Shug

The dance is all anyone can talk about. At the lunch table Mairi announces that her dad offered to rent them a stretch limo, but she declined of course, because “limos are so tacky.”

After school at Jack’s house, we’re working on vocabulary lists when he bursts out, “What’s the big deal about this stupid dance? I mean, who cares? People act like it’s the prom or something. Not that prom’s such a big deal either.”

I am amazed, because for once, Jack Connelly and I are in complete agreement. “I know. It’s because they have nothing better to get all worked up about. At lunch today, Mairi was talking about limos.”

Jack snorts. “Mairi Stevenson is braindead. I don’t know why Kyle likes her.”

“Duh. ’Cause she’s pretty.”

He shrugs dismissively. “Yeah, she’s all right.”

“Oh, come on. Every guy at school wants to be with Mairi.”

He shrugs again. “Not every guy. Mairi’s good-looking, but her personality’s kinda foul. She’s overrated.” I try to hide my smile. “Hadley, too. I mean, her body’s all right, but she has a horsey face. I don’t know why Mark asked her to the dance.”

My smile disappears. I feel like he just socked me in the stomach, hard. “Mark asked Hadley? Hadley Smith?”

“How many Hadleys do you know?”

“Why would he do that?” I can hear a loud buzzing in my ears, and my chest feels so tight. How could this have happened? I knew they’d been hanging out, but this … this was more than I could take. Mark Findley has been mine my whole life, and all of a sudden Hadley decides she wants him? How can that be right?

“That’s what I’m sayin’. …” Jack peers at me. “What, do you like Mark?”

“No … I was just wondering. …”

He’s grinning slowly. “Because if you do, I’d be happy to set you two up—”

“Are you deaf? I said I don’t like him!” I snap, flipping through my language arts textbook. My face feels hot. I know that I have to get out of this room fast. “Look, are we done here?”

“I guess so,” he says. “So are you gonna go to the dance?”

“No. Are you?”

“No way.”

As I bicycle home, it starts to rain, cold, almost-snow kind of rain, and I’m glad. I can blame my wet cheeks on the rain.

Every morning, I dread going to school, because it’s just another day of not being asked. Every morning, someone new has a date. “Have you heard? Junie just asked Pete, and he said yes.” “Colbert’s taking Regina.” I paste a knowing look on my face and pretend I already know all about it. And then, “Who’re you going with, Annemarie?” Airily I say, “Oh, I doubt I’m even going. Dances are so lame. I probably won’t even be in town.”

There’s only one person I’d want to go to this dance with, and it looks like it’s too late. He’s asked Hadley Smith of all people. And if I even go to the dance, which I’m not, I’ll be stuck with Mama.

Chapter 38

Mama insists on taking me shopping for my dress. I kept telling her I wasn’t going, but she wouldn’t listen. I finally caved in, and I was hoping she’d slip me a fifty and let me go with Celia, but something’s come over her, and she wants to be a part of my big night. I’d planned on buying a dress from the sales rack and spending the rest on books. Not that I’m even going.

Saturday morning she drives me over to Bodewell’s Department Store. I begged Celia to come with us, but as usual, she’s too busy for her only sister. She and Park went to see some garage band in Patan County.

Mama strolls around Bodewell’s like she’s Mrs. George T. Bodewell herself, and I trail after her. For someone who’s usually so thrifty, she seems to care an awful lot about this dress. Money is no object, she declares.

She picks up a red dress with a heart-shaped neckline and black velvet polka dots. No way do I have what it takes to fill out that dress. “Forget it, Mama,” I say. “You can just put that back, because there’s no way I’m even trying it on.”

“It’s cute, Shug. We’ll set it aside as a maybe.” She throws the dress over her arm.

“Mama, I said no. … What about this one?” I point to a navy tank dress made of rayon. It’s on sale. … Maybe she’ll buy me some books with the leftover money.

“That looks cheap. It’s too plain.”

“I like it.”

She ignores me and continues wandering around the store. I go to the dressing rooms, sit down cross-legged on the floor, and open up my bruised copy of Tuck Everlasting. I’m on the third chapter when Mama reappears with an armload of dresses. On top is a pale pink dress with spaghetti straps and bows. It looks like a frilly cupcake. It’s the kind of dress Celia would have worn to her seventh-grade dance.

“Go try these on.” She thrusts the pile of dresses at me, and I can already feel my skin getting itchy.

“Those don’t look right.”

Mama exhales loudly. “If you don’t like what I picked out, why aren’t you helping me?”

“I already told you I don’t want to go.”

“Do you know how much I would’ve loved it if my mama took me shopping for a new dress? Do you?”

“That’s you,” I say. I’m gripping my book so hard my hand is sweating.

She clenches her teeth. “There’s just no pleasing you these days. You never used to give me any trouble. You left that to your sister. Now look at you, Miss Mary Mary Quite Contrary.”

“I’m not being contrary! I told you I didn’t want to go! You’re the one who won’t listen! You never listen!” This comes out louder than I intended.

Mama stares at me like she’s never seen me before. “Fine,” she says tightly. “We’re going home.”

I sigh. “Just forget it. I’ll try them on.”

“No, give them to me.” She takes the dresses and throws them on top of the clothing rack in a big heap. “We’re leaving.”

She doesn’t say a word to me the whole way home. After dinner that night, Mama calls Mrs. Findley and tells her something’s come up at work, that she won’t be able to chaperone the dance. I feel guilty, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved, too.

Chapter 39