"if it makes you happy, it's not a waste of time"

⋆✧⋆✧⋆

"Jemma, are you ready?" I ask through the curtain of the dressing room.

"Yeah, give me one second," she responds flustered. "Never mind, I'm not ready. I need your help."

I let out a small laugh at her surrender and help her zip the dress up.

The girls and I are dress shopping for Chase's banquet. It's this dance and dinner for the football team and their family and friends. Chase managed to get 4 tickets for our family; my mom, my dad, me, and Jemma.

Jemma and I are here to get dresses for later this weekend and the rest of our friends came to help us decide.

I smooth out her golden hair and take a look at her; the light pink dress flows down a few inches below her knee. The neckline is a square cut and the straps tie into small bows resting on her shoulders. The shade perfectly complements her soft features and glowing smile.

"Jemma, you look incredible."

"Thank you, Dell."

I shine her a sugary smile and open to curtain for the rest of the girls to see her.

"Holy fuck," Harper starts.

"Yeah, holy fuck," Aspen just restates her thoughts.

"I think they both mean to say you look beautiful and this is definitely the dress," Beth chuckles.

Harper and Aspen just nod their heads and I can't help but beam at my amazing friends.

"Thanks, I love you guys," Jemma says with a blush coating her cheeks.

"Chase's jaw is going to be on the floor," Harper points out.

I internally agree but then I think about what she means. Somehow, throughout the last however many years, it didn't really occur to me that Chase could ever like her. Not because anything is wrong with Jemma, obviously, but just because they always had a rocky and basically non-existent relationship. Up until the last few months, I guess.

I try and imagine it; Jemma and Chase. At first, it freaks me out. But then it starts to make sense; them together. As much as the two of them bicker, I know they care about each other, and they have lots in common. Of course, I'd be cautious considering it's my best friend and brother and if they ended on poor terms I'm not sure what would happen. Yet, I actually think I'd be okay with it - more than okay if it worked out - I just hope they'd think to let me know.

I snap myself out of my thoughts considering this is just me over-analyzing and I refocus my attention on the dress racks in front of me.

I find a dark emerald green dress and walk into the change room to try it on.

I look into the mirror and can't help but slightly smile at myself. The length is similar to Jemma's but maybe an inch shorter. The spaghetti straps hold up the corset-style top and my left leg peeks threw a long slit going down the bottom of the dress. My non-existent boobs manage to look flattering with the sweetheart neckline.

"Ready?" I call out to the girls on the other side of the curtain.

I'm met with cheers and Harper's overly loud "fuck yeah," so I take that as a cue to come out.

I step out into the main room and I look at my best friends sitting on the couch in front of me. Their jaws hang open and I can't help but blush at their reaction.

"Dell, you look fucking hot." Jemma's words make me laugh, her rare use of profanity emphasizes her feelings about how I look.

"That dress was made for you," Beth adds.

Aspen claps her hands together, "I love it so much."

The girls' reactions solidify my decision to buy this dress, and Jemma and I walk to the cashier together with our dresses in our hands.

⋆✧⋆✧⋆

Tonight the girls and I are going to watch the boys' hockey game and honestly I've been waiting all week to have a night out and get the group together again.

As I get ready for the game I get a text from Sterling,

His words put a grin on my face.

I send, as I quickly finish picking my outfit.

I let the girls know I'm going early and they decide to come with me instead of coming later so we can get good seats and the best snacks.

We're resourceful.

We arrive at the rink and I look around, taking in the calmness the empty seats bring.

I shoot Sterling a quick text letting him know I'm here and on my way to find him.

I manage to make my way to the locker rooms without getting too lost. As a Canadian, I've been to my fair share of hockey arenas. It was actually pretty common for gymnastics meets to be at rinks, weirdly enough.

I walk over and find Sterling waiting outside,

"Hi Laney," his dimples are put on display by his crooked grin.

"Hey, darling, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, now. What about you?"

"I'm excited to see you and the boys play. I brought the rest of the girls with me."

"Good, now Theo will play his best," Sterling refers to Aspen's presence in particular and I can't help but giggle at his presumption.

"Maybe, if you all aren't too tired after the game, we can go out for ice cream," I suggest.

"That sounds good, Laney."

Mason pops his head out of the locker room door to call Sterling, but his face breaks out into a smirk when he spots me, "Hey Delaney, good to see you." He looks suggestively between the two of us.

"Hey Mason, good luck out there, and tell the rest of the boys I say hi."

"Will do, Dell. Oh and Sterling, hurry your ass up. You're running out of time before we need to get going, loverboy." He clearly can't help but say, his forwardness making me blush.

"Yeah, yeah, tell coach I'll be there in a minute," Sterling utters to his best friend.

"Alright, I don't want to get you into any trouble, I'm gonna go," I smile, turning on my heels and walking away from him.

I don't get far, maybe 2 steps before Sterling reaches out and pulls me back by my wrist.

I stumble into his chest but he steadies me immediately.

"What, no good luck kiss?" His deep, almost whisper, makes me shiver.

I go on tippy toes to try to reach him and give him a quick kiss on the cheek, "Better?"

"Loads." His cocky grin is almost comical. "You're going to have to do that every time now for good luck now, you know?"

"I'm okay with that" I vocalize as I walk away once more, "Are you?"

"Way more than okay, Laney."

⋆✧⋆✧⋆

Yet this tuned into one of my favourite chapters I've written so I hope you guys enjoyed it too (even though it's a little small).

I've now written 2 chapters in a day, both of which I think I'm pretty proud of, and ignored all my homework! But I had so much fun writing this chapter because I got to look at dresses for Inspiration and Delaney and Sterling's banter was enjoyable to write.

Thank you guys so so much for all the support, literally every one of you make my day. (gentle reminder that votes and comments, if you enjoyed the chapter, help me and my book)

Question of the chapter: Who's dress would you wear: Jemma's or Delaney's?

Stay safe and healthy everyone <33

Also I don't know why the pictures of the dresses are so freaking huge but...

[JEMMA'S] (but imagine it in a silk material and dressed up with accessories.)

[DELANEY'S]