Getting Ready...

[ghostlygeorge]

Today was the day, Lily and James big date at the opera. Which is also why Lily and George were at the mall. To get ready for the big date. The mall is never really full during the day, except for the random mall-crawlers and moms with their kids. But it didn't really matter. Where they needed to go had been cleared for them.

"Lily, are you excited?" George asked with a huge grin. A woman brushed passed her causing her to scowl. Well, she shouldn't have been standing in the middle of a walkway. George just shook her head. The lady was lucky she didn't brush passed her friend, but she would probably never know that.

George scanned the mall, looking for the store she needed. "That one," she said pointing. It was a smaller store, not a huge department store or anything. But it was still nice. Hopefully Lily wouldn't completely withdraw and make it difficult to find something she likes...

[Lily]

Lily wrapped her arms tightly around her stomach as they walked through the mall. She wasn't particularly found of it..... and the occasion didn't seem to help much. She had her black hoodie's hood up over her head, making her look positively emo. She didn't mean to look this way... She just , well she wasn't very confident today.

"Lily, are you excited?" George asked, her ever-present grin on her face. Lily gave a small groan.

"If that's what you call being nautious and feeling as if you were about to throw up any second, then sure..." she said in a soft tone. The matter of fact was that Lily was positively horrified. She just knew that she was going to screw this up somehow....

They walked onward through the mall when suddenly George spoke up, and pointed to a small store. "That one," she said excitedly and they walked into the store. It was full of fancy type clothes that Lily had never been much into... She wasn't much into dresses, as she had said earlier. But something caught her eye. It was a long, black, long sleeved dress that was exceptionally plain... To anyone else it probably looked absolutely hideous, but Lily wasn't dress-experienced... And it fit her qualifications. It would take some serious talking to to make her wear anything that would show off her paper white legs and arms.... Let alone any of the barely-there chest she had.... It was doubtful that anyone knew Lily's chest even existed under all of the hoodies and long sleeves she wore.........

[ghostlygeorge]

"If that's what you call being nautious and feeling as if you were about to throw up any second, then sure..."

George nodded. She expected the Lily would be nervous, maybe even a little sick. But there wasn't much they could do about it. The point of taking these two out was to get them ready for tonight, but also to help them feel a little less shy. George found that having someone voice what they want was a pretty good way to exercise that.

They walked into the shop and were greeted by a tall skinny blonde woman. "Hello, how may I help you?" There was a slight sneer in her voice. But that's generally how adults treated teenagers, especially when they walked into an evening wear store where they shouldn't be able to afford anything in there. It probably didn't help that George's hair was sticking up on her head as usually and that Lily was drawn up in her hoodie looking dreadfully emo.

Instead of being loud and offended, as one would expect of George, she just tilted her head up and took a step forward. There was a small smirk on her face. "Hi, my name is Georgina Umbram." George's face didn't even flicker as she caught the slight shock on the woman's face. "My mother placed a call in a few days ago. My friend, Lily, is looking for something to wear to the Opera tonight. I believe, Mother advised you to treat us as you would treat her, since she is footing the bill." George narrowed her eyes. "Anything Lily wants, she gets" She said coldly.

The woman nodded. "The dressing room has been set up for you Miss Umbram. Just back there." The woman pointed. "I'll bring you our best selections, shortly." George nodded, but didn't say anything.

George looked back at Lily. "I don't think she be getting a generous tip. I don't like how she greeted us." She said with a frown. "Well, come on. Do you want anything to eat?" she asked calmly. Inside her head, she was hoping Lily wouldn't be to freaked out by this. She still had to try on the dresses.

[Lily]

Lily turned her eyes from the dress, to where George stood, talking to an evil looking lady. Lily despised store clerks... They were usually rude and obnoxious. "My mother placed a call in a few days ago. My friend, Lily, is looking for something to wear to the Opera tonight. I believe, Mother advised you to treat us as you would treat her, since she is footing the bill. Anything Lily wants, she gets." George said coldly.... Lily had to take a double take and make sure it really was George... She had never heard George be so cold... And how in the world did she have all these connections?!

"The dressing room has been set up for you Miss Umbram. Just back there." The woman stabbed a bony, ugly finger at the dressing rooms. "I'll bring you our best selections, shortly."

Lily was shocked...... George looked back at her. "I don't think she be getting a generous tip. I don't like how she greeted us. Well, come on. Do you want anything to eat?"

Lily looked at George confused. "Uhm........I doubt I'll be able to keep anything down..... And I thought You were forcing me into a million dresses or something of the sort... The lady said she had a dressing room....." Lily wasn't used to the high society people... and their dresses and what not.. It all confused her, and gave her a headache...

[ghostlygeorge]

"Uhm........I doubt I'll be able to keep anything down..... And I thought You were forcing me into a million dresses or something of the sort... The lady said she had a dressing room....."

George raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, do you want to be changing in the middle of the store? This dressing room is to see if the dresses need special fitting..." She said. "You might as well nibble on the rabbit food they have here. You'd barely feel it in your stomach."

The dressing room was nice. It had those full size mirror standing side-by-side. George plopped down in the plush armchairs. "The lady will be dressing you. I'm not a tailor." She muttered. There was an intercom on the table next to her. She pressed the button. "I'd like two bottles of water, please."

George avoided looking at Lily. "Do you think I'm a jerk?" She asked. She concerned that all this would change how Lily saw her. It wasn't like she was ashamed of where she came from, but people looked at her differently when they knew. "Here you are Miss Umbram," A younger pretty girl pushed through the curtains, with a tray holding two Evian water bottles. She set them down on the table. "May I get you anything else?"

George smiled at her, one of those false, polite smiles. "No, not right now. Thank you." She said. The girl left and George went back to avoiding looking at Lily. Too bad there was nothing too busy herself with and she had to read her water bottle.

[Lily]

"Yeah, do you want to be changing in the middle of the store? This dressing room is to see if the dresses need special fitting... You might as well nibble on the rabbit food they have here. You'd barely feel it in your stomach." George said as they walked into the dressing room. It was huge. Lily had remembered coming to the mall when she was younger.. but the dressing rooms were always cramped, and there was no way in heck they were this nice...

Lily just nodded and sat down next to her... She didn't understand any of this high society crap.... Why in the world did they feed you while you tried clothes on... would it really take that long?!

"The lady will be dressing you. I'm not a tailor." She heard George mutter.... She seemed to be avoiding Lily's view or something. "Uhm..... I'm pretty sure I can handle it.. I've dressed myself since I was like six..." Lily said, half serious, half trying to cheer George up.....

George pressed a little button on a small box looking thing and spoke into it. "I'd like two bottles of water, please." Her voice was cold.... and she sounded........ different. Lily was almost sure she had left the real George back at Xavier's. "Do you think I'm a jerk?" she asked, still avioding her gaze.

"No... why would I?! I mean... Granted as soon as we walked in here you have been acting.... different. But I mean, You are used to all this stuff...... " she paused, wondering if she should go there.... She decided she would. "What was your life like before you came to the school?" she asked timidly. A few seconds later a girl came into the dressing room and placed down two bottles of water. Lily stared at them awkwardly and then hesitantly picked one up and took a sip. She was rather thirsty.

She looked over at George again after the girl left and noticed she was reading the bottle. "I thought I was the only one who ever did that......... I'm the label reader, remember?" she joked, laughing slightly. It was a slightly awkward laugh though, because she still had a million butterflies floating around in her stomach.

[ghostlygeorge]

"Uhm..... I'm pretty sure I can handle it.. I've dressed myself since I was like six..." George gave a real smile at that. "You'll see how it works when that bag of bones gets back here." She said with a grin. She could count on Lily to keep her grounded at least. She was starting to feel awfully cold.

"No... why would I?! I mean... Granted as soon as we walked in here you have been acting.... different. But I mean, You are used to all this stuff...... What was your life like before you came to the school?" Lily asked hesitantly. George sighed it was going to come up eventually "I thought I was the only one who ever did that......... I'm the label reader, remember?"

George chuckled. "Hmm, before I came to Xavier's? Well, Mom is an heiress. She met my dad, and apparently my Granddad didn't like that too much. He cut her off. I never met my dad so I don't know why. When he ran off, Mom tried to make it on her own. But she was an Heiress, so that was a no-go." She sighed.

She didn't remember much from those earlier years, but she could imagine that it was hard. "We went to live with my Grandparents. Well, not actually live with them, we lived in our own home. Mom promised not to look for my Dad or having anything to do with him, and to become the CEO of Granddad company in the near future. I was about seven when it all went down."

George sighed. "I lived pretty well. It makes me feel sorta guilty. Some of the kids that go to school with us had it really bad. And here I come strolling along." The woman came back wheeling a rack of dresses. "This is our best selection, Ladies. Will you need a strapless bra Ma'am?" The woman asked Lily. George just stepped back. She gave an encouraging smile. It was Lily's turn to take the reins.

[Lily]

"You'll see how it works when that bag of bones gets back here." George answered with a large grin. It made Lily nervous.....

"Hmm, before I came to Xavier's? Well, Mom is an heiress. She met my dad, and apparently my Granddad didn't like that too much. He cut her off. I never met my dad so I don't know why. When he ran off, Mom tried to make it on her own. But she was an Heiress, so that was a no-go." She paused and sighed softly, and continued on with her story. "We went to live with my Grandparents. Well, not actually live with them, we lived in our own home. Mom promised not to look for my Dad or having anything to do with him, and to become the CEO of Granddad company in the near future. I was about seven when it all went down."

Lily listended silently, an occasional nod, or confused look every now and then, but otherwise she didn't interrupt. She was glad that George was telling her this... It made her feel good to know something about her friend. "Oh, well no offense... but You aren't the.... daintiest" she picked her words carefully... "Of teenage girls.. I wouldn't expect your mom to be an heiress... That's cool though,,, Sorry your dad left you though, that's awful.." she said, sympathizing, but knowing very well that George wouldn't like the fact that she was sympathizing with her...

"I lived pretty well. It makes me feel sorta guilty. Some of the kids that go to school with us had it really bad. And here I come strolling along." she said with another sigh. "Well, some kids just get lucky..." she said, thinking of her own family, if you could call it that... When the woman came in with a rack of dresses... Lily had never seen anything so beautiful... and so unlike her. "This is our best selection, Ladies. Will you need a strapless bra Ma'am?" the lady said in her nasly voice... Lily looked awkwardly at George, who backed away with an encouraging smile. Lily had no idea! "Uhm........... sure?" she said awkwardly, and very much unsure of herself.

She then walked over to the rack. There were so many pretty dresses.... And all of them looked much too fancy for Lily's plain features... The bright colors were definately out right away in her mind...

[ghostlygeorge]

Oh, well no offense... but You aren't the.... daintiest...Of teenage girls.. I wouldn't expect your mom to be an heiress... That's cool though,,, Sorry your dad left you though, that's awful.." George laughed. No she wasn't the daintiest teenager girl. But she made sure she would never be seen a dainty. She didn't like that Lily felt sorry for her. "It's probably best that he left...if he had stayed I might not be here." George shrugged.

"Well, some kids just get lucky..." That was the problem for George she didn't feel like she deserved to be lucky. It was like winning the family lottery, which is why she hates the lottery. People who deserve to get the good things in life never actually get them. It was depressing.

"Uhm........... sure?" She heard Lily say awkwardly. The lady left the room again to get the bra. George stood up and moved to the dress rack. "Do you see anything you like?" She asked in a dull voice. Any other teenage girl would have excited and jumping for joy at their chance to dress and pretend their one of the upper crust. George knew that Lily was different. That's why she like the girl. Lily treated her the same even after finding out about her life before Xavier's.

"Try not to think too much about what other's might think. If you see something you like you can have it, ok?" George wanted to ask Lily about her life. But it might stress her out. She could ask later. Looking at Lily's nervous face, she decided that would be best.

[Lily]

"It's probably best that he left...if he had stayed I might not be here." George said, shrugging off the sympathy. Or at least that's how it seemed to Lily.

The lady left the room, probably in search for a strapless bra...... Which Lily was still sure she didn't need, but why argue? George stood up and examined the dress rack. "Do you see anything you like?" She asked, her voice slightly monotone. Lily didn't think she was any happier about this than she was....

She flipped through the rack and a few dresses caught her eye. The first she pulled out was a black halter dress. It wasn't much, and it looked like it came to about mid-thigh, which Lily wasn't too thrilled about. "This one..... is alright, I suppose..." she said with a small shrug as she placed it down on the chair. She flipped through a little further and pulled out another dress. This one was a deep maroon. It had spaghetti straps, and it sort of tiered down, coming to what looked like her knees... She couldn't find any way to critique it, so she just placed it down on the chair.

"Try not to think too much about what other's might think. If you see something you like you can have it, ok?" George said reassuringly. "Ok..." Lily replied in a soft tone, as she continued to look through the dresses. She was hoping that George would pick out a few too, because she probably knew more about dresses than Lily did.

[ghostlygeorge]

"This one..... is alright, I suppose..." George watched Lily pull out of few dresses. She was slightly upset that the woman had brought them this. It was like the woman didn't think George knew what women should wear to the opening of an opera. But Lily was picking these dresses she had to like them, right. George ran her hand over the material. She stopped at a long black one. It was backless, Lily might have a problem with that, but it had sleeves.

"How 'bout this one?" George asked, pulling it out. It would be too long for Lily as is. But that's why they were here so it could be made to fit Lily. "Even if it is opening night you don't have to be too flashy. A simple black dress is fine."

She nodded and laid the dress with the other ones. George smiled at Lily. "That ones my pick. But the point of coming here was to have fun. So pick a few and try them all on!" She was feeling more like herself, and less like the cold bitch who walked in the store. Taking a few steps back, she waited for Lily to do her thing. A feeling of happiness spread through. Just one of those euphoric feelings that one can't explain. She felt good.

[Lily]

Lily watched as George's hands picked up the dress that she was just about to pick up. It may have been plain to some, but it was gorgeous to Lily..... Though she was almost sure she couldn't pull it off.

"How 'bout this one? Even if it is opening night you don't have to be too flashy. A simple black dress is fine." she said, laying it down.

Lily smiled softly as her hand ran down the material. "It's beautiful..... But I'm not sure if I could wear it... I mean, it's made for tall people. And welll............... I'm a little vertically chalenged in a way.." she said softly, almost sadly.

"That ones my pick. But the point of coming here was to have fun. So pick a few and try them all on!" She looked as if she were waiting for Lily to go wild, but Lily didn't move, still fixated with the black one. She shrugged her shoulders softly. "I dunno... I like mostly the black and the simpler tones than the wilder ones.... But what do I know anyways?! You should pick.... you or someone else... Maybe we should let James pick... After all he is why I'm wearing a dress.. Or maybe I'll just go in jeans or something..." she rambled nervously, her eyes still trained on the dress.

[ghostlygeorge]

"It's beautiful..... But I'm not sure if I could wear it... I mean, it's made for tall people. And welll............... I'm a little vertically challenged in a way.." George chuckled and shook her head. "I dunno... I like mostly the black and the simpler tones than the wilder ones.... But what do I know anyways?! You should pick.... you or someone else... Maybe we should let James pick... After all he is why I'm wearing a dress.. Or maybe I'll just go in jeans or something..."

Lily was something else. "You silly Bird, you," George said in a demure sorta voice. "I can see you like this dress. You're practically drooling over it. The people here can tailor it to fit you." Folding her arms she cast a critical eye on Lily. She was short but not a midget. Black would make her look taller. She rubbed her chin. "You'd like fine." George decided. Though she didn't expect her opinion to mean much.

"Just because you like Jimmy Crack Corn, doesn't mean he should make decisions for you." She said seriously. "Even in a relationship, you should be your own person. If you grow to dependent on a person and then that person leaves you, what will you do?" Taking a sip of her water, she brought up to eye level and looked through it. "People are not as see through as they seem."

George looked at Lily, with a surprised expression. She had gotten caught up with her own memories. She grinned the goofiest grin ever. "But Jimmy Crack Corn probably couldn't leave you anyway, right Birdie?" The girl that had brought the water came in with Lily's bra. "Excuse me," George said. "What do you think of this dress?" She grabbed the black dress from the chair. The girl looked startled. But George smiled to make her feel more comfortable.

"That's one of my favorite dresses in the store." George nodded. "What's your name?" She asked. "Natalie." George moved and held the dress up against Lily. The dress trailed to the floor as expected. "How do you think it will look on my friend here? Be honest." She reminded her.

Natalie scrutinized Lily. "Well," she started. "That dress was designed to make anyone look fabulous. With your friend, you want simple because her eyes are piercing and she has that porcelains look. You don't want anything too overpowering." George nodded satisfactorily. What a marvelous and honest answer! "Thanks Natalie!" With a knowing smirk she looked to Lily. "See?"

[Lily]

"You silly Bird, you, can see you like this dress. You're practically drooling over it. The people here can tailor it to fit you." she said, folding her arms. Lily sighed. "I am not drooling over it....." she corrected. "You'd look fine." George assured. But Lily just shrugged slightly.

"Just because you like Jimmy Crack Corn, doesn't mean he should make decisions for you. Even in a relationship, you should be your own person. If you grow to dependent on a person and then that person leaves you, what will you do? People are not as see through as they seem." George said seriously. "Yes, I know...... I was just rambling... I'm not really that dependent on anyone, you know that. I've gone six years without much social interaction, I think I'm dependent enough on myself...." she said, growing slightly angry that George thought she was that dependent on everyone.

But George grinned. "But Jimmy Crack Corn probably couldn't leave you anyway, right Birdie?" George teased. Lily just sighed, and then turned her head to see the girl coming back. She laid a bra down on the table and turned to leave, but George stopped her, and held up the dress. "Excuse me,What do you think of this dress?" George asked.

"That's one of my favorite dresses in the store." The girl replied, and George recognized it with a nod. "What's your name?" George asked. [/i]"Natalie."[/i] she replied in a soft voice. "How do you think it will look on my friend here? Be honest."

Lily felt Natalie's eyes on her... It was as if she was burning a hole through her...... "Well, That dress was designed to make anyone look fabulous. With your friend, you want simple because her eyes are piercing and she has that porcelains look. You don't want anything too overpowering." Natalie said observantly.

"Thanks Natalie!" George said, grinning. She then turned to Lily. "See?"

Lily shrugged and picked up the bra and dress. She dissapeared behind a silk curtain, and put them both on, and then came back out. Natalie was right. Since Lily had never been in the sun much her skin looked exactly like porcelain. The black dress looked perfect on her, draping wonderful, and making her eyes look even more tantalizing. Lily turned away from the miror, and faced George. She was too afraid of her reflection. "How do I look?" she asked softly.

[ghostlygeorge]

"I am not drooling over it....." George snickered at that. "Yes, I know...... I was just rambling... I'm not really that dependent on anyone, you know that. I've gone six years without much social interaction, I think I'm dependent enough on myself...." George heard irritation in Lily's voice. She hadn't meant for Lily to get upset with her. It was just a warning, she had seen first hand what happens to someone when they're dependent on anyone other than themselves. She was sure if she should pursue the topic or leave it be.

When Lily came out in the dress, she decided it would be better to leave it...for now. "How do I look?" Lily timidly asked. George raised her eyebrow. "Well," there was an inappropriately long pause before she continued. "To be honest," she screwed up her face, making it seem like she was going to say something negative. "I think you look absolutely lovely." George grinned.

Lily was beautiful in the dress. There wasn't much that George could say to convince the girl if she didn't believe it herself. "Mirrors are incapable of lying," George said. "And if you don't believe me, believe your own eyes! You are beautiful!" She said. George watched Lily, hoping her friend, would see what she saw.