“Good.” She hugged me then spun me around. “Now go try it on. It’s easier to pick out shoes and a mask when you have the dress with you.” I sucked in a deep breath, nodded and took the dress with me in the change room. “I just know you are going to look amazing.” When I came out, both the saleswoman and Cassie gasped. “Yes.” She nodded. “This is your dress.” The saleswoman nodded.
“Are you sure?” I scrunched my face.
“Absolutely.” Cassie grabbed the dress and handed it over to the saleswoman. “As always, you are the belle of the ball.” She hugged me excitedly. The saleswoman took the dress, slipping it into a thick plastic cover to protect it.
“I don’t recall ever being the belle of the ball,” I stated.
“That’s because you’re modest. You always had a dance partner. You always had a date. You never attended a party alone.”
“That doesn’t mean I was the belle of the ball, Cassie.” I sighed heavily.
“Do you have amnesia, girl? Because I remember it vividly like it was yesterday,” she said with a roll of her eyes. I scoffed and shrugged it off. I never thought of myself as someone beautiful. I was average, if that. Brown hair, long and curly; grey eyes— boring. And I was thin, and it didn’t matter what I ate—I never gained an ounce, and it showed. However, I was busty, and maybe that’s what the boys liked back then. I shook my head at the thought. The saleswoman handed me the bag of accessories after she filled it. Cassie carried the dress for me.
When we got back to her car, Cassie hung the dress in the back se
at. She suggested we go for coffee before shopping for the shoes and mask to go with my dress. We drove up the block to the nearest coffee shop.
“You want to talk about it?” she asked, taking a seat by a large window.
I scoffed, “I said I was fine.”
“No, you’re not. Stop lying to me,” Cassie replied. “I’m your best friend, remember? I know when your smiles are real.” She reached out to cup my hand.
“I just miss him, that’s all.” I sighed.
“I understand, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to be miserable all this time.” She sipped her coffee.
“He doesn’t.” I said. “He wants me to move on. I think the first step was moving back here.” I fiddled around with the paper cup in my hand, avoiding looking at her.
“Good because we are dancing with a ton of guys at the club tonight.” The grin on her face widened. “Well, you will.” Cassie winked.
It was after twelve by the time we finally stopped shopping. It took three shoe stores before we found the perfect set of black-and-red velvet skyscraper heels. Instantly, I fell in love with the shoes. Not too long after that came lunch, and this time we ate at the Harbour Front diner, well known for the best fish and chips in the state. Cassie was great at helping me escape my mind. She had always been there for me in the past. I just wish I had kept in touch more after I moved to L.A.
After lunch it was around three by the time we were back to shopping, to get a mask that suited my dress best. We pulled up in front of the town’s biggest party store. Cassie armed her car and turned to face me. “Even if we get a plain mask and just dazzle it up, that could also work,” she said smiling at me. I nodded and then we got out of the car. She was better at this than me.
As Cassie spoke to the guy at the front counter, I browsed through the aisles for something that caught my eye. Just as Cassie called out to me, I found the perfect Venetian mask. The silver mask cut out in a decorative pattern, encrusted with red sparkling gems as well as silver and red glitter dust and to top it off a brilliant silk red ribbon to fasten it.
“I found it.” I spun around holding it , grinning. Cassie nodded approvingly. Her smile made me smile even wider. She purchased the mask and we left the store.
“Thank you for all of this Cassie,” I said hugging her tight. “Don’t mention it. I miss these days.”
“I will pay you back.”
“Don’t insult me.” She said rolling her eyes. “This is my gift to
you, for all the birthdays we didn’t spend together.” I didn’t know what to say to that. She was a better friend than I had ever been to her. “Now we have at least eight hours to kill.” Cassie said as she got in the driver seat. “This was easier than I thought. Usually you are more stubborn.” She giggled as she turned to look at me.
“I’ m trying harder to be more pleasant to be around,” I joked. “We can just hang around for a bit or sleep.”
“Sleep? What are you? An old lady?” She playfully slapped my leg. “The fall colours are really starting to kick in. How about the Portland gardens?” she suggested.
“Photographing foliage . . . I’m in.” I gasped excitedly.
“I knew that would cheer you up.” She grinned.
“Is it possible to stop at my house for a minute?”
“Absolutely.” Cassie started the engine. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen your face light up like that.”