𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇.

thirty-eight.

𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐧. 𝐣𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬
𝙰𝙿𝚁𝙸𝙻 || 𝙱𝙰𝚃𝙾𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙴, 𝙻𝙰.
-

"You feeling okay?"

I looked over at Kacie as she stood beside me, looking up at me with a slight smile, "I'm great."

We stood hand in hand with one another, a backdrop for photos behind us as our personal photographer, family, and friends took pictures of us as we were posing and dressed in our outfits for prom.

Our color theme was blue and silver, Kacie's dress being gorgeous. I wore a nice tux but it was nothing compared to her dress, the jet black, straight wig she had gotten installed, and her professionally done makeup.

"So pretty," My mother smiled at Kacie, taking pictures of us before moving out of the way so that the photographer could as well.

Our prom send-off didn't consist of many people and it wasn't as fancy as some, but it was authentic and something we were both fine with. Only my mother, my siblings, Kha's little sisters, and surprisingly Kacie's father were there.

Her father hadn't said too much of anything. He was just standing there silently, taking his pictures of us looking as if he were on the brink of tears. He was throwing off the vibe honestly.

After over fourty-five minutes of fake smiling and posing my social battery was running out and I needed to sit down so that I could have enough energy for the dance.

As Kacie and I went to walk away and sit at one of the tables that were out her father called us over, the both of us, which was shocking.

"Y'all look nice," Her father smiled at us.

I thanked him and paid close attention to his eyes and his appearance. Growing up around an addict, I was able to easily tell when someone wasn't all the way there. It was no doubt that her father was battling with alcoholism, but as I looked at him he actually looked as if he were sober.

"I just wanted to apologize to the both of you. Kacie, I been struggling a lot without my wife. But it wasn't the right decision for me to take that out on you and put you through even more that you're going through. And for that I apologize."

Kacie squeezed my hand as her father stated his apologies, his eyes watering as if he were about to start crying which I really didn't want him to do.

He wiped his eyes, "Neno, over the past few glimpses that I have seen of you together I can say that my daughter has always been happy with you. I appreciate you for that."

I nodded awkwardly, feeling as if I were trapped in the situation and I wanted to do nothing more than just run away.

"Have fun tonight, ya'll." He stated, embracing Kacie in a tight hug which caught her completely off guard before she walked away.

"Weird." She mumbled as we went to sit at the table.

I sat down at the table, getting my phone out for the first time all day. I quickly texted Woo back to let him know that we would be at his hotel party which was after prom. I even went the extra mile to book Kacie and I our own hotel room across the hall from his room.

I wanted to make Kacie's first and only prom as memorable as possible. So, it was a lot planned for her after the boring high school dance.