I Introduce The Selfish Machine

Seren and I sped through the richer part of San Diego, trying to get to my dress appointment as soon as possible. She swerved around cars while drinking her coffee. My nails dug into her nice seats. It wasn't that I didn't trust her driving, I was just terrified. I didn't want to die before I got married. I can see the headlines now: Future Bride Dies in a Car Accident Because Her Maid-of-Honor Had to Stop and Get Coffee.
"Can you tell me why we're going so fast?" I asked.
"We. Are. Late." She said, swerving around a car. "Is your mom and your cousins there yet?"
"Well, I haven't checked my phone, it might fly out the freaking window."
She slow down and began to park in front of a big, white building. "I'm sure they're here." She parked and then turned to face me. "Before we get out, let me tell you a little something about this place. Hannah, a very good friend of mine, owns this places and is giving you a major discount. So, say your wedding dress costs $10,000, you're only going to get it for $1,000-"
"Seren, I really don't think I want a dress that expensive."
"Well, this place only sells expensive wedding dresses, so you don't really have a choice." My jaw dropped. I told her I didn't want anything flashy. "I promise you, there will be something you like in there." She said. She exited the car quickly, and I followed her with a sigh. Having a rich friend is good, to an point.
We walked inside the glass doors to a relieve a place I really don't belong. The walls were painted a dark tan, and there were rich preps as far as the eye could see. As I was scanning the place in disbelief, I made eye contact with my mother, who was standing with my cousins, Jordan and Lydia, by the front desk. I walked over to them, pulling on Seren's arm to change direction.
Seren walked to the front desk, telling the woman with brown hair that was tied up who we were as I hugged my mother. I turned to say hello to Jessica when Lydia cut me off.
"Why in the hell are we here?" Lydia asked. Lydia's tall, like Mike tall. Her long, black hair touched mid back and her hazel eyes were too big for her head. "Is this place really where you want to buy your wedding dress? You could have at least told us to dress nice." Lydia had on short jeans shorts, exposing her tan legs and wore a yellow V-neck that made her look tanner.
"I didn't even know we were coming here, Seren set up the appointment."
"The rich girl? Should've figured it would be a place like this."
"Can you shut up, please?" Jordan, Lydia's shorter twin sister, snapped. Jordan was just as tan and skinny, but stood about my height. Her hair was cut just below her ears, and it shaped her face nicely. "Piper can buy whatever dress she wants from wherever she wants." Jordan then stepped up to hug me. I never admitted this, but Jordan was my favorite out of the twins. Lydia had a similar personality to mine, but I kept my rude comments in my head. Lydia said them out loud.
"Has anyone seen mama P?" I asked, pulling away from the hug. Lydia gave me a dirty look, and my mom shook her head. Just when my mom was about to say something, I heard the booming voice of my future mother-in-law.
"I knew someone said my name, my ears started ringing!" Mama Perry said as she shoved past Lydia to hug me. I love this woman. "How's my little sassy brat of a daughter?"
I laughed. "I'm great mama P, just ready to get this over with!"
"Ugh, I know. Wedding dress shopping is such a girly thing to do, you must hate it."
"Tell me about it. Can I just wear wedding pants? Wait no, better yet, wedding sweats." My mother slapped my arm after that comment.
After a few minutes of chatting and way too loud laughing, Seren walked back over to the group with a short, blonde haired woman who was wearing a headset.
"Hi guys, my name is Hannah and I'm the owner of this shop. Can the gorgeous bride to be please step forward so I know who you are?" Her voice is exactly like you would expect it to be. Soft, yet squeaky. I stepped forward and held my hand out for a hand shake. Hannah went straight for a hug. Who is this woman? Does she think I like physical contact? "It's great to meet you, future Mrs. Perry. Now, because Seren is such an amazing person, you get a discount on whatever dress you chose. I'll be with you all day to make sure you receive that discount. Now, if you'll follow me, I'll lead you to where you'll be trying on the dresses."

Ugh.
Ugh.
UGH!
I absoutely HATE dresses. They are the worse. If I was able to wear a pant suit, you bet your ass I would. But, here I am, squeezing into an ever so tight Vera Wang dress. This will fit your figure perfectly! Hannah had told me. If it fits me so perfectly, why can't I get it over my butt.
I sighed deep, finally getting it over my butt and zipped up. I love how nobody came in here to help me. That's just great. Just wonderful.
I stepped out, feeling uncomfortable as ever, expecting a series of gasp like on the TV shows. Instead, everyone just stared at me.
"You-You don't like that, do you?" Mama P.
"You better not because it looks horrible." Lydia said, not looking up from her phone.
I clenched my teeth together. "How would know if it looked horrible or not, your eyes are glued on your damn phone." I snapped. I must be about to start my period, because I'm bitchy. "And I hate it. Can somebody please come in here and help me get this stupid dress off so I can put another stupid dress on?" I asked, then stormed back to the dressing room, not caring who followed me. I felt my eyes start to water. All I want is to look semi-decent on my wedding day, but that's never going to happen. Instead of seeing Tony cry when he sees me walk down the aisle, he's going to regret even asking me to marry him. Ugh, I'm a failure.
I reached for the zipper behind me when I heard the door shut to the dressing room. A hand grabbed the zipper for me and got it off. I turned my head and tried to fake a smile.
"Thanks, mama P." I said, trying to hold back tears. Dating Tony has made me a lot more emotional, and I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
"No problem, hunny bun." She said. I took the dress off as she searched for the hanger. I tried not to cry as I handed her the dress, but I couldn't help it. I bit my lip and tried not to whimper as I grabbed the next dress. "Feeling stressed yet?"
"You don't even know." I said softly, then unzipped the dress. I stepped in it, then mama P began helping me put it on. I whimpered. Tony's going to hate everything, I can feel it.
"You never cry, so I figured the stress was hitting you, fast."
"We literally have seven months until the wedding and I just feel this weird pressure in my chest. I just want to get everything right, and Tony's going to be gone all summer on Warped. I'm going to have to deal with all of this alone, mama P, and I just don't know if I can do it."
"I'm here, all your bridesmaids and your mom are here. Even if Tony's on tour, who cares? It's not like boys can decorate anyway." She tried to make me laugh, and it worked.
"I just don't want Tony to see everything and then be disgusted and leave."
Mama Perry finished zipping up the dress, then turned me around to face her. "Listen, baby girl, I've already went through one wedding with Tony, and I can tell you, if he didn't like you, he wouldn't have asked you to marry him. He regretted asking Stephanie to marry him, and complained the whole wedding planning process. Tony did not like her, but any time he talks about you, he smiles. I helped him pick out the ring, and when I talked to him this morning, the only thing he talked about is how he can't wait to to see you in your dress. He loves you, and I love you. I'm so thankful to have you as a well, future daughter, and I know you'll make Tony happy and give me lots of grandchildren. Actually limit yourself to two because I hate kids." I laughed and cried at the same time. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love this woman.
"Thanks mama P." I said, then hugged her tightly, trying not to cry. I couldn't help it. My face was covered in black.
"You are going to get all that damn black all over-whoa." She said once she stepped back and looked at the dress.
"Whoa? Bad whoa or good whoa?" I asked. She didn't answer. "Bad whoa or good whoa!"
She smiled. "Tony is going to rip that thing off you on your wedding night, you look hot."
My jaw dropped and now I was crying from the laughter. She's my soul animal. "Mama P!"
She grabbed my hand. "We have to show everyone else." And then she dragged me out of the dressing room. "Ladies, I introduce the future Mrs. Tony Perry!" She cried, then spun me out in front of everyone. I felt almost like a princess. I scanned their faces. My mom was crying, and so was Seren. Jordan's eyes were watering, Lydia shrugged, and Hannah's jaw dropped. I then turned around and saw myself for the first time in the dress. It was form fitting, and good thing I'm skinny. It was strapless, and covered in lace pattern. I smiled. This is the dress. This is the one.
I turned back to the crowd and smiled, my confidence coming back. "So, on a scale of one to ten, one being don't even hit it and ten being hit it and marry it, what am I in this dress?"

Notes