Lost and Found

Chapter Two

Throughout most of dinner, I think about Kaleb, and how good I've been feeling lately. Mom, hasn't seen me this happy in years. I finally, finally decided to bite the bullet and look at my text messages. There were two from my boyfriend: Jacob. One from this morning: Good Morning my love, and one from an hour ago Are you alright? I figured, the best way to move on like nothing ever happened, was to act like it never did. Sure, Jacob would find out one day. But nobody ever marries their high school sweetheart. Yeah, I've been away from my phone today, I'll see you tomorrow tho. I replied, adding the kissy face emoji for good luck. My lock screen, was a picture of Jacob and I at prom last year, me and my long red dress and his black suit. We'd won prom queen, and king. Which, normally I would've rubbed in Harper's face just on principle.But, now with her going to St. Anne's Catholic High school, and me going to Lakeshore County High School, I couldn't say much.

"Aaliyah, please pass the salt." My mother said, from across the table. I picked up the salt shaker handing it to her. My mother's name was Charmaine and she was perfect. With long dirty blonde hair that flowed halfway down her back, and sparkling green eyes, she looked straight out of a magazine. She also, looked the same age as Harper and I. Both of us having been born when she was only twenty. She, was the exception to my: nobody marries their high school sweetheart rule. She and My father had married at eighteen, and been together ever since.

"How was your day girls?" My father asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Good, Adrian took me to the movies, and then we went and got ice cream." Harper said, cooing.

"So no dessert for you tonight?" My mother asked. My father sighed, giving my mother a slight look.

"Ice cream is plenty enough sugar for one day. The only thing more unforgiving than a scale? Is a teenage boy." My mother replied. Harper cringed slightly.

"No dessert." She said, in an effort to cool the rising tension. My mother gave her a proud smile.

"But, eat all the lettuce you want." She told Harper, and Harper nodded. Adding more salad to her plate. We ate in silence for a while, then my mother looked towards me.

"Aaliyah darling, your coming to church tomorrow yes?" She asked. I nodded. I had missed church last week, because I had a migraine so bad I couldn't get out of bed.

"I didn't feel well." I reminded her. She nodded.. The silence returned. I actually, was looking forward to church tomorrow. On Monday, I had bought a beautiful long white dress with long sleeves it was a v neck, but still appropriate for church. I wanted Jacob to see me in it. Perhaps, I would even ask my mother to curl my hair like she used to do when I was little. Maybe I'd use the gold eyeshadow I'd got for Christmas last year.

When the morning does come, I'm out of bed at 8am. Once dressed I do ask my mother to curl my hair, I would admit, it looks gorgeous. She curls into ringlets that fall about my face. She smiles at me in the mirror.

"You do look pretty, Liyah." She says, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nod. Even I agreed with her.

"Thanks, I wanted to look pretty, for..." I started, then stopped.

"For Jacob, there's no shame in that." She says, Tucking my hair behind my ear. I thank her again, and shut the door behind her. I have a few minutes before we need to leave. I've already done my makeup, foundation, concealer, blush, contour etc. From a small drawer, I pull my favorite lipgloss, Dior. Jacob got it for me, two weeks ago. The anniversary of our first date. I smile, applying it. We need to leave now. I take one final glance at myself in the mirror. Realizing, I don't look anything like how I feel. I take a photo of myself in the mirror and post it to Instagram.