I can’t wait to get done with school today and then go to the sorority house to get ready with all the girls for our spring formal tonight. A lot of the girls rent their formal dresses, and I was planning to do the same, but when I was shopping with the moms in LA, I found a pretty dress that Mom insisted on buying me. And I can’t wait to wear it. It’s a deep umber color, which flatters my hair and skin tone, has a sweetheart neck with spaghetti straps and a very flattering ruched body. The ruching makes it very body conscious, but the neckline makes it feel romantic.
I can’t wait for Chase to see me in it.
I skip my afternoon class—they already sent out our final review—and head to the house.
I’m greeted at the door by Steph and whisked up to her room, where I find Amber and Lauren already downing shots, and it’s apparent that they started without me.
“We’re pre-partying,” Lauren says, filling a glass for me.
“Oh, I’m okay,” I say.
“Drink,” Amber says.
“Fine. But just one,” I tell her.
She nods her head in agreement.
“Wait!” Britta says. “A toast. To my little sister going to her first spring formal. May it be one of the best nights of your life.”
“I know mine will be,” Lauren says. “I’m going to finally seduce Barrett.”
“Wait,” Amber says. “I thought you two have already had sex.”
“Oh, well, we have, yes. I mean, it’s been, like, six months, but, um … how do I put this? I’ve never been, like, the seductress.”
“Seductress?” Britta says, laughing happily. “That’s a funny word. We should drink to that word.”
“We should,” Amber agrees, quickly refilling our shot glasses. “To us all being seductresses tonight.”
The last shot isn’t sitting well in my stomach. In fact, I feel a little nauseous. So, I pretend to down the shot and then put the glass behind me, so they don’t notice. If they want to do another, I’ll tell Amber she already filled it. I think she’s had enough not to call me out on it.
They go on about what they have planned after the dance. I don’t say it, but I’m really looking forward to the actual dance. To having Chase hold me in his arms. Be all dressed up. To just dance.
Amber starts doing Lauren’s makeup, and Steph offers to curl my hair. It’s all fine until she sprays something on my hair, and the smell makes me feel—
I rush into the bathroom and throw up. I stay there for a minute, realizing that I don’t feel good. And it’s not from the shot. My forehead is sweaty, and I’m feeling a little chilly. Another bout of nausea sets in, and I start puking again. Well, puking, then sort of dry-heaving.
“Are you okay in there?” Amber asks. “Was it the shots?”
“Uh, no. I—I feel bad. I think I might have the flu.”
“But you can’t miss tonight!” Lauren says.
“I can’t go if I’m throwing up,” I say, pulling myself up off the floor and washing my face in the sink.
I manage to get back to the condos without puking, but when the elevator doors open and I walk into the shared space, another wave hits me, and I rush by Chase, who must have heard the elevator and knew I was coming up, to the closest place I can think of—the kitchen sink.
I puke up the little bit of water I drank in the car and then dry-heave some more, before folding at the waist and laying my upper body across the counter.
Chase comes over and rubs my back. “I’d ask if you are sick, but I suppose that’s pretty obvious. Is it something you ate, or are you feeling bad?” He puts his hand on the side of my face. “Oh, you definitely have a fever.”
“I think I’m sick.” I start to cry. “Tonight is formal. I have a pretty dress to wear. I can’t go if I’m puking, Chase. And I’ll ruin our plans, and I … and I …”
He doesn’t say anything, just springs into action, grabbing our big popcorn bowl from inside one of the cabinets. Then he picks me up, takes me into his condo, sets the bowl on his side table, pulls back the covers, and lays me on his bed.
He pulls the covers up over me and tucks me in, then lies down beside me.
“Why don’t you just lie here and rest? We’ll figure out the rest later.”
“Okay,” I say pathetically.
I’m also really glad I’m here. With him.
