"Mum?" I kicked the door shut with my foot while struggling to set down the heavy box I had found on our doorstep as I tried to get in through the back door from school. "I think there's—"

   I cut my announcement short when I noticed something particular about the delivery.

"You were saying?" Mum called from the living room.

"Never mind!"

   My curious gaze met with two inscriptions at the right side of the large box.

   BETH SIMMONS.

   It took me a while to lift my curious gaze from the package and draw my phone from my backpack to text Tali.

"Don't you dare do this without me!" She burst through my bedroom door a few minutes after my text, eyes wide and sucking heavy breaths.

"Of course not." I remained cross legged on my bed as she joined me.

   Now we both had our eyes cast in the opposite direction, towards my study desk where I had placed the large, colourfully wrapped box.

"What do you think is in there?" Tali turned to me while asking.

   I shrugged, although I had a fair idea. A fair idea which contributed to my decision to stall—I mean, wait–to get it open.

"We won't find out sitting here." She slid off the bed to get a closer look.

"Wait!" I couldn't help reaching out as she tore out the wrapping surrounding every inch of the box.

   I took the smile she had downwards to be a 'not bad' sign and walked over to peek into the box. My guess was confirmed. Mr. Speck's Virtuo package had rolled in. It contained a Multi-sensory Virtual Reality mask, headset, bodysuit, basically everything needed for the full experience. I almost felt bad about my decision to not go to the dance.

   Almost.

"You have got to let me help set this up!" Tali's face was still shining in awe. "It's official. I'm helping you get ready for the dance tomorrow."

"Yeah, I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said, walking back to my bed. "I'm not going."

"You have got to be kidding me." I turned to see her making wild hand gestures to the box. "We're looking at the same thing, right?"

"We are. But that doesn't —Ow!" Her weight remained pressed against me despite my groans. "Tali, get off me."

"Not until you say you're going."

"Oh come o— Ow!" I glared up at her smug face. "I am this close to body shaming you. Get off of me!"

"What do I have to do to make you go?"

   On a normal day, I would have been cajoled by the whine in her tone and those dark, guilt-instilling eyes but I couldn't even glance into them without remembering the disaster that was lunch today.

   I was not going. Just like how I was never going to show up at that lunch table ever again. And risk facing even more humiliation?

   No, thanks. Sorry, Minji.

   As insincere as what I was about to say was, it had to be enough to lay her off my back.

"If you're able to somehow be a part of all this–come with me, I mean, I promise to do this with you hand in hand." I said, struggling to cross my heart under her oppressive butt.

   So why were her lips morphing into the biggest grin I had ever seen?

"Actually..."

   I gulped. What had I done?

"I've been in contact with a few friends around." Also known as the dark web I'm sure. "And it's possible to sync the devices with my laptop to get a full view of everything you'll be seeing tomorrow."

"The booklet says one login per device though." I shrugged, trying not to sound too ecstatic. "So..."

"Okay, then," All escaped air I had lost was restored when she finally arose. The gleam in her was indescribable as she fixed her gaze on the Speck Tech logo on the box. "Challenge accepted."

***

   There were no more danceposals by now. It would have been weird seeing any more dramatic ones since today was the dance. Well, tonight.

   Why did I waste my time coming to Zavlon for a half day with no classes?

"Do you think I should wear it? Naru seemed like he put a lot of heart in picking it out." Minji toyed with the silver bracelet in her hand as she walked beside me. "But I can't help being a little paranoid. It's kind of giving me one of those 'I own you now' vibes."

"Yeah, you should blame your obsession with "Ryder', 'Hunter', 'Jaden' 'Xavier' books for that." I said, withholding the urge to roll my eyes.

"And what if it doesn't go well?" She continued on, not even trying to attack me for my love for 2D dimensional comic book characters in response to my shot this time.

   I caught her gnawing her bottom lip with a distant stare. Okay, this was nothing like the bubbly Minji I knew. She really was disturbed.

   Meanwhile, I was disturbed that I hadn't been hounded by Camila and Viola today of all days. I just hoped Minji hadn't told anyone of my decision to go anyway. I wasn't ready for my first Carrie experience on Zavlon's first dance virtual reality style.

   Or maybe I was just being self-absorbed and they couldn't care less. I hadn't seen them without each other or their dates today. Thankfully, that secured the relief I felt at their absence from the lunch table Minji dragged me back to, but not without bringing along my unceasing paranoia.

   Rav and Dorian couldn't stop discussing the other activities that could supplement the sleepover they had decided on a few days ago.

   Oh sorry, hangout. How had I already forgotten the dirty look Dorian had shot in my direction when I called it a sleep—I mean, that word?

   Though I still felt excluded from it all, I couldn't deny that even I was already getting a taste of the unprecedented atmosphere that had engulfed the entire student body, ready to burst out in full force tonight.

***

"You look spectacular," Mum sounded choked up as we both stared into the full-length mirror in her room.

   I smiled after thanking her, internally agreeing with her compliment. I had been worried that my sudden change of mind would punish me with a horrible last-minute outfit, but Mum surprised me with a vintage high school dress of hers that matched one of my favourite shades of blue; royal blue. As I smoothed out the sides of the dress, I didn't want to reveal how excited I was that it actually fit. Also, I didn't possess the urge to alter the long ends into loose pants. And for once, my 4c edges were slicked down.

   Wonder how long that was going to last.

"Excuse me, Prince Charming here. I believe you have a date with me tonight Cinderella." Tali said in the worst British accent, as she joined us from the garage, where she had been helping set up the Virtuo package while I got ready in Mum's room.

   I rolled my eyes. "Could you get your knees off the entrance of my mother's door, please?"

"I've done setting everything up, so shall we?" Still stubbornly on her knees, she reached out her right hand.

"Wait, wait! Pictures!"

"I'm just going to the garage, Mum."

"So you have no excuse to not do this now." She took out her phone swifter than I could escape. "Come on."

"Don't worry," I smiled as Tali whispered in my ear. "I've got this."

   You could always count on Tali to figure out the perfect escape plan. My grin got broader as she walked up to my mum.

   Then faltered when she kept standing there.

"What are you doing?" I frowned.

"Being your arm candy," she rushed back to grab my hand. "You're not getting out of this one."

   You could always count on Tali to figure out the perfect escape plan...

   ...until you actually needed one.

A/N: Thank you all so much for your support 🎉❤️!

   Tag a friend/interested reader in the comments for a dedication🎉.

   I'll be picking one person randomly😌.

   QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you go for school  dances?!

   Most schools in Ghana don't organize dances so many of us here have never had that experience.

   Follow me on Instagram: @zwrites._ I follow back!

  Published 18th September, 2021.