Dawn started up againââhate me if you like, but all Iâm saying is that we should try to get this off our minds for a few hours.â
âHow?â I asked miserably.
âBy going ahead with our plan. Weâre going to the mall, right? Weâre going to check out sexy prom dresses that will have all the guys drooling. And then weâre going to catch a movie. And weâre going to have a great time. Agreed?â
Rachel and I exchanged glances. I shrugged. âAgreed,â Rachel and I both said in unison. But neither of us believed it.
Then Dawn clapped her hands together. âHey,â she said. âThe prom is only two and a half weeks away!â
âGreat,â said Rachel gloomily.
Dawn said, âIâve got to decide who Iâm going with pretty soon.â
True to her prediction, Dawn had already been asked to the prom by three boys.
âI wouldnât mind being asked by three guys,â Rachel grumbled.
âEveryone knows youâre going with Gideon,â I told her, âso no one would ask you.â
âRight,â said Rachel.
âItâs true. If you want offers, break up with Gideon. Youâll get plenty of guys asking you to the prom.â
âGreat idea,â Rachel said, rolling her eyes.
âWhat about you?â Dawn asked me. âWhat are you going to do if Kevin canât come?â
âGo by myself, I guess,â I said weakly.
âWouldnât you feel really sorry for yourself?â Dawn asked.
âNo.â I shook my head, feeling totally sorry for myself.
Dawn said, âI talked to Lisa Blume today. She says theyâve hired a great rock band, the Razors, to play at the dance.â
I nodded without enthusiasm. I was picturing myself dancing all alone.
A few minutes later I was posing in front of a three-sided mirror in a tight pink prom dress. Wewere in Ferraraâs at the Division Street Mall. The prices in this store were outrageous, but my mom had told me not to worry about money when I was picking out my dress. I turned to the left, the right.
âItâs not flattering, if you know what I mean,â Dawn sniped, trying to hide her amused expression.
I felt my face grow hot.
âJust being helpful,â Dawn said. âWhich I donât have to be, considering weâre competing against each other.â
I went back to flipping through dresses on the rack. Farther down the row I could see Rachel, holding up an ugly red sheath dress. She pointed at it and looked at me questioningly. I shook my head but smiled kindly. I wasnât going to be like Dawn!
âWhat do you want me to say?â Dawn continued. âThat it looks great when it doesnât?â
I shrugged.
âAdmit it,â Dawn said, poking me in the ribs, âyou know Iâm going to win, so why donât you just stop worrying? It doesnât matter what you wear.â
âRight.â
âBut itâs true. I always win everything, and you know it!â
I stared at her in disbelief. She just didnât know when to stop. What was worse, she wasnât kidding around anymore. I could tell that she was completely serious.
Then I saw it. Black, with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. It was so sexy, I could almostimagine guys fainting over the dress even without anyone in it. âOooooh,â I gushed, pulling it off the rack.
âLet me see!â Dawn snapped, grabbing at the hanger.
âHold on,â I said. âI found it first.â
But Dawn kept yanking on the dress. Other customers were starting to stare. âLizzy, donât be stupid,â Dawn hissed. âIt would look so much better on me, and you know it. Youâre not tall enough for a dress like this.â
She gave a final yank and pulled the dress out of my hands.
âThank you,â she said, smiling icily. âHold these, will you?â She handed me the three dresses