Across the Pond

Chapter 34

All Remi's been trying to do for the past hour is find me a dress. I've been repeatedly telling her to just let it go, but she keeps insisting, so I eventually cave.

"I don't know, Rem, this place looks a lot more fancy than the store we went into for your dress," I tell her as my eyes peer up at the maroon awning of a store that reads Milly's.

"C'mon, B." She tugs at my arm and pushes the door open with her shoulder.

Milly's is a boutique shop that's immaculately clean on the inside. The two sales ladies that work there are decked out in plaid skirts and matching blazers; one of them sporting a heavy set of pearls around her neck. Yup, I'm definitely in the wrong place.

To my right, sits an elderly lady sipping on a glass of champagne as she watches her daughter try on a strapless gown.

And to my left...

...Oh no.

"Bella? What are you doing here?" Nico is standing outside a fitting room with his arms crossed. He's dressed more formally than usual, wearing a pair of beige slacks and a white button down shirt.

"Nico? What are you doing here?" I throw the question back at him and ask.

"I'm...uh," he scratches his head and begins to say. But before he can answer my question, Cara strides out of the dressing room wearing a light pink one-shoulder ruched gown.

"Oh," I say once I see her. I should've known that Nico was going to ask Cara to the dance. She is his girlfriend after all.

"B?" Remi calls out.

"Hm," I respond because I'm pretty much speechless right now.

"Didn't you want to look at that dress over there?" She points her thumb backwards, widening her eyes and nodding her head slowly like I should just play along with her lie.

"Right, yes," I pretend and say, immediately composing myself and hiding my real emotions.

"Babe," Cara calls out, clearly annoyed that Nico's not paying her any attention...not that I blame her. "What do you think?" She does a little twirl, and I look at Nico for his reaction.

A faint smile forms on his face, but his tone is calm. "You look beautiful."

I have to wonder if she knows how lucky she is to be loved by him; to be cared for by him. But then I think, of course she does. Of course she knows how lucky she is. How couldn't she?

He shifts his body to face me again and gives me a smirk in an attempt to make me feel less awkward.

On that note...

"I'll see you guys later," I tell them. I begin to walk away, but then stop myself. "Oh, and Cara? Nico's right. You do look beautiful."

I meet Remi by the front of the store, where she's sifting through a rack.

"Did I just hear you give that girl a compliment?"

"Yeah," I state, shrugging my shoulders like it's no big deal.

"Wow, you're a saint."

"Remi, the girl did nothing wrong."

"I know and isn't that the worst part? You can't even hate her because she's so damn nice."

I tilt my head and pout my lips at her. "Can we please leave?"

"Leave? We just got here. Plus, Nico's practically staring at you right now. You're trying on a dress whether you like it or not."

"Remi, I can't afford this place. You know it, I know it, and Nico knows it."

"Hey, for all he knows, you could've saved up. Plus, you don't owe anyone an explanation."

With that, she picks up a dress from the rack and turns to the sales lady. "Ma'am, do you have this in a size 4?"

"Let me go check on that for you," she says, taking the dress from Remi's grip.

The lady returns with the dress, but it's covered in a garment bag. "Shall I hang this up for you in a fitting room?"

"Yes, that would be great. Thank you." Remi looks at me and nods her head at the dressing room. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there."

I sigh at her, but make my way inside. I slip the dress on and it fits just right. Luckily, there's a long mirror inside the fitting room so I can see what it looks like before anyone else.

I take in the sight before me and almost don't recognize myself. I hate to admit it, but I love the way that I look in this dress. It's a gold tiered gown with a v-neckline.

"B?" Remi calls from outside. "How's it going in there?"

I know that I have to lie. If Remi sees me in this dress, she will find a way for me to get it.

"Uh...I don't like it."

"Let me see," she demands. I hear her playing with the curtains of the dressing room before she finally steps in. "Oh my gosh, Bella!" she exclaims when she sees me.

"Rem," I shake my head and whisper. "Don't. Please."

"Don't what? You look amazing. You're getting it!"

"Rem, no. I'm not and I don't want it. Don't make it a big deal, okay?" She hears the pleading tone in my voice and finally drops it.

"Okay," she gives in disappointingly. "But I think you're making a mistake."

She exits the dressing room, and I'm upset that I upset her, but I'm also upset for myself. I knew coming into this store was a bad idea.

"Well?" I hear the sales lady ask Remi. "How did she like it?"

"She's going to pass."

"Oh no! What didn't she like about it?"

"That's a great question."

I roll my eyes from inside the dressing room at Remi's short response.

"Sweetheart?" the sales lady then calls out to me. "Would you mind coming out here? I would like to see how the dress looks on you. But only if you feel comfortable, of course."

How do I say no? Nico's standing out there. So, I close my eyes shut and exhale before pushing the curtains out of the way and walking over to them.

For some reason, the second that I step out onto the sales floor, I glance at Nico. And the way that he's looking at me is something I had only and always dreamed about.

He's looking at me like he wants me.