in shock but he just shrugged.
"What I never said I would like it."
"C'mon guys you can't be that serious! let's go grab a drink." Trish pulled me away from the guys and towards the drinks.
"I'm sure it's spiked." I said nodding towards the punch as I grabbed a canned soda.
"What-"
"Well, well, well. If it isn't red headed crazed girl." Lily said coming towards us and she was dressed in pink and red tulle lace short dress with a cute burgundy bowknot heels and a gold clutch. Her hair was in a styled bun. Not to lie, she looks beautiful.
"At least I'm not stupid like you!" Trish spat at her and I chuckled.
"Oh my god Ashley did you think dyeing and changing your hair would make you look mature? Grow up!" She said looking at me.
"Oh says the girl who has the brain of a two year old." I spat at her
"Hey Ashley. Love the new look." Paul who was dressed in all green said to me.
"Thanks Paul."
"Seriously Paul she's the enemy." Lily said and scoffed dragging Paul with her as she walked away.
"C'mon let's go meet the guys." I said pulling Trish with me.
"Ash I-" Christian was about to say something but the dj played a song causing Trish to squeal in delight.
"Oh my gosh Ash we have to go dance. I love this song!!!"
"But you know I don't know how to dance."
"So do I, now c'mon." I turned to Christian for help but he just shrugged and smiled.
"I hate you." I said to him and turned to Caleb who put his hands up in surrender and took a step back.
"I hate you too." I said to Caleb and let Trish pull me to the dance floor.
We danced and shaked and moves our bodies to the beat as different songs came on and a while later Mr Jerkins, our school principal, interuppted us.
"Alright guys. It's time to annouce winter's king and queen."