I’m finally getting around to checking out that address Sharron slipped in my bag a couple days ago. I had no clue where I was going, but after parking in front of a shop with pretty dresses in the windows… I think I have a pretty good idea.
“Hello?” I ask, the bell above the door chiming as it closes.
A young girl pokes her head out from below the counter, “oh hi! Can I help you?” She looks to be about my age, with pretty blonde hair and the darkest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.
“Sharron gave me this address, I’m not really sure why but I’m assuming you do?”
Her smile shines as she nods her head, “I absolutely do! Sharron came in a couple weeks ago and asked that we make a custom dress for you, I think you’re gonna love it.”
I have no doubt, Sharron has great taste.
The young girl leads me to the fitting rooms, handing me a black garment bag before closing the curtains. I unzip the front of the bag and smile to myself, I was totally right.
Sharron had them make a gorgeous black dress, with sheer sleeves that come with built in gloves and crystals everywhere. The back dips low, leaving nothing but exposed skin. There’s not a single part of this dress that I hate.
I quickly change into it and stare at myself in the mirror. There have been very few times I’ve felt beautiful, but this is definitely one of them.
“How’s it going in there?” The girl asks.
“Everything is great” I respond, “I’ll take it. How much do I owe you guys?”
There’s silence on the other side of the curtain, so I stick my head out to see if she’s still there. “Hello?”
“Sorry! I had to go grab this from the front.” She hands me a note before giving me a once over, “I absolutely love that dress, it’s probably my favourite out of every one we’ve made.”
I look down to the note, laughing.
Cost is covered, you have a very amazing boyfriend. His friend with the black hair tried to hit on me though, you should put a muzzle on him.
forty-one
CLAIRE
Our house is packed with people, the boys invited the football team over for some drinks and it somehow tail-spinned into a whole party.
Lucas and I haven’t exactly advertised the fact that we’re together, but walking around campus holding hands doesn’t scream indiscreet. Most people go about their business, completely ignoring us but a lot of the others stare. My skin crawls while we walk around the house,myfucking house. Their gaze’s hold so much weight, so many unsaid things that I’m happy I don’t have to hear. I’m sure none of them are very nice.
This isn’t new, people know I live with the boys, but none of them really know what’s going on between Lucas and I, let alone what we’ve been through.
The girls here don’t like me, I can feel it. They think I’m taking something that’s theirs, but he was never theirs in the first place.
It’s taken me a while to realize, even after he admitted it to me, but he was always mine. I knew Lucas to be a player, always hoping from one girl to the next and that was my expectation when moving into the house. I expected there to be a new girl every morning, a rotating door of girls coming through the house… but he never brought anyone home. There were never any girls in his room, he never had anyone over and in the months I’ve known him, he hasn’t even hooked up with anyone.
There’s nothing that could take me from him. He has all of me, every fucking inch of me and I’m never pulling away from him again. All I can hope for it that he feels the same, that his heart is completely mine and he won’t ever think to give it to anyone else.
I’m afraid of losing him.
I’m even more afraid he’ll find someone better.
His hand squeezes tighter, reassuring me, and the look in his eyes tells me that he knows I’m in my own head. He’s pulling me out, saving me from myself before I can spiral.
Steph steals my other hand, pulling me away while screaming over her shoulder, “I’m stealing your girlfriend, I’m getting her drunk.”
I let out a loud laugh, of course she is.
“Keep her in one piece please” Lucas yells back.
Steph guides me through the crowd, blissfully unaware of everything around us. She continues to pull me towards the kitchen, and as soon as she’s within reach of a bottle, she grabs it. The girl swipes a while ass bottle of rum off the counter and cracks it open like it’s no biggie. She pulls me into the corner and thrusts it in my direction, “drink bitch.”
