South Ithilien High School

I wasn't very happy that I had to get up early Saturday morning. I was going shopping with Isilwen and her dad for homecoming, so I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed and started getting ready. It was nine o'clock and I was waiting for Isilwen on my couch when the doorbell rang. I got off the couch to answer the door, but my dad practically flew passed me in his hurry to get their first.

"I'LL GET IIIIIIT!" He sang loudly as he pulled the door open. "Isilwen! Slash! Come on in!" He said cheerfully. I rolled my eyes and walked out the door.

"Dad, we're leaving. They don't want to stand here and talk to you," I said. He scoffed.

"I don't like your ATTITUDE." I ignored him and followed Isilwen to the car.

"So… where are we going shopping?" I asked as I closed the door.

"We're going to a tiny town on the Anduin river." At the weird look I gave her she sighed. "My dad wants to see the river. I don't know why," she shrugged. "He's weird like that."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," I said. She laughed.

"CC isn't weird! He's… special," she said, choosing her words carefully. I raised my eyebrow.

"We all have our words for it, but I wouldn't use special," I said. She laughed. We spent the
ride chatting to each other. "So Isilwen… I heard you were going to homecoming with Boromir," I winked. She nodded.

"Yeah, he asked me yesterday. Who are you going with?" she asked.

"I didn't want a date this year. I promised Merry and Pippin I'd hang out with them. Besides,
it's more fun to go with friends, anyway," I said.

"That's why I'm going with Boromir. Friend dates, I guess?" she says. I blink. I could've
sworn he liked her more than that, but I shrug it off. I guess I interpreted that wrong. Slash finally chose a place to park and led us inside.

"You're mother recommended this store," Slash said upon seeing Isilwen's expression.

"Ah, that would explain it," she said as she looked at the racks upon racks of dresses.

"Alright, have fun. I'm going to sit over here and read," he said. He sat down next to the other
fathers in a little waiting area type thing and started to read. I immediately started searching through the racks for something I liked and Isilwen did the same. After the first round of trying things on, I had found a pretty green dress I liked, and was now waiting for Isilwen who seemed to be having trouble. I continued to walk around to amuse myself when I came across Arwen.

"Arwen! Hi!" I said. She smiled at me and engulfed me in a hug.

"Hi, Eldarwen! It's wonderful to see you," she said. "Are you shopping for homecoming, too?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I came here with Isilwen. I don't know if you know her, she just moved
here."

She smiled again. "Strider has mentioned her. I wasn't expecting to see anyone from our
school shopping here. What brings you so close to the Anduin?" she asked.

I shrugged again. "Isilwen's dad wanted to see the river, I guess. Do you usually come
shopping out here?" I asked. I was trying to make small talk with her, bored out of my mind of waiting for Isilwen.

She chuckled. "Not usually. I'm meeting up here with Strider for a date after he gets out of
work. On the weekends he gets dragged out to all sorts of new places when he's on duty."

"Huh. I didn't realize you two were dating," I said. I could've sworn he was with Legolas…

She smiled. "Since yesterday, actually." She looked at her phone. "I should get going, actually.
He'll be there already," she said.

"Bye," I smiled. She waved as she walked out. I spotted a dress on the rack, picked it up,
shoved it in Isilwen's arms and pushed her into a dressing room. "You're too picky. Try that," I said. I could hear her grumbling inside the dressing room for a few minutes before coming back out, the dress in her arms.

"I'm buying this one," she said.

"Good. I'm starving. Lets get some food." We paid for our things, collected Slash, and went
out to the car.

"Where should we go to eat?" he asked.

"MCSHIRE'S!" I said loudly. He chuckled and drove off. I looked at Isilwen. "Did you know
Arwen and Aragorn were dating?" She frowned and shook her head.

"I thought he was dating Legolas…"

"They were never openly dating… but I have my suspicions," I said. Slash pulled into the
parking lot and we went inside to get our food.