Free The Real Me by Ann Herrick

you're not the type who'd be comfortable doing it. That's all."
    "Oh, yes, I am," I said. "I'm the type. You'll see." I turned away and went back into my cubicle. I fingered the collar of the blouse, then buttoned the third button. I didn't have to decide just then how I'd wear it the night of the party. I changed clothes, careful not to scratch myself with any of the price tags.
    Erwina and I arrived at the cashier's counter at the same time and paid for our purchases in silence.
    I didn't want to spoil the rest of the day. "Let's look at prom dresses again and then have lunch."
    Erwina smiled. "Good idea."
    Erwina tried on several dresses, running in and out of the dressing room to model for me.
    I looked half heartedly at a few gowns.
    "Aren't you going to try any on?" Erwina spun around in front of a three way mirror, seeing how a blue strapless with a wide ruffle along the hem looked on her from all directions.
    "No," I said. "Um, I'm kind of tired … and hungry." I couldn't tell Erwina that I was afraid that trying on dresses now would somehow jinx any possibility that I would need one for the prom. I wouldn't need anything special if all I was going to do was supervise the serving of punch and cookies.
    "Let's eat, then," Erwina said. "I haven't found anything I can't live without yet anyway."
    After lunch Erwina and I window shopped until it was time to catch the bus home. I stared out the window most of the way back to Waterside, clutching my shopping bag. Would I really have the nerve to reveal so much of the new me? Could I carry out my plan without being seriously embarrassed?
    In a week I would find out.

     
    Chapter Nine

     
    In order to take my mind off Erwina's party and the decision I'd have to make, I plunged into preparations for the prom. I baked, decorated, and froze dozens of cookies. I made up a sample batch of the foamy punch and insisted that Walt and Erwina taste it. Only after they declared that it was delicious was I convinced that I'd use the recipe on prom night.
    After extracting permission from Dad to use the garden cart if I first helped with spring cleanup in the yard, I began converting it into a chariot. Once it was cleaned and scrubbed, decorating it seemed almost easy. Working in the garage, with occasional help from George, Carl and Phil, Walt and I covered the body of the cart with sea green crepe paper, wrapped the handles and wheels with alternating strips of blue, green, and turquoise streamers, and draped strips of the same color combination across the front.
    Walt made two giant plywood seahorses. The only problem was how to harness them to the cart so they wouldn't fall over, but would still look as though they were pulling a chariot.
    Finally it was decided that the seahorses could be nailed to two crossed boards placed in front of the cart, connected by reins made of streamers. The boards would be covered with sheets of blue crepe paper to hide them and create the illusion of water.
    Walt painted the seahorses and he and I cut strips of streamers, folded them into loops and glued them on to each side of the seahorses for scales. We finished just before noon on the morning of Erwina's party.
    Walt stepped back to admire our work. "It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself."
    "Yes," I agreed. "I--"
    Just then Dad, in an old T shirt and cut off shorts, hopped down the back steps, leapt into the chariot, and shouted, "Tally ho!"
    "Oh, Daddy." I sighed. "'Tally ho is for fox-hunting."
    He cracked an imaginary whip. "Charge?"
    "Cavalry," said Walt.
    "I know," said Dad. "Glub, glub!"
    Walt laughed politely.
    I moaned.
    "What's this for, anyway?" Dad stepped out of the chariot and patted one of the seahorses.
    "You know very well, Daddy." I grinned and shook my finger at him. "It's where we're going to take pictures of the king and queen of the prom."
    "Yikes!" Walt exclaimed. "We need to come up with something for their crowns."
    "Uh, oh," said Dad. "I don't know anything about