Chapter 3
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�Jeeennny!� I whined. �I don�t want to go.� �What is this?� She said, feigning surprise as she applied make-up. �Ms. Social Butterfly, Allison Monroe, doesn�t want to party?� �It�s a reception, not a party.� I corrected her. �Just the same. There will be dancing, there will be food, there will be people. Close enough for me.� �There will also be the media.� I added grumpily. �Hey, you come up with a good enough reason for me to desert Matt, dancing, and food for a night, I�ll ditch with you. I�ve had enough media to last me a lifetime.� She said, wrinkling her nose as she added more mascara. �Shopping!� I squealed. Much to my dismay, Jenny shook her head. �But shopping is a good enough excuse to miss anything!� �We can shop tomorrow. Now go get ready-we have to leave soon.� As she turned and looked me up and down, she shook her head. �Not that you really need to do much. Lord, Ally, do you have any idea how lucky you are, with those natural looks?� �Well, I don�t exactly think Mathieu minds how you look.� I pointed out to her. �He doesn�t, does he?� Jenny said, smiling happily. But the moment passed, and the little girl still in her came out. �But I do. Help.� She said. �Come here.� I said, and added a few touches. �Thanks, Ally.� She said, and then handed me clothes-a one shouldered black dress about knee length. �Now, go get ready.� Fifteen minutes later I looked decent enough for my taste, and I plopped down on a bed. �Jeeeeennny!� I whined again, about to rant about how much I didn�t want to go. �Shut it, Ally. Come on, Matt and Nick are here.� I followed her out with a sullen look on my face. She rolled her eyes-she had a point. I was being an awful baby about it. But I was dreading more questioning, and didn�t feel up to any more classy acts. Not to mention things between Nick and I had been weird since we�d fallen asleep that one night. Lucky for me, though, Jenny hadn�t found out, nor had anyone else. I pasted a smile across my face as we stepped outside. I pointlessly greeted Matt, as he was more interested in looking at Jenny, and quietly said hi to Dominic. �Hey.� He said in a low voice, grabbing my hand and squeezing it, as though attempting to reassure me. We went down to the lobby, and drove-Matt had rented a car as to avoid any excitement arriving. He and Jenny sat in the front, and talked happy, lovey-dovey talk. I stared past the seat in front of me, practically in a trance. �Ally.� He said, getting my attention. �What�s up?� A snappy comeback rushed to my mind (something bitter involving bronze, silver, and gold being up), but I figured it wouldn�t be appreciated, so I simply shrugged. Dominic rolled his eyes. �Good grief.� He muttered. After we arrived, I snuck off to the bathroom. Dancing hadn�t started yet, and there wasn�t any food out, so I would simply be expected to make polite conversation-screw it. Anyway, it was a very nice bathroom! There were little baskets with tic-tacs and Cream Savers and breath mints and gum-you name it, they had it! Not to mention I had a book in my purse, which I stuck my nose in, something atypical for me, as I rarely read. Some time later, Rebecca Jenson walked in. �Ally!� She cried. �Where have you been? No one�s been able to find you.� �Then no one looked in here. Cream Saver?� I asked, offering her one. She took it, but shook her head. �Why is party girl being such a recluse?� She asked. �Why am I only known for liking to party? Can�t I be by my self every once in a while?� �Sure. But you have to admit; it is a little unusual for you. Not to mention Nick�s out there being classy and dealing with questions. And, I might add, they are not easy ones. Just what are you planning to do in the next decade or two of your life? You might want to plan it out before you leave.� I sighed. �You win.� I got up, grabbed a last Cream Saver, and started following her out. �Ha. I knew it would work. Nick is your weakness.� She giggled. �What?� I stopped dead in my tracks. �Nick is my partner and one of my best friends, not my weakness. I don�t have a weakness.� I uttered with a toss of my head. �Just keep telling yourself that!� She laughed, and I sullenly followed her out. Nick smiled when I joined him. �You okay?� He asked, and I nodded, generally back to my normal self. �Good. Care to dance?� Couples were floating onto the floor as music started. �Sure.� I grinned. �After all, that�s why we came here.� Nick took my hand and lead me too the floor, smiles on both our faces.
