Waking up from the nap I felt fresh and actually ready. I was excited, I wanted to have fun. Now that I have friends, I actually wish to spend time with them and have fun like someone my age should do. Mom knocked on my door just as I was going to the bathroom to shower.

“Sweetie, are you up?” She asked, not opening my door.

“Yeah, you can come in” I told her, waiting until she walked inside.

“I will take a shower, it won’t take long” I closed the bathroom door after me and went to turn on the warm water. I pulled my hair in a high bun and quickly stripped, hopping inside the shower. The warm water made me sigh quietly as I washed myself. All the school will be there, it actually makes me nervous. I would see Baekhyun and Sooyoung without a doubt and...Yugyeom as well. That makes me uneasy but I’m sure he wouldn’t try doing anything to me this time, and if he does...I will make sure to break his nose and some other bones of his.

Dressed in my underwear, I secured the towel around me and went back to my room, seeing mom looking at my dress.

“Oh, finally” She chuckled, holding the dress out for me “You can take it on”

“Were you that excited to see me in it?” I chuckled, placing the towel on my chair as I quickly took the dress from mom.

“This is your first time going, I’m really happy” Mom nodded and helped me pull up the straps to my shoulders. I patted down the dress at my stomach and sighed a little, still feeling it too tight. I turned around to see mom nodding at me with tear filled eyes.

“Oh god, this dress is so pretty” She touched the material at my stomach and I pulled away since I’m ticklish.

“Right, but maybe too tight” I muttered, looking down at myself.

“No! It’s just perfect for you” She waved her hand and started circling around me “It’s not too tight, don’t worry”

“Thank you” I smiled at mom as she stopped in front of me with a grin.

“I’m doing your make up this time” She grinned as I grew a little worried. I don’t want to wear too much make up and mom usually likes a more complex make up.

“Just not too much, please” I sighed as she led me to my chair and opened her make up bag.

“Of course, something pretty just like you” Mom winked at me, causing me to groan loudly.

“Mom, when did you become so cheesy?” I whined as she just laughed, turning around with foundation in her hand.

“Uhm, mom...do you really have to--”

“Silence” Mom threw me a fierce glare and I nodded, sealing my lips together.

“And yes, I really have to” She grinned as I rolled my eyes but still let her apply the foundation on my face.

“It evens out the imperfections, not that you have much” Mom shrugged and I rolled my eyes once again “But it will still makes you look better”

“And more greasy, I hate make up” I muttered under my breath and mom flicked my forehead, making me glare at her.

“Some eyeshadow too” She muttered to herself and I caught glimpse of all the colors a palette had as she was rummaging through her bag.

“Mom?” I called out uneasy “I hope you won’t use colors--”

“Be quiet, Chae-Yeong” Mom sighed again, throwing me a small glare. I huffed but stayed silent as she turned around, a palette in her hands.

“Close your eyes” She grinned and I closed my eyes, praying that she’d use some light colors, almost invisible.

“You know, I remember going to the balls as well” She started speaking as she was brushing some eyeshadow on my eyelids.

“The most beautiful one was when I was a senior, those matter the most” She chuckled, for a moment stopping “I know I was dateless for quite a long time since boys found me intimidating, not that I blame them”

I flinched a little bit when a colder liquid was smeared on my skin.

“Don’t move” Mom muttered and I sighed “But you know...then I got there and actually, my best friend told me he was too shy to ask a girl out so he didn’t have a date either!”

“Let me guess, you teamed up, didn’t you?” I muttered bored, opening my eyes when mom was finally done.

“Yes, we did” She laughed as she applied some glitter underneath my eyes “And it was the best night I ever had. We laughed a lot and dance, I had so much fun. And then he even offered to walk me home, it was really nice”

“Did he like you?” I asked, raising my eyebrows as mom looked for some lipstick.

“Not really, but I still kissed him for goodbye” She laughed as she turned back around, a lipstick in her hand.

“I guess he didn’t have time to react, it was just a simple peck. I didn’t mean it seriously either” She shrugged as I let her apply the lipstick.

“And my dress wasn’t this pretty, it was a dark blue, reaching the floor and I remember it had a turtleneck without sleeves”

“But you look good in dresses like that” I furrowed my eyebrows as mom tried applying some mascara to my lashes.

“I know, but I didn’t exactly look like this back then, I was a little chubby” She shrugged, finally stepping away “But I didn’t really care about that”

“Good for you” I muttered, looking at myself in the mirror. The make up was a light peach color and mom made some discret wings and a little glitter under my eyes, simple and pretty.

“You were never chubby, so you have no reasons to complain” Mom smiled at me and I looked away.

“Yeah, I guess”

“Did they call you fat?” Mom sighed as she stood behind me.

“Yeah” I shrugged and she started combing my hair.

“Idiots” Mom rolled her eyes, getting a hairbrush “Your bangs will disappear for tonight”

“Why?” I asked confused.

“Because I said so” I huffed as mom only grinned and I let her have her way with my hair. After half on hour, my hair was curled in loose waves and my bangs were clipped to the side, leaving my forehead on display. It felt weird to see myself like that again, the main reason why I cut my hair was to stop looking like Bo-Yeong, and now it was like I saw her instead of myself. Yet, it was a good feeling, it didn’t hurt like it used to.

“So beautiful” Mom sighed as she caressed my cheek “Bo-Yeong would have been so happy...you look like her a lot”

“I know” I smiled at mom, pulling away to get my heels.

“Jackson will be here in a few minutes” I muttered as I got on my heels and took my purse.

“Let’s go downstairs then” Mom ushered me out my room and I rolled my eyes at her, carefully descending the stairs since I was wearing heels.

“Stay as long as you want and phone us when you want to come home if your date plans on staying for longer” Mom smiled at me as we waited in the hallway.

“Yeah, but I’m sure Jackson wouldn’t mind giving me a ride home” I shrugged, jumping a little when the doorbell rang.

“Oh, that must be him” Mom smiled as she went to open the door.

“Hello, Mrs. Song” Jackson smiled at mom, bowing a little.

“Jackson, hello” Mom stepped aside to let me pass.

“Chae-Yeong!” Jackson grinned at me and I hugged him with a chuckle.

“Are you taller?” His eyes were wide as we pulled away and I smacked his shoulder.

“I’m wearing heels, yes” I narrowed my eyes at him and he started laughing.

“You won’t be a shorty tonight then” He winked and I groaned as mom laughed.

“Have fun kids!” She called as she closed the door and Jackson and I headed to his car.

“Wendy is already there” He said as we got inside.

“Kyungsoo was pretty early”

“He’s like that” I laughed and Jackson suddenly started laughing as well.

“You should have seen him when he saw Wendy!” Jackson kept laughing as he drove and I grew concerned he’d crash the car.

“Don’t laugh and drive, Jackson!” I scolded him and he quickly apologized, calming down.

“Seriously, I regret not filming it” He giggled and I looked at him with an amused smile.

“Like, we were talking and then Wendy came up to us and he went like...’I--uh--uhm--you--Hi, Wendy--you are--let’s go--what’” Jackson bit his lip from bursting out laughing and I started giggling loudly.

“It’s because of the dress, isn’t it?” I tried imagining Kyungsoo looking like a tomato.

“My sister can be y when she wants to, I guess Kyungsoo wasn’t expecting that” Jackson chuckled, coming to a stop in the parking lot of the school.

“Where are we meeting up with them?” I asked as we got out, I left my purse in Jackson’s car.

“They are by the entrance” Jackson came beside me and let me hook my arm with his.

“And Chae-Yeong?” I looked at him with my eyebrows raised.

“You are very beautiful” He smiled cheekily as I started blushing.

“Thank you” I muttered, quickly pulling a laughing Jackson after me. Seems like walking fast in heels isn’t even that bad when you have to. Jackson greeted the people he knew as we slowly got closer to the entrance. I quickly spotted Kyungsoo, who was smiling in our direction, but I couldn’t see Wendy. Don’t tell me she already ditched him.

“Hi!” Kyungsoo called with a wide smile as Jackson and I stopped in front of him.

“Hey” I smiled at him and quickly hugged him.

“You are very beautiful” He muttered close to my ear and I blushed as I looked at the ground.

“You look good too” Kyungsoo and Jackson chuckled.

“Sis, won’t even greet us now?” Jackson rolled his eyes as the brown haired girl beside Kyungsoo turned around. My mouth dropped to the ground when I saw Wendy.

“What!” She exclaimed with a laugh.

“You--you were blonde this morning!” I exclaimed, eyes wide as I stared at Wendy.

“I know” She shrugged “But I decided to return to my natural hair color, besides...I can annoy Jackson now by saying we look alike”

“You wish” Jackson rolled his eyes and I ended up smiling.

“You look very...wow” I breathed out as I took in Wendy’s look. Her long brown hair was straight as it freely fell around her shoulders and her eye make up was darker, bringing out her beautiful eyes. She wore a red lipstick, making the whole outfit y. Now I understand why Kyungsoo was so shocked.

“But you look very beautiful” Wendy said with a dreamy sigh and I chuckled “I like this no bangs concept”

“Mom made me do it” I rolled my eyes as we made our way inside.

“Your mom knows what’s good, that’s why” She winked at me and I chuckled, nudging her side.

“A picture!” The photograph that stood in front of the gym smiled at us and I went beside Jackson, letting Kyungsoo and Wendy in front of us.

“Smile for the camera!” The photograph called cheerily and after the picture was done, Wendy and Kyungsoo went inside.

“Your turn” He smiled at Jackson and I. I looked at Jackson surprised when he placed his arm around my shoulders but quickly smiled for the picture.

“Lovely, have fun kids!” The guy winked at us as we went inside the gym as well. It looked so different than all the other times I was inside. The colors used were red and a light purple, illuminating the whole place. There were many tables, full with food and drinks. There was a long table at the end of the gym where the teachers were sitting at and to its right was the dj, who was already playing some music. The gym was buzzing with students, and it looked already full.

“This is just like in Canada” Wendy grinned excitedly “Jackson, remember?”