I am Daria [18+]

five

"Aria, ready yet?" A loud voice disturbed the silence of my peace.

I looked up and saw my best friend, Alison Forbes, standing in the doorway, chewing gum as her disapproving eyes scanned me.

"Umm, not quite," I mumbled as I got up from my bed.

"Taylan's probably on his way!" she screeched, "What have you been doing for the last hour?" She tucked her brown, wild bangs behind her ears.

She reminded me of my mum. Carefree, loud, not afraid to speak her mind. Perhaps that's what got us to click.

It had been a year and a half. Actually, 20 months and eight days to be exact.

I hadn't seen or heard from my family in 675 days.

The first few months had been hell. I had been so depressed. I hadn't eaten, I'd go to school just to pass the time, I had quit cheering. . . I basically stopped living. I had felt dead inside and I thought that I would never get better.

Then, one day, I don't know what motivated me, but I had decided that I wasn't going to be that person anymore. I had decided to make the most of the situation I was in. I had to be strong. For myself, for my family, for the pack.

I had changed. I had made friends. I'd gone out and had fun. I realized that maybe, this life wasn't as bad as I had made it out to be.

In the beginning, when I had still been reluctant to accept the sudden change in my life, Alice had been the one to make the effort to talk to me, even when I made it clear I didn't want anyone around, countless times. She put up with me and my mood swings. The night I finally broke down and cried because I had missed my family so much, it had been in her arms. She was the sister I never had.

I had become thankful that my father sent me to live with such kind humans who was gradually becoming family to me.

"We need to get you in a dress," she said hurriedly, pushing me in our closet.

"Relax," I laughed softly. "He won't mind me being late," I told her.

She froze, then spun me around so that I faced her. Her blue eyes narrowed. Her grip on my shoulders tightened as she shook me slightly. "Woman, it's your one year anniversary! Do you not know the importance of this day?" she asked incredulously.

"Calm down," I laughed again, "I'm going on a date, not graduating."

She ignored me and rummaged through dresses on her side of the closet. She muttered things like, "Too slutty. . . No. . . Too pink. . . Too tacky. . . Hell no. . . Who even brought this for me? Not that. . . No. . . Not tha- THIS!" she exclaimed. "This is perfect, Aria, you have to try this on," she gushed and rushed over to me, dress in hand.

She presented me the dress. It was a shiny, spaghetti-strap, forest green dress with a black belted waist to go with it. It was beautiful, but, "Too much skin," I said and she rolled her eyes.

"It's not revealing. Look," she held the dress to her body, "It sits just below my knee, and you're taller than me so it will be perfect," she tried persuading me.

"Yeah, but-"

"Isn't this your favorite color too?" she interrupted me.

"Well, yes. . ." I trailed off and she grinned.

"Then it's settled! Here, you change while I go and find a nice pair of heels to match. God forbid you going in flats," she muttered as she walked past me to her room.

I shook my head in amusement. I really was lucky to have her by my side.

I kicked off my flats and got out of the clothes I was in all day. A simple, blue dress and Taylan's football jacket. It was huge on me but I loved smelling like him. I smiled when I thought of my boyfriend.