Dance With A Vampire for Chapter 30

I tugged at my hair and dug my boots into the masonite tiled floor. My eyes couldn't help but well up with tears. My mother's smile strained, as if she were as heartbroken as I was. "That's fine, " I managed to say. "I don't have to go. " "What do you mean you're not going?" Jack asked from behind the sales counter. "They just sold the perfect dress, " I admitted. "You mean you didn't like the pink one?" he asked, helping a salesgirl with the register. "It looked gorgeous. " "Well" "Not your tasteI understand. " Jack thought for a moment as he finished the transaction. "Why don't you come with me" Jack motioned us behind the sales counter and we followed him down a hallway. "A few gowns just arrived this afternoon. It's been so busy, we haven't even had the chance to put them on the floor, " he whispered. He unlocked a storeroom and led us through boxes of merchandise and hanging layaways to a rack of fancy junior dresses. "Take your time. If you are interested in anything, bring it to the sales desk. " "What are these?" I asked, pointing to a rack of costumes. "Inventory from Halloween, " he answered, heading for the door. "Halloween?" my mother asked, horrified. "You're going to prom, not a Monster Mash. " "Please. Let me see!" I said, pushing past a rack of men's suits. "Thank you, Jack!" "Yes, Jack. Thank you for all your help, " my mother added. I was as happy as a bat in a dusty old attic. I rummaged through the hanging costumesa fairy costume, a firefighter uniform, and a mermaid outfit. "This is cool, " I said, holding up a red devil dress. "Absolutely not!" my mother said. I frowned and returned it to the rack. "This is not what I had in mind when I said let's buy a dress for prom. Shopping in a storeroom, " she said, continuing her search. "Howevertake a look at this one. " I didn't even notice what my mom was holding up. At the end of the rack, I saw a blood red skirt with black lace calling my name. I pulled the dress out and gasped. On a hanger hung a dark red corset with black lace, black strings, and a matching ankle-length skirt. Attached to the hanger was the most fabulous accessory I'd ever seen: a gloomy parasol. "I love it!" I exclaimed, showing it to my mother. "It's not torn, and it doesn't have staples or safety pins. " My mother paused. "It's not really what I had in mind" I modeled it over my clothes and danced around. "I wanted you to look like a modern-day princess, not a Victorian vampire. " "Isn't it wonderful?" I gave my mother a huge squeeze.