Page 11 of Lucky 22

“Ugh, fine. I might get set up with someone to go as my dateto the premiere.”

“And?”

“And…he’s a baseball player. Sort of a friend of a friend.”

“Okay, so then you have someone to vouch for him,” shereasons. “Do you want to go out with him, or are you doing it because you needa date? Because if you’re not really interested in going out with him, then Idon’t know why you’re making yourself crazy about a dress. Don’t overthink it.”

“It’s still a movie premiere, Mom. I want to look my best,”I explain. “And I want to go out with him. He intrigues me, but I don’t knowwhy.”

“Wait, is he the baseball player you were telling me about?Number twenty-two? You made eye contact with him at the game you went to lastmonth, right?”

“That’s the one.”

“Now this is all making sense.”

“Does it?” I ask with a small laugh. “Because I still don’tget it.”

“Ella, you are the most confident girl I’ve ever known. Justbe yourself. He’s either going to like you for you, or he’s not the one.”

“Um…yeah. I’m not sure where you’re going with this,” Imurmur.

“Ella, I know you like to control everything, and you don’tlike surprises, but you know what I’ve always told you. When you meet the one,you’ll just know. I think this is just unfamiliar territory for you.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes, even though she can’t seeme. “I’ve gone on dates before, Mom.”

“Not with a famous baseball player. You’ve always been theone in the spotlight—the famous one.”

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m definitely not famous.Not yet.”

“Ella,” she says with a hint of admonishment. “It’s okay tobe nervous about this date. It’s okay to try something new. And it’s even okayif you go out with him, and it doesn’t exactly work out. But it’s not okay foryou not to try.”

I sit up so fast that I have to shove my hair out of myface. “What do you mean? I am trying! I’m looking for the perfect dress andeverything.”

“Yes, yes…you’re looking, but you’re being wishy-washy. Atleast, that’s the way it sounds to me. Treat this like you would treat anyother audition. My Ella would have already picked an outfit and would have Jenworking on the perfect accessories for it.”

“We just started this like an hour ago…”

“But you’ve known about the premiere for weeks. This isn’tbrand-new information, that’s all I’m saying. You need to be the confident anddecisive girl you were raised to be.”

Would Christian like that girl?

My eyes instantly land on my hat sitting on one of my makeshiftshelves. The one my parents gave me for Christmas that has Dream It. Be Itembroidered on it. It’s old, and I don’t wear it anymore, but I display it as areminder that I could be anything I wanted, but I had to work for it.

And right now, it is the perfect reminder of all the thingsI’ve dreamed of and how I made so many of them come true because I was thatconfident and decisive girl. So, why am I not confident about this date? Ifit’s meant to be, then it will happen no matter what I wear. I need to get outof my head, just like I said to Jen only minutes ago, and it’s time to find thedarn dress.

“You’re right,” I finally say. “I am feeling a little out ofmy element. The whole thing with having my publicist call his just seems soweird to me.”

“It’s Hollywood, Ella.” She laughs. “That’s the way thingsare done. If anything, it’s like the universe telling you you’ve made it. It’snot weird. It’s exciting.”

“I guess I never looked at it like that.”

But I still think it’s weird.

I wonder if Christian thinks it’s weird, too.

I’m about to say more when Jen comes running back into myroom with an armful of garments. “I’ve got the best idea!” she announces.“Remember in Cinderella, when the mice gather up all the little oddsand ends and help create her dress? What if we create your dress? I’ve got mysewing machine and all kinds of cool pieces we can play with. And Penny’s goingto bring over some stuff, too. What do you think?”

I’m a little speechless, honestly. But my mom chimes in withher two cents.