LITMIR.BIZ

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the most eclectic store in the downtown area, knowing most girls from her school didn’t even know the store existed, much less remembered it during prom season. It was hidden away behind Luly Yang, Seattle’s most famous couture dress boutique.

      Armstrong hated mainstream things. And the Dreamsicle was the opposite of mainstream. She couldn’t believe she’d snagged the only one in her size.

      Fate. Destiny. Perfection.

      Ash whipped out a matte red lipstick and sharpened her Cupid’s bow.

      Perfect. Her mother was going to be blown away.

      Minutes later, Ash heard her mom’s telltale high-pitched English accent.

      “Ash! Ash are you in here? Where are you, darling? I don’t see you!”

      “Mom, in here!” Ash stuck her hand up in the air and waved, hoping Sebastian had come, too. This dress might need some convincing on the parental front due to the cutout situation. Sebastian was always good with her parents.

      “Ashmitha!”

      “Here!” She waved harder.

      Ash heard peals of giggling from the dressing room next to her. Great. Witnesses. Embarrassment galore. At least the chances of their knowing her were slim.

      “Mom! Seb! Seriously, you guys?” Ash stuck her head out from behind the door, wondering why this was so difficult. Her petite, dark-featured doppelgänger mother and tall, faux-hawked Sebastian stood right in front of the door, the complete odd couple. “Right here. I’m not deaf—you don’t need to yell.”

      “Well, you don’t answer, love. And no one can hear anything over this atrocious music.”

      Could she be any louder or more embarrassing? Ash hoped the girls who’d been giggling earlier couldn’t hear the conversation over the music.

      Ash saw Sebastian stifling a laugh.

      “Sebastian said you found a dress.”

      “I did.”

      “Will you do us the grand honor of showing it to us then? Or are we to figure out what it is by means of osmosis?”

      “Mom! This. Is. Amazing. You’ll love it. Are you ready?”

      Laila Montague did her own version of an eye roll. “Breathlessly.”

      “Okay, be amazed.” Ash threw open the door with a hard bang.

      Laila blinked as she looked over the dress top to bottom. Sebastian’s eyes widened.

      “That’s...not good.” Her mother was not known for tact.

      “What? The fact that it doesn’t already belong to me? You bet it’s not good.” Ash swirled the skirt around and around for effect, watching her reflection.

      “No, the dress is horrid.”

      Ash’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t be serious. The dress was amazing. She’d never seen anything like it before.

      “Mom! You’re being mainstream again. Seb, tell her not to be judgmental.”

      “Seb, tell Ash it’s not judgmental to speak the truth. It’s horrid. That color. Those...open parts.” She gestured vigorously at the cutouts. “Why is it so short in the front? Did they run out of material? We can buy them some more at Nancy’s Sewing Basket and fill in the rest.”

      “Seb!” Ash implored. Her mother was on one of her rants and only Seb could make her see reason.

      “Mrs. M, the dress is really...unusual. And it does make Ash look very...tall.”

      “Sebastian, don’t fall prey to my daughter’s manipulation. You’re smarter than that.”

      “Oh, Mrs. M. I’m staying neutral. Just showing a potential defense.”

      Ash’s mother, a defense lawyer, raised an eyebrow at him.

      He held up his hands in surrender. “Your dad. Smart man for staying home, that’s all I’ll say.”

      Ash exhaled, her blunt-cut bangs blowing straight up in the air. This was not going well.

      “No matter,” Laila continued. “I’m sure this shop is quite expensive. How much is this dress?” She attempted to reach for the price tag.

      “Does perfection really have a price?” Ash twirled around again, trying to keep her voice low and herself out of her mother’s clutches. Everyone didn’t need to know they couldn’t afford anything. Plus, she hadn’t had a chance to check, she’d been so blown away at its beauty. “Just look at how amazing it is. How one of a kind. No one else will have this.”

      “That’s for sure. You couldn’t pay me thirty-five dollars to wear that in public,” her mother said. “How much is it?”

      Ash grabbed the price tag. “Perfection at the low price of...$799.”

      Yikes. That was a lot more expensive than she’d thought it would be. This was about to get worse.

      Her mother’s eyes widened. “For this dress? This unfinished, cutout spectacle?”

      Even Sebastian looked surprised, but thankfully said nothing.

      “I’ll help pay for it! I promise!” Though she had no idea how that was going to happen. The prom was less than a month away and she hadn’t had the forethought of having a paying job during the school year. She knew she should have charged for her tae-kwon-do instruction to the younger students!

      “Ash, you’re not leaving this dressing room in this dress. It’s...vulgar.”

      “Mumsie, please!” Ash tried the name she’d used to call her mother when she was younger. “I’ll pay you back every cent of the dress by the time the prom arrives. I’ll even put a down payment today!” She recalled having six dollars in her purse.

      “Please change and let’s go straightaway. We won’t be able to afford anything in here. I’ve told you this before. Don’t look at me with that hurt-puppy expression, love!” And with that, Laila left the dressing room. Sebastian gave Ash a sorry look before trailing her mother out.

      No. Ash stood hopelessly in the corridor. This was not happening.

      “Harsh,” said a familiar voice. The dressing-room door next to Ash’s opened. Two girls from the soccer team came out, each with armloads of dresses.

      There went the “no one knew about this store” theory.

      “Wow.” Jessica Moriarty, the taller but less-pretty one pointed at the Dreamsicle. “I’d love to try that on if you’re not going to get it. That’s amazing.”

      Ash’s cheeks burned. “I am going to get it.”

      “Yeah, okay.” Jessica shrugged and giggled in her friend’s direction. “Maybe you can find something like it at a thrift shop or something. You know...vintage.”

      Jessica didn’t mean it in a helpful way. The Montague family’s lifestyle had changed dramatically in the past year and, instead of shopping at Lululemon or Nordstrom like most of her friends, Ash had to resort to vintage scrounging at secondhand shops such as Crossroads Trading Co. and Red Light in Capitol Hill. She’d tried to do her best to make the full-skirted halter dresses, petticoats and sneakers look as deliberate as possible. At least they looked cute with her dad’s vintage scooter when she pulled into the school’s parking lot and always was able to park directly in front.

      Though most people complimented her funky, offbeat style, Ash worried people were talking about her behind her back. Like Jessica, but actually discreetly.

      Melanie appeared by Ash’s side as the two girls left, still giggling between them. “I’ll hide it for you. In the back. No one will know. Can you buy it by next weekend?” she whispered.

      Ash shook her head and slammed the door

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