Chapter Ten

I drove directly to Melcia’s house and honked the horn. I got out of the car as Melcia came down the porch steps. “Bebe is that yours?” she asked with excitement in her voice.
“Yes! My mom just gave it to me! Isn’t it awesome?” I said taking her by the hands and jumping up and down.
Melcia jumped with me. “It’s beautiful! Can we go for a ride?”
  “Sure get in. Oh what about your parents, should you tell them?” I asked as we got into the car.
 “My mom is gone and dad is away on a business trip. It’s fine really, we’ll be back before my mom even gets back.”
I shrugged and shot off. “Where to?”
Melcia thought for a moment. “How about the mall! There is the spring dance coming up and I need to get a dress, you can help me.”
Wait, did she just say spring dance? Oh no, my life was getting worse! Now I had two choices, go to the dance dateless, or stay home.
“Sure, to the mall!” I said with a smile. I thought about the dance the whole ride, Melcia was talking about finding the perfect dress and shoes but I wasn’t listening.
Why didn’t I know about the dance?
-Because you just moved here.-
I know, but there should be papers up and stuff announcing it. Right?
-Maybe you were just a little too busy.-
Something Melcia was saying caught my ear. “And since the dance is during spring break, I’m sure my parents will let me go, and yours too.”
“The dance is during spring break?” I asked in shock.
“Well yeah, didn’t you see the posters and stuff?” Melcia asked looking at me.
We pulled up at the mall, and I turned off the ignition before answering. “No, I didn’t.”
We got out of the car and walked into the huge mall entrance. “Well is that a problem? Can’t you go?” Melcia said as we went into the first store.
I was silent. A problem? Yes it was a huge problem! Cory was going to be here for the dance, and she would want a date. That means one of the boys would ask her for sure. “No it’s not a problem, I just don’t have an outfit.”
“Oh! Well I’ll help you, with your black hair you can get away with almost anything.” She started scanning the clothes racks.
Ok, this is a mess.
-Your telling me, people should put back clothes in the right spots and not just in random places.-
Would you focus? I wasn’t talking about that! I was talking about the spring dance and Cory’s visit.
-Oh! Sorry. You getting “worried” again?-
Yes- no-, oh I don’t know. I think I’m worried that she’ll get a date and I wont.
-You know Cory better then that, she wouldn’t go to something that you couldn’t go to.-
Well I know that, but that doesn’t mean she can’t. If it excites her enough it’s possible.
“Bebe, what do you think of this one?” Melcia had on a sea foam green dress and was standing in front of a mirror.
“I like that one, it brings out your eyes.” I said walking over to her.
“Aw thank you! I like this one too. Here,” she handed me a stack of dresses from her dressing room. “Can you put these back?”
Wow, she tries on dresses fast.
-I know. No! That one goes over there on that rack.-
What is your deal?
-I can’t help it if I’m your organized side of your mind. Oh, that one goes back over there.-
Stop it!
I shoved all the dresses onto one spot on a rack.
I’m not going to do the salesgirl’s job. That’s what she gets paid for.
-Fine.-
I started back to where Melcia was going through more dresses, in search of one for me when I noticed a powdery purple dress stuffed between a full rack of clothes. Taking it I checked the size, mine! I held it up against me, it looked so perfect. I hurried to a changing room, quickly slipped it on and walked out. “Melcia! I think I found one!” I said, and she came running over.
“Oh my gosh! Bebe you look fabulous! That dress goes so well with your hair!” She grabbed the tag, “it’s on sale too! Wow you hit the jack pot!”
We payed for our dresses then moved on to the shoe department. Melcia began trying shoes on one after another. I wandered down first one aisle then another, and another. I didn’t find anything I liked so I went back to Melcia. She had shoe boxes stacked next to her, and she was still trying on another pair.
I laughed, “wow you’re a power shopper.”
Melcia looked up at me and smiled, “when I was little, my mom and I only had so much time to shop. So I learned how to be quick, speed glance so to speak, and leave a store within five minutes.”
I lifted my eyebrows in surprise, “really? That’s cool!”
“Sometimes. Did you find anything?” She asked going back to her shoe.
“No, nothing here for me.” I sighed and helped her put all the shoes back.
-Now you put them back right.-
That’s because there is only certain spots open for shoes. Now give it a break
-Whatever.-
Melcia paid for her shoes and we made our way to the next shoe store and three more after that until I finally found the perfect pair of silver strappy heels.

We left the mall and I dropped Melcia off at her house then went on to mine. I met my mom at the door. “I want to talk to you young lady.” I put my bags on the floor and followed her to the living room.
“What is it mom?” I asked sitting down in a big overstuffed chair.
Mom settled down in the couch opposite me and said, “Now I don’t want to sound preachy but I want to know what friends you’ve actually made here. That boy Seth, one named Buff-“
I corrected her, “it’s Biff, his name is Biff.” Oops, shouldn’t have said that.
My mom frowned, “As I was saying, Another one called while you were out, a Jerry. Why didn’t you tell me about these boys Abebi? I thought you  never liked to hang out with boys.”
Did she just say Jerry called? My heart thumped wildly.  “Well, I do know Biff, and I know Seth too, they’re both in some of my classes. Wha-“
”But why not mention that you made some friends, or even changed your mind about boys? I want to know these things Abebi!”
“I know mom. I was going to tell you, but I’ve been kind of messed up lately.” I sighed and sank deeper into the chair. “What did Jerry want mom?”
She closed her eyes and put her hand to her forehead, trying to think. “Eh, he said something about a dance. He wanted you to call him back.”
My heart stopped beating. A dance? Jerry was going to ask me about the spring dance! “Oh okay thanks mom.” I said getting up and trying not to show the excitement I felt.
 “Wait a minute young lady. What’s this about a dance now? When is it? What kind is it, and where will it be?” Mom asked raising an eyebrow.
“Calm down mom, I don’t even know if I‘m going. It’s some spring dance at the school. It’s going to on during spring break so it won’t effect school at all.” I waited for an answer.
After a long pause my mom said, “what about Cory? She’s coming during spring break right? You’ll have to find her a date, and you have to get a dress for it too.”
I sat back down in the chair. “I know mom, I’ve already thought about Cory, but I don’t even know if I’m going. I don’t have a date. I did buy a dress and shoes though. That’s where Melcia and I went just now.” I clamped my mouth shut, now she knew of another person.
“Melcia? Who’s that? Another friend I don’t know about?” she asked crossing her arms.
“Yes mom, I just uh- met her today. I wanted to show her my car, then we decided to go to the mall.” said, hoping this conversation was over.
“Well all right, I guess as long as you already have your dress and shoes you won’t need my help. But I want to know about your friends from now on Abebi, understood?”
“Yes mom.” I quickly got out of the chair and ran upstairs. I grabbed the phone and flipped through the caller ID, “Got it!” I said quietly and called him.
“Hello?” I heard Jerry’s voice say on the other end.
“Hi Jerry, It’s Bebe. My mom said you called?” I said with heart pounding.
“Oh yeah! Well I was wondering if you knew about the spring dance, you might have seen the posters up at school. It completely slipped my mind until my mom mentioned it, so I was just making sure you knew about it.”
My face dropped, “o-oh, yeah I knew about it. Melcia told me about it today.”

  Jerry said,“you were talking to Melcia today? I thought you were going to keep away from those girls.”
“Well you know how Biff said that he had denied the spider thing? Well I found her crying today and took her home., it turns out Vadia is blaming her for it for no apparent reason. She’s really a nice person all by herself. I took her to the mall today in my new car.”
“Really?” Jerry sounded surprised, “so now you’re friends and everything? That’s cool. Wait did you say ‘new car’?”
I smiled, “yeah, my parents gave it to me today.”
“Well drive over and show me! Or better yet I’ll come over. See you in a second!” I heard a click.
Oh no! What is mom going to say?
-I don’t know. Maybe you should just tell her and find out.-
Hm, well I guess I should. She already knows about Jerry anyway.
 

Author's Note

As always! Thoughts and comments are appreciated!