Ugly(51)

“What? Don’t I look nice?”

“You kind of look like a hooker. I don’t want people thinking my fiancé is there to be paid for sex.”

“What?” I look down again, shocked that’s how I look. “I thought it looked nice. Shayne said the dress suits me. She wouldn’t lie to me.”

“Neither would I. But if you want to go out and have people thinking you’re a whore, well…” He shrugs his shoulders. “It’s your decision, but I don’t want that for you. I love you too much.” He stands and comes over to me. “Like I said, your decision.” He kisses me on the cheek and opens the door. “We have to go in fifteen minutes.” He leaves and closes the door behind him.

I don’t want to give anyone the impression I’m a prostitute, and I’d be mortified if someone did try to pay me or ask me how much for those services. I take my dress off, and put it back in the shopping bag it came in. I’ll give it to Shayne; she said she liked it. I get a pair of jeans and a white blouse and put them on instead. I can still wear my new shoes.

When I’m ready I tuck some money in my pocket and go to find Trent. He’s standing by the front door, with the keys to his dad’s car in his hands. “There you go. You look like a very respectable eighteen-year-old woman. Come on, babe.” He holds his hand out to link our fingers together.

The drive over to the club is short, and Trent and I talk about when we’re going to leave to head to college. We’re both packed and ready to go, and we’ll be leaving in a four days with classes starting early next week for both of us.

“Have a good night, babe. I’ll be back by ten-thirty, but don’t come out until you’re ready. I’ll just wait.” He kisses me again. “Love you,” he adds, as I’m about to walk away.

“Love you, too.”

I go in and find Shayne and a couple of the other girls. Liam’s here and they’re all having a great time. The night flies by, we’re dancing and talking and just really having a good night.

“Hey,” Shayne says as she sips a pink drink with a little umbrella in it. “Why aren’t you wearing your new dress?” she asks as she dances in her seat to the heavy beat of the bass.

“Oh yeah, I forgot, I’m going to give it to you if you want it.”

“What? Why?” she shouts over the music.

“I put it on, and I looked at myself. It didn’t suit me.” I don’t want to tell her I look cheap in it, because I actually think it’ll suit her so much better than me. The dress is just not for me.

“What? You looked super-hot in it. Seriously, smoking hot.”

“Who looks smoking hot?” Liam says as he approaches us, sits and puts his arm around Shayne. “I gotta check her out.” He looks around the club.

Shayne playfully smacks Liam in the arm, and he leans over and kisses her shoulder. “You’re a dork.” I smile at their carefree, easy relationship. “I was saying Lily looked really hot in this dress she got yesterday, but she said she didn’t like it, so she’s giving it to me.”

“Didn’t you try it on before you bought it?” Liam asks.

“Yeah, but when I put it on tonight, I just didn’t like it.”

“So I score a new dress thanks to my best friend, Lily.” Shayne points to me. “But, it might be tight around my boobs seeing as mine are bigger than yours.” She points to her breasts than to mine.

“Hot,” Liam says making a stupid face.

“Hey. Let’s go dance,” Penelope, one of the girls says as she bounces over to our table.

I pull my phone out and notice it’s quarter to eleven, so I may as well get another dance in before I leave to meet Trent.

Shayne and Liam follow, and they’re dancing really close together, his hands all over her. I’m dancing in the circle with Penelope, Jasmine and a few of the other girls when I feel someone put their hands on my hips.

I turn to see some guy grinding up against me. “Hey, hot stuff,” he says as he continues to dance.

I sidestep him, breaking his contact on my hips and continue dancing. But he does it again. “Hey, don’t,” I yell over the music.

“We’re just dancing, not screwing,” he shouts back.

“I don’t want your hands on me.” I move to be on the opposite side and keep dancing with the girls. He disappears and I just close my eyes and feel the music. But then I feel his hands on me again. I whip around and see he’s just about to kiss me. But before his lips come anywhere near me, he’s dragged away.

“Keep your hands off her,” Trent yells and punches the guy.