Cigarettes and Valentines

Chapter 8

Allison's POV

Mom always told me to start living a teenage life. I mean she sure didn't want me to do meth and drop out of school but I guess I should just try to have fun with people in my age - dancing, singing and making mistakes instead of spending most of my free time with reading and studying.

Accordingly this was a bit new to me; not that I haven't been to a party before but let's just say I expected this party to be...different.

In the moment where I had to put on the black lingerine, which I found in the first bag, I stood there in front of the bathroom mirror, once again watching every angle of my body.

I've never worn somthing like this before but it wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought - but more importantly: I felt good.

The thing is: I haven't felt like this before and it was overwhelmingly great to be honest. My appearance had never been something I felt good about and it was amazing to finally think positive about it.

Realizing that Michael was still out there, waiting for me to come out, I peeked into the second bag, pulling the black lacy dress out. This was also something I never would've bought for myself, facing how self concious I was when it came to body-hugging clothes. There sure were moments where I picked something similar out but I put it back right afterwards, remembering this wouldn't suit me anyway.

As I pulled up the long zipper on the back, I didn't even bother to look at myself in the mirror again. I knew I would love the dress, just because it would make me feel sexy and there was no way I'd let this overtake my mind. Michael did this on purpose, pressuring me into wearing something like that and I hated him for doing that. It was a dick-move and when I thought about it: it was sexist.

Considering myself a feminist after reading incredible amounts of articles about women's rights nowadays, I hated that he used the situation shamelessly.

"Why?" I suddenly asked when Michael was already about to leave through my door, expecting me to follow him.

His expression when he turned around to face me was annoyed. "Why what?"

Walking over to my dressing table, I pulled the hair tie out, which was keeping my hair dry in the shower. When I picked up the brush, slowly going through my messy brown hair, I decided to explain my point.

"Why do you want to take me out? Again; it's not like we're friends and I don't think you even like me. There sure are other girls who you can take there tonight so...why? Why me?"

Michael was obviously not prepared for that kind of question and suddenly he had another cigarette between his fingers, flicking it nervously.

He now leaned against the doorframe, watching me brush my hair with his piercing green eyes.

"Because there's something about you, Allison Jane Parker. Something I want to figure out. It's weird, you make me extremely mad but since there's something to figure out, I feel challenged by you..." he now put the cig between his teeth, which made his following words harder to understand. "You're my challenge." A small smirk adorned his red lips. "Let's test our Superbrain's memory..." he now casually push himself off the doorframe to stand straight again. "Remember what I said about regrets?"

I sighed, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "Everything that happens to us, will affect us in a certain way" I forced myself to quote him.

Apparently I picked him by surprise with repeating his exact words, since his eyebrows were raised. I now realized. "Oh, you meant that rhetorically... Well, it's been two days since you said that, I know, but it kinda made sense to me. It inspired m - to say the least - so I wrote it down"