Chapter 90

"Am I a mess?" I ask as I lean back against dusty pink chaise and sigh heavily. I roll my head to the side, pouting at Vera who was sitting like the goddess she was beside me. She sighs slightly and gives me a pitiful look, "Hay..." "Oh for fucks sake, I am a mess." I cry out as I bury my face into my hands and rest my elbows on my knees. "How did I even get like this?" Vera sneers, "Men." "Fuck men." I groan as Vera wraps an arm around me and rests her head against my shoulder. I take my hands from my face and drop them. "Fuck men!" Vera repeats as the store clerk across the room clears her throat. We both give her a sheepish, apologetic look before turning back to each other. This morning Vera, Penn, and I got up early and came to the only wedding dress boutique in all of Holden Bay. Even though Vera was adamant on flying Penn in a dress from Milan, Penn wanted something a little more simple. She's such a wholesome cinnamon roll that I'm constantly worried Vera or I will corrupt her. But so far so good. "He's coming back, Hay. We all know that." Penn sings out from behind the curtain where she was changing into the umpteenth dress of the day. I mean, damn, for a tiny shop they sure have a hell of a lot of gowns. "I for one don't know that." I sigh heavily, "What if I just messed everything up? What if he finds someone else who doesn't fuck everything up like I do? What if he finds someone...better." "There is no such fucking thing." Vera chuckles while shaking her head, "You are the only person for Chase. Everyone else he meets is just boring as fuck, simple as that." "He better not be dating someone new and I'm here crying over him every single fucking day, sleeping in his sweatshirts and waiting for him to come back to me like the soppy, sad ass bitch I am." I explain as Vera giggles lightly. "If he is, I won't have a single problem going to jail for first degree murder." Vera nods in support, "Me too." "Me three." Penn says as she steps out in the most pouffiest dress I had ever laid eyes on. Penn gives us a very sad and pitiful look as her shoulders sag, "...So?" I slowly glance at Vera out of the corner of my eye to see her doing the same thing to me. Then, a split second later we erupt into a fit of laughter. I double over, clutching my stomach as Vera laughs loudly beside me. We were both dying of amusement. "You guys are suppose to be helping me." Penn groans as she struggles to stand up on the tiny stage surrounded by mirrors and glances at herself in the mirror. She groans,  "Oh god." Her remark makes Vera and I laugh even harder as I throw myself back and recline my head against the back of the couch for support. My stomach felt like it was going to split open any second now. Suddenly, the door to the boutique opens with the jingle of a bell. Hayley steps through and glances around in confusion. Her eyes move from Vera and I currently dying on the pink chaise to Penn who was currently drowning in her dress. She freezes with one hand still on the handle of the door, "Whoa, what's with the marshmallow, Penn?" Vera and I crack up laughing once more until we were literally falling on top of each other. The shop-clerk looked more than pissed off at us for all the commotion we were having. But I mean it's her fault for supplying too much champagne really. After we had calmed down, Penn picks up the front of her dress and steps down from the stage, looking more helpless than ever. "Maybe we should order that dress, V." Penn huffs as she pats the poofy skirt. I hold in my laughter, watching it bounce in the most comical way. "What—" I clear my throat, keeping the laughter at bay, "I'm sure there's at least one simple dress in here." "There might be one," Jaclyn, the shop clerk explains as she steps forward, "But it's too simple for a wedding, let alone the Summer Bash." "Simple is what I'm all about, Jaclyn." Penn smiles sweetly at the shop-clerk who nods and heads towards the back. "Well at least it'll be better than that." Vera scoffs as she points a finger at Penn's dress. Hayley takes a seat in one of the dusty pink arm chairs and places her crossbody bag on the ground. "So, can someone explain to me why I'm here?" Hayley explains, looking lost and confused as ever. "Well," Penn says with the brightest smile, "Think of this as an official request to be my bridesmaid." Hayley's eyes widen immensely, "Bri—Bridesmaid?" Vera and I smile as we nod at her to answer. Hayley's face goes through a whole bunch of emotions, but mot of them were of pure content. She was just too cute. "What the fuck?!" She chuckles in happiness and disbelief. We all join with her as Hayley glances back at Penn, "I—I don't know what to say—" Penn smiles, "Just say yes." "Yes!" Hayley chuckles as she stands up and the two girls wrap there arms around each other, "This is honestly such an honour Penn." "Oh, don't worry about it. I've always wanted three bridesmaid and there's no one else I want except you three." Penn explains as they step back from each other and Penn waves her hand through the air, "And I thought it'd be cute since Chase, Sam and Levi are Noah's best men." Hayley nods and sits back down, "Thank you." I was already pouring Hayley a glass of champagne by the time Jaclyn returned with the other dress. She sets it up for Penn in her dressing room and I hand Hayley the glass chute. "Should we start looking for bridesmaid dresses?" I ask as I turn back to Penn who pauses just before walking into the dressing room. "Oh sure," Penn nods with a smile, "I trust all of you to pick them out. I don't really mind that colour as long as you three like it." "Great." I nod as I down back the rest of my champagne. "And Hayden," Penn calls as I glance up at her, "Feel free to take a look at some of the other dresses too." "What's that suppose to mean?" I ask and frown in confusion. Penn shrugs, "Oh you know, I—" "Hey, Penn, that dress looks super difficult to remove. How about I help you." Vera interrupts Penn as she quickly flies off the couch and ushers Penn into the dressing room. I give them an odd look as Vera smiles sweetly at me and hauls the large curtain shut behind them. I could hear hushed bickering on the other side as I slowly look at Hayley. She gives me a forced smile, "So...bridesmaid dresses?" "Yes." I nod as we both head towards the section of colourful dresses. ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ In the end, we found no bridesmaid dresses that Penn liked the look of so instead, we settled for a color. It would be a light pastel blue and she agreed that if we could find a dress in that exact shade, we could wear it. I always loved how chill Penn was even though this was her wedding to the love of her life. I think that's part of why Noah fell for her so hard. Noah was always known as the exciting one, the one girls fought tooth and nail for so they could have a night of fun. I always wondered if he ever got bored of that and I guess he was right. Penn, though incredibly shy, never chased anything. She was utterly happy with who she was and that's all she ever wanted in a partner; someone like her. Noah really liked that part of Penn and tried so hard to get her to like him. I can't even count that amount of times he flirted with her and she was completely oblivious.