Next Door Lover

4.

Katie's POV
I'm awoken to the sound of my bedroom door opening and the shuffle of feet. I stay still, hoping whoever it is will see I'm asleep and leave me be for a few more hours, but I am wrong when I feel the side of my bed dip down like someone is sitting.

"Kaaatieee, time to get up. It's graduation day!" My mom whispers excitedly in my ear. I hear a clink next to my head but start to smell bacon and pancakes making my eyes shoot open. I love food.

I see there's a plate full of pancakes and bacon sitting on my nightstand. I turn over to see my mom sitting on my bed but she's holding a big arrangement of flowers. They're really beautiful and colorful but a little out of my mom's style. She's never been much of a gift giver, no matter how special the occasion.

"Wow mom, this...is...all so nice." I look to the plate of food and back at the arrangement.

"It's a big day for you sweetheart. I want you to start the day off right with a nice breakfast." She says placing the flowers on my dresser and opening my closet. I can hear her going through it and sliding clothes back and forth on the racks. She walks out with a black dress. It's short sleeved and v-neck and stop a little above my knee. It has a white strip going down both sides and the back of the dress is cut open showing my upper and lower back through an intricate cut design. She hangs it on my door, and goes back into the closet.

I sit up and start eating, practically drooling over how amazing it tastes. My mom walks out with my favorite pair of heels. Their are mostly black but has white accents near the toes and side. They're really comfortable and I'm actually glad I have them for when I have to dress up nice or professional. She places them by my dress and sits at my vanity.

"This okay with you?" She asks pointing to the outfit she picked out.

"Sure. It's going to be covered by a gown anyway." I say seeing a smirk come onto her face.

"That's okay I'll get plenty of pictures before and after with the gown off. What earrings do you have?" She asks turning around to face my vanity and pulls open some drawers. I freeze at her movements knowing I have some film in one of those drawers and pray she doesn't see it. But when her body freezes and grabs something I know it's too late.

"What is this?" She turns around furrowing her eyebrows and holding up the roll of film between her fingers.

"That's old mom. It's unused but old." I say quickly and she narrows her eyes on me.

"So it'll be okay if I take this? Throw it out maybe?" She asks and I try not to change my mannerisms at all so she knows I'm not lying. Even if I am.

"Nope. Go ahead." I say and she laughs. But not a nice laugh. More like a your a liar laugh.

"I told you I don't want you taking pictures. You can't make a living off it and you need a college degree." She rants. "It's hard Katie. It's so hard to become a well known photographer and earn good money taking pictures. Or else you become a low level intern and work insane hours not even taking photos. You'll be someone coffee bitch, no matter how many people your dad knows. It won't work out."

"I can get a degree in photography!!" I shout annoyed at her ranting.

"Absolutely not." She says

"You won't even look at the programs or benefits."

"Because it's not going to happen. End of story. Take a shower and get yourself ready. The ceremony is at 12." She says standing and walking to the door of my room, effectively avoiding any more of the conversation. "Oh, those flowers for you were at the front door this morning." She says walking out of my room leaving me puzzled to who sent me flowers. I place my plate back on my night stand and stand walking over to the flowers. I spin it around and see a card sticking out of it towards the middle of the bouquet. I open it, shocked at what it says.