“You look handsome,” I rush to say. I’m so used to the school uniform it’s nice to see something different.
“I’ll wear it every day if you come running toward me like that.” He threads his fingers with mine before he leans down for a quick kiss on my lips. “You look beautiful.”
I still remember the first time I saw Darian, and even then I didn't think he could get any bigger. He’s still growing, and somehow I feel like I’ve only gotten shorter as he towers over me.
“Thank you.” I lean into him as we walk over to the old Bronco he got a few months back. He was working all kinds of odd jobs to save up and when he finally got it I piled into it with his sisters as he took us around town. It was such a happy day for him…and all of us, really. Darian is unstoppable when he puts his mind to something.
“I take it I’m not seeing your parents?” He tries to play it off like he doesn't care, but I know he does. I can see it in his eyes, and it makes me want to go back inside and yell at them.
“No.” I shake my head and look away.
“Hey.” Darian puts his finger under my chin until I turn my eyes to his. “Don’t feel bad about shit they do. You’ve got no control over that.”
“I know, I’m not going to let them ruin this.” I place my hand on his chest as I smile softly. “I’ll always choose you.”
He opens the door for me to get in, and I really don’t want to go to prom anymore. I want to be alone with him, and I want him to know I want him.
“I promise you that you’ll never regret choosing me,” he says, and it’s not just a promise, it’s a vow.
Chapter 4
Darian
After Lindsey graduated high school, she convinced Gina to let her stay as long as she pays rent. The twins did the same two years ago when they graduated, and I always wondered if it was because they didn’t want to leave me behind. I never had the courage to ask, mostly because I liked believing this version.
Things changed from the state paying Gina to keep us up to all of us paying her so we didn’t have to separate. When I turned eighteen two months ago, for my birthday gift my sisters paid my rent until I leave for college this summer so I didn’t have to worry about money while finishing school.
I didn’t know what to say, but I know that somehow, some day, I’ll return the favor. The three of them give me shit twenty-four hours a day, but I also know that they believe in me and push me to be the best I can be. They even filled out college applications and scholarship paperwork for me.
Luckily, Kingswood Prep opened all the doors it said it would, and I got a full ride. They not only cover my room and board all four years, but I got a grant to cover everything else while I studied. Lindsey cried the day I gave her the letter, and the twins jumped on the couch so hard it broke in half. Gina wasn’t happy about any of it because she knew it meant our time with her was coming to an end.
Lindsey’s been working as an assistant manager at the local diner for the past couple of years. She works every hour the restaurant is open, but she likes the place and it’s decent money. I know she’s been saving up for a house so that Amber and Allison can move in with her, since I’ll be taken care of in school. She told me the other day she’s hoping to become manager soon, and I have no doubt she’ll be running that place before they know what hit them.
The twins work as maids in one of the nicest hotels in town. From the stories they’ve told me they seem to love the hotel gossip, and the tips are better than any of the other jobs they’ve had. One of the perks is they get discounts on rooms and they got me a suite for prom.
My three sisters crossed their arms over their chests and all gave me “the talk” before I left to pick up Rosy. Being older and all in my business, they know I’m still a virgin and that Rosy and I haven’t had sex. I have no doubt they gave Rosy the same talk, only I’m positive I was the one that got the extended version that included getting her off and not being a selfish asshole.
They were the ones that took Rosy to the health department to get on the pill last year because that’s what Gina did with them. It might have been the smartest thing she ever did with the way the twins cycle through guys.