Unintended Consequences

Chapter 29

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    The weeks leading up to Christmas break whirled past me like a tornado. I had tried so hard to grasp onto small moments but time just kept spinning on. Life was a blur of writing papers, taking exams, and trying to remember to eat. If my mom hadn't sent me home from Thanksgiving with frozen dishes, I would probably have lived off of instant noodles.

    I had barely seen Archer since the day we went for breakfast and watched movies with his teammates. The Trojans were on pace to win their Conference Championships, so they had gone back to two-a-day training to make sure they were ready. Archer had been so busy with those plus his own final exams that we barely ever met up.

    That would hopefully all change today though. Classes had ended a few days ago so I drove home to Bellmere as soon as I packed up my dorm. Archer had to stay and travel with his team to the championship game. But tonight, they would play and I had no doubt in my mind they'd win. Once he got back home, hopefully, we'd finally get to spend time together.

    I was anxious about how we would do that with our families around. I had never been good at lying or keeping secrets but I was so desperate to see Archer, I was determined to make it work. I was sick of only connecting through texts and quick phone calls—it felt like we'd barely even began before we had to be put on pause.

    I tried not to worry about whether or not this time apart could fizzle out our spark. The thought had crossed my mind, of course. But Archer texted me often that he missed me and couldn't wait for Christmas break, so I had to trust that.

"So, what kind of dress are you looking for this year?" My mom asked as she drove us to the mall.

"Something a little more... mature? I'm tired of the princess dresses," I sighed.

Every year on New Year's Eve my dad's company threw a banquet for charity. It was a major event in our small town, always bringing in a large crowd. When I was a child I had thought it was magical to get dolled up in poofy dresses and dance in a ballroom all night. But now, I really hoped to present myself as an adult.

Our shoes clicked on the glossy marble floors as we strolled past each store. I loved this time of year. Red bows and green garland adorned the walls as Christmas carols jingled out of the speakers. I smiled at the Santa Claus that was perched on a gold throne with a line up of children waiting for him.

Ten minutes later I stripped my clothes off in a dressing room while Mom and a sales lady passed me options over the door. The first dress I tried on was clearly my mom's pick. It was light purple, covered in rhinestones and had a tulle poof. Freakin' princess dresses.

"Oh, Lotty you look beautiful!" Mom cooed as I walked out. I grimaced in the mirror as I gave them a half-hearted twirl.

"Mom, I said I wanted something more grown-up. This is the exact same dress I wore when I was ten."

"Well baby you know your dad doesn't like it too much when the young girls dress too risqué," Mom tried to appease me.

I turned to the sales lady hoping she could help me out a little. An understanding smile touched her lips as she tapped her chin. "I'm sure we could find something a little more mature but still appropriate." She grabbed a few more options for me to try before giving me a wink and sending me back in the change room.

One dress, in particular, caught my eye immediately. It was slinky but not skin-tight. The deep forest-green lace was cut modestly across my chest but then had a completely exposed back. It felt like the perfect bridge between my parent's expectations and my own.