Pieces of Me (The Foundation Series, Book One) *SAMPLE*

(6) I Was Avoiding Colton Like The Plague.

No One Knows
(The Real Me) (unfinished)

The walls are caving in
Nowhere left to go
My air is wearing thin
How was I to know?

I’m shutting myself down
Away from the free world
Always wearing a frown
No longer a naïve, little girl

Everyone pretends this is the way it’ll be
They like to believe everything they see
A joke of perfection, they’re all naïve
No one knows the real me

Spring break was quickly approaching, and with only one week of school remaining, there was only one thing on everyone’s minds, The Spring Formal. It would be our last hoorah for school, before spring break began. I was obviously going with Jax, Brooklyn with Isaiah, and Madison with Liam so they wouldn’t have to go stag--- the list went on. Jax’s parents got us a hummer limo and it was going to be the aforementioned group, along with Jace and his date, Olivia Jenson, a black haired, emerald eyed, junior from a neighboring school, and about 20 more of Jax’s usual group.

Even though I knew I was already going to the dance with Jax, I was still filled with anticipation as to how he was going to ask me and how elaborate it was going to be. I had always been a romantic at heart, so I let my fantasies of the perfect invitation fill my mind. I watched Isaiah send Brooklyn a rose to every class, until her last one which then asked her to go. I heard Liam filled Madison’s locker with balloons, top to bottom, he was a good friend. I was anxiously awaiting my invitation, wanting to feel a bit of the excitement like the girls had.

Unfortunately for me, my romantic invitation would never come. Jax figured that since we were already dating it was assumed we were going together, therefore no invitation necessary. I was disappointed. It was the first dance I had ever even had a date for, and yet, so underwhelming. At least my dress was fabulous. Brooklyn, Madison, and I had gone shopping at this amazing, little chic boutique we found. Brooklyn immediately fell for this black and white, fitted, one–shouldered, beaded dress, and with the contrast of her skin color, and the way the dress hugged her curves in all the right places, she looked drop dead gorgeous. We all knew it was the dress. Madison opted for a sweetheart beige, beaded, fitted dress. She looked nothing short of amazing. I set my sights on a one-shouldered, long, purple dress with lots of ruching; it had a slit right down the side of my left leg. Good thing my legs were looking great these days, and I paired my dress with purple peep-toe heels that had a bow on the top. Madison and Brooklyn said Jax was going to be falling all over me, and for once, I believed them.
***

It was the night of the dance and my usual group of friends, plus the addition of Jax were piled into my family’s home taking pictures. My mother had all the couples arranged going up the stairs, and was on her sixth round of pictures when I finally felt the need to speak up, “mom, we need to get to the dance.”

“Oh, okay honey. But you all just look so dapper!” My mother chirped.

“Mom, don’t let her be late to her first formal,” my sister, Kayleigh chimed in.

We all descended the stairs and began walking out my front door and out to the limo. I paused briefly on our front steps, turning to my sister. “Have any advice for me big sis?”

“Have a wonderful time Peyton, you deserve it. But promise me you won’t do anything you’re not ready to do, okay?” I wondered what she meant by that, but nodded, and then hugged her. “You look beautiful by the way,” she whispered into my hair.

I smiled as I released her, realizing my sister and I were finally building a relationship together. It was something I had always hoped for, but never thought would come. I skipped down the steps in my new heels and joined the group in the limo.