I wonder if anyone would sell me their ticket... Cindy thought, walking down the sunny main street of town on the afternoon of the prom. She was trying to forget all about the dance, now her mind was on the BSB concert. They were playing in a nearby city the next evening but she had failed to get tickets. At least I can heard about it on the internet and gets pics. But it's not the same...
Cindy spotted Sofia up ahead so she ran to her. "Sorry I'm late," she said with an apologetic smile. "So where do you wanna go?".
"I need some earrings to wear tonight," Sofia said. "I don't have any that will match my dress,".
Cindy frowned, being reminded of the prom. "Um, OK. Let's go in Sears jewellery department," she said, as they were right outside the shop.
Sofia didn't see any she liked so they wandered off to the mall where there were more shops. On the way, the girls passed Taryn and her pals.
"Uh-oh, not them," Cindy said under her breath. They always gave her a hard time.
"Any plans for tonight?" Jenny said to Cindy with a phony smile.
"Yeah, she's watching MTV, in case that crappy band she likes comes on," Taryn said, giggling. "She can't get a real boy you know,".
Ignore them, Cindy thought to herself. Her eyes met Sofia's.
"Let's go in Burger King out of their way," she whispered.
The two girls walked into BK and got some fries, then sat upstairs by the window. Out of the window, they could see Taryn, Jenny and the other girls still hanging out in the mall, smoking on cigarettes and talking to guys passing.
"My horoscope said that today would be very memorable," Cindy said, pushing a messy strand of hair behind her ear. "I wonder if it meant good memorable or bad memorable,".
"Don't believe all that superstitious trash," Sofia said, laughing as she dunked a fry in ketchup. "That's so typical of you Cindy. What else did it say then?".
Cindy got her Scorpio 2000 book out and turned to that day's page. "It also says that I'm going to meet someone important and I will get a surprise,". She smiled. "I hope it's a nice surprise,".
"Um, you don't believe all that?" Sofia asked, rolling her eyes. "It's not true,".
"It is!" Cindy gasped. She toyed with her gold necklace. "It's come true before, besides I found my lucky chain last night that I thought I lost so I'm sure I'll have some kind of luck,". She took a hand full of fries and put them in her mouth.
"I wonder what Nick is doing now," Cindy said, thinking of her favorite singer. She liked him much more than any guy at school. "He might be nearby as they have a concert in the city tomorrow night," she sighed. "I wish I was going,".
"Damn that stupid lottery system- we were first in the line but that system stopped us getting tickets... I really wanted to see Brian in action!" Sofia said, pounding the table remembering how disappointed her and Cindy had been at missing out. She liked Brian a lot, but wasn't as crazy about the guys as Cindy was.
"Let's go to the venue and hang out near it in case we see them," Cindy suggested. "Unless you're too tired out after the prom," she added, feeling sad again that she was missing out on that too.
"Cindy, you can still go to the dance too," Sofia said, looking her friend in the eye. "It'll be a nice night out and you don't have to have a date...".
"Sorry Sofia, I know you're only trying to help... but I can't face Taryn and her crowd- I know what sort of things they'll say. They'll ruin my night,".
They've already ruined my whole time at school, she thought sadly.

***

"Cindy, can you go to the store and fetch me some milk?" Cindy's mother asked her late that afternoon as Cindy was lazing on the lawn of her back yard reading her horoscope in a magazine.
"Sure, hang on one moment," she replied, just finishing off the sentence. This month, take that extra journey- you'll be thankful that you did, she read.
"Maybe that extra journey is this- going to the store!" she joked, tossing the magazine on the table as she walked into the house to put her Nikes on. As she passed the mirror, she looked at her reflection. Dried grass clung to her wrinkled lilac tank top from where she had been lazing on the grass. Her hair was tangled and her mascara smudged where she had been rubbing her eyes. Although, she wasn't bothered. She couldn't be bother to make an effort to look nice as she was only going to the store.
Cindy picked up the money her mother had put on the table and headed down the street. But as she turned up at the local store, she noticed it was closed.
"Damn," she said, annoyed about it. "Mom will be annoyed...". Then she remembered her horoscope. Take that extra journey- you'll be thankful that you did. She grinned and walked into town, to buy some milk there. Sure, it was a twenty minute walk, but her stars were telling her that she's be thankful.
Once in town, Cindy went to the grocery store and paid for a carton of milk. She was about to go in the record store to have a quick look at CDs when she heard familiar voices.
"Buying some CDs to keep you company tonight?".
Cindy frowned. It was Taryn again.
"Um, hi," she said polity, hoping she would go away.
"I've just been in the salon, like my manicure?".
"I'm sure Mark will," Cindy replied, looking at Taryn's garish red fake talons.
"See ya laters," Taryn said, flashing Cindy her phony smile. "Have a nice night- in alone,".
"Goodbye and good riddance," Cindy muttered as Taryn sauntered off into the distance. Now she was upset.
As if things couldn't get worse, another couple of girls appeared out of the doors of the salon. Jenny and Samantha giggled and whispered when they saw Cindy.
"Still no prom date?" Jenny said, her ice blue eyes focused on Cindy's outfit. "I can tell you're not going buy you, um, interesting appearance,".
"Aww, isn't it a shame," Samantha said, fiddling with her perfectly curled hair. "Well you'd only be bored if you went anyways, with no-one to dance with,".
"Shut up," Cindy said, angry that they were putting her down. "I don't care, you girls go have a nice time at your dumb dance with your stupid college boyfriends!".
Samantha and Jenny exchanged looks and laughed. "You're jealous of us,".
"As if," Cindy said, fuming. "If the most important thing in your lives is this little dance then you must be pretty pathetic,".
Not smart enough to think of a comeback remark, Samantha and Jenny walked off, laughing. They were pleased they had upset Cindy.
Cindy sat on the dusty sidewalk and put her head in her hands. She tried not to let their comments get to her but they did.
"I heard that, they're mean," a voice said.
Cindy gasped. She would recognise that voice anywhere!
She got up off the floor and looked at the gorgeous guy standing next to her. "How long have you been there Nick?" she asked, shocked.
He grinned. "Um, not long. I was just doing a little late shopping after the crowds had died down and I overhead those girls... do you know them?".
Cindy made a face. "Unfortunately! They're making fun of me because I can't get a date for tonight's dance,". She gazed into Nick's shining blue eyes. She couldn't believe he was there! She knew he was in the area as the concert was only the next day but she didn't expect to see him in town!
Nick put a hand on her shoulder. "You know, I have no plans for tonight, a dance sounds cool. I'll go with you. The guys are going clubbing but I didn't wanna go... I would only be sitting in my hotel room playing Nintendo so...".
Cindy's heart fluttered. Nick was asking her on a date! Ok, he was only saying it because he felt sorry for her, but she was so excited! She couldn't believe it was happening...
"Well?" he quizzed her as she stood in shocked silence.
She nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to! But are you sure you don't mind...".
Nick grinned. "Of course not, it makes sense. I've no plans for tonight, you need a date, you could really make those bitches jealous...".
Cindy's eyes lit up. She hadn't thought of that. She couldn't wait to see the shocked looks on their faces. "OK, well it starts in a couple of hours and I still have to get ready... oh I haven't anything to wear!".
"Well I'll treat you to something, let's go before the stores close for the night,". Nick grinned to himself. He thought Cindy was nice. She's a really sweet babe, I'm gonna enjoy this date!
"Ok, let's get going!" Cindy said, her eyes shining with happiness.