Abused and Unloved~

Chapter Fourteen

Dress shopping the following day wasn't as bad as I anticipated. Lily, my sister, and I made our way down to Times Square early in the day and managed to tackle each store in a timely manner. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single item we could all agree on which meant we reached early afternoon with empty hands.

I was forced into about a million different outfits, and honestly after the seventh or eighth sparkly dress I stopped trying to keep an overall count.

Eventually we decided to stop being so picky and settled on a simple short blue dress with minimal shiny details that fit Lily's vision since she had ordered a blue corsage and a rose for Jayden to match. Kaylee wandered off and came back with silver shoes that had a clear heel, which fit the bullshit Cinderella complex she was set on. And before we called it a day, I picked a simple necklace with a single stone to accessorize with. So we all felt somewhat satisfied in the end.

The entire outfit was hidden in Liliths's room while I was dragged to a beauty salon in Queens to do my nails and hair. It didn't take very long but it was still a torturous experience for a girl who didn't like being touched.

Once I was done I returned to the Gonzalez house and stayed confined to the walls of the master bedroom to get ready while Jayden was off getting a haircut. I got dressed and put in a matching hair piece before anyone saw me, then Lily came and applied a light layer of natural makeup.

I could tell that Jayden's parents were honestly more excited about this dance than we were, and I could only assume it was due to the phone call I overheard Lily receive a few days ago.

A social worker had reached out to inform her that we would be moved to group home in a few days time. I heard the Gonzalez's pleading with the lady to let us stay but legally we each had to have our own beds, especially at our ages, and Kaylee and Camila had been sharing a bed while I slept on an air mattress. We were comfortable with the situation but the state wouldn't allow it.

Lily didn't want us to know at first but she couldn't lie to my face when I questioned her about it. I knew it was hurting them that they couldn't do more for us, regardless of how much they had already done. At the very least they wanted tonight to be special because no one knew how long it would be before we got another one.

Once I was finished, Lily handed me a white clutch purse and stood back so I could observe myself in the body length mirror of her bedroom. I didn't say this often but I looked pretty good.

There's a sharp knock then the door cracks open and Diego comes in once he's confirmed that I'm decent. I give him a half a twirl awaiting his reaction, and couldn't help but feel warmth at the tender paternal look in his eyes.

"You look beautiful." Diego compliments me and I scrunch my nose shifting my gaze to the floor in acceptance of it.

He moves towards the closet and grabs a wrapped box off the overhead shelf, "Here." My eyebrow quirks in confusion and I unwrap it hesitantly. Once I register that I'm holding the box to an expensive looking phone I immediately shake my head and shove it back toward him, "Are you insane? I can't accept a phone, you guys have already wasted too much on me."

He pushes it gently back into my arms, "It's a gift. A going away present." I refuse, and hold it back out for him. I didn't need or expect a going away present this lavish.

He now sternly pushes it back towards me, "I'm not taking it back." I continue to hold it out knowing I wasn't going to able to accept it, "Here." He ultimately puts his hands up and I look towards Lily for assistance but she just stands to the side with arms crossed and a sad smile.