"So, then I flat out told her that the pasta tastes like ass, and she threatened to beat me with her wooden spoon if I didn't eat it all!" Liam exclaims, using wild hand gestures to emphasize his point.

"What conversation did I just walk into?" Anna asks as she walks up to us, her eyebrows furrowed as she joins Liam, Reece, and I as we walk out of the school. We've just finished up with school on Monday and are about to head out to grab something to eat at a diner which is not far from school.

"I was just telling them about the dream I had about my dead grandma that I met like once," Liam tells her, "The one I was telling you about this morning."

Anna's eyes widen in realization, "The one where she was doing the chicken dance the whole time?"

Liam nods enthusiastically, a grin on his face, "Yes! And she was wearing a huge bright pink ball gown with cats all over it."

I furrow my eyebrows and adjust my bag on my shoulder, "You really do have some weird dreams."

"Right!? I wonder what it means," Liam mumbles to himself.

"Probably means you're losing your mind," Reece mutters, shaking his head. But I can see the little tilt in his lips that forms the beginning of a smile.

"I think that may have happened a long time ago," I reply.

His lips quirk up a little more, "Well, he didn't have it when I met him, so maybe he just wasn't born with one."

I nod, looking over at Liam who is now telling the dream to Amanda and Mark who have joined our small group. "I think you may be right."

Before the conversation can continue, my familiar ringtone starts blaring from my back pocket. I dig the device out of my pocket and frown at the Unknown number. I swipe the screen to answer and hold the phone up to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hey, this is Layla, right?" A somewhat familiar voice speaks through the phone.

I furrow my brows, aware of most of the group watching me now to see who is calling. "Uh, yes. Who's this?"

"It's Jace... from the gym?" My eyes widen in recognition and I smile.

"Oh, hi! Wait- how did you get my number?" I furrow my brows again, suddenly curious.

"Bella gave it to me," he replies easily, laughing quietly.

I roll my eyes, "Of course she did. What's up?"

"Uh, I was just-" He clears his throat, "I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie with me sometime?"

"Really? Oh, that would be great, yeah," I nod even though he can't see me and stick my free hand in my back pocket. I only had one conversation with the guy the other night, but he seemed nice. He was cute too, so I don't mind going on a date with him.

"Great. I'm busy for the next little while but maybe Friday next week? I'll pick you up at six?" I can almost hear the smile in his voice as he replies.

"Perfect. I'll text you my address."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye," I end the call and put my phone back into my back pocket.

"Who was that?" Amanda asks curiously, her eyes slightly wide as she awaits my answer. Everyone else is waiting for my answer as well.

I laugh a little at her eagerness. "That was Jace, I met him when I went to the gym with Reece the other night."

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, "You- what?"

I wave a hand, realizing I haven't told her about the other night and mentally making a note to tell her later. "Never mind, it's kind of a long story. But he just asked me out."

"Really!? When?" She asks, suddenly excited. She doesn't even know the guy and she is already jumping at the possibility of me going on a date.

"Friday night next week. We're going to the movies," I reply.

"Um, I just remembered, I have to bail on our plans. I'm going to the gym to make up for the session I missed on Friday. See you guys later," Reece tells us quietly before turning on his heel and walking towards his car, hands stuffed into his pockets and headphones now placed in his ears.

Liam frowns, "Usually he doesn't like to train on any day other than Friday. It's the least busy day and he always gets a private training room."

"That's weird," Anna adds.

"Uh huh," I agree. I wonder what's gotten into him.

"Well, if we're done standing around, I need food," Mark butts in before turning and walking towards his car.

~

"Layla, where are you taking me?" Anna asks for the millionth time as I pull her through the school. We dodge people passing us in the hallway as I pull her along.

I laugh, adjusting my long-sleeved black shirt that I have tucked into my jeans as I turn down another hallway, "Just trust me, okay?"

It's now Tuesday and I'm beyond excited for what is about to happen. Liam pulled me aside earlier and asked if I'd help him with what he has planned and I, of course, agreed. So, now it's lunchtime and I'm dragging Anna through the school.

"I do trust you, Lay, but I'd like to know where we're going!" She exasperates and I just grin, stopping in my tracks.

"We're here," I say, stepping back and waiting for everything to happen.

She raises an eyebrow and turns to me, "My locker?"

I nod, still grinning, "Open it."

I turn my head as she steps forward to do so, feeling a hand on the small of my back. Reece has come to stand just behind me. "Is he ready?" I whisper to him, looking up into his bright turquoise eyes.

He smiles a little, stuffing his other hand into his pocket but leaving the one on my back. "Not really, but he's doing it anyway."

I chuckle quietly and turn back to watch Anna as she opens her locker. When she does, dozens of blush pink roses fall out making her gasp and take a step back. She looks down at all of them, her mouth open before she looks back at us. "What-"

"Annie," she's cut off by the sound of her name being said and she turns to find Liam standing there, a nervous smile on his lips. He clears his throat and holds out the single rose in his hand to her.

She takes it with a confused smile, "What's all this?"

He clears his throat again and shifts from foot to foot before finally saying, "I, uh- Will you go to Homecoming with me?" He winces a little at the end as if waiting for the rejection.

I hold back an excited squeal as she answers, "I- Yes!" She nods, laughing a little.

"Dammit, I missed it," Amanda says as she jogs up to me, pouting a little.

I laugh, "Don't worry, she said yes."

She grins then, "Finally! Now we can go dress shopping!"

I sigh, "Fantastic."

"Sound a little more excited, will you? It'll be great. We are all going out today after school." She says matter-of-factly.

"Can't we go during the weekend or something?" Reece asks.

Amanda shakes her head, "Nope. Mark is busy on the weekend and so am I."

I nod, "Right. I guess today's shopping day then."

"Yes! And the guys can all get suits and match their ties to our dresses and..."

Oh boy, this will be a long day.

~

"So, have you got a date, Layla?" Anna asks as we walk around the shopping mall. We just arrived here and are looking for some shops to search for our dresses.

I shake my head, "Nope. I'm just glad I found out Preston was cheating on me and broke up with him before the dance rather than after. Otherwise I would've had to go with his sorry ass. I'd much rather go by myself."

She nods, "Ain't that the truth."

"Ooh! Let's go into this shop!" Amanda says, her eyes zoning in on a shop as she hurries towards it. We all follow suit, Liam, Reece and Mark hanging behind a little and seeming pretty disinterested. Liam and Mark have to wait for Amanda and Anna to find dresses before they can find their suits because they have to make sure they match.

I'm pretty sure Reece doesn't have a date. I mean, he doesn't really socialize with anyone other than us, so I wouldn't expect him to.

When we walk into the store, dresses upon dresses hang on the dozens of racks all over the place. A couple dresses catch my eye as we start walking through, but nothing really stands out to me yet.

The three of us go around and pick out a few to try on while the guys sit down on the couch outside the dressing rooms, waiting for when we try them on. The store isn't very busy and only a couple other people are roaming around.

"Is there anything I can help you ladies with?" A nice woman who looks to be in her early thirties asks us with a kind smile.

Amanda nods, grabbing a dress from the rack and holding it up, "Does this dress come in any other colors?" And so, the two of them set about trying to find the dress in the navy-blue color the store clerk tells her they have.

Anna and I continue our hunt around, both of us finding three or four dresses to try on. Amanda comes back up to us, sadly with no navy-blue dress. But she does have at least five other options in her arms.

We all go into a dressing room each, hanging up our dresses before beginning the tiring process of trying them all on.

I start with a light blue strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. It ends at my feet, a few inches too long. I would definitely need some heels with this dress.

I step out at almost the same time as Amanda. My eyes fall to her dress and I nod in approval. It's black and quite simple at the front, but when she turns it's strappy at the back.

"This dress is a bástard to get on," She mutters, walking forward to look at herself in the bigger mirror.

I laugh, "But it looks good."

She tilts her head and turns to look at her side profile, running her hands over the fabric of the dress. "It does... I'm not sure though. The fabric doesn't sit quite right around here." She fiddles with the fabric around her hips and I notice what she means.

"It does sit a little weird," I murmur, fixing one of the straps at the back of her dress.

She hums before looking at me through the mirror and smiling, "You look good though, babe. Dámn."

I laugh and take a better look at myself. I do look quite pretty. But the longer I stare at my body in the dress the more I notice the imperfections. The way it makes my shoulders look a little wide and my hips almost non-existent. I stand on my tiptoes to imitate heels and frown.

"It's nice, but I don't think it's for me." I murmur.

Anna's curtain opens then, and she steps out in a light pink dress with thin straps and a deep v neckline. It has a slit up the skirt to make it easier to walk and lots of beading on the top half of the dress.

It's gorgeous.

"Oh my God," I say as she walks forward, smoothing out the dress.

"What do you think?" She asks hesitantly, her hands brushing her hair back as she looks down at the dress.

Amanda wolf whistles, settling her hands on her hips as she watches Anna, "That's the one, babe."

Anna smiled, "You think? The first on?"

"I know. It suits you so well." Amanda confirms.

"Holy fúck," a deep voice interrupts from behind us and we turn towards the guys. Liam is sitting with his mouth open as he blatantly stares at Anna.

Anna laughs, her cheeks tinting red as she raises an eyebrow at him, "You like it?"

"I- sorry, you- woah. I- you look really beautiful," he stutters out, smiling up at her.

Anna laughs again, looking back at herself in the mirror, "I really love it."

"That's the one, Anna," I tell her, adjusting the twisted strap at her back.

"I think it is," She replies, nodding. Then she turns to Reece, "What do you think?"

He nods, eyes narrowed a little. Then he sighs, "Yeah, you look beautiful."

Anna smiles.

"Well, I think Layla and I are still at square one, right, Lay?" Amanda asks, looking at me.

I nod, heading back into the changing room and closing the curtain, "Time for option number two."

Amanda and I both step back out a moment later. This time, I'm wearing a navy-blue dress that's a similar style to the last one but has straps and a slit up the skirt. Amanda is wearing a pink dress with a deep v and thick straps. We look at ourselves in the mirror before looking at each other. We lock eyes and both immediately turn back and went into our changing rooms.

These are definitely not the dresses.

"That was some kind of twin telepathy shít," I hear Liam mutter and I stifle a laugh.

"You get used to it," Mark says in response and I hear Amanda's quiet laugh from the dressing room beside mine.

This time, I step out in a black strapless dress that has little jeweled details on the top half. Amanda has on a gorgeous red silk dress that has a deep flowy neckline and a long slit up to the top of her thigh.

"I love this dress," She states immediately.

I nod, looking her over, "Spin," She does as I request and I grin, "It's gorgeous."

"So is yours, but I don't think it's right for you," She says, looking at the dress I'm wearing.

I shake my head, "I was thinking the same thing."

"Dámn, baby. You look beautiful," Mark compliments Amanda, a loving smile on his face.

"You think?" She asks, looking over herself in the mirror, "I kind of do, don't I?"

Mark laughs, "Definitely."

I walk back into my dressing room to try on the last dress I picked out. It's a long white strapless dress that has a slit up one side, reaching the top of my thigh. It's simple but elegant, just my style. I bite back a grin as I step out, already having a good feeling about the dress.

"Fúck, my best friend's hot!" Amanda exclaims as I walk out, and I laugh.

I do a little curtsey, "Thank you."

"You look great, Lay, that's definitely the one," Anna nods, smiling at me. She's now changed back into her normal clothes and is holding the dress she's going to buy. Amanda is still in her dress.

My gaze moves to Reece unintentionally and I see his eyes slowly rake over my body before he meets my eyes. He gulps before nodding, "You look beautiful, Sunshine."

I smile, and look down at the dress, smoothing it out over my stomach, "Thank you."

After Amanda and I have changed into our normal clothes, all three of us walk up to the counter and pay for our dresses. We all then walk outside and turn to the guys.

"Time to get you boys some suits."

~

"What about a grey shirt with the black suit?" I suggest, looking through the rack of dress shirts.

Reece shrugs, leaning against the wall, holding my coffee for me. Amanda, Anna and I went over to a café while Liam, Mark and Reece got measured for their suits. Reece chose a simple black suit and now I'm helping him choose what dress shirt and tie to get. "I don't really mind, Sunshine," He tells me as I walk back over to him.

Handing me the drink, I take a small sip of it before handing it to him, "Have some."

"Sunshine, I don't need anything. If I did, I would have said so when you asked before you left." He replies easily, looking down at me.

I huff, "Just try it. I think you'll like it."

He stares down at the drink unsurely, "What is it?"

"It's an Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiato," I tell him, holding the drink out again after taking another sip. He sighs, but obliges, taking the cold drink from me and taking a sip. "So...?" I trail off, looking at him with an expectant smile.

A small, dimpled smile slips onto his lips, "It's alright I guess."

"I knew you'd love it!" I exclaim happily, flashing him a grin before bouncing back over to the racks of shirts. "Ooh! What about all black? That would be cool. That seems very you, Reece." I tell him, smiling at him over my shoulder.

"Very me?" He asks.

I looked over at him and raise an eyebrow, "Yes, have you seen what you're wearing right now?"

He looks down at himself and clearly my point is proven. He's wearing all black. Black shirt, black jeans, black leather jacker, even the sunglasses resting on his head are black. The only thing not black is the dark brown boots on his feet.

He chuckles softly, "Alright, point proven."

I nod, a satisfied smirk on my face. I rifle through the various shirts for a moment before pulling out a black dress shirt. "Alright, I think this is the one. What do you think? This one feels the nicest out of all of them, the material's so soft! Feel it!"

He smiles a little and reaches out to feel the fabric of the black shirt. "If you think that's the one, then sure."

I frown slightly, "It's not up to me though. You're the one that has to wear it."

He only smiles, his dimples making an appearance, "Sunshine, I don't care what I wear. And I trust that you know what you're doing. If you think this is the best one, I believe you."

A soft smile lifts my lips, "Alright, if you're sure. Now, what tie do you want?"

Shrugging, he pushes off the wall and followed me over to the wall filled with ties. "I dunno, black or white, probably."