{"id":14141,"date":"2025-09-20T17:13:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-20T17:13:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=14141"},"modified":"2025-09-20T17:13:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T17:13:44","slug":"14141","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=14141","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"2947\" data-end=\"3136\">By March, the coffee can held $312. I counted it twice that morning. It was enough for a clearance dress at Dillard\u2019s, a modest pair of heels, and maybe a curling iron if I caught a sale.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3138\" data-end=\"3182\">On my phone, my own checklist was waiting:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3184\" data-end=\"3398\">\n<li data-start=\"3184\" data-end=\"3205\">\n<p data-start=\"3186\" data-end=\"3205\">Dress: under $200<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3206\" data-end=\"3245\">\n<p data-start=\"3208\" data-end=\"3245\">Shoes: maybe from a discount outlet<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3246\" data-end=\"3278\">\n<p data-start=\"3248\" data-end=\"3278\">Hair: DIY curls from YouTube<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3279\" data-end=\"3338\">\n<p data-start=\"3281\" data-end=\"3338\">Makeup: drugstore foundation plus my one decent palette<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3339\" data-end=\"3398\">\n<p data-start=\"3341\" data-end=\"3398\">Buttonhole corsage: for Alex, my neighbor and prom date<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3400\" data-end=\"3587\">Alex and I weren\u2019t a couple. We\u2019d just made a pact to go together. He\u2019s the kind of guy who brings his dog to CVS just so little kids can pet it. Harmless, funny, and kind. I liked him.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3589\" data-end=\"3765\">Then came that Thursday. I opened the door to the smell of greasy takeout and Hailey\u2019s high-pitched laugh. Shoes kicked off, bag dropped, I followed the sound to the kitchen.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3767\" data-end=\"4032\">Hailey stood on a chair, spinning in a sequined lilac dress that shimmered like frozen water. The price tag dangled at her side. On the table lay a garment bag from a boutique I recognized from TikTok\u2014the kind of place where they offer you a drink while you shop.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4034\" data-end=\"4122\">\u201cDo you like it?\u201d she asked, twirling. \u201cMom said every girl deserves her dream dress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4124\" data-end=\"4165\">I smiled tightly. \u201cIt\u2019s really pretty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4124\" data-end=\"4165\"><a href=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=14142\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7889\" src=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7148-300x75.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"75\" srcset=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7148-300x75.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7148-768x191.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7148.jpeg 905w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_14141\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"14141\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By March, the coffee can held $312. I counted it twice that morning. It was enough for a clearance dress at Dillard\u2019s, a modest pair of heels, and maybe a curling iron if I caught a sale. On my phone, my own checklist was waiting: Dress: under $200 Shoes: maybe from a discount outlet Hair:&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=14141\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_14141\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"14141\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":217,"today_views":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14141"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14155,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14141\/revisions\/14155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}