Page 82 of What I Like About You

“Because Halle isn’t allergic to color—and oh my God, stop,” Molly says.

Autumn sighs and shuts the dressing room door behind her. Moments later, the black dress flies over the top of the door. Molly catches it and hands it to me with a pointed look that says,Don’t even argue. If trying on a stupid dress will placate Molly, fine. I’ll do it. It’s not like she can force me to go to the dance. Friday was the last day to buy tickets.

In the fitting room, I shimmy out of my jeans and T-shirt. Fitting room mirrors are the devil incarnate, so I avoid looking at myself too much. I thought I did a better job covering up the stress zit on my chin, but even a brief glance shows, lol no.

I slip the dress over my head and—I don’t hate it. The A-line skirt flatters my hips and the lace sleeves are totally my style. Give me a pair of red pumps and some lipstick to match, and I’d look pretty fierce.

I’d look like Kels.

“What do you think?” Molly asks.

I open the door.

“Oh my God! You looksogood!”

“Wait, but that’s my dress,” Autumn says, opening her door. But then she looks at me. “Ugh, no it’s not. You do look good in that.”

Immediately, she turns to Molly. “And this, as predicted, is too tight.”

“Okay, agreed. Try the purple one next. That’s Halle’s dress, I do declare.”

You can have it,I mouth to Autumn.

“Hey!” Molly says. “No!”

The rest of the dressing room session goes pretty much like this: Molly dictating Autumn’s fashion choices and my life choices. Autumn settles on a dark purple knee-length dress. The skirt has a sheer black overlay with floral appliques. It’s a fair compromise and Autumn looks gorgeous in it.

Molly is still holding my lace-sleeves dress in her arms and trying to convince me that it’s destiny, that it was made for me to wear to the Middleton winter formal. We finally move on to shoes, but she keeps it up.

“Give me one good reason why you’re not going,” Molly says.

“Well, it’ll probably induce a panic attack, for one thing,” I say. “I don’t do crowds.”

“That’s a good reason, Moll,” Autumn says.

“Oh,” Molly says. “I don’t want that, obviously.”

She pauses to consider but I know she’s not done. I turn in to the size-eight section of the sale rack, putting distance between us.

“But … okay. I totally wasn’t supposed to tell you this, and I’ll deny it if you say I did, but now that we found the perfect dress and if you leave this H&M without it—well, you just need to know this. Nash wants to take you.”

“What?” Autumn asks.

“What?” I repeat, stunned.

“He told you that?” Autumn asks.

“He did,” Molly says. “Which is, like, such a breakthrough because, well—honestly, because you’re not Kels.”

My face is turning red.

I can feel it.

Do not betray me now, face.

I stay hidden in the next aisle of shoes.

“I swear he thinks he’s in love with her. Nash has never been on a date, and I know it’s because of her.”

---