New beginnings

|14| Finally Over?

-Madeline-

The excitement in the air was palpable, but I couldn't shake the nervousness gnawing at my insides as I stood in front of the mirror. The red dress clung to me in ways I wasn't sure I was ready for. It was tight-way too tight-fitting my curves in places I didn't want to accentuate. I hated it. The fabric dug into my sides, and my reflection made me feel like I was suffocating.

"Perfect," I muttered under my breath, trying to convince myself.

Just as I was about to change, my mom knocked lightly on the door before entering.

"Madeline, you look gorgeous!" she said, her voice filled with approval. "You've really lost weight, huh? Keep it up. You look great."

I forced a smile, nodding absentmindedly as her words cut into me. Keep it up? That meant I had to lose more, right?

"Thanks, Mom," I mumbled, tightening my grip on the fabric of the dress, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest.

I couldn't look at her anymore, so I turned away, focusing on something else.

Soon enough, I texted Clara, Aaron, and Ryker to let them know they could come over. Chloe, of course, wasn't invited. I still wasn't ready to face her, not after everything that had happened between us.

When they arrived, Clara's eyes lit up when she saw me. "Madeline, wow! You look stunning," she said, taking me in. "That dress is amazing. You look so good, really."

"Thanks," I said, smiling weakly. It felt good to hear her say that, but at the same time, it didn't feel like enough.

We all mingled for a while, but after a few minutes, I snuck into the kitchen to grab a bottle of vodka. I didn't want my parents to see. They'd freak out if they knew we were drinking. I quickly poured a drink for each of us-Clara, Aaron, Ryker, and myself-and returned to the living room, trying to act casual.

"It's turning out to be a good night," I said, trying to keep the mood light.

"I'm glad we're on good terms again, Clara," I said, feeling the tension from the past few days start to slip away.

"Me too," she said, flashing me a bright smile. "I can't believe your sister's getting married, though. That's crazy!"

"I know, right?" I laughed, though it felt a little hollow. "But she's a lot older than us. Guess it's about time, huh?"

Clara and I laughed, and the room seemed a little brighter. Ryker, who had been quietly observing the exchange, leaned over and nudged me with a smirk as Clara and Aaron stepped away for a moment.

"So, feeling better today?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, I guess," I replied, trying to sound more convincing than I felt. "I'm over it now. I'm just... tired of the drama."

"That's good," Ryker said, his tone turning more serious. "It's stupid what she's doing, really. She needs to get over it."

Before I could respond, Jayden walked up to me, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug. "Hey, babe," he said, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. "You look incredible tonight."

I smiled as he pulled back. "Thanks, Jayden."

He grinned and held out his hand. "Wanna dance?"

I hesitated for just a moment, then nodded. Why not? Everything was turning out okay tonight, and I didn't want to ruin the mood. Jayden led me to the dance floor, and we started swaying to the music. His hands were warm on my waist, and I let myself relax into the rhythm of the song.