DEAR JULS;

Shiloh looked over at the other and smirked slightly when she boasted about their beloved town. While that thought had come to mind for a fraction of a second, there was no denying that Shiloh was here to show off and for the bar. “Yeah, it’s beautiful and always fun.” She nodded as she looked the other over. “You having fun so far?” Her head tilted as she looked around. “Who’re you here with?” While Shiloh would have normally came alone, she was lucky enough to have a date this time around. @julsdunnit​

She had been, but every time she asked whom she had come to the ball she felt like her stomach took a sharp turn and everything she had been indulging in that night was ready to make its way back out. “I came solo.” She admitted, a bit of bitterness escaping her tongue. It wasn’t that she was there alone that bothered her, it was the sad looks that followed that ignited her and it made her that much closer to making a run for it. “How about you?” she asked trying to deviate the attention from her.

Nights out had dwindled into the far past for Charlie. The past five years she’d swapped out beer bottles and cigarettes for diapers and Tonka trucks. The Belle Ball wasn’t her typical scene, but you made due with your one free night a month. And ‘making due’ currently meant indulging herself on some hors d’oeurves. She had a napkin full when she passed Jules. “Yeah, sure,” she said, shrugging off the words. “That’s all good but honestly this place could do with less champagne and more pigs in blankets.”

Juliana could help bit chuckle at the women, everyone seemed to be at the Ball from their own kind of amusement, and she thought that while amusing there was nothing wrong with it. You made the best of what you got, she guesses. “Never been much of a pigs in a blanket kind of gall, the canapés on the other hand, I could indulge in them all night and not have much remorse of it all.” Then again, she just liked food. Jules was one of those girls that was always hungry, always down to eat, and if she wasn’t hungry, well that was something to truly be worried about.

Kennedy could see how one would think that. Everyone and their mother had taken the day off to get all gussied up. It seemed like some unofficial national holiday for the patrons of this town. "I guess,” she said softly. “It must be a lot of pressure on the girls, you know? To be perfect and act perfectly. The world isn’t perfect so why should they have to be?” She turned towards Jules with a soft nod. “True, there’s not better than a hometown.” 

“I think is a matter of approach, don’t get me wrong I know some of this parents expect pure perfection doll like from their daughters, but not everyone is like that. Growing up my mama always talked about it almost like a fairy tale, she would say it was the one night you could dress and actually pretend to be a princess. It was never about being perfect, but having your fairy tale night.” She said softly at the memory of her own experience at the Belle Ball.

Sydney wandered with a glass of champagne in her hand, mingling as her date disappeared to the restroom, perhaps for too long, but who was she to question it. As she found a spot next to Jules, she flashed a smile back at her. “There is no place like home,” she nodded her head, taking a sip of her champagne.  “I never got into the whole thing all that much,” she admitted, “but it certainly always ends up being a beautiful sight.”

Jules nodded, she had been one of the few kids in her generation that had not gone flying out of town the moment she graduated. She loved her little town, and when she had to go to Vet School she had gone to the closest one, driving the distance almost every weekend to be with her friends and family. “I suppose it’s different for everyone, some were too cool for it, some found it too old and just pointless, I’ve always found it to be enchanting.” 

Lou was so glad her little sister seemed to be enjoying herself. Jules was one of the people she had in mind when planning events like this, wanting her sister to have the best kind of evening. “She’s startin’ to learn she can’t control you, little wild child sister of mine.” Lou winked at Jules, knowing it was more of a joke than anything, because Lou was always considered the wild child of the Dunn family. “Thank you, sister, I couldn’t resist it. It reminded me of the trees in the woods back on the ranch, you know? That gorgeous deep green they get on a summer night when you’re on your back, lookin’ up at the stars.” Lou smiled at the thought, relaxing in the moment. “You look beautiful no matter what color you’re in, Juju Bean.” 

Jules chuckled there was no one who was kinder to her than her oldest sister, and it wasn’t that she played favorites, she loved all her siblings equally. But Lou? Lou had been her role model since the day one, she had been her best friend, her therapist and her partner in crime. She covered for her just as she did the other way around. Their sister bond was unbreakable. “You gotta say that, you’re my sister, but black does make me look extra slim.” She chuckled. “And with all the donuts I’ve been sneaking before I needed all the help I could get.” 

“Exactly. I worked at the salon at the time and I still made the appoitment. It’s was so fucking rude to call off like that, at least I was able to squeeze someone else in her place, the brunette with the white dress over there.” Audrey pointed discreetly at the girl. “Looking at all these girls reminds me how long ago my own debut was. And how crazy it is. I’m definitely keeping Angel away from this when she gets older.”

"Well someone’s loss is always someone else’s win, isn’t?” She tilted her head as she watched the pretty girl dance her night away. Then she looked back at Audrey with a bit of shock in her eyes, “Really? I mean its tradition and when approached the right way, it’s actually fun and something to look forward to. I know a lot of moms put heavy loads of pressure on some of the girls until its no longer fun, but I think if I ever have a daughter I would want her to think of it as her own fairy tale kind of night.” 

Andy needed a drink. He’d mingled, spoken with his parents briefly as he cemented in a date next weekend for a bbq and sighed as he was still dateless. Noticing Lacie still with Lou, Andy headed towards the bar and ordered a glass of Stella. Turning to see who he’d stood next to, he smiled when he saw Jules. “Agreed,” Andy nodded, thanking the bartender and leaning his back against the bar top. “S’why I love it so much. It’s nice seein’ everyone together and all dressed up and for a good cause. I like the other events we do but this one’s a bit special.” Taking a drink, Andy turned to Jules. “You havin’ a good night?” He asked.

“I feel the same way, every event the community comes together for is always so heartwarming but the Belle Ball has always been the one I look forward the most, I think is the enchantment and tradition of it all.” She bit on her lip before she took another sip of her amber looking drink. “I am having a better time than I had expected, to be honest I had an exit plan after making my mandatory appearance,” but she was grateful many old faces were back in town, it took pressure from the sad character she had become in everyones eyes. 

Juliana Dunn was only a couple years behind Tate in school, and he’d known her well enough while they were growing up that he didn’t feel uncomfortable when she stuck up a conversation. “I think you’re right,” he said with a nod, raking his fingers through his hair. Tate lifted his gaze to scan the crowd, smiling when his eyes landed on his date with her friends. “It really is cool. I remember when all my friends were debutants and thinking it all seemed a little too ridiculous for my liking, but nowadays, it’s a bit refreshing. You look good tonight, Jules. Gotta say I’m surprised the Dunns haven’t stolen the show before this year.” 

“I think as teenager we all find it to be kind of ridiculous, unless you’re one of those girls that grows obsesses with it. I was somewhere in the middle, too cool to admit I wanted to be a debutant like my sisters.” She chuckled at the memory. She had seen three of her sisters walk out the door looking like princesses from one of her books, unable to attend until she herself was in age to debut, and old tradition her mother wanted to keep. “Thank you, you clean up nicely yourself. But I think tonight Lou is he only Dunn stealing the show. She sure outdid herself with this ball.” 

Roman lifted his head when he heard a voice, his eyes landing on Jules, a small smirk coming along his features as he bent down, putting his elbows down against the surface of the table as he slowly nodded his head. “Yeah, I guess it really makes the town.” Even though every year Roman usually kept his ass at home. His head turned to look around them, standing up straight as he moved his hands into his pockets. “Do you come every year?”

“Haven’t missed since I debuted myself.” Admitely she wasn’t sure if it wasn’t something to be proud, or not, but the Dunn women in her family always had some big involvement in the planning of the Belle ball, the least she could do as the youngest one of them was attend. “Every year I think to myself, there’s now way they can top that next year, and somehow they do. What about you? Do attend every year? Or you prefer to avoid them?”

It could have been the alcohol – actually, it probably was – but Sadie felt bad for snapping at Jules earlier. The Belle Ball was so charming that it was making her soft. She almost rolled her eyes at Juliana’s cheesy remark, but stopped herself and nodded instead. “Yeah, it’s pretty sweet,” she agreed, “Lou did a great job.” Feeling like she had to apologize, Sadie turned with a sheepish look. “Hey, sorry for being so grouchy before. But I was serious about the bubble wrap.”

Jules lifted her chin with pride at the mention of her sister, yes she indeed had outdone herself, somewhere in the crowd there was a very proud mama Dunn praising her daughter to death. She chuckled at the thought. “Oh don’t even mention it, lucky for you and I, I don’t take things too personally. It’s water under the bridge!” She mused.

Billie plopped into the spot beside her best friend with a happy sigh, round cheeks sore from the grin that had stayed fixed on her face almost the entire evening. Only an hour had passed since she’d last wandered over to chat with the woman before she was pulled away for a few turns around the dance floor. Now, with aching feet, she was thankful to take a break and check up on her nearest and dearest. “It is lovely ain’t it?” she shifted on the seat so that she could face the crowd. “Each year is more enchanting than the last and everyone’s spirits are so high, it makes me so happy”. Lowering her feet to the to the ground she let out a startled squeak when a shock of chill touched her right foot. Confused she lifted the fabric of her dress to reveal only one of her feet was still encased with a bright yellow pump. “Oh, it appears I’ve lost a shoe” she snorted, wiggling her toes. “When did that happen” 

Jules looked with horror at the naked foot that no longer held a heel to protect it from the ground. Then she threw her head back laughing historically. There was never a dull moment with Billie, and that was the truest example of it all. “Oh my dearest... Billie Dawson!” She continued to chuckled, unsure of what else to say, quickly she brought her skirt back down to cover her feet. “You’re gonna give one of our belle mothers a heart attack with this.” She giggled like a little girl, like they were hiding something mischievous from the adults. Always partners in crime one way or another. “Maybe no more drinks for you my dearest friend, its for your own good.” She pointed at her playfully. 

Once upon a time this was supposed to be her life, she was supposed to go to college in Savannah come back, be a belle and work in town. But, she’d had other plans when she’d been accepted to college in New York, and life took her elsewhere. She was glancing around the ballroom, glass of wine in hand as she looked for someone to talk too, when a voice caught her attention. She cast a quick glance over Juls, smiling a little. “I guess uh, brave choice by the way.” she replied indicating to the dress, “My mama would’ve hung me if I’d worn that.” though she guessed the woman couldn’t do anything now she wasn’t about to make a dead mother quip at a party.

Jules chuckled nervously as she looked down at her attire, the more someone pointed it out the more self conscious she became, she had heard her mother all day, and now that everyone shared her opinion she would hear it for the rest of the year. “Yeah, its kind of a statement, I was a little tire of the typical traditional gowns, but I’m starting to think that maybe I am not as daring as I thought I was and this might bite me int the ass on the long run. But maybe at least I’ll give people something else to talk about.” Aside the alternative of her failed wedding.

Jules gave one of her best Belle smiles, one that she had mastered since she was a young teen and had learned from the Belle generation before her. Her perfectly manicured hands for the event clicked on the glass full of whiskey she held in her hands mindlessly. “This is the kinds of events that make the town, ain’t it?” She began speaking when she saw the shadow of someone else standing next to her. “The whole town coming together for the younger generations, no other place like home.”