picture: betty's dress

Ofcourse, Betty didn't picture her mom dropping her off at school the night of her junior prom, but here she was. Physically, here she was. Mentally, not so much. Her mother nudged her from the driver's seat and gave her a look.

"Now you are going to enjoy the night, you understand? It doesn't matter if James isn't there. It's your day. You have come this far and you deserve it. With or without him."

She also never expected her mother to try to give an uplifting motivational speech, but nothing is going as expected tonight.

"I know," Betty whispered.

"I know you know. I'm just reminding you." Her mother rolled her eyes. She herself couldn't quite believe her energetic spark of a daughter was so diminished tonight. She kept on blabbering just to get Betty to speak. "Granted boys are a huge part of high school life, but everything doesn't revolve around them."

"I know, Mom. You don't have to do this."

"Okay." She sighed and tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, her eyes on Betty. "Show me that smile, then."

Betty lifted her lips a little.

"Bigger than that if you wanna get out of the car."

For her mother's sake, because she was trying so hard, Betty smiled. Her mom placed a hand on her shoulder and pecked her cheek. "I love you, kiddo."

"Ditto."

The school gym was unrecognizable. If Betty thought they couldn't one up the previous Winter Ball, this was unbeatable. Her eyes instantly hooked onto the gorgeous ceiling. The soft bright shade of lavender and white – their school colours – were nothing but prominent. The ceiling was adorned with swaying fabric in a circular fashion, on the centre of which hung a ginormous glittery chandelier. On one side, an array of refreshments and drinks were served, while the majority of the space in the middle was left bare for dancing. A high makeshift stage took up the front portion, overlooking about a dozen sets of dining tables and chairs.

But what lifted her spirits was the indistinct but loud chatter of the crowd, the spot lights dancing gracefully over them, a song she didn't recognize blasting through the speakers and the amount of spark and excitement. She took in everyone's outfits in one long glance, admiring all the ball gowns and sharp suits. Subconsciously, her hand smoothed out the hem of her own short dress that she secretly adored. She found the shimmering dress a few weeks ago and it was love at first sight. A light peach, knee-length backless, pleated net that shone to no ends. She knew she had to save it for an occasion. A part of her sunk when she realised he would never see her in it today. But she focused on her surroundings again and the thought was gone.

The night was too pretty to be wallowing in self pity.

"Fuck James," she whispered to herself as she blended in the night.

~•~

The cacophonous sounds reverberated around James' head as he pushed the controls of his Play Station a little too hard. Taking out his frustration on the small piece of device was no good. It only increased the risk of damage for the poor joystick, and made him lose yet another match.

"Urgh!" He yanked out the headset and threw it on the couch next to him. Leaning on the head rest, his fingers combed his hair in an attempt to sooth the oncoming headache. He shut his eyes and tried not to picture Betty at the dance.

And failed miserably.

He had conjured up a dozen scenarios in less than five seconds. Betty in a dress, Betty talking to her friends, Betty laughing with a drink in her hand, Betty's hair bouncing off her shoulders, Betty refusing to dance with anyone.

James' eyes shot open. He can't do this. He needs to gulp down his annoyance with massive crowds and be there for her. She deserves it. He cursed himself for being such a prick earlier. It was just a matter of hours, anyway. There's no way in hell he would actually dance but there was no harm in merely standing by the lines, possibly making light conversation, and just be there.

He sprinted to his room and rummaged through his closet, looking for something sensible. He didn't need weeks of preparation for a suit set like some of the guys did. He settled on a dark blazer and pale blue shirt, but didn't have time to select a bow or tie. He didn't really care. Making sure he looked neat for the occasion one final time, James left his house.

~•~

The night had been going better than expected. Great, even. It was easy for Betty to lose herself amidst the blaring music, finger-licking good food and the company of her best friends. When her mother told her to dance the night away, she didn't think she would actually do it. But she welcomed the change almost immediately. The prom king and queen had been announced, and she had clapped with delight at her chosen classmates. They were waiting for the final dance. Although almost everyone had plus ones, she didn't feel all that alone. She sat at the benches as she watched the couple dance start to begin when someone nudged her from behind. She glanced up and met with a familiar pair of eyes. A smile ghosted at the corner of her lips and she motioned for him to sit down.

"Not bothering you, am I?" Rick greeted.

Richard was technically her ex-boyfriend from sophomore year, but they set aside their differences a long time ago and were quite good friends now. He was also one of the few people who Betty confided in during her hard times. And vice-versa. They understood each other better than most people.

"Ofcourse not. How have you been?" She genuinely wanted to know. It had been long since they had a chance to enjoy each other's company.

"I've been better," he chuckled. "Exam preparations have been hard on me."

"Really? I could help you out. Let me know what I can do."

"No, no. There's no need for that." He shook his head as if to rethink his thoughts. "James isn't here?"

Betty pursed her lips. She knew Rick can see right through her but she still maintained her composure. "Nope. He sat this one out."

"That's a bummer."

She didn't reply to that and they both watched the spot lights sway over the slow dancing crowd. It wasn't lost on Rick that James disliked him to no ends. No solid reason but the label of ex-boyfriend is enough. And the fact that he maintained a good friendship with Betty. He abruptly got up and stood in front of her, one hand stretched out. "Come on. Dance with me."

"What? No, Rick." She shook her head politely, "It's okay."

"Come on, Etty. Just as friends. Don't let this go to waste." He motioned at the bewitching atmosphere and used his nickname for her. "For old times sake?"

Betty gulped her anxiety down and glanced at the dance floor once. It would be a shame if she didn't dance on such a pretty night, in such a pretty dress. She looked at Rick, eyes glinting, lips smiling. She lifted her hand and placed it in his, curling her fingers around. He immediately pulled her towards him and they walked the short distance to the middle of the gym. She recognized her favourite song, Ed Sheeran's Kiss Me, with the first note and did a happy mental dance. Rick was flashing a contagious grin, while he maneuvered Betty's hands till his shoulders and settled his at her shimmering waist. They moved at a slow pace, unsure of their footsteps at first. She giggled when she tripped over his foot a little but he caught her before they could make a mess of themselves. He gripped her tigher and guided her through the steps, swaying with the soft tune.

What Betty didn't know then was how a green pair of eyes were shooting daggers at the couple. James had arrived at the ball not two minutes ago thinking that Betty must have been all alone. And he had left her to that fate. So when he saw her in the most heart stopping dress ever, dancing to her favourite song in the arms of Rick the Asshole, he didn't think for a second before he stormed out of the gym. His breaths grew faster with each step and he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Here he thought she was missing him. He had put aside his ego and his fears for her.

While she replaced him without a second thought.

He reached the football field and kept walking in dangerous circles around the ground. His ears were ringing with loud beats of his heart and he felt hot with rage. He could still hear the music oozing out of the gym, taunting him with his worst fears. He dropped to the ground with his head in his hands and didn't care for his clothes at all. He stayed there for a longest time, though it only felt like it. It had barely been four minutes when he heard footsteps coming his way.

Alarmed, he looked up to see a girl from their grade walking up to him.

"James? I thought that was you." She stood on the floor next to the field and called out to him. His eyes roamed over her dark her and the curve of her waist. Though he couldn't quite recall her name. "Are you alright?"

His burning eyes snapped back to hers, concern reflected in them. "Yeah, I'm fine."

His voice came out as a dry hoarse, and he couldn't believe he almost cried. He cleared his throat while standing up and walked up to her. He didn't know what to say. "What are you doing outside here?"

"Oh, I just came for some fresh air. You?" James didn't know the girl had lied.

"Yeah, me too." James didn't completely lie, "Fresh air."

The pair walked back to the gym and James found himself making painful small talk with the dark haired girl. He complimented her outfit, commented on the decorations and learned her name. Anything to distract himself from the torment in his heart. She led him to the refreshment stall, and handed him a drink.

That's when Betty saw him. That's when her world fell apart.

~•~

It didn't take a genius to know that James was avoiding Betty on purpose. Over the past ten minutes, Betty came up with a few scenarios that must have led James to the ball:

a) He got bored at home and decided he didn't hate crowds anymore.

b) His parents must have forced him out of the house.

or c) He finally came to his senses and came here for her.

But it was obvious he didn't make any efforts to talk to her, now that he was here. And she had a solid guess why. Rick was still standing beside her, rather protectively, after spotting James himself. They had stopped dancing when Betty froze in his arms and excused herself. Rick didn't press on the matter, much to her relief. She wouldn't know how to explain the situation herself. Now her mind was racing with scenarios and conclusions.

James was fidgeting with his coat, and the drink in his hand. She could easily confirm it was taking a lot of effort from him to stay rooted at his spot. He pretended to talk to a girl next to him, but the protruding vein in his neck was a clear indication that he was physically refraining himself from whirling in her direction.

Betty's eyes swayed over to the girl next to James. She practically reeked of sunshine – in the midst of teenages sweating and dancing, even at night – and that was saying something. Her eyes were gleefully lit, roaming over her boyfriends' face. She was slightly bent towards him, listening intently to whatever James was chattering about, an expression of such adoration on her face that shot daggers through Betty's heart. But the girl was oblivious to the world around her.

Just then, she laughed. And the radiant sound of her laughter seemed to drown out the blaring music. Betty felt goose flesh travel down her arms and she shivered delicately. The voice continued in a tornado around her, hindering her from any escape. At some point, James had started laughing too, because she felt his sound entwine with the girl's, travelling effortlessly across the gym towards her.

Something ginormous felt compacted in Betty's chest, burning up her lungs. Her hand immediately shot up and she clutched her stomach. Another voice was invading her senses. An alarmed, concerned voice. Rick. Rick was here. That's when she snapped out of her trance.

She was not breathing.

She had not been breathing for a good two minutes.

Betty's legs stood up on their own accord, her head spinning for a fleeting second with the sudden impact. She sprinted across the gym to the entrance. Rick was following her, unaware of the cause of her sudden reaction. The double door seemed miles away between the hoard of ball gowns, balloons and music. She nudged people away and squeezed between some, her hands slapping at anyone to give way. She felt so many eyes burning into her back with curious glares. She continued walking briskly towards the doors, only stopping for an ice-frozen second when James' eyes met hers. There was only one emotion in them. One emotion that fired up Betty's burning lungs further.

Anger.

Betty ran through the doors and emerged into the warm night, inhaling desperately. The air hurt while settling back into her lungs, and she gasped a few times, trying to calm her breathing. Rick caught up to her but she told him to stay inside in a voice so authoritative that he backed away a few steps cautiously. She took small steps away from the gym, the music fading out behind her and silence overtaking her senses.

But her mind was full of demons.

And then James was there, sprinting to catch up to her. They reached inside the school hallways, decorated with banners, ribbons and balloons that hurt Betty's eyes. The sound inside was deafening, with only the click of her heels and James' slow footsteps slicing through the space.

She stopped walking and faced him. Anger was filled in his eyes to the brim.

"What are you doing?" Betty questioned flatly, her guard rising up as a facade, though her heart was thundering loud and clear.

"What am I doing?! What are you doing with that asshole?!" James exploded.

"Don't call him that!"

"Ten seconds and you're already on his side." James couldn't believe her. After all their time together, she still chose him. She could have had anyone to dance, she could have danced alone for all he cared, but she chose Rick. Out of spite, out of jealousy. Maybe to prove a point. And he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't shown up. He was terrified to direct his thoughts in that dangerous territory.

"I'm not taking sides. You're behaving like a stuck-up dick, James," she said matter of factly.

"Right. Because I am the one who danced with my ex-girlfriend," James said sarcastically.

"He is my friend! And last I recall, you told me to go alone or with any of my friends. You should have considered this before, if it's that much of a nuisance to you."

"I said Blake! Not Rick-tard!"

"And why should I do anything that you say?!" James flinched at her icy voice. "What did you come here for? What were you expecting, James? For me to mope around and cry because my boyfriend ditched me at a dance?"

Any retort he had dried up on his tongue. She hit a nerve. She was right. He had expected exactly what she proposed and now the notion seems so foolish. Because Betty is not someone who mopes around and stands in the corner. He should've known better. "That's not what I wanted."

"Then why are you here?"

"I- I didn't want you to be alone." James said hesitantly. The image of Rick's arms around her cruelly flashed beneath his eyes and the anger resurfaced. "And I was so foolish to think that 'cause you were clearly not! You replaced me, Betty! In a snap!"

"Replaced you?!" Betty said incredulously. "It was a harmless dance! He is my friend. We've gone over this a million times. I can't believe you're still stuck there!"

"He is your ex!"

"Exactly! I didn't break up with him and started dating you for nothing! If you're still going to act like an immature, jealous prick that gets insecure over the infinitesimal of things, I'm done with you!" Betty rambled heatedly but regretted the choice of her words. James visibly flinched.

"D-done with me?" His voice cracked just a little. He felt like a shell of anger standing in her presence. Like she sucked every emotion out of him and left him bare.

"No. I didn't– what do you want me do to?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" James roared furiously.

A balloon exploded somewhere behind Betty, the harsh popping sound reverberated around the hallways and she flinched hard. James jolted back in surprise, panting heavily. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, messing it even further.

He insisted on being the same insecure person he was when he had first learned about Rick. Time and time again, Betty had reassured him, helped him into accepting and to letting go of his baseless theories about her and Rick. He never fully embraced the idea, but he had made a considerable progress. Now though, it seems they were back to square one.

"I'm tired, James. I can't talk to you right now."

Betty took a few brisk steps and brushed past him, heading outside. The shimmering fabric of her dress fluttered near his hand, shooting dangerous sparks across his skin.

~•~

Longer chapter than anticipated :P

Let me know how are you liking the story so far!

xx