Spring Fling (25 page)

And tonight Mindy looked fabulous!

She was wearing a ruffled silk chiffon halter dress in purple with strappy sandals and dangling gold earrings.

Across the room, Vivienne waved at her. Mindy knew she and Lacey had come to the party on their own, while Wanda had been picked up earlier in the evening by Rick, who had taken her out to dinner.

“Love the outfit!” Vivienne raved, seeing it for the first time.

Mindy wished she could say the same about what Vivienne was wearing. It was a navy-and-white-zigzag minidress that made Mindy dizzy just looking at it. Lacey‟s outfit was just as bad. She was in a silver strapless bustier minidress that made it look like she was wearing aluminum foil! Both dresses had been chosen by Wanda during a shopping spree that afternoon. When Ava had texted Mindy to invite them to the party, Wanda had insisted they all buy new outfits. But once they‟d gotten to the mall, instead of letting everyone buy what they wanted, Wanda had weighed in with her own opinion and
strongly
urged everyone to buy the dresses she suggested.

Everyone had.

But that didn‟t mean they had to wear them.

At least Mindy hadn‟t.

The lime green ruched rayon jersey dress Wanda had chosen for Mindy was back in her closet. And hidden
waaaay
in the back! Originally, she was going to wear the dress—
because that was what
Wanda wanted
—but she hated everything about it. The color, the fit, the fabric.

That night, before leaving for the party, she had been wearing the dress and studying herself in her bedroom mirror when Carmela walked by the open doorway. When she saw Mindy in the dress, she did a double take, rubbing her eyes.

“That is one ugly dress!” she exclaimed. “Have you suddenly gone blind?”

“It‟s not that bad,” Mindy said, turning away from her image.

“It‟s
bad
!”

“At the store, Wanda said it looked good on me.”

Carmela raised an eyebrow. “And you believed her?”

“Why would she lie?”

Carmela walked over to Mindy and had her face the mirror, pointing to her image.

“That‟s why! You‟re a pretty girl. Much prettier than she is! She doesn‟t want you to outshine her.”

“But if I don‟t wear the dress, she‟ll get mad.”

“Do you want Damian to see you in this dress?”

“No!” Mindy instantly answered although she hadn‟t heard from Damian all day.

Not that she was surprised. He‟d collected his kiss (as well as a second one!) so all interest in her was probably gone. Still, that didn‟t mean she couldn‟t look hot. Let him see what he‟d be missing!

Carmela walked over to Mindy‟s closet and slid the door back. “You‟ve got a ton of gorgeous dresses in there. Pick one that
you
like that‟s going to make Damian notice
you.
”

“You really think I should?”

Carmela shook her head. “I‟m not going to tell you what to do, Mindy. But there‟s a time when you realize you have to stand up for yourself. Sure, you can do what Wanda says and she‟ll probably let you into her group. But is that what you really want? Is that what‟s
really
going to make you happy? Think about it.” After Carmela left, Mindy turned back to her image in the mirror. Blech! She was a huge Fashion Don‟t! She couldn‟t wear this! She turned away from the mirror and reached back into her closet, pulling out another dress. The purple chiffon had been a recent purchase and she was dying to wear it. That afternoon, after they‟d come home from shopping, she‟d been going through her closet when Lacey had walked into her bedroom and seen it.

“Fierce!” she had declared. “I bet you wish you were wearing that tonight! You‟d look sensational in it!”

“You think?”

“Without a doubt!”

In the end, Mindy decided to wear the dress that she wanted. After all, how could she
not
look sensational? Wanda might get pissed off at her, but it was a small price to pay.

Besides, she had done everything else Wanda wanted this week. She‟d definitely paid her dues.

“So you decided to wear that dress,” Lacey said as she sipped from a red plastic cup. “I didn‟t know you were such a rebel. Wanda‟s not going to be too happy.”

“Stop scaring her!” Vivienne said.

“I‟m not scaring her! I‟m telling her the truth.” Lacey lifted her cup, pointing it at herself and Vivienne. “The only reason Wanda picked these hideous dresses for us is because she doesn‟t want us to look better than she does.”

“They‟re not
that
bad,” Vivienne said.

“It‟s why she picked that lime green dress for you,” Lacey told Mindy. “But you‟re not wearing it. And when Wanda finds out, she‟s going to be
pissed.
”

“Where is Wanda?” Vivienne asked. “I haven‟t seen her all night.”

“Stick around,” Lacey said. “She‟s going to flip out
big-time
when she sees what Mindy is wearing.”

Mindy found herself getting nervous. “She‟s not going to be
that
mad, is she?” Lacey shrugged, giving Mindy the same secret smile as the other day. “Wait and see.”

Okay, now it was official. Mindy was panicking. Lacey‟s smile was what did it. It meant trouble. Maybe she should leave the party and go home and change before Wanda saw her. Maybe…

“Mindy!”

She turned around and saw Damian headed her way.

“You look hot!” he exclaimed.

Maybe she
wasn’t
going to go home and change.

Maybe she was going to keep wearing this dress!

“Did you just get here?” he asked.

“Five minutes ago.”

“Want something to drink?”

“Coke is fine.”

“Be right back.”

Mindy turned back to Vivienne and Lacey, but both were gone. That was strange.

And then she heard another voice behind her.

A voice that made her blood turn cold.

“That‟s not the dress I picked out for you.”

Mindy whirled around, swallowing the lump of fear in her throat. No wonder Lacey and Vivienne had disappeared. Standing behind her, with fury in her eyes, was Wanda.

Wearing the exact same dress as Mindy!

“Is this your idea of a joke?” Wanda hissed, poking a finger in Mindy‟s chest. “To show up wearing the same dress as me?”

“Th-th-that wasn‟t the dress you bought this afternoon!” Mindy pointed out, trying not to sound nervous, and failing. “Where did you get it?”

“As if you didn‟t know!”

“I don‟t!”

“Lacey bought it for me. It was an early birthday present. She gave it to me late this afternoon. She told me that you helped her pick it out.” Lacey! Even though she couldn‟t have known for sure that Mindy would wear the purple chiffon, she‟d taken a chance that Mindy would and bought the exact same dress for Wanda. She‟d set her up and Mindy had fallen right into her trap!

“And that isn‟t the dress you bought, either!” Wanda shot back. “I picked out the dress you were supposed to be wearing tonight, remember?”

“I changed my mind and decided to go with something else.”

“Obviously you made the wrong choice,” Wanda said, folding her arms over her chest. “So what are you going to do about it?”

Mindy knew what she had to say. “Go home and change.”

“Change into what?”

There was only one answer. Mindy had no choice. She had already defied Wanda and couldn‟t do it again.

“The dress you picked out for me.”

Wanda smiled smugly. “That‟s right. Who do you think you are, Mindy? Here I am trying to be your friend, giving you advice, and you ignore it! Are you stupid?” She didn‟t give Mindy a chance to answer. “That must be it. You‟re stupid! No wonder you don‟t have any friends at North Ridge High! You think you‟re smarter and better than everyone else.” Mindy could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She did
not
think she was better than everyone else! And she would never humiliate a friend the way Wanda was humiliating her in front of everyone. She knew people were staring. Listening. Whispering.

Before she could say anything, Damian came to her rescue.

“If anyone should go home and change, it‟s you, Wanda,” he said, handing Mindy her Coke. “That dress looks way better on Mindy than it does on you. She‟s got the bod for it. You don‟t.”

Hearing those words, Mindy gasped, almost dropping the red plastic cup that Damian had given her.

Oh, no!

No!

What had Damian done?

Behind her, she could hear people snickering and laughing.

But not at her.

At Wanda.

Mindy stole a peek at Wanda‟s face and saw what she expected.

Hatred.

And it was aimed directly at her. She‟d embarrassed Wanda, and Wanda would never forget that.

Mindy knew it was all over.

There was no way she‟d be getting into the Princess Posse now.

Danielle felt awful. Awful! The fight between Rory and Ethan was all her fault, and now Ethan thought she was cheating on him!

Jade found her sitting on the steps of the back porch and sat down next to her.

“What are you doing hiding out here when there‟s a party in your honor going on inside?”

“I messed things up.” Danielle sighed, resting her head against Jade‟s shoulder.

Jade wrapped a reassuring arm around Danielle. “How‟d you mess up?” Danielle told Jade how she‟d been flirting with Rory for most of the week, how he‟d kissed her at the party, and Ethan‟s reaction.

“That‟s what you‟re so upset about?” Jade laughed. “That happens to me almost every week!”

“Stuff like that might happen to you, but you know how to handle it!” a frustrated Danielle cried. “I don‟t! I‟m not the pretty Hollis sister. I‟m the smart one! I‟ve only been the pretty sister for a few days. I‟m not used to it!”

“You‟re smart
and
pretty,” Jade told Danielle, looking into her tear-filled eyes.

“You always have been. You just didn‟t know it. Don‟t be so hard on yourself. Nobody‟s perfect, Danielle. Okay, so you got a little bit out of control this week with your makeover, but you didn‟t do anything wrong. It‟s not like you were dating Rory behind Ethan‟s back or lying to them. Both guys knew about the other one. It‟s not your fault that Ethan got jealous. In fact, I think you still have a chance with him.” Danielle sniffed, wiping away her tears. “I do?”

“The fact that Ethan lost his temper means something.”

“It does?”

“Yes! He likes you!”

“Then why wouldn‟t he let me explain?”

“Duh! He‟s a guy. Guys have huge egos.”

“What should I do?”

“I think you should find Ethan and make him listen. Any idea where he might have gone?”

Danielle stared at the house next door. “I think so.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

“I just need to go inside and get something,” Danielle said, heading back into the house. “Thanks for the advice, Jade.”

“That‟s what big sisters are for!”

“Why did you do that?” Mindy hissed at Damian once Wanda had stormed off. She didn‟t care who was watching. She was too angry! “Why? You ruined everything! All I had to do was go home and change my dress. Everything would have been fine!” Damian stared at Mindy in disbelief. “Did you not hear a word she said? She called you stupid. She was insulting you!”

“That‟s the way Wanda is.”

“I can‟t believe you‟re defending her!”

“I‟m not defending her!”

“So you
like
being treated like that?”

“Of course not!”

“Then why do you want to put up with it?”

“I already told you!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Damian said, rolling his eyes. “So you can be part of her group.”

“It might not matter to you, but it matters to me!”

“Is that witch the best you can do for a friend?” Damian asked. “If no one at your high school wants to be friends with you, then they‟re nuts! I‟ll be friends with you.” Mindy snorted. “Why would you want to be friends with me?”

“Why not? You‟re funny and smart and you know how to go after what you want.

You‟re also a knockout and you know how to wear a smoking hot dress!” Mindy had never gotten so many compliments at once from a guy. But she was still mad at him! He‟d ruined things with Wanda!

“Maybe I don‟t want to be friends with you!” Mindy shouted.

“Oh, you don‟t?” Damian asked, leaning into Mindy‟s space and pressing his face close to hers…so close that she could look into his green eyes…so close that she could smell his cologne…so close that she could reach out and trace his lips with a finger. “What do you want?”

“Maybe I want to be more than friends!”

Damian gave Mindy a wicked smile. “I wouldn‟t have a problem with that. Maybe I need to see what it‟s like to go out with just one girl.”

“Think you‟re up to the challenge? Think you can handle me?”

“Oh, I can handle you. The question is, can
you
handle
me
?”

“I‟m willing to give it a shot if you are,” Mindy said, her heart pounding madly as she waited for Damian‟s answer.

“Then what are we waiting for?” he asked. “Let‟s make this official!” And then, before Mindy even knew it was happening, Damian was kissing her…and she was kissing him right back!

Danielle rang the doorbell of Ethan‟s beach house. Seconds later, he came to the door.

“What you do you want?” he asked.

“I brought you something,” she said, holding up a dish towel filled with ice cubes.

“I thought you could use it.”

Ethan unlocked the screen door and walked back into the house. Danielle followed him into the living room, where the TV was on. He plopped back down on the couch, picking up the remote control as Danielle sat next to him.

“What are you watching?” she asked.

“I‟m just channel surfing.”

“Is it okay if I press this against your cheek?” she asked, holding up the dish towel.