Because I Love You

chapter two.

Weeks later, Melissa stood in the reception's bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She fixed each brunette curl in her hair til' it was perfect, fixed the contacts in her brown eyes, and applied one last layer of light pink lipgloss. Today was her day to be a princess, her Sweet 16. "Are you ready?" her mother asked as she entered the room, her heels clicked with excitement. "I know you're upset Elijah couldn't be here but that doesn't mean you can't have fun."

Melissa thought about her boyfriend and how he had to go on vacation to Florida the same week as her party. It just didn't feel right that he wasn't here with her. "I think I'm ready," she said, ignoring her last statement. "Who's even gonna escort me in?"

She approaches her mother, holding up her blue ball-gown, her mother had made it Cinderella themed. She scans her up and down with approval. "I got Tyler Donovan to escort you." Melissa widened her eyes in surprise. It was not that she hadn't expected her to invite him but to escort her as well? Her mother could have chosen any other boy, James, Ashton, maybe even Jake if he were even invited, she could never be sure with her mother.

"Oh," is all she can say as she fixed her tiara. Of course she'd mother had to have chosen her old middle school crush with whom she had not really talked to much. She didn't hate him but she didn't exactly like him the way she had used to. Things grew extawkward between them through the three years and they only talked every now and then.

Her mother gives her a small smile before they exit the restroom to go to the door that went into the ballroom. She didn't need this whole celebration, her family wasn't rich but they just felt like they owed her it and she just agreed. They invited all f their close and distant family as well as everyone somewhat acquainted with her at school.

Tyler waited at the door. When his icy blue eyes met hers he gave her a big, bright smile and stood talk wearing his all black tux and his hair styled swiftly. "You ready? You look great," he said with a smirk.

"Thanks," she accepted the compliment although she felt a bit uncomfortable. "And yes I am ready, to get this over with."

"I'll see you inside, wait for your name to be called," her mother said, smiling once again. Melissa faked her a smile and nodded. She stood awkwardly for about three minutes holding onto Tyler's arm which was pretty inconvenient considering their height difference, but it was ok.

Like asked, she waited for the DJ they hired to call her name. Finally, he spoke up and she could hear him through the doors. "And here's the reason you're here, the birthday celebrant Melissa Parker!"

The doors opened suddenly and everybody started clapping, Melissa faked a smile and held on to Tyler's arm until she sat in her reserved seat like her mom had told her, she always doing what her mom told her to do. The reception was decently large, not much different from what would be used for a wedding. Pearls, crystals, and shimmery blue fabric were used to decorate pretty much the entire room, every wall and table practically drowning in them.

Melissa sat quietly for a bit, only talking to people who greeted her as she ate her main dish. People were already lined up taking pictures at the photo booth, dancing to the music, and waiting for festivities. Her mother could not stop greeting people and taking pictures of the surroundings.

"Hey, you look so lonely!" Bella said while walking to her along with Megan. They have been her closest friends for so many years, she was starting to wonder if they ever got sick of her. The two were wearing matching blue dresses as Melissa's mom had instructed them to wear for pictures and to match the theme.

"Hey," she greeted them back with a hug. "You two look great, I'm so sorry my mom had to force you to wear those though."

"I like it," Megan said, flashing her pearly whites. "It goes well with my complexion." Melissa looked at her as if she were insane, she could hardly look bad in anything, and she would always be jealous of the way she always looked like a model. Bella was gorgeous just as well.

"Everything goes well with your complexion," Melissa said, rolling her eyes while looking up at her. She hated the way she was always so much shorter than the rest of her friends. Megan smiled.

"Hmm..I think I'm starting to see what's going on here Ms. Parker, you're missing your little Prince Charming."

"Yeah, kinda like that," she admitted. "It just doesn't feel right without him you know? Who cares that I'm Cinderella if I can't have my prince?"

"Well, my love life isn't any better. Trust me on that," Megan said.

"Ugh, our love lives suck," said Bella. Megan gave her a look and nodded as if she would take a glass of champagne and cheers to that if she could.

"Ain't that right, I wonder where we'll be with them one year from now," Melissa said while smiling, the first real smile of the day. They stayed quiet for a minute.

"I'd probably still be nowhere," Megan finally says, laughing. Melissa laughs with her even though inside she thinks about the matter seriously. Would she still be happy with her boyfriend? Would she have Elijah at all?

"Okay, it's time for the birthday girl to step up for the 16 roses dance ," the DJ announced and Melissa did as he said. Her mother has insisted that she follow her father's Filipino traditions even though they were divorced and she had not seen him in 7 years, she just loved the whole aspect of the dance. Melissa stepped up to the middle of the dance floor as "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion came on. "Of course," she murmured to herself.

"May I have the first dance?" one of her uncles asked as he approached her with a rose. Melissa agreed although she did not know how she could possibly dance with 16 men and none of them be Elijah. She wanted to disappear.

One by one, another distant relative or cousin danced with her until she had 14 roses in her hand, one from each escort. As her nine year old cousin let go, Jake came up to her. They had talked in class before and they lived fairly close to each other. Melissa knew deep down that her mother only invited him specifically so that he could be part of this dance and she despised her for it. "Happy birthday," he said as he let go of her hand and left the flower. She did not know who her mother planned to dance with her but she needed her last white rose and of course, Tyler stood up with the last one.