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Chapter Sixty

The week flew by. It was like I blinked it and it was already the day of the dance. I could not believe how easy the week was following how the start of it went. Ally had taken the advice of almost everyone at the school. She stayed away from Pierce and me. I didn't know if she was planning her next scheme or if she finally had gotten the hint. I was leaning more towards her scheming, but maybe she was a changed woman. Unlikely.

My room felt hot as I slid on Emery's dress on. The idea of having to wear a dress all night, all over again, had heat radiating off my body. This dress was going to be covered in sweat stains before the night even started. Nothing about this night was going to go well, and honestly, at this point, I felt like I should just be staying home instead. The dance really wasn't worth all the stress. But Pierce was, so I had to do this.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I held the light pink dress to my chest. I pulled out my phone to call my mom to come help zip me up but before I could even push the call button there was a knock at my door. I called for the person to enter and I turned to see Lucy standing in my door way.

"Hey Luc." I smiled at the little twelve year old who was overjoyed to see her sister in a dress again.

"Need help?" Lucy smiled back as she made her way over to me.

"Please?" I looked at my sister for a few seconds before turning my back towards her.

My sister pulled the zipper to my dress up to the bottom of my neck, allowing me to let go of the front of the dress.

"You definitely picked the right one." Lucy said as she stared at my reflection in the full length mirror in the corner of my room.

I ran my hands down the sides of my dress, flattening the creases in the fabric. She wasn't wrong. This was the perfect dress for the night. It fit my body perfectly, it suited its purpose, and it was beautiful. It just wasn't me. The dress, dresses in general, would never be me. I wished I could stand there and love the sight before me but I knew it would never happen.

"But you are missing the final piece." Lucy said as she disappeared into my walk in closet, leaving me alone to stare at myself in the mirror I had really grown to hate.

I sighed as I stared at myself, trying to admire just one part of what I was looking at. I just couldn't pull myself to love any of it. The only plus was that the majority of my scars would be hidden from the world. The only thing that made this even a little okay.

After a few minutes of getting lost in my closet. Lucy appeared with a black object wrapped between her hands. When my eyes caught the piece of clothing in her hands a smile, for the time since stepping into the dress, spread across my face. She was not wrong in her statement. I was missing the final piece and she wouldn't let me forget it.

I grabbed the structured fabric from her hands and ran my hands along its surface. I flipped the fabric over my shoulders and it was like all at once the heat left my body and I felt safe. It was as if a protective shelter was thrown around my body. I was safe again.

"I know you don't think this sis, but you look great." Lucy said as she pulled me in for a hug.

I held my little sister against my chest for a few minutes. I didn't want to let her go.

The sound of teenage boys filling the foyer of my house cut the hug between Lucy and I short. I sighed as Lucy pulled her body away from mine.

"I miss you a lot Charlee." Lucy said as she gave my outfit one final look.

"I'm sorry I haven't given you the attention you deserve. I've been caught up in-" I went to explain myself but Lucy cut me off before I could.

"You've been caught up in being a teenager." Lucy looked down at the ground. "You aren't my mommy anymore."

"I will always be your mommy." I pulled Lucy back to me for a short hug, running my fingers through her hair. "Whenever you need me Lucy, I am here. Even if I'm at school, in therapy, with Pierce, whatever. You need me, or Luca needs me. I am here, always."

"I don't want to bother you." Lucy sighed, avoiding eye contact with me as she spoke.

"You will never be a bother. You never were before and you will never be now either." I kissed the top of Lucy's head before placing my hands on her shoulders. "I love you."

"I love you Charlee." Lucy smiled, a smile that would forever be ingrained in my brain. "I think there might be someone downstairs waiting for you."

She was correct. There was definitely someone downstairs waiting for me. But this moment was more important than dealing with whatever else was going on. Lucy needed me and we needed this special moment together. We had very little of these important moments since living at the Leighton's. I was never going to take a moment like this for granted ever.

"Do you want to hand me over to the punk kid waiting for me?" I nudged my little sister's arm.

"You aren't getting married!" She laughed nudging me back.

"So." I smiled as I put my hand out for her to grab. "Do the honor of handing me over to King Kingston. Please. I beg of you." I placed the back of my hand to my forehead all dramatic.

Lucy grabbed my hand with force and practically dragged me out of my room.

When the two of us hit the bottom of the stairs we were both erupting with laughter. We couldn't pin point in the short distance what had us so hysterical, but it was a feeling that was fully needed. The week was so high strung and uptight that I needed the release from it all. Based on what I had learned about what the twins had been talking about in therapy, I assume that she needed the release as well.

"Well isn't it just the two cutest girls I know." Pierce said as he walked over to Lucy and I.

"What about Ryatt?" Lucy questioned knowing that Pierce loved her just as much if not more.

"Well you three are the cutest girls I know. But she's not here. You're all tied for number one." Pierce smiled as he pulled Lucy in for a hug before pulling me in for one.

After Pierce let go of Lucy, she took off for her room. She was going to disappear for the night. Only watching out the window to watch me leave. It was a habit she had formed for as long as I could remember. No matter what, she always watched from the window, the porch, wherever for her goodbye. She always needed that last sight.

"You look perfect." Pierce said before he placed a few kisses to my lips.

"You look great as well." I smiled as I glanced him up and down.

"Photo time!" My parents yelled gathering all of us teens in the foyer of our house.

Our entire group, Ally included gathered into the tiny space. It was the first time Ally and I had been in close proximity since the Monday after the broken hand incident. But for once, I genuinely felt safe. I didn't know if it was the protection of my parents, or my friends, I just didn't fear for my life like I had been all week.

"Using the jacket to hide what I did to you?" Ally said the moment we finished taking the hundreds of photos all our parents needed to take.

"Ally not tonight." Reece said as he took a step between her and I.

"Reece it's okay." I smiled at him.

"Actually Ally, I'm using it to cover the scars my father gave me as a child." I looked past her at the faces of all the other parents in the room who heard my comment. "But thanks for asking if I'm haunted by your actions." I laced my fingers between Pierce's.

"She's not." Pierce squeezed my hand as he let the words fall from his mouth.

"I've got bigger and worst things to haunt me." I shrugged. "Good luck tonight."

I smiled as Pierce led me out the front door of my house with Reece and Harlow on our heels. There was no way any of us were going to let Ally ruin our night. To be honest, I just felt sad for her date. The poor kids would only ever be a useless pawn in her game of life. Gone and forgotten before the night was over. Ally would only ever her sights on one person. Someone she could never have.