"So Prom is next Saturday," I said to Michelle, my phone cradled between my ear and my shoulder as I searched for my apartment key. "We need to go shopping like tomorrow."

"I know, I know," she agreed. "I'm just trying to get out of this stupid family thing my parents want me to go to tomorrow. Apparently some of my cousins are flying in and we're supposed to go to this reunion thing..."

"You're always going to a family thing," I pointed out.

"Well my family is weird okay?"

I located my apartment key, shoving it into the door and letting myself inside. "Well that explains you."

I didn't hear what Michelle said next, my focus shifting to the fact that my mother was sitting at the kitchen counter, sifting through the mail.

"I'll call you back," I said, hanging up and shoving my phone into my back pocket.

"Hello dear," she said, as she continued to shift through the mail.

"Hi?"

Why was my mom here?

"You're home late," she commented, turning to face me.

"Yeah, I had some studying I had to do afterschool," I said, dropping my backpack to the floor. "Why are you here again?"

"Well I heard that the Prom is next weekend."

"Okay?"

"Well I am your mother," she pointed out, standing up.

And that's when I noticed my duffel bag sitting next to her foot, packed and ready to go.

"We're going prom dress shopping!" she informed me.

"We're doing what?"

"You and me are going prom dress shopping," she repeated. "Won't that be fun?"

I stared at her, too stunned to say anything.

Where was this coming from?

"Our flight is scheduled for 7:45, so we need to get a move on."

"Flight?"

"Well you don't think we'd buy your prom dress here do you?" She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous."

This way too much all at once.

"I already had plans to go prom dress shopping this weekend," I informed her. "With Michelle."

"Well cancel them."

"But I convinced Michelle to ditch her family reunion."

"Well convince her to go then. You and I are going prom dress shopping."

"You've never wanted to take me any kind of shopping before," I pointed out.

"Why are you being so difficult about this?"

"Because you showed up in my apartment informing me that we were flying out tonight to go prom dress shopping, when usually I don't even get a phone call from you to say hello."

And then I immediately felt bad. She was my mom after all.

And she looked like I'd just punched her in the gut.

"I mean, Michelle probably wouldn't be able to get out of her family reunion," I said, looking away from her. "So I guess we better get a move on then."

"You want to go?"

"Sure."

A smile spread across my mom's face. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Yeah, something like that.

~*~

We landed in LAX a little past 1 AM.

My mom had a driver waiting for us at the airport, who took us to our hotel, The Peninsula Beverly Hills.

It was her favorite place to stay in Los Angeles.

I immediately crashed as soon as we reached our Garden Suite, my eyes closed before they hit the pillow.

Leave it to my mom to decide to fly us out to California on one of her whims.

When I woke up the next morning, my mom was nowhere to be seen.

I swear that she doesn't need sleep.

I took a long, hot shower in the marble shower, hooking my phone up to the stereo system.

My mom could never just stay in a Best Western or Holiday Inn while traveling. She had to have the best of the best.

I used the provided hairdryer and wrapped myself in a bathrobe before heading back out to my bed to find my suitcase and see what my mom had packed me.

I pulled on a black and white horizontally striped long sleeve shirt. I paired it with my blue skirt and looped a brown belt around my waist. I pulled on my knee-high black socks, that awkwardly came mid-thigh on me for some reason, and my black Converse.

I went back into the bathroom, using my curling wand to curl the ends of my hair, before heading out into the kitchen area.

That's when I saw my mom. She was sitting outside in the garden area, sipping on her coffee and reading the newspaper.

She was already dressed, munching on some breakfast.

And a plate was waiting for me.

I went out and joined her.

"Good morning dear," she said, without looking away from her newspaper. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded, munching on a piece of pineapple.

"I figured that once you were ready we'd head over to Rodeo Drive," she said, folding her newspaper in half and setting it down on the table. "I have a few stores in mind."

"Okay," I agreed.

I know absolutely nothing about shopping in Los Angeles.

We finished up breakfast in silence, my mom continuing to read the newspaper.

"Wait right here," she said to me, as we re-entered the hotel room.

I waited as she dug through her suitcase before producing a black scarf.

She looped it around my neck a couple of times, adjusting it before stepping back. "There."

I went over to look in the bathroom mirror.

It definitely completed the look.

"Ready to go?" she asked, hooking her purse in the crook of her elbow.

I nodded, following her out the door.

Mom stepped outside and flagged down a taxi, and one stepped almost immediately.

"They always stop for two ladies," she said, winking at me.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Rodeo Drive," she informed the taxi driver, pulling her phone out of her purse.

~*~

"Oh no," mom said, shaking her head. "It looks like you've been swallowed by a lemon."

"I agree," I said, before stepping back into the dressing room.

We'd been at this for three hours now, and still nothing.

I was starting to lose hope.

I pulled my clothes back on, stepping out of the dressing room.

"Was that it?" mom asked, standing up from her plush chair.

I nodded.

"Damn," she muttered. She thanked the sales associate for her time before we left.

"I have one more store in mind," she informed me, heading in what I suppose is the right direction.

"How many stores are you familiar with?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at her.

"Honey, your momma knows Rodeo Drive."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Mom opened the store door for me, and I stepped inside.

This boutique felt different than the last nineteen thousand we'd been in.

It was a little less uppity and snooty, and there weren't so many people in here with their thousand-dollar purses and highlight jobs.

"Hello Mrs. Winston," the sales associate greeted.

Just as they had in every other store.

"Hello," my mom answered, politely. "We're looking for a prom dress for my daughter, Emily."

My mom waited a moment for me to say or do something, and then gave me a little shove forward. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Of course," the associate said, with a widening smile. "I have a few."

It's like I was their dress-up doll.

The sales associate began to rummage through the store, and my mom began to look as well.

She'd picked out a few so far, and they hadn't been terrible.

But everything just fit me so awkwardly.

I waited in the store, watching as my mom and the sales associate searched for my prom dress.

I always felt so uncomfortable, like I should be doing something to help. But I didn't even know where to start.

"Alright," the sales associate said, leading me towards the dressing room. "I think there's a couple in there you'll really like."

What about the rest of them?

She hung them up for me, and my mom followed with two dresses of her own, which she hung up behind the sales associate's selections.

I began the process of trying on dresses again, each one just like the last.

Awkward.

I stepped out in a blue, floor-length dress that was rhinestoned through the bust.

"Turn around," my mom said, tilting her head to the side.

I already knew that I hated it, but I did it just so that she could come to the same conclusion.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It doesn't form to you dear, it looks like you've put on a pretty potato sack."

I couldn't help but smile before stepping back into the dressing room.

There were only two dresses left, the two my mom had picked out.

The first one was a floor-length red v-neck, mermaid style.

I didn't feel comfortable in it at all.

But I stepped out anyways.

"Oh no," mom said, shaking her head. "Sorry dear, it just looked intriguing."

I waddled back into the dressing room, stripping the dress and trying on the final one.

It was a peach, floor-length dress.

It was heavily rhinestoned throughout the top of the thigh, where the slit opened up the rest of the dress. And then the rhinestones began to thin out into little circles.

I stepped into the dress, automatically hating it.

It clung to all the wrong places, and made me look even worse than I already felt.

I stepped out of the dressing room anyways, so that my mom could confirm my opinion.

Her eyes widened, a smile spreading across her face.

"Turn around," she said, quietly.

I did so, confused as to her change of expression.

"Oh honey, it's absolutely gorgeous."

Is she blind?

"Don't you think so?" she asked, making eye contact with me.

"Um," I said, unsure of what to say.

"Come," she said, taking my hand and leading me over to the mirror outside of the dressing room. "Don't you see the way to hugs your bust, bringing some volume up there. And then it clings to you in just the most beautiful way, oh honey it's just gorgeous. And that slit is just the right amount of sexy without going too overboard."

"I hate it," I blurted.

"Oh," my mom said, raising her eyebrows. "Honey I'm sorry. Why do you hate it?"

"Because it makes me look awkward and I don't look gorgeous in this, or any of those stupid dresses."

"Close your eyes," mom said, placing a hand over my eyes.

I did as I was told, with a sigh.

"Do you know what I see when I look you at you Emily?"

I just shrugged.

"I see my daughter who hardly ever smiles, who struggles on a daily basis. She wears clothing to hide herself. And she blocks the rest of the world out."

Well gee, that makes me feel better mom. Thanks.

"But when you peel back that outer layer Emily, I see this gorgeous girl who just wants to be loved. Who just wants to look at herself in this mirror right here and see herself in the perfect prom dress, because that will solve all of her problems."

I felt my throat start to close up.

"Emily Winston, you look absolutely breathtaking in this prom dress. And it breaks my heart that you can't see that," mom said, quietly. "And if you don't like this dress, then we will keep looking until we find the perfect one for you. But do something for me okay?"

I nodded.

"Open your eyes, and look at yourself in this mirror one last time. I want you to see the way this prom dress hugs your absolutely gorgeous figure. I want you to see how beautiful you look right here, right now."

I nodded, and she removed her hand from over my eyes.

The strapless prom dress hugged my figure all the way through my hips, before it flared out to the floor.

And for the first time in my life, I didn't hate what I saw staring back at me.

The girl in the mirror had big brown eyes that fit her face perfectly. Her hair fell around her shoulders, framing her face. And this dress, this dress was stunning on her.

It clung to all the right places. It was just the perfect amount of sexy for a prom dress without being too much.

"Okay," I said, quietly, my eyes still staring at the girl in the mirror.

A smile stretched across my mom's face, reaching from ear-to-ear.

"She'll take it," she informed the sales associate.

***************************************************************************************************************

So what did you guys think about Emily's mom showing up to take her prom dress shopping? Were you surprised? What about the two of them flying out to California? What did you think about the description of Emily's prom dress? Do you think Parker will like it?

The cover at the top of the chapter was submitted by buddy76762. What do you all think?

This video is called #imEnough. I thought the message fit this chapter well, and I thought it was just a beautiful video all around. Both Amanda & I cried while watching it. I hope you all decide to give it a chance.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

So the deadline for this book to be finished is now in 5 days. I honestly at this point have no idea whether I'm going to have it finished or not...

Teaser: Prom! Parker & Emily head to the Disney Hilton for the night of their lives.