“You think?” Sarah looked at her apprehensively.

“Yeah.” Valerie jumped off the bed. “I have a really hot dress you could borrow. It’ll be a little short on you, but you won’t look slutty. I promise.”

Sarah watched as Valerie ran out the room. She chewed her lip thinking about it. It seemed so silly, but she was willing to try anything that might help.

Valerie came back in holding a black dress. It was low cut in the front and had slits on the side of both legs. It looked like it might be about an inch or two above her knees. Sarah stared at it. “Am I gonna fit in that thing?”

“Try it on.” Valerie shoved it at her and left the room.

Sarah tried it on and it was a perfect fit but a lot tighter than what she normally wore, and a lot more revealing. It really showed off her cle**age. They were supposed to be going to a party on the east side, a bit ritzier than their usual backyard parties. But she had a feeling that after seeing her in this dress, they may not make it there, and instead head back to the restaurant which was just fine with her.

She turned around to get a view from behind in the mirror when Valerie walked back in.

Sarah turned to see her holding her hand over her mouth. “What?”

“Oh, my God, I’m a genius.” Valerie laughed. “I doubt he’ll even hear a word you say. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

Sarah glanced back in the mirror. The dress was so unlike her. Angel was going to know something was up the second he saw her. “Is your dad even gonna let me out in this?”

“Ooh, good question.” She said circling Sarah, still sizing her up. “What time is he picking you up?”

“Around seven.”

“Oh, you’re good.” Valerie still had that evil grin on her face. “They’re going to the show and dinner. But they’re cheap, so they like catching the earlier show around five.”

Sarah turned back to the mirror. That ugly feeling in her stomach was back, but dress or not, she was telling him tonight. No matter what.

She started getting ready just after five. Valerie helped her with her hair. Sarah's hair was fairly straight, but Valerie said it straightening even more would make it look extra sleek and super sexy.

Sarah watched Valerie through the bathroom mirror as she concentrated on the flat iron she held in Sarah’s hair. “So, how was it last night with Alex? You two looked pretty chummy.”

Valerie glanced up at the mirror and shrugged. She continued concentrating on Sarah’s hair. “Well, I think he turned his phone off or put it on vibrate. ‘Cause it didn’t go off once last night. I tried to resist him as long as I could but it’s so damn hard. I didn’t sleep with him though. I told him I’m not doing that anymore. So, he asked if it was because of Reggie. I told him no, it’s because it hurts too much. Then he made a stupid joke apologizing for his size. ”

Valerie’s expression was disgusted, but Sarah couldn’t help laughing. Alex was too funny.

“Stop,” Valerie said. “You’re gonna make me burn you.”

Sarah controlled her laughter as best she could and Valerie continued to tell her about the rest of her evening with Alex. Sarah couldn’t help busting up several more times.

The way she saw it, Valerie was partly to blame for Alex thinking the way he did. She had given herself to him way to easy and with no strings attached. But Alex had no right to demand she stop going out or even talking to other guys. He was, as Valerie put it, pretty ridiculous.

Valerie said he agreed to going out but no sex and they were already going out again tonight. Sarah had to laugh at that too. If it was true that Alex was just like Angel, only intensified times three the way everyone made it seem Valerie was dreaming if she thought she’d keep that guy off her. Not that She thought Alex would ever force himself on her. But she was sure he’d find a way to manipulate the situation. If it were anyone else, maybe Valerie could find the willpower to stand firm. But with him, Sarah highly doubted it.

Valerie left to get ready herself, leaving Sarah to finish up. When she was just about done, she heard the doorbell ring. She glanced at the clock; it was only Six thirty. He said he’d call if he would be early. She continued working on her makeup and then she heard Valerie.

“Sarah, it’s for you.”

Maybe he got off early and wanted to surprise her. Sarah was glad she was ready. She put all her things back in her make-up bag and stuffed it in her purse. She sprayed herself with a little perfume, and grabbed her purse. She inhaled very deeply then took one last look at herself in the mirror. He was going to flip when he saw her.

As she rushed out she glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of that unmistakable, 1964, Canary yellow, Chevy Impala, parked directly in front of the house. It couldn’t be.

She turned the corner into the front room and went numb. There he was, all six feet of him, standing there looking at her from head to toe. For a second, she was unable to speak.

“Sydney!” She jumped into his arms.

He hugged her tight. The smell of his cologne brought back all the wonderful memories. When they pulled apart, she stared at him still in shock. “Oh my God, what are you doing here?”

“We gotta talk, Lynn.”

*

Angel had taken off early, feeling a little guilty about leaving when the restaurant was still busy. But he hadn’t seen Sarah all day, and he was getting antsy about it.

He’d gone home to change and was just pulling out of his driveway, when his cell phone rang. Glancing at the phone screen, he thought she must’ve read his mind because he was about to call her.