Free Charming by Krystal Wade

hall, nearly bowling through Joce’s door, then righted herself and ventured into a place she rarely ever entered. Pink walls, frilly sheer-white bedspread with pastel-pink flowers and about a thousand pillows, and matching curtains and a rug. Pictures of Mom and Dad hung on almost every wall, and one of Haley and Joce at the beach when they were five and three sat on her nightstand. Haley’s heart stuttered at the sight of it all.
    On the bed, a black box with a silk cream bow on it waited, patiently, eerily out of place in a room with so much pink and white.
    “Wow.” Haley untied the bow, allowing it to fall to the floor, and moved the tissue paper aside. “A dress?” A gorgeous, knee-length, peach colored dress and a pair of golden ballet flats, right next to another note. Haley tore open the envelope and read it aloud, “Dance with that poor schmuck. And get him away from the party. Go have fun. He’s not as bad as you think. I’ll keep Dad busy. Don’t worry.”
    Tears leaked down Haley’s face. Maybe things really were changing. Maybe. Maybe. But hope is such a dangerous emotion.
    No.
    For one night, Haley was sick of worrying.
    Haley wouldn’t worry.
    She ran to her room, changed into the dress, admiring how the peach softened her pale skin and made it glow. Haley dragged a brush through her short hair, ignoring the slight wave to it. Everything looked perfect. She looked perfect. The last time she wore a dress?
    Nope. Thoughts not going back to the Father Daughter dance.
    “Thanks, Joce. I owe you,” she whispered as she stuck Dad’s keys into the ignition of his hideous truck, rolling down the window so as not to choke and die on fumes. Haley turned on the radio and allowed herself to sing along with the happy words. The sun still cast its radiant beams high into the sky from its position just below the horizon, igniting the reds, yellows, browns in the trees lining both sides of the road. Smells of manure and freshly cut grass filled the truck, whisking away most of the exhaust fumes.
    Haley smiled as she pulled up to the Charming’s gated driveway. So many cars, so many twinkling lights wrapped around the fence, draped along stakes that ran all the way to the house.
    “Beautiful.”
    She parked the truck as far from the house as possible, then mingled in with the crowd, people laughing and chatting and wearing fancy dresses and fancy suits. A huge white tent was pitched behind the house, and a DJ played some sort of classical tune. Not dance time yet.
    A server walked by with a tray of champagne or wine and offered Haley a glass.
    “No. Thanks.” She walked around the parquet floor pieced together under the tent, laughed at a pair of five year olds dancing slowly, their parents taking thousands of pictures from a nearby table. Everywhere Haley looked, she figured that’s where Dad and Joce would be. She was almost afraid to see them, to ruin the sudden peace being here brought. This party felt so normal. So, so normal.
    Someone placed their warm hand under her elbow and gently spun her around. “You came.”
    Chris Charming smiled, looking worth every penny his family owned: black suit with a gray and black hooded Henley beneath his jacket—youth and maturity colliding, his hair messy but perfect, face freshly shaved, the twinkling lights illuminating his blue eyes.
    Words failed Haley. Chris was touching her, touching her and his skin hadn’t yet caught fire, and his nearness hadn’t made her—
    “And you haven’t run away yet.”
    Heat spread across Haley’s cheeks. “Sorry about that.”
    He shook his head, an almost imperceptible movement. “And that ‘or something’ you had?”
    “Taken care of.”
    His eyebrow arched. “Does this mean you’re my date?”
    Haley’s heart ricocheted around her chest. Would she allow herself this? For just one night? Ignore all the rumors about him? “I guess.”
    Chris laughed, never looking away from her, the intensity nearly taking