Aaron didn't say anything to Keeley about the returned earrings but the day before the dance a large box waited on her doorstep when she arrived home.

　　Inside was a burgundy A-line off-shoulder dress. The bodice was dotted with diamonds (she learned her lesson after the earring incident; there was no way they were fake) and layers of tulle flowed asymmetrically from front to back below the knee line.

　　Keeley didn't even want to think about how much this must have cost but that wasn't all. A pair of silver stilettos and the earring box she returned were inside as well.

　　"Why," she said weakly to the empty air as she sank onto her knees.

　　Why was this happening? What did this egomaniac want from her? He even looked up her real address! He wasn't like this when they were together before!

　　Did he only give extravagant gifts to women he wasn't in a relations.h.i.+p with? Honestly, that made a sad kind of sense.

　　Keeley finally texted him back. 'I'll apologize for what I said if you stop doing this. I really can't accept any of it'

　　He responded immediately. 'It's my money to spend, not yours. I want you to dress up tomorrow'

　　He spent all of that money because he wanted to see her dressed up. She felt sick to her stomach. No. She couldn't give in to him. She wouldn't.

　　Besides, she already had a dress that she rented from a secondhand shop for $49. It was pearl pink and sleeveless with lacy flowers on the bodice and a chiffon skirt that went to her knees.

　　Aaron's dress was dazzling but the one she had was still cute. Besides, her natural light blonde hair looked good with pastels and she refused to let him win.

　　He didn't speak to her until the end of literature cla.s.s on Valentine's Day and only whispered "see you tonight" huskily into her ear, making her jerk backwards in alarm. It was going to be a very long day.

　　The rest of Keeley's cla.s.ses ticked by sluggishly and she barely had time to go home and grab her outfit, makeup bag, and hairstyling tools to make herself up in the bathroom at the hotel between decorating and the start of the dance.