The Princess Sisters (The Princess Sisters Series) (24 page)

Chapter
Thirty-Nine

When
the Princess sisters entered the school with their dates, they immediately saw
Cynthia and her group standing in a corner waiting for pictures.  Cynthia’s jaw
dropped when she saw them.  Then she scowled and led her boyfriend away.  “My
mom was right!” Belle said.  “Even if the evening had sucked, that right there
would have made this all worth it!”

“That
was her?” Scott asked.

Cinderella
nodded, and then the girls all laughed.  They got their pictures taken and then
headed in to the dance floor, arms linked with their dates.  When they entered
the dance, the music didn’t stop, time didn’t stand still, and every head
didn’t turn.  But those near the door smiled at their approach and tapped the
people next to them who also looked and smiled.  This continued like a ripple
through the room until the Princess sisters had been noticed by all.  They were
greeted by many smiles, several waves, and even a few compliments on their
dresses.

Cinderella
wore a bright blue gown that was made with a sparkly material.  The sleeves
were short and rounded, but not puffy like an 80’s style dress; they were more
modernized than that.  The neckline was rounded and swooped down to accentuate
her long neck.  The waist was tight to show off her figure and then the skirt
went out like a bell that swished around her legs as she walked.  Her long
brown hair was pulled up in a french twist, and she wore a thin blue headband
over the top that matched her dress. Her shoes were silver and sparkly, to
match the glitter in her skirt.  They were no glass slippers, but similar in
idea; delicate and glistening in the light.

Belle’s
dress was golden yellow, with a fuller skirt than Cinderella’s, but the waist
came in to show off her slender frame.  The top rested slightly off the
shoulders and came down in a V-neck in front.  The bodice was a smooth, silky material
that shone in the light, while the connecting skirt was made of the same color
taffeta with gathers all over it.  Her tall, yellow heels had been dyed to
match.  Belle wore her hair pulled over her right shoulder in one large twist. 
It was simple, but very elegant!  Her golden hair complimented the golden
flecks in her gown perfectly.

Ariel’s
dress was thin, slinky, and form-fitting.  It was bright green and silky, with
a slightly darker green swirl pattern covering it.  The green made her jade
eyes really pop and sparkle.  The top was spaghetti-strapped and had a
sweetheart neckline.  She had a lavender, short-sleeve jacket that went over
the dress, covering her shoulders and coming down mid-back.  The long skirt
flared slightly at the bottom, almost like a mermaid’s fin.  Her heels were
also purple, with straps that criss-crossed over the top of her foot.  Ariel wore
her long blonde hair partially up with tight ringlets pulled up and looser
curls resting on her shoulders.

Aurora
’s
dress was pink and so long, it barely glided above the floor.  The top was hot
pink, but as the dress extended downwards, the pink grew softer so that the
bottom trim was rose colored.  Aurora’s dress had the longest sleeves which
extended downward and stopped just above the elbow.  Her dress also rested
slightly off the shoulders, with a thick V-neck collar along the top.  The
skirt flowed out in an A-line, but not as drastically as Cinderella’s or
Belle’s.  Nor did it fit as tightly as Ariel’s.  The skirt was pleated and
long, with a short bodice, to show off her tall figure.  Aurora’s shoes were
hot pink, bringing the color scheme of her outfit full circle.  She wore small
diamond sparkle clips in her short hair, going from one ear to the other, like
a crown.

Snow
White wore a separate top and skirt, rather than a full gown.  The bodice was
cerulean blue and very modest with a high rounded neck and full sleeves,
similar to Cinderella’s.  Her skirt was soft yellow and swished nicely around
her legs as she walked.  It was a fairly plain dress, but the bright blue and
yellow contrasted nicely with Snow White’s bright red hair.  She had cut her
hair only yesterday and it now sat in a bob against her pale cheeks.  Her shoes
were yellow flats but they were covered in sparkles to add a bit of flash to the
ensemble.

The
girls grinned at the looks of approval and admiration they were receiving as
they stood in the doorway.

“Are
we going to stand here all night or are we gonna dance?” Scott asked.

“Let’s
do it!” Cinderella nodded and moved forward towards the dance floor.

Scott
grabbed her hand from behind and pulled it up over her head, twirling her as
they moved forward.  Cinderella had thought about what it would be like to
dance with Scott again, but she couldn’t have dreamed it would be this much
fun!  He spun her, lifted her, and flipped her as they moved to the beat.

“I
thought you could only dance like this to country music,” Cinderella shouted
over the music.  They had been moving through the crowd of students, taking
advantage of openings whenever they appeared, and had ended up in front right
next to one of the speakers.

“You
can dance like this to anything as long as you stay with the beat,” Scott
smiled.

“Is
that why we’re moving so fast?” Cinderella asked, bringing her hand to her
forehead in an attempt to push back the dizziness she was beginning to feel.

“Oh
Princess, are you okay?” Scott asked.  He stopped dancing and put his hand on
the small of her back, then guided her toward some chairs.  “Do you want some
water?” he asked.

“Yes,
please,” she smiled.

Scott
paused, looking very concerned.

“What’s
the matter?” Cinderella asked.

“I
feel bad, keeping you out there so long.  I didn’t realize you were getting
dizzy.”

“Oh
Scott, you’re fine!  I was having a blast!  It just barely came on.  I think I
just need to rehydrate and I’ll be fine.”

Scott
looked skeptical.

“I
promise!” she said, touching his arm.  “I feel better already.”

Scott
finally seemed to believe that she was really alright and he relaxed.  “Now
don’t you go trying the bunny hop or anything until I get back,” he teased.

No
sooner had Scott walked away then Belle and Ariel came over and sat down beside
Cinderella.  They both appeared to be as out of breath as Cinderella felt.

“Scott
is so cute!” Belle tried to whisper, but it came out more like a shriek.

Cinderella
nodded, her smile widening as she watched him laugh with Nate and Bobby at the
refreshment table.

“Nice
work!” Ariel added.

“You
guys look really good! I love your dresses!” a girl said as she passed by their
table.

“Thanks,”
the cousins all replied.  They smiled at each other and went back to their
conversation.

“Are
you guys having fun?” Cinderella asked.

“Are
you kidding?  Nate is way cool and man can he dance!” Belle said.

“How
about you and Bobby?” Cinderella asked turning toward Ariel.

“He
is so much fun!” she said enthusiastically.  “It’s like Scott picked out the
perfect guy for each of us!”

“You
did seem to be hitting it off at dinner,” Belle acknowledged.

“Yeah,
he’s a lot of fun to talk to!” Ariel said.  She started to lean back in her
chair and then remembered something and quickly lurched forward.  “Oh and get
this,” she added, making both Belle and Cinderella jump.  “He’s seen all our
favorite retro 80’s movies,” she said, nodding at their stunned faces.  “
And
he likes them!”

“He’s
a keeper!” Belle said, pointing in his direction with her hand.

“Definitely! 
Hang on to that one!” Cinderella added.  “So have you guys talked about
anything other than TV and movies?” she asked.

“Music,”
Ariel added.

“Is
that it?” Belle asked.

“What
else is there?” Ariel shrugged and they both rolled their eyes at her.

Then
after looking around for a minute Cinderella asked, “Hey, have you guys seen Aurora
or Snow?”

“Aurora was dancing by us a little while ago, but she didn’t want a break when we told her
we were coming over here,” Ariel said.

“And
I think Snow and Brad went outside for some fresh air,” Belle chimed in.

“Congratulations,
Belle,” another girl said, approaching the table.

“Thank
you so much!” Belle smiled in return.

“Where
did you guys get those dresses?  They are so awesome!” she asked.

“Our
grandmas made them for us,” Cinderella answered.

“Wow,
I wish my grandma could sew!” she said, walking away.

Cinderella
followed the girl with her gaze and then looked over to check on Scott’s
status.  “Uh-oh,” she said, quickly looking away again.

“What’s
up?” Belle asked, following her gaze.  Her face grew stern when she spotted
them.  “Oh.”

Dave
was standing by the refreshment table arguing with his brother.

“He
looks pissed,” Ariel said.

“Good!”
Belle replied.  She crossed her arms and looked away from them.  “I am so done
with him!  I don’t even care anymore what people think!  I’m going to quit my
tutoring, just so I won’t have to see him anymore!”  Belle’s words were saying
one thing, but her face said another.

“That
may be a problem,” Ariel said.

“And
why is that?” Belle asked.

“Because
he’s heading this way.”

Chapter
Forty

Ariel
got to her feet and started walking towards Dave, stopping him before he
reached the other two.

“Hey
Ariel,” he said solemnly.  “Can I talk to Belle please?” he asked, looking past
her in Belle’s direction.

“No,”
she said, crossing her arms and shaking her head at him.  “But you know what
you can do?  You can go directly to Hell.  Do not pass go.  Do not collect $200,”
she added, pointing back in the direction he had come.

Dave
just stood there, looking stunned at Ariel’s sharp words.  Their dates came
back at that moment carrying two cups of water, one in each hand.

“This
guy bothering you?” Bobby asked coming up beside them.

Ariel
smiled at Bobby and took the cup he offered.  “What would you do if I say yes?”
she asked.

“Probably
find a large garbage can and see if he fits inside.”

Dave
opened his mouth to protest, but Bobby put up a hand to stop him.  “Let the
lady speak.”

Ariel
pretended to think about it for a while.  “Naw,” she finally said.  “He’s not
worth your time.”  Then she turned and walked out onto the dance floor, Bobby
snickering beside her.

“They
really found each other, didn’t they?” Scott said, smiling at his little
brother who gave him an annoyed look in return.  Cinderella came walking up to
them and Scott handed her some water.  She took it gratefully and eyed Dave,
who stood staring at his feet.  Then she followed Scott, who led her back out
onto the dance floor to join the others.  Belle finally got to her feet and
approached Dave.

“Do
you want me to stay?” Nate asked her.

Belle
shook her head.  “I’ll come find you in a minute.”

Nate
nodded and turned away.

Once
he was out of hearing range Dave finally spoke.  “I can’t believe you told my
brother,” he said.

“Well,
technically Cinderella did,” she retorted.

Dave
finally made eye contact.  “I’m really sorry,” he said, quietly.  “About
everything.  That’s why I’ve been trying to be your friend again, when we study
together.”

Belle
didn’t respond.  She just stood there, watching Dave, and waited for him to continue.

“Hey,
save me a dance,” Craig Jacobs said, coming up behind Belle and grabbing her
elbow.

Belle
nodded and then looked back to Dave.

“Sorry
to interrupt,” Craig said.  “You look great, by the way,” he added, before
walking away.

“I
really wanted to ask you to the dance,” Dave said, once Craig was gone.

Belle’s
jaw dropped slightly, but she still said nothing.

“I
just…couldn’t,” he finished.

“Because
I’m not ‘cool’ enough to be seen with?  Is that it?” Belle asked.  She could
feel the heat rising in her cheeks now.

“No!”
Dave said quickly.  “I…I love you Belle,” he finally blurted.

Belle
took a step back, stunned.  But then the anger quickly returned.  “And why
should I believe you?” she asked.  “For all I know, you could be telling me
another story to fulfill some sort of sick bet you made with your friends.  All
you’ve done is use me
and
my cousins since we met you!  You’ve told so
many lies, you should go into politics. Cause let me tell you, with the crap
you’re selling, you’d stand a good chance of winning!” Belle was almost
shouting now.  “Go sell your stories somewhere else,” she added, and she made
to move past him in the direction Nate had gone.

Dave
grabbed her arm, not hard, but forcefully enough that she had to stop and look
at him.

“One
of Cynthia’s friends didn’t get asked to the dance, so I made a deal with her
in exchange to take her friend.”  Belle tried to pull away, but Dave held on. 
“It was the only way I could think of to get these back for you.”  Dave reached
in his pocket and pulled out five silver bracelets and placed them in Belle’s
open palm.  “I’m really sorry!” he said again.  “I hope this will prove to you
that I mean it.”  Then Dave released his grip on Belle and disappeared back
into the sea of people.

Belle
stood frozen in place for a moment, watching Dave walk away.  She wasn’t sure
if she should go after him.  She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to! 
He
loves me?!  Is he kidding?
  Part of her, the part that thought he could be
her prince, was elated to hear those words!  But the bigger part, the part that
was focusing on all the lies, wondered if he was just being a toad and playing
her again. 
Maybe he is a frog, and he really is trying.
  As Belle remained
standing there, battling with her own thoughts, Nate appeared on her left side
and gently touched her arm.

“Do
you want to dance again?” he asked.

Belle
looked after Dave one more time.  She couldn’t make him out in the crowd any
longer so she nodded to Nate and followed him to their group, who had formed a
circle in the middle of the dance floor.  They were all swaying and swinging to
the music, taking turns dancing in the center of the circle before moving
across to the other side.  Belle put on her best smile as they approached and
tried to push the conversation with Dave from her mind.  The others spread
apart, making room for two more in their dancing ring.  Belle walked around the
circle, handing each bracelet back to its rightful owner.  Her cousins all
looked at her in surprise, but Belle just shrugged.  “I’ll tell you about it
later,” she mouthed.  The girls nodded, with huge grins on their faces as they
returned the bracelets to their wrists.

Belle
laughed as she watched Bobby fish for Ariel across the circle, who hopped and
wiggled toward him like a fish caught on a line.  Then she glanced over at
Cinderella and saw that she and Scott were lost in conversation as they stood
side by side, moving to the music.  Belle gave her a thumbs up when Scott
wasn’t looking and Cinderella blushed in return, but her face was glowing.

Snow
White seemed to actually be talking back to Bradley, who had her doubled over
in laughter.  Then, when their turn came, they entered the center together
doing some cheesy lawn mower and shopping cart moves.  Everyone moaned, but
then they joined in laughing with Snow White and Bradley and gave them a round
of applause for their efforts.  Belle noticed Aurora seemed to be teaching Kris
some hip-hop moves and thrusts, and he was teaching her some western swing in
return.  Then Belle and Nate entered the circle and Nate motioned for everyone
to step back.  He then lifted her off her feet and flipped her backwards over
his arm.  Belle stood breathless when they were finished, a huge grin spreading
across her face.  And this time it appeared naturally, not just to cover up
other feelings.

That’s
when Aurora and Kris jumped into the circle, shooing Belle and Nate back to the
outer edge.  They showed off the new lift they had been practicing, where Kris
held her above his head.  It was a little tricky while wearing a dress, but
they made it work.  Cinderella and Scott then pushed them away and Scott spun
her around really fast in circles before pulling her horizontal and then
releasing her with one hand and catching her with the other, inches before she
hit the ground.  That did it.  The competition was on!  Belle laughed as she
watched her cousins and their dates trying to one-up each other in dance
moves.  This was the most fun they had had in a really long time!

A
group of sophomore girls and their dates approached the circle and asked if
they could join the Princesses.

“Sure,”
Belle waved them forward.  “The more the merrier!"

“You
guys look so great!” another girl spoke.

“Cynthia
doesn’t even know what she’s talking about,” another added.

The
large group continued to dance and talk as they took turns showing off their
moves in the center of the formed ring.  Then Craig and a group of his
basketball friends approached as a slow song was starting.  “Our dates are
primping or something in the bathroom,” he said.  “We’re just wondering if we
can have the honor of dancing with the Princess sisters,” he asked, waving to
the four guys who stood by his side.

Belle
glanced at her cousins, who all looked to their dates.  Scott and his friends
nodded and quietly backed away toward the refreshment table.

“I
told you you’d find another guy,” Scott whispered to Cinderella as he moved
away.

Then
Craig took Belle by the hand and tried to imitate Nate’s suave moves.  “You
look incredible,” he said, swaying Belle back and forth.  “I think you’re going
to be a great President.”

“Thanks,”
Belle said aloud, while in her head she thought,
Yes! I finally got an ‘incredible’
too!
 

Belle
glanced at her cousins, who were all smiling and talking with their new dance
partners.  Then she looked over to the group of girls who had joined them and
watched briefly as they all danced nearby.  Then she looked into Craig’s
smiling face, his chocolaty eyes gazed back into hers. 
Maybe high school
won’t be so bad after all.