Free Perception by Kim Harrington

alone. Or with a friend.” She looked at me pleadingly.
    I mock-glared back. “Who are you thinking of asking?”
    “I don’t know,” she answered quickly. “So who’s the Barbie Brigade taking to the dance? They must have mentioned it to you.”
    My eyes rolled up to the ceiling as I tried to remember the lunchtime chatter. “Brooke’s bringing Jordan, I think. Though they make up and break up every week. Kendra wants to askBrendan, but she hasn’t yet. I don’t know the rest. To be honest, I only half listen to them.”
    “That’s half more than I would,” Mallory said, lifting another dress from the rack. This one had black netting over blue satin. “I think I have enough to try on.” She frowned at my empty hands. “Where’s yours? Can’t find anything you like?”
    “Honestly, I can’t afford anything here, and I don’t even know if I’m going to the dance.”
    Mallory pulled a dress from the rack. “Here, try this on.”
    “No, I —”
    She shoved it into my arms. “Even if you’re not buying, you have to play dress-up with me.” She glanced down at the random dress she’d grabbed and added in surprise, “And that pale green really works with your hair.”
    I held it up in the mirror and had to admit she was right. It was my style, too. Simple, knee-length with spaghetti straps. But it was also glamorous in its simplicity — kind of Old Hollywood. I snuck a peek at the price tag, and audibly gasped.
    “It’s vintage,” the saleslady said. I hadn’t even realized she was still watching.
    “It couldn’t hurt to try it on,” I said with a shrug. Even if I couldn’t afford to buy it.
    Mallory gave a little clap. We each took a dressing room and busied ourselves as the sounds of zippers and rustling fabric floated around us.
    “Clare,” Mallory said minutes later. “Come out and tell me what you think. I love this one!”
    I peeked my head out the crack of the door and watched her spin. She wore the blue one with the black lace over it. No, not blue. Indigo. It was perfect for her — beautiful, yet also unusual.
    “I love it. Honestly, Mallory. It’s gorgeous.”
    “I know, right?” She beamed. “Now you come out. I want to see yours.”
    I opened the door and tiptoed out, feeling overexposed. I crossed my arms and rubbed my shoulders.
    Mallory’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth. “It’s like it was made for you.”
    The saleslady wandered over and suggested we head toward the bay of mirrors near the front of the store, to see our dresses in the natural light. Mallory rushed forward, pulling me behind her. I felt even more naked there, by the giant storefront window with pedestrians walking by. But the dress looked even better.
    “Damn, Clare. You’ve been hiding a cute little body underneath those big hoodies,” Mallory said.
    I couldn’t help but smile. The dress really did look fantastic. But it was out of my price range and would just hang in my closet since I didn’t plan on going to the dance. So despite Mallory’s boos and hisses, I went back to the dressing room, changed, and put the dress back.
    Minutes later, returned to my comfortable jeans and tee, I went along with Mallory to the register.
    “I can’t believe you didn’t buy it,” she said with a pout.
    “I don’t know if I’m going,” I repeated.
    “If you don’t, it’s going to totally suck.”
    “You’ll do fine without me,” I said.
    The saleslady swiped Mallory’s credit card with a big commission-induced smile. “She’s right. You’ll look beautiful at the dance. You already caught someone’s eye.”
    “What do you mean?” I asked. A spidery tingling crept down the back of my neck.
    “When you went back to the dressing rooms, another customer came over to me all concerned because some guy had been ogling you two through the storefront window. Kind of clandestine-like from behind the pole.”

“EW! PERV!” MALLORY SAID .
    Dread swelled in my stomach. Yeah, it might have