chapter thirty-one: dressing for the occasion

"I don't like to do what people expect. Why should I live up to other people's expectations instead of my own?"

~10 Things I Hate About You

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Kelsey snapped a picture of the beach as she and Jacob walked along the sand.

The sun was drowsily hanging in the sky, casting off orange and yellow hues on the cloudless horizon.

"This has been so great," Jacob said, placing the neon green sunglasses he'd bought at a tourist stand on his head. His Hawaiian shirt from the same place billowed in the wind.

"It's not a bad place, eh? I love this part of it." She gestured to the empty beach.

"Are you liking it better?" Jacob asked, his face a rare mask of seriousness. "I mean, with everything that happened?"

Kelsey tucked her wild hair behind her ear and nodded. "I'm getting used to it. It was just a lot at once when I first arrived, you know? Now I'm taking things slower and thinking through things."

"Like that movie premiere?" He pried, with a lift of an eyebrow and a grin.

Kelsey cringed and rocked back on her heels. "Yeah."

"You sure about that?"

"No," she admitted. "But I think it's the right thing to do. If I want this to work, Ethan and I have to compromise."

Jacob nodded and squinted at the water. "Hey, what about Sandy? Have you talked to her since you left?"

Kelsey swallowed. "No. I tried to call twice after I got back, but she never answered. Honestly, I haven't really thought of her that much. It's like—" Kelsey searched the horizon for words, "it's like I didn't know her. She was so different, Jacob."

"Is she okay?"

Kelsey lifted her shoulders and let them fall. "I don't know. I hope so."

The life she lived with Sandy was a blur. It was a whirlwind of madness and Kelsey was ashamed to admit that she didn't miss her friend. She enjoyed having Becca Lynn as her roommate far more than her childhood friend. Guilt gnawed at her stomach.

"What, about Mom?" Jacob asked.

Kelsey glanced at him and tightened her jaw. "No."

"Dude, I know she called you. She said you never called back."

"Oh, is she telling on me now?" Kelsey snapped. She shook her head with a bitter laugh. "She doesn't call me for months or bother to come see me when I visit, and then complains to you that I don't have time for her crap anymore?"

Jacob lifted his hands. "Woah, don't get so upset."

"I'm not upset," Kelsey muttered.

"Yeah, I can tell by the way you're shouting," he replied. "But maybe give her another chance too. You're good at that kind of thing."

Kelsey gave a tight smile. "Maybe." But her heart shouted an adamant no.

~~~~~~~~

Kelsey frowned at a thin soup broth that tasted like dishwater.

"Fix it, intern!" Chef Romano growled as she passed by.

Kelsey blew her hair out of her face and added a little cream and salt in a desperate attempt to save it.

Jacob had to leave a day early after his history professor sent an email stating that they had an essay due the next week. It had thrown things off with their plans, but Kelsey had to admit she was glad. She really enjoyed Carissa's company, but deep down, she was hoping that her and Ethan were getting to spend some time together.

As she stirred the mixture, her phone buzzed. She ignored the first call until it began ringing again.

She picked it up and propped the phone against her shoulder, dashing a pinch of cayenne into the pot. "Hello?"

"Kelsey?!"

"Becca?"

"I need you here! Please! It's an emergency!" She cried. Kelsey could hear the sobs in her voice.

"Wait, what—"

The line went dead.

Kelsey put her phone back in her pocket and began taking off her apron. "Chef Romano?"

She rounded the corner, tossing the apron to the corner. "Chef?"

"What?"

"I need to go, I'm sorry, there's an emergency," Kelsey explained.

"Bah! You could not have picked a worse time," Chef Romano muttered. "Go, go!"

"Thank you," Kelsey breathed as she raced outside and got in her car.

Becca's house was only a few blocks from the set and Kelsey was soon typing in the passcode to her gate.

She drove down the winding driveway and parked. She raced up the wide steps to the wrought-iron door and opened it.

"Becca?! Becca—" Kelsey searched around before spotting Becca on the living room floor.

She was crumpled in a fetal position, weeping loudly.

"Becca," Kelsey breathed, running over and kneeling next to her. "What happened?!"

Becca gestured lazily towards a box.

Kelsey cautiously opened it and pulled out a wad of sparkly material.

"What—" She held it up and saw what she assumed was a dress. The neck plunged down to the waist, a chunk of material was missing, and the sleeves were sewn on unevenly.

"Oh, Becca," she murmured. "Was this your dress for the premiere?"

Becca sniffled and nodded miserably.

"We talked about online shopping," Kelsey sighed.

"But you just shop on Amazon because you're poor!" Becca sobbed. "I didn't expect this from Chanel!"

Kelsey rolled her eyes and patted Becca's shoulder.

"I left work for this," she muttered. "Come on, Becca, it's not so bad."

"Yes it is!" Becca cried. "I ordered that thing the day we started shooting! I'll never be able to get another one in time!"

Kelsey lifted an eyebrow. "Would you want to?"

"It was supposed to be custom fitted."

Kelsey examined the dress again. "Maybe custom fitted for a lopsided goblin."

"You're making me feel worse!" Becca sniffed.

"Look, you'll find a new dress," Kelsey said. "Something with more sparkles, and even more eye-catching. Okay?"

Becca nodded and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Yeah. I'll call my stylist today and she'll find me another one."

"Atta girl."

Becca inhaled slowly. "What are you wearing?"

"Me?" Kelsey laughed. "I haven't even thought of it."

"But you have to!" Becca warned.

"Well, thankfully for me, I'm not the star of the carpet like you and Ethan are."

Becca frowned and surveyed Kelsey skeptically. "But you will be."

Kelsey's smile faltered and she gave a nervous laugh. "Last time I checked, I just serve lunch to the movie stars. And I don't know anyone besides you and Ethan."

"But everyone knows you."

Kelsey sucked in a breath. "If this is about the tabloid—"

"No, no!" Becca defended. "People love you and Ethan!"

Kelsey stared it her for a long time, her mouth hanging open. "I—what are you talking about?"

"People are so excited to see you and Ethan on the carpet together."

"How do they even know I'm going?"

"They just assume, I guess."

Kelsey was struggling to breathe. "But from what the tabloid said—"

"There have been so many other things that have come out, girl," Becca explained. "People know you and Ethan weren't together for a long time after you met, and that you're a decent person. They even ship you, even though you've ruined a lot of people's chance at dating Ethan."

Kelsey blinked. She didn't know how to feel. It was disturbing, to say the least, but the panic and despair didn't churn in her stomach like it had last time. There was a sense of relief at knowing that her name was cleared, but she still didn't like the idea of the whole world being involved in her love life.

"You'll be more popular than any of us," Becca said.

Kelsey shrunk. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Becca patted her hand. "I'll help you pick out a dress."

~~~~~~~~

Kelsey was about to pull her hair out.

She was sitting on Becca's couch, starving, watching the TV as Becca pulled up dress after dress on her phone and putting it up on the screen.

She seemed to be back to normal, so Kelsey tolerated it. She'd been excused from work anyway.

"What about this one?!" Becca asked excitedly as a picture of a gown popped up on the TV. It was bright white, form-fitting, and had a long train made of feathers.

"I don't think so," Kelsey said.

"But it's only five-thousand dollars!"

"Only five-thousand," Kelsey mimicked. "I could pay a year's rent with that, but looking like a walking chicken is definitely worth it."

"Whatever," Becca muttered.

"Look, Becca, I really appreciate it, but the premiere isn't for another month, and I really don't care about which gown I wear."

"Sure you do," Becca muttered, flipping through the pictures quickly.

"Wait," Kelsey said. "Go back a few."

Becca glanced at her before scrolling back. "This one?"

The screen displayed a modest floor-length dress made of elegant tan tulle. Little flowers were stitched across the bodice and down the skirt with a small tan belt at the waist. It was simple. Kelsey wouldn't stand out, but she didn't think she'd be on the chopping block for the worst outfit, either. "How much is that one?"

Becca made a face. "It's two-hundred dollars. So not worth it. It's not even name-brand!"

"That's the one."

"You're joking."

"Nope."

Becca gaped at her. "You're serious."

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "Pick your jaw up off the floor. Yes, I'm serious!"

"You're no fun," Becca sighed. "Alright, I'll book a fitting this week. Let's see, where is the store location." She clicked on the image and frowned. "It's in the mall, Kelsey!"

"No one ever went to jail for buying a dress at the mall."

"Well they should! It's a crime against fashion!"

Kelsey sighed deeply. "Do you think it's pretty or not?"

"I mean...yes."

"Okay then."

Becca surveyed the picture with disdain. "I guess it does match you. Nice, proper, a little homely—"

"Hey!"

Becca nodded. "I think it'll do just fine."

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Hey guys!

~What do you think of Becca's plight?

~Do you like the dress Kelsey picked?

~General thoughts on the chapter?

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