Fighting to Be Free (Fighting to Be Free 1)

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I wasn't just being scared - sure, I was scared to fall for him because Mark started out great too in the beginning, but that wasn't what this was at all. Jamie was acting different at the moment. Not the usual attentive, loving Jamie that I was indeed falling for.

"I'm not scared," I protested. I opened my eyes and looked at Stacey again, forcing a smile so that she wouldn't see how upset this was making me. "I guess we'll see who's right eventually. Either he'll break up with me, or I'm being stupid and this is all nothing. There's nothing I can do about it either way," I said shrugging casually.

She smiled and raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. "Actually there is something we can do about it. We can make you look drop dead gorgeous tonight, and maybe he'll cancel his plans with Callum and chain you to his bed for the weekend instead," she suggested, grinning wickedly.

I laughed and rolled my eyes at her crudity. "I do have a pair of killer heels that he's going to love," I admitted, smiling at the thought of how excited Jamie got over a pair of stilettos.

Stacey laughed and nodded. "You know what you should pair those shoes with?" she asked, grinning. I shook my head and looked at her expectantly. "Absolutely nothing," she finished.

I laughed and felt the blush creep onto my face at the thought of it. Now that Jamie would like I had no doubt in my mind about that. "Maybe. I'll see how it goes later tonight," I agreed.

She clapped her hands excitedly and bounced on the bed a little. "Right, now the melodramatics are out of the way, let's do our hair!" she chirped, springing off of the bed and flicking on the curlers. I forced a smile and tried my hardest not to think about Jamie finishing with me.

I stood in front of the mirror and gulped. Stacey had spent almost an hour curling my hair for me, then scooping one side up off of my face severely so I had a mass of curls going over one shoulder.

My make-up had been reapplied after my freak out, the eye shadow and mascara that she'd plastered on me made my grey eyes look big and excited. My skin looked soft and buffed, my nails were perfectly polished. Even the light greyish-blue silk dress that I was wearing looked like it was something straight out of a magazine. I chewed on my lip as I looked it over. I'd made it myself, specifically for tonight but I wasn't convinced I should wear it. I'd never shown people my clothing designs before and I was incredibly embarrassed about it. The only ones that even knew I was interested in design were Stacey and Mark - Stacey loved everything I made, Mark on the other hand had told me on numerous occasions that most of my designs were trashy and classless. That was one of the reasons why I'd never shown anyone anything.

I'd actually bought a dress to wear for tonight as a backup in case I chickened out of wearing this one, but somehow Stacey had 'accidently' spilt her coke on it earlier so now I was stuck with either this, or a ugly black dress that wasn't really school winter dance material.

I flicked my eyes to her in the mirror; she was looking at me with the most adoring eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. "It's beautiful. The neckline, the little mesh bit at the top, so beautiful," she gushed, shaking her head slightly.

I frowned. "Stacey, this would look much better on you. Seriously, you wear it and I'll wear yours," I pleaded. Stacey was much more suited to a figure hugging silk dress than I was, she was incredibly beautiful and it wouldn't surprise me if she could even turn a straight woman g*y if she turned on the charm. I envied her, I really did.

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's perfect for you, Ellie," she replied, smiling at me before turning to the mirror and linking her arm through mine. "We're gonna own that school dance."

I laughed and rolled my eyes at her. How people liked me more than her in the school I'll never know. I guess to some people Stacey could be a little harsh from the outside, she spoke her feelings and was never afraid to tell people no. Me on the other hand, I was a people pleaser. I usually went out of my way to so that I didn't hurt anyone and made everyone happy - couple that on top of the fact that Mark Barrington had chosen me. I guess people gravitated to me because of that too.

"What's the time?" I asked, turning her wrist over to look at the watch bracelet she was wearing. It was almost eight; Jamie and Paul would be here any second.

"Time to go wait downstairs," she replied, tugging me from the room, grabbing our little clutch purses on the way out.

Literally as we got to the top step the doorbell rang. My mom immediately shouted for my dad to answer it. I heard him grumble something under his breath as he stomped into the hallway. He stopped as he spotted us standing at the top of the stairs, his eyes widened and his mouth twitched with a smile.

"Wow, you two look beautiful," he stated, flicking his eyes to both of us in turn.

Stacey laughed and just nodded while I frowned and tried not to squirm because he was seeing a dress that I'd made myself - not that he knew that of course. "Thank you, Michael," Stacey purred.

I sighed and shook my head, squeezing her arm a little tighter. She always did have an 'old man crush' on my dad, it was gross.

My dad smiled up at me and I couldn't help but smile back because of how proud he looked. "I need to find my camera," he said, heading over to the sideboard and rummaging through the top drawer looking for it.

The doorbell rang again and he frowned, looking over his shoulder at it. "Maybe you should get the door first, Dad?" I suggested, laughing as we headed down the stairs to him.