Jack Merridew as Jay Crowe

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H E' S M I N E

C H A P T E R – T W E N T Y - S I X

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The mall was packed. We obviously aren't the only group of friends who decided to shop for prom last minute. Why do teens procrastinate so much? Damn. They could have bought their stuff earlier. I would only roll my eyes when I saw a clique walking out a store. I guess they probably do that to us also, but fuck them. At the moment, we're in a store that sells suits for men. Troy finds all the suits here boring and 'lacked flair'. I honestly don't know what else he could possible want.

Jay had just decided he's buy a simple black suit with a cute bow tie, but Troy is complicated so we'll be searching this entire mall for something with enough flair. I haven't bought my dress yet, and as we're walking throughout the mall, I haven't seen anything that wowed me.

"Oh!" Troy squealed and walked away from us into a store. Jay followed him quickly and I groaned softly before following behind them. As I was about to walk into the store I hear someone call my name. It's a really crowded mall so I stood there confused for about thirty seconds. The girl called again and she was closer. By this time, I could tell it was Chelsea. I internally rolled my eyes as she walked to me and hugged me. Was she invited?

"Hey," she greeted, "I saw you guys walking and I decided to join." No, she was not invited.

"Great," I sarcastically reply. She went so say something else, but I walked away. I decided to look for Jay and Troy. Unfortunately, I didn't find them immediately and I was left walking around the store with Chelsea on my tail. She began to talk to me and I began to realize why I didn't like her to begin with. I think my hate is resurrecting.

"Shae, is something wrong?" she asked me over the murmuring of the costumers in the store. I was glad when I saw Jay and Troy in the distance, so I could just walk out of that conversation. She followed me though. Isn't she supposed to hate me? Isn't that like a reflex, to hate the girl that fucked your boyfriend?

"Oh my gosh, Chelsea!" Troy spotted her and he walked to hug her, while I went to Jay. I can always count on him to be a bitch with me. He's perfect.

"Who invited her?" Jay asked me. We took a seat near the dressing rooms together.

"She invited herself," I tell him. I roll my eyes and turned to Jay, "you know, you're right. I'm not comfortable with her. That bitch needs to exit."

Jay began to laugh, "This is the Shae I know and love."

I hugged Jay and laughed along with him. "Okay, so did you find a suit?"

Jay sighed and his eyes found his boyfriend who was looking at other suits in the store, "He found a suit, and its blue."

"Blue?" I raise my eyebrow.

"He likes it," Jay smiled.

"So, what's he looking for now?"

"Uh I don't know..." Jay laughed softly. Neither of us spoke after that and I just took in Jay. His eyes were only on Troy. His eyes only held pure happiness and love. I don't think Jay would ever be as half as happy if he didn't have Troy as a boyfriend. Jay told us the reason for his drug abuse was because he was afraid. He began think about shit like his mum and came up with fucked up reasons why Troy wouldn't want him. He thought drugs was the only way to feel better, to get off this crummy place we're forced to live on. It obviously wasn't. I've done drugs, and I admit, it feels good, like really good. But it only lasts for a short time and it practically drains all the money in your pocket. I've never been addicted, but I went to a session on those things. I wasn't paying attention throughout the majority of it (which is probably why I did drugs) but throughout the session the speaker was telling us of how dangerous it is. And it's so crazy as to how fucking correct she was. Taking that shit doesn't only harm you now, but in the long run too. However, it's pretty fucking hard to deny it when you see others doing it. No, is the hardest thing to say.

"Babe, you ready?" Jay stood up as Troy and Chelsea walked towards us. I stand up also.

"Yes, I just purchased it and now it's mine! I have a suit for prom!" Troy squealed and Chelsea squealed along with him. Jay and I glanced at each other then rolled our eyes. Not at Troy's squealing, because that's a usual thing, but Chelsea's. "Okay, my dress," I smile at them and begin to walk out of the store.

A few weeks ago, I was walking around the mall and Prom was literally the last thing on my mind. We were just randomly going into stores to look at clothes. But I spotted a dress, that literally took my breath away the moment I lay my eyes on it. I felt like Jacob Black from The twilight saga when he imprinted on Renesme; I could have seen myself in the future wearing this dress at prom. It was like love at first sight. So now, I know exactly where I'm going and what I'm looking for.

Both Jay and Troy also know where I'm going. They fangirled over the dress also. After I purchase this dress, I will treasure it for eternity plus. I confidently walk into the store, and my heart began to do backflips when I saw it, majestically standing on the mannequin. I squeal and walk to it.

My fingers run down the slit in the dress. It's a black, armless, floor length dress. Strangely enough, what really got my attention was the thick silver band around the waist, about two inches thick. The top of the dress was laced with a deep v neck cut which I'm guessing shows a lot of cleavage. There was a slit in the dress on the left starting from probably a bit higher than mid-thigh. Just standing and looking at this dress gives me shivers, the good kind. I grin at it and a saleswoman came to us.

"Can I help you?" she offered a kind smile. I nod my head vigorously at her, "I want that dress."

"Would you like to try it first?"

"Uh sure," I say. This is obviously the happiest I have ever been. I'm actually surprised no one bought such a beautiful dress already. I guess no one wants to wear black to prom. It's different, but I like it. Every girl usually picks bright colors like yellow or blue or whatever, not me. Black is always perfect.

After trying the dress, we went looking for shoes. I was thinking to wear silver heels, with a little sparkle. I mean, the waist of my dress is silver for crying out loud. I went to the perfect shoe store and found myself a pair of silver stilettos with ankle straps and I fell for them. I mean, they had the sparkle.

Chelsea didn't buy anything; she only came to annoy. She says she already has her dress home and she's all prepared for Friday. So fucking what? That had me wondering what was the point of her coming into the mall in the first place? Was it her intention to meet us and sicken my soul?

I tried to ignore her entire existence as I got myself some accessories. I'm so certain that by the time I'm done shopping we probably might not actually have food tomorrow. But it's not my fault. It's prom. The last event with my best friends as a high school student. I should definitely go all out.

Right now, we're at the food court around a table. I'm chewing on a fry as the guys and Chelsea began speaking about prom and their expectations. I'm not going to be that bitch that says prom doesn't really matter, because that's a lie. I mean, I have a huge thing for friendship and its high school where you find the best friends. Senior Prom is basically saying goodbye to them. How could I not want to go to prom? After summer it's basically done. We won't get to hang out as usual and we'd have to communicate via shit like Skype. Bitch, eww.

The ringing of my cell phone interrupted their conversation and they all turned their heads to look at me. I shrug my shoulders and rolled my eyes at them as I fished out my phone. It's Xander! Someone who can distract me from the extremely boring conversation with Chelsea. That girl is just annoying these days.

"Babe, I missed you," I run my fingers through my hair and lean my elbow on the table in front of me. Again, all eyes were on me. I ignored them and payed attention to Xander on the phone.

"I missed you too, love. Did you buy your dress?" he asked.

"Yep, it's really nice, I swear."

"I believe you," he laughed, "Can't you ditch your brother and go with me?" As he said that, in the background I heard Spencer protesting, then Xander began to laugh.

"No way, Spence is my date and that's final." Although it's just eating me up from the inside out and fucking killing me alive that he's now going with that bitch Chelsea. But I already chose my brother and I'm not backing out. I already bragged about how sexy the 'Shae Siblings' will be looking.

"I really don't want to go with Chelsea," he groaned. I laughed, "I don't want that either, trust me."

"Then come with me!"

"You'll get a dance."

"What, a lap dance?"

I rolled my eyes, "Of course, baby, anything for you."

"I'm holding you to that," Xander replies.

"Shae, don't give this douche anything! You hear me?!" Spencer shouts in the background. I laughed and winked, then realized Xander couldn't see me and I looked pretty stupid.

"Is Xander coming?" Chelsea asked me. Why the fuck does she want to know that? I'm his girlfriend. She had a shot and she blew it, now she has to suck it up and leave Xander to me, god dammit.

"Is that Chelsea?" Xander asked me over the phone, "What is she doing there?"

"Uh honestly, I don't know," I tell Xander, brushing off Chelsea's question. She stared at me for a moment then finally looked away. Jay noticed her actions also then he glanced at me, as Chelsea then started to talk to Troy. I continued my conversation with MY boyfriend.

"Are you two still like close? Because I'm beginning to get the vibe that you don't like her."

"I don't," I simply answer. Xander sighed, "What is it now? What did she do?"

"I'm not going to say that here," I laugh softly. Xander began to talk but I was distracted by Chelsea saying something to me. She was grinning as she suggested, "You should invite him."

"Why?" I ask her, "If I want to see Xander, I shall go to Xander."

"Shae?" Xander asked. I roll my eyes and turn in another direction.

"I'm annoyed..."

"You don't want to see me?" he asked. I know he was faking a pout or something. He's just like that. I shake my head, "Of course I want to see you." I couldn't help but smile. He does that to me. How does he do it? I don't know. I can barely make Jay and Troy happy when they're down, how does he just make me smile like that. I bet Chelsea never experienced that, because Xander was never happy with her.

"Are you still at the mall?" he asked.

"Yes, we're just getting food, but I think we're leaving soon," I say and glance up at Jay for confirmation. He nodded his head. Troy was just finished eating and the rest of us was waiting for him. I have a bunch of bags in my hands, plus my phone and my drink. I'm trying to calculate how I'm going to get to my car without falling over or something.

"Okay, cool."

"Where are you?" I ask.

"With Spencer."

"So I'm coming home to two guys that are going to annoy the shit out of me, great." As I said that, Troy began to laugh. I rolled my eyes. They all began picking up their bags and I followed. I guess we're leaving now. I just want to make it to my car so I can be comfortable. I hate to be walking around with all these stuff in my hands.

"You know I love you," he says.

"Yeah, yeah," I roll my eyes and Xander began laughing. He began to talk to Spencer and I could hear laughing in the background and I think crying... or fake crying. I heard a lot of shuffling around and I'm very curious to see how the house looks.

Jay and Troy are walking together, holding hands and talking softly to each other, like a happy couple in love. I'm on the phone and Chelsea is just walking awkwardly between us. I think if I were in her position, I'd take the hint and just walk away. But I'm guessing she's just really desperate for friends. Not my problem.

On the phone, all I could hear was loud talking and laughter. Well it's obvious both of them are having the time of their lives and Xander probably already forgot he was on the phone with me, so I hung up. Considering the amount of laughter I heard, I doubt he would realize I hung up until maybe when I get home and he sees me at the front door. A soft chuckle left my lips and I shook my head as I shoved the phone in my pocket. I watched over at the guys. It won't be too long until we're out of the mall and they can get to go home and fuck each other senseless. It surely looked like they were going to do that. I begin to quicken my pace as I really wanted to get home.

"Wow, Shae, You're walking pretty quickly," I hear Troy speak up. I didn't even know they were paying any attention to anyone but each other. I looked back at them and a small smile printed on my lips. Jay said, "Are you rushing for any specific reason?"

"Yeah, like I don't know, a guy at your house?" Troy continued. I bit my lip and walked closer to them

"A guy name Xander at your house?"

"No... I just want to be home..." I tell them.

"Lies," Jay replied, "But it's okay, you can go."

"Yeah, he's probably waiting completely naked for you," his boyfriend added.

"We wouldn't want you to miss that..." Jay wiggled his eyebrows. Troy looked at him then slapped his arm, "I don't want you thinking about that. You're supposed to be thinking about me!"

"I do, all day and all night," Jay pecked Troy's cheek, which was already reddening with Jay's compliment. I laugh softly. We finally reached outside at the parking lot. From there, we separated. Jay and Troy went with each other and I went to my car. I don't know where Chelsea went off to, but I'm glad she's gone.

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A/N: The end is near....