His eyes lingered with sympathy for the sobbing girl seated outside the fancy hotel.
She sat on the sidewalk in her prom dress, the multiple layers of skirt fabric bunched around her legs as she held her head in her hands. She only happened to look up, face awash with tears, when she happened to catch the man staring at her with a concerned face. "My date stood me up," she offered as explanation.
"Sorry to hear that. His loss. Missing out on such a lovely girl."
She smiled and wiped her tears away. "Shut up, you don't mean that."
He held up his hands in mock defense. "Okay, if you insist. I hope things get better for you tonight."
"I just don't know what to do," she began to gush to this stranger, "my parents don't expect me home for hours now, and I can't show up looking all pathetic like this."
"I've got a high-rise apartment just around the corner. You wanna hang out there for a little while to save face?"
"Oh my god, it's probably one of those nice ones, isn't it?"
He grinned, "You're welcome to check it out."
"Okay, let's go. Don't need anyone else seeing me like this," she gestured in a sweeping motion downward.
He explained it was within walking distance of the prom's hotel, so she gathered up her skirts and told him the entire story on the way. How they'd started dating as freshmen, but today suddenly he stood her up for no reason at all.
As they rounded the corner he pointed to the outside of a building, then raised his finger toward the rooftop. "That's my apartment."
"Wow!" she gasped. "I bet the view is amazing. Let's go!"
"Okay, but it's quite the climb," he said, eyeing her layered skirt.
"That's fine, I'll just gather it up like this," she explained as she took the extra layers, showing off just a little bit of leg and a pair of sparkling high heeled shoes.
"It's amazing how you gals can get around like that," he chuckled.
"Just part of being a
woman
," she emphasized. "I am 18, after all" she said and her eyes slid toward him, then back to the apartment building.
He opened the main entrance and they stepped in, feeling the cool air inside.
She looked around at the lobby's glass chandelier, and gaped at how she could almost see the her reflection in the shiny floor tiles. She looked around in awe as they passed the reception and made their way to the elevator, where he pressed the button and stared at her with a kind smile.
When they arrived at his door and made their way inside, she sighed and flopped down on the first piece of furniture, a chair in the main living room. She adjusted her skirts. "I'm so done walking in this! Do you mind if I get a little more comfortable? It was hot outside."
"Do you want me to get you a drink?"
"No, I just need to..." she began pulling at her skirts, and a layer of fabric eventually popped off.
His eyes went wide.
She caught his surprise and explained, "It's detachable. Much more comfortable like this." She set the skirt on the arm of the chair and smoothed over the rest of the dress briefly with her hands.
"Yes, and it still looks amazing on you, my dear."
"Thanks. You're such a flatterer," she giggled with a modest hand placed over her mouth.
"I mean you really do look great."
"Oh, stop it. My date stood me up," she said as her gaze shifted downward.
