From the Razor to the Rosary (Completed)

Epilogue.

  “You look…” Helena trails off as I descend the stairs. I turn a scowl on her that makes her laugh. 

  “You do though, Hadley” Donna sighs, smiling at me with happy tears in her eyes “You look out of this world” she quickly swipes a tear from her cheek. 

  “You’re my family, you’re supposed to say that” I tell them both grouchily, fiddling with the dress. 

  “If you looked gross I would tell you” Helena scoffs, Donna elbows her in the ribs and I grin a little. Kristi descends the stairs a few moments later, and we stand ooooing and ahhhing at her while she blushes a beetroot red. 

  “You look amazing” I tell her as she comes to a standstill next to me, I give her a tight hug. Her dress is blue, it comes in tightly at the chest and gathers around her ribs, and flares out to twirl elegantly down above her knees. Sequins and diamonds are stitched into the material at her chest, throwing off flashes of light whenever she moves. She’s wearing low heels, she’s been practicing wearing them all week long, ignoring me when I tease her about it. Her hair is up in an elegant bun that Donna did for her and she’s wearing the minimal amount of makeup, which makes her look a lot better. 

  “You look gorgeous” she replies, running an appraising eye over the dress. I shift awkwardly. My dress is black. Yes, I know, typical. There’s a corset type thing for the top half that gives a womanly shape to my body. The skirt flares out, but not hugely, the skirt is made of layers of netting and silk and flows all the way to the floor, like Kristi there’s diamonds knitted into the dress, mine are dotted around my corset in pretty patterns. The dress is strapless and exposes the pale flesh of my chest, shoulders and arms. Helena insisted on doing my hair, so my black locks hang in huge curls to my ribs, my makeup is minimal like Kristi’s, but Helena insisted on red lipstick and black eye shadow. 

  “You girls ready?” Donna smiles brightly. We nod simultaneously. I shrug on my leather jacket, but when I look up I see all three women gawking at me.

  “What?” I demand. Looking down at the dress to make sure I haven’t damaged it. 

  “You cant wear a leather jacket with a prom dress!” Helena squawks. 

  “Sure I can” I shrug, “Where else am I going to put my IPod so I can listen to music?” I ask them confusedly. 

  “There’ll be music there!” Kristi groans at me, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders, I scowl. 

  “Not my music” I tell her as I heft the skirt up to sweep out of the house, I can picture them shaking their heads behind me. 

***

  “Be careful” Donna calls as we crawl out of the truck, hissing and gasping as we try to maneuver the difficult dresses. 

  “Will do!” I call over my shoulder, I turn to blow her a kiss, she’s smiling as she drives away. 

  “I cannot believe you” Kristi shakes her head at me as I force her to pause before entering the building, so I can plug in my headphones and shove the IPod into the inside pocket of my jacket. I jam in the ear bud and smile as the heavy beats and guitar riffs flood my ears. 

  “I’m not listening to shitty meaningless pop and female-degrading rap” I tell her firmly. Kristi rolls her eyes as we enter the building. Teachers greet us at the door, Mr Richards looks over me with an amused glance. 

  “Your boys await you” he nods to the door where I see lights flashing around the room, Kristi instantly puts a hand to her hair and smooths out her dress worryingly.