“Understand this. There are copies and I am not the only one with them.” I turn to bitchboy and address him next. “Don’t speak to her, look at her and don’t say anything to her father about anything you think you know. If I catch you within a mile of anywhere we are unless it is school, those will make the rounds. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.” His father answers for him. Evan looks confused and like he is about to fall to the ground in a tantrum. “I hope you are proud of the immoral young man you are raising. And you Mayor, remember who elected you.” Mr. Ross spews before grabbing his son and making a hasty exit. No one responds as he walks out the door.
I feel the squeeze on my shoulder and I know I am going to have to explain and I will. But right now, I am celebrating a victory. One down. Who knows how many more to go?
CHAPTER 26
TWO WEEKS LATER
The past two weeks have been amazing and scary. The amazing part has been in the time I get to be with Alex, his family and my sisters prepping for Prom.
The Friday after I showed up at his house a crying mess, begging him to touch me and trust me with whatever is going on, his mom called up her friend Migan Jorgensen from Bleak Minnesota.
Apparently she is a famous fashion designer who has a boutique she owns with the ‘Crawford Wives’ as she fondly calls them. She says she caters to the elite, but there are a select number of people who are not celebrities that she will do a private showing for. Seems Mr. Luna worked on some of her Uncle’s-in-laws bikes and they all struck up a friendship which put the ladies in touch.
So, Friday night, once my parents retired for the night, as usual I snuck out and over to Alex’s. When I arrived, it was to rows upon rows of dresses in his sitting room. I was speechless. My sisters walked into the room and I tried to contain my tears. Rayna was there as well which is a question for another day.
I can’t remember a time when the four of us had so much fun. Alex’s mom was in her element, spoiling each of us. She convinced Aasta and Adriel that even though they weren’t going to prom, all women needed fancy gowns. They protested, but in the end we all gave her what she wanted. She didn’t have daughters and now she does. Her words. Not mine. So, we turned it into a fashion show.
The guys left us alone, although Mr. Luna brought drinks, and snacks for all of us. It turned into a great night and at the end of it, I found my dress. It is a red one piece dress, with crystals on the bodice which is strapless. It is sprinkled with crystals and glitter in silver and gold. The waist is cinched in and then flares out at the hip flowing down to my ankles. The bottom half of the dress is not sparkly and I love that.
The moment I put it on I felt like a naughty princess in it and I know it is going to drive Alex insane with how much skin I am showing.
Once all of us had dresses picked out, his mom insisted we pick shoes to go with them. I chose silver flats since I have no clue how to wear heels. They have the same crystals on them that are in the bodice of my dress.
Back at home, the worry set in. How in the world am I going to get out of the house for prom? I asked Rayna what her plan was but she wouldn’t say. So once again here I was alone, trying to navigate this new life. The real frustrating part is that when I bring it up to Alex, he tells me not to worry.
Well, he was right. Now here we are two weeks later, the morning of the prom and two weeks before the last day of school and I have more things to worry about. The past twenty-four hours I have been vomiting all morning, starving in the afternoon and exhausted before evening. All the signs point to coming down with a stomach bug.
Yesterday when it happened, my mom held my hair back and gave me some ginger ale. She didn’t say much, she just rubbed my back while I dozed off and I swear I heard her say, “What have you done sweet girl.?” before she walked out. But then again, I was half delirious.
She insisted I stay home from school and rest and refused to let me help with anything at all yesterday, even when the nausea subsided.