Adrian snatched the suit from her. “Fine. But only when we’re with other people. I don’t have to wear it if I’m swimmingwithyou.”
He definitely wasn’t bashful, but that didn’t mean Isa was slipping out of her bikini for himanytimesoon.
They stopped to eat at a food court when lunch rolled around. Originally, Isa wasn’t eating, but when Adrian made it known that not-eating wasn’t an option, she shared an order of orange chicken with him they got from the Chinese takeoutplace.
She rifled through a celebrity magazine someone had left behind while they ate. She stopped when she came upon a picture of a woman with long hair the color of a sapphire drifting down her back. It was a scandal she’d changed her hair in Hollywood to such an outrageous color. If a celebrity couldn’t get away with it, Isa knew she couldn’teither.
“There a secret message on that page or something?” Adrian asked as Isa kept onstaring.
She looked up. “It’s kind of a secret. Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve always sort of wished I had blue hair,” Isareplied.
“Really?” Adrian seemedsurprised.
“Yes. Like the ocean. I’ve always wanted to dye it, ever since I wasfourteen.”
“It’s been a long time. Whyhaven’tyou?”
“I told my friends in high school, and they thought it was dumb. They said they’d laugh at me.” Isa blew a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. “Plus, my dad would kill me. Fun isn’tallowed.”
“I think you would look beautiful with blue hair. Where I come from, girls have hair of all colors,”Adriansaid.
Yeah, underwater, not on land.But Isa still stared at the photo wistfully. She wanted andwanted.
Adrian stood up and grabbed her wrist. “Comewithme.”
That’s how she ended up in a salon chair in the nicest dye bar in the mall. Isa tried to explain to the excited stylist that no, she wasn’t going to dye her hair blue, no matter what her overbearing, rich and enthusiastic boyfriend said, but the more Isa tried to refuse and the more color samples the stylist showed her the more Isa felt her reserveweakening.
This was something she had wanted to do since she was a teenager, and she’d never allowed herself to do this one small thing, just for her. What would be the big deal if she did change her haircolor?
Isa had the thought that nobody would elect a girl to Coral Queen who had blue hair, and that’s when she finallysaidyes.
Two and a half hours later, Isa emerged from the salon feeling like she could conquer the world. Her blonde hair had officially been changed to a vibrant and eye-catching blue. It had an ombre effect, and started as a light sky blue at the top before it slowly transitioned to turquoise, then a rich sapphire at her ends. When she moved it back and forth, her rippling locks looked like a wave and shone against the light. Isa had never felt more confident or good in herentirelife.
Adrian was outside a gaming store, looking at an Atari that was on display. When he turned around and saw Isa, he had the biggest smile onhisface.
“You. Look. Amazing.” Adrian put the shopping bags down and picked her up, spinning her around. “I’m so glad I talked youintothis.”
“I’m glad you did, too.” Isa ran a hand through her hair again. She couldn’t stop touching it. “It’s like… I feel like me for the firsttimeever.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Adrian took her hand, and they walked through the malllikethat.
Adrian caught her looking at girls coming out of a prom dress shop across the aisleway. “You want togoin?”
“What? Me. No. Prom’s long over for me.” Shelaughed.
But before she’d even finished her sentence she was inside anyway, and in a dressing room. Isa had grabbed the first dress she saw as a whim, just to try on for fun, but the moment she slipped it over her body Isa had a feeling that she’d just put on the dress of herdreams.
The dress was a sky blue that matched her hair, and was covered in sequins that looked like scales. It was a mermaid fit, and clung to the top and middle of her body sexily before fanning out around her feet in a mess of tulle andsequins.
She felt like she was covered in blue diamonds and was some sort of mermaid princess. Isa had fallen in love with it. She exited the dressing room to show Adrian. His face lit up the moment hesawher.
“It would be worth it to go to the ball if I was wearing a dress like this,” Isa said, spinningaround.
“Why don’t you?” Adrian got up and took both of her hands in his. “If you want, I’ll gowithyou.”
“Is that your way of asking me to the dance?” She put a hand on her hip. “No soliloquy, no song or flash mob? Chivalryisdead.”
Adrian laughed, got down on one knee, and asked, “Isamaria, will you be my date to theSeasideBall?”
