Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "It's No Use Crying over Spilt Milk" (without using the actual phrase or literal exampl (02/07/08)
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TITLE: No Worse for Tear | Previous Challenge Entry
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02/14/08 -
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“Ready to see my prom dress, girls?” Liddy did not wait for an answer as she held up a teal dress and spun around with it held against her. She fingered the sheer layers that floated about the skirt.
The teal looked great with Liddy’s red hair and pale complexion. For a red head, Liddy actually got away with more colors than most girls. Claudette sighed knowing she was doomed to peach most of the time with her flaxen hair and even paler skin than Liddy’s. At least, her ever peach dress style would be a homemade original for the prom.
Claudette joined in the applause for Liddy’s dress a bit belatedly.
“What’s wrong, Claudie? Don’t you like it?”
She smiled easily. “Just lost in thought about styles and coloring. Guess what color I’ll be wearing.” She laughed easily as she unzipped the garment bag to reveal a strapless evening gown all in peach silk. A dainty flower pattern weaved its way across the fabric. “We actually found it in a bargain bin at my favorite fabric shop.”
“That will look so wonderful on you.” Liddy gave her a hug. “I know how hard it is for you to find dresses you like.”
Claudette dismissively waved. “Not as hard as it seems.”
“We need to be getting dressed so we have time to do our hair and makeup right.” Cynthia, always the practical one, started pulling off her clothes and tossing them on the floor out of the way. “I’m going to need help getting this thing over my head. I think there is more to it than the bride’s maid dress I had to wear at my sister’s wedding.” She started looking for the skirt back so she could duck under it.
Claudette did not remember much more than a whirl of activity as they each took turns sliding into their dresses.
Liddy slipped hers on last. The sound of cloth ripping rent the air as she became entangled in it. “Oh, no! No!” She quickly escaped the layers to toss it on the floor. She flopped on the bed burying her face in a pillow.
Claudette hung back as the other two girls tried to sooth Liddy, who wailed into her pillow. She frowned at the scene of it all. Why get so upset when there could be a way to fix it in time? She scooped up the dress and slipped quietly into the hallway.
A simple shake of the dress by its shoulder straps that hooked behind the neck made it fall in place. Claudette quickly found that the seam on one side of the waist had ripped. More than likely some of the shear layers had become caught in the process of trying to slide it over Liddy’s head.
“Well, this is nothing that a quick sewing job can’t fix.”
She hurried downstairs to find Liddy’s mom in the kitchen cleaning up after the supper she had served them.
“Mrs. Hastings?”
“Well, seeing you with Liddy’s dress explains a lot. I was going to head up there.”
Claudette held the dress out towards Mrs. Hastings to show the seam rip. “It won’t take much to fix it.”
“I might even have thread that matches.”
Once in the sewing area, they made short order of fixing the rip.
“There. Good as new and in only ten minutes. Thanks for helping, Mrs. Hastings.”
Claudette quickly returned to her friends with the dress. All of them turned to look at her as she quietly entered. She held up the dress for them to see.
“Let’s try to slip you into this more slowly this time so the layers don’t get pulled in around you.”
Several minutes later Liddy stood smiling before the mirror though she wiped her wet eyes. “Now I can be sure to impress Pete and everyone else.” She turned to face Claudette. “However, I feel so stupid for getting upset over something you so quickly fixed. I should know better.” She paused. “Thank you.”
“It’s okay. We all have our days of getting more wound up than we should.” Claudette stepped forward and hugged her friend.
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Your title "twist" is a clever hook into your story. Good job!
good story, I liked your characters.