Gild The Lily, Beat The Drum

[Espi]

"What's wrong, honey?" Louise Baker's concerned question jolted Alice out of the book she was reading. It was a lovely little romance, about a young spirit-like man who wakes up in a different person's body every day, and he falls in love with a girl, and-

Right. Mom had a question.

"I'm okay, mom. Just reading." Alice said as soon as she bookmarked her page. God, she hated when people dog-eared books. So disrespectful.

"Alice, I know what you're doing. I'm asking what's wrong." Louise said, her expression still full of worry. Alice began to feel nervous. Oh no, did mom find out somehow? Who might've told her?

"Nothing!" Alice blurted out. Wrong move; Louise sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Sweetie, why don't you want to go to the dance tonight? It'll be fun!" Alice suppressed a groan. She hated dancing, hated the loudness and chaos of the party, and most of all, she hated the expectation that she had to ask someone out. She couldn't possibly ask someone to the dance, and she'd be mortified when they said no. Better to just stay home and not worry about it.

"No, mom, really, I don't want to go. I don't have a date or anything."  Alice said. Her mom was usually cool to let the girls do whatever, but she worried a lot when she felt like they were missing out. Hopefully she wouldn't-

"I think you should go. I'll give you a ride, and Molly might have a dress you could borrow. C'mon, you'll have a great time!"

Alice sighed. No point arguing, it'd just make her mom upset and then she'd be guilty and ugh, it was easier to just go along with it.

"Fine, but...it's semi-formal. I don't need a dress."