BtVS Double Drabble: The Perfect Dress

[bk_forever]

Title: The Perfect Dress
Fandom: BtVS
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Cordelia.
Rating: G
Written For: Challenge 48: Dress at doubledrabbles.
Spoilers/Setting: The Prom.
Summary: Cordelia is broke and struggling to afford a dress for Prom Night.
Disclaimer: I don’t own BtVS, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Joss Whedon.




The dress is perfect; the colour, style, and fit… It’s everything Cordelia is looking for, and she knows she’d look absolutely stunning wearing it for the Prom. It might have been made just for her. The only thing wrong with it is the price tag. It’s way too high.


Once upon a time, really only a few short weeks ago but it already feels like forever, it would have been hardly more than pocket change for her. Only her father messed up badly with his taxes and now he’s lost everything, which means she has nothing, not even her pride anymore.


It’s humiliating, having to wear a nametag and work as a sales assistant just so she can hold her chin up at the Prom, just to keep her peers from finding out she’s broke. But the worst part is she already knows the dress is just a dream; even with all her wages, she won’t have it paid for, not in time for the big night.


When she learns Xander has paid off the balance for her, she almost cries; she’s not sure she deserves his kindness, but she’s not about to turn it down. There’s only one Prom.



The End

Comments

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

It's the least Xander could do, considering how they broke up.

Retail is a thankless job.

It's a shame that she'll only wear that dress once. That was the case for me. Over here, we call it a formal, instead of the Prom

[bk_forever]

It showed Xander does still care, but they were both teens and teens do dumb things.

My mum worked retail for many years. She liked it. Customers are getting more unpleasant though, and some shop assistants don't do their jobs and don't even try to be helpful. They'd rather stand around chatting to each other.

We don't have a dance over here, or didn't when I was at school.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Yep. It's best not to burn bridges.

Funny how the "attraction" between Cordelia and Wesley fizzled out, once they kissed. They had a better dynamic in the Angel Spinoff.

It's not right when some people slack off, while other's go the extra mile to get the work done. Customer service is hard work, because of the difficult customers. It's only nice when people are actually appreciative of decent service.

Both my mum and brother worked in hotels. Mum in housekeeping. My brother in food and beverage. Later on concierge. I remember visiting my mum at work when I was a young teenager, by going through laundry at the back of the hotel. Some people judged me for studying Accommodation Services. Not everyone can be "Rocket Scientist's".*shrugs*

I just danced with my friends. All the quiet guys just sat at their tables. Even though we ask them to join us.:)

[bk_forever]

Xander was a good guy, just young and unsure what he wanted.

Yeah, a bad kiss can really make you think twice.

True, but sadly some people just want to be paid for doing as little as possible. I try always to be a good customer, but if you get the brush off when asking for assistance it's not good.

All such jobs are important, no one should be looked down on for studying such career possibilities.

At least you got to dance and have fun.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I don't mean to sound like I'm hating on him. He was the "ordinary" one of the group. But he had qualities that came in handy like giving CPR to Buffy because Angel couldn't. He looked out for Dawn too. So sad when he lost an eye to the evil Caleb.:(

I wouldn't know. But I'm sure that's the only way to find out. Giles distain of Wesley liking Cordelia was funny to watch. Also someone had to point out the conflict of interest.

That's why businesses allow customers to complain. They don't want to hire lazy workers. It's bad for their image.

On the other hand, there are difficult customer. I witness an incident while waiting in line. It was very uncomfortable. It's not wise to pick fights with customers even if they are being rude to you. The manager is there to resolve the conflict.

Overall. People have got to do their job to minimise any major problems. It should be part of their training anyway.

The best I could do in high heels. The food wasn't that appetizing so hanging out with my friends on the dancefloor was the highlight of the evening. One of my friends was still hungry and bought McDonalds on the way home. I don't even remember what I had that night.*shrugs*

[bk_forever]

Yeah, poor Xander =(

Boys mature more slowly than girls ayway.

I loved the way Giles treated Wesley, so funny!

There are, unfortunately, more and more people who feel so entitled that they complain about everything and make the lives of shop-workers and so forth a living hell. They should learn they can't have everything their way, and they should also learn to respect workers.

I wore heels when I was younger, but I haven't for a long time. I'd never balance these days!

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Xander joked that no one could force him to watch 3D movies again, when Willow was upset for him. I hate when characters go through such traumatic experience's. But at least they survive it.*sighs*

Wesley was so socially awkward back then. It was also funny when Buffy could read his thoughts about Cordelia and she just smiled knowingly at him.;)

You can't take things personally. That person obviously has issues and as the saying goes: What goes around, comes around".

Although according to the article: A new survey reveals how food service staffers really deal with unpleasant customers, "If you and your server had a spat, it’s not a complete overreaction to worry about spit".

Why can't everybody just be civilised with one other? Please!*sighs*

I don't need the height. I should have bought flats. I was just thinking it's a special occasion.*shrugs*

[bk_forever]

Yes, Xander kept his sense of humour even if he used it as a way of deflecting people's concern.

I liked that Wesley was socially awkward. It made him more interesting as a character.

Some people do take things personally though and such bad customers really hurt people's feelings.

I don't eat out anyway, but I also am not one of those nasty customers. I wish everyone could be nice to each other.

Even tall women have every right to wear heels if they want.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Buffy: Spike's in love with me. I'm not joking.*serious*

Xander: Oh I hope not, it's funnier if it's true.*laughing*

Sarcasm is the norm for such situations. It's just that not everybody understands it. Which is a shame.

Wesley was suppose to be Faith's Watcher. I felt sorry for him because Faith was obviously a handful. Even as educated as he was. I'm surprised that the Watchers were always giving Giles a hard time over Buffy, in comparison.

Before there was the saying: The customer is always right. But now there are signs in some businesses that say: Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated or Respect the staff etc. Something to that effect. It's sad that people have to be reminded in this manner on how to behave.:(

Revenge is never a good thing.*shakes head*

Sure. You just have to be careful of any physical heath problems like posture or foot pain that can occur with wearing heels.

[bk_forever]

I do enjoy sarcasm =)

Wesley was completely out of his depth with Faith, but she was out of control anyway. She needed someone with more experience and a firmer hand, someone Faith would respect.

It is sad, and sadder still that so many people ignore the sighs and abuse the staff.

I have bad legs and feet anyway, not fro wearing heels because I didn't wear them a lot, mainly from injuries and genetic problems.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness for that. It's all in jest.

The Watchers Council seemed to be a much of fuddy-dudies. Luckily Wesley went "rogue". Faith did afterall torture and torment Wesley when she went to the darkside.

Giles to Buffy: (excitedly) You're *my* Slayer, (points at Ethan) go knock his teeth down his throat.*Band Candy*

Some people don't have common sense.*shakes head*

Oh, that's tough. It's hard to focus on what you can do, when your physical health is compromised. I had a nasty slip and fall at a train station once, which probably caused nerve damage by the impact. Looking back, I should have worn better shoes for that rainy day. But the train station was full of puddles, so I could have companied too. There were no signs around for that.*sighs*

[bk_forever]

And sarcasm is usually so funny!

The Watchers' Council was very outdated, still doing things the same way they had been for centuries. It was time to drag them and the Slayers into the present.

So true. *sigh*

Ouch! But when we're young we don't think to complain, and we don't think about the possibility of being injured.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Ain't that the truth! It's all about the delivery.:)

Yeah. They were more annoying than "The Elders" on "Charmed". I get their role but the way went about it was so impractical and unfair.

Buffy: Bite me.*vehemently*

It was so fast, I was flat on my back before I knew it. I got myself up. I suppose I was lucky that I didn't break something.

[bk_forever]

I think that was part of the point, to show them so bogged down in tradition that Buffy eventually broke away from them.

It's better that way. If the fall is sudden you don't have time to tense up and as long as you're young and healthy you're less likely to suffer serious injury.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I kind of blocked out most of what Watchers did, because I was annoyed at the them. Their name is an understatement.

Okay, I was about 18-19.

Note to self: Never hurry to get a "weekly" ticket on a rainy day. I haven't said a "weekly" in a long time!

[bk_forever]

They were annoying, but if they hadn't been a lot of plot would have been lost. Why rebel against people who aren't annoying?

It's a mistake to hurry anywhere when the ground is wet or icy, makes it far easier to slip.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

There is that. I just didn't appreciate how they disregarded Buffy's welfare. Like a mean's to an end. Well, that's how I perceived it. From their perspective, they believed Giles attachment compromised his duty of being her watcher.*shrugs*

Yep. I was scurrying, when I could have power walked. I learned my lesson that day.:(

[bk_forever]

That's exactly it, because she as a girl and they were men and in their world that meant she was their tool to use to battle evil, an easily replaceable tool at that. They were of the opinion that women had no minds of their own and should do as men tell them. Still living in the past.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

That's messed up.

Andrew: How come the Slayers are always a girl?

Dawn: I dunno. Cos girls are cooler?


"In the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Slayer also possessed a preternatural sense of when vampires were nearby, which manifested in the form of menstrual cramps, but this was largely dropped from the regular series"

It didn't make for a practical "superpower" anyways.

[bk_forever]

Girls are definitely cooler, lol! They're also more mature and sensible than boys of the same age.

Yeah, how is a Slayer supposed to fight if he has cramps? Silly idea.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Faith had a similar response to the same question. I forgot who asked her. I think it was Principle Wood.*shrugs*

Buffy: I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about.

I'm glad that Joss Whedon got to do a Buffy series in the way he envisioned. Unlike in the movie. I feel sorry to the original Buffy: "Kristy Swanson". Oh well. At least she got to portray an iconic character.

I know I couldn't do anything with cramps! I'll be in my bed. It should have been some kind of sixth sense.*shakes head*

[bk_forever]

So am I, because it was such a cool idea for a show ad it worked so well.

Used to be able to find me curled around a hot water bottle in abject misery. Surgery fixed that, and I've never regretted it.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

"Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of success".

It's like me learning to drive.:)

I'm glad you're doing well in that regard. Women's health sucks!:(

[bk_forever]

Very true!

Yes, that's the one thing I DON'T have to worry about.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

Lane Kim from "Gilmore Girls": When my cousin got pregnant, she said it's because an angel brushed its wings against her face.*her mums idea of shielding the real deal*

If only. To think some women don't even know they are pregnant until they're in labour.

Men have it easy. Unless they get symphony pains. Which my father did, when my mum was pregnant with me.