“So, are you going to Joshua’s party?” Terri asks me.
“I don’t know. You know how I am about parties,” I say as we make our way down the hall to our lockers.
“Awwww c’mon, Corey. It’s Joshua. The guy you’ve had a crush on forever! This will be the perfect opportunity for you two to finally spend some actual time together.”
“Yea, but I mean what if he doesn’t feel the same way? I’ll feel stupid.”
“Corey, every guy likes you. You’re freakin’ beautiful! Joshua would be insane if he didn’t like you.”
I shrug as I turn the dial on my lock and open my locker. Everyone always tells me how beautiful or gorgeous I am. But I just don’t see it. Terri gets mad at me every time I say that, but I can’t help it. I just can’t imagine anyone ever having a crush on me or getting butterflies every time I say hi or just make eye contact with them. Maybe I need a little boost in my self-esteem.
“You’re going to that party with me Corey. End of discussion.”
“But I-“ Terri gives me a death stare that immediately shuts me up.
“Great. I’ll swing by at eight.” And with that being said, Terri struts down the hall to her first period class, leaving me standing here confused and fearful.
“Corey.”
I turn around to see who’s calling me and my heart stops as I see Joshua’s gorgeous face.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey,” he says, flashing me his dazzling white smile.
Joshua Conaway. I remember the first time I laid eyes on him in 9th grade. We were lab partners the entire first semester. I’ve never loved biology so much. But of course, he had a girlfriend at the time and I was crushed. But that still didn’t prevent my stomach from filling with butterflies every time I saw him.
“What’s up?” I ask a little too eager.
“Nothing much. I was just coming over here to see if you’d be coming to my party later?”
My heart begins to beat so fast that I’m pretty sure he can hear it. He actually wants me to come to his party! “Ummm, I was thinking about it.”
He smiles. “Well I hope you do. That way we can spend some time together.”
I smile shyly, nervously twisting my chocolate brown hair. “Alright. I’ll go.”
“Great. See ya later.” He leans closer to face and places a soft kiss on my cheek that sends an electric shock through my body. Once he walks away and is out of sight, I start giggling like an idiot. Did he really kiss me on the cheek? Me? What does this mean? Could Joshua possibly like me too? What am I thinking? I shouldn’t get my hopes up like that. It was just a little peck on the cheek. It doesn’t mean anything.
I asked if Terri could come over a little earlier so she can help me find something to wear. By the time she gets here, my bed is buried with half the clothes in my closet.
“I’m freaking out Terri,” I say as she walks into my room. “I have nothing to wear.”
“Nothing to wear? Corey do you see all of the cute clothes you have in your closet? I’m jealous.”
“But this is Joshua’s party. I can’t show up just wearing anything. Ugh! I should just stay home.”
Collapsing onto the pile of clothes on my bed, I look up at the ceiling feeling helpless. I have nothing to wear and the party starts at eight. Staying home seems like the better option, but I already told Joshua that I was coming. And Terri sure as hell won’t let me back down.
I watch as Terri raids my closet until she finds what she’s looking for. “What about this?”
She holds up an off the shoulder baby blue crop top.
“Oh no,” I say. “I am not showing my stomach.”
“C’mon Corey. Stop being a wimp. You’re gonna wear this, no excuses. Now get your ass up and take a shower. I’ll find the rest of what you’re gonna wear.”
Finding it useless to argue with her, I slowly rise up from my bed and trudge towards the bathroom.
After washing up, I blow dry my hair and curl it. I apply eyeliner around my ice blue eyes and a nude pink colored gloss to my plump lips. Observing my features in the mirror, I can honestly say for the first time that I am pretty.
Walking into my room with a towel wrapped around me, the only clothes I see left on my bed are the ones that Terri picked out for me.
“What do you think?” she asks me.
I examine the crop top, black denim skinny jeans and shiny, black, open toed platform heels. The outfit is simple, but once I put it on, I’m speechless.
“Joshua is gonna love you,” Terri says. “You look gorgeous Corey.”
I gaze at myself in my mirror and honestly like what I see. Joshua’s in for a big surprise.
“Stop gawking at yourself and get a move on,” Terri teases.
I take one more glance before grabbing my keys and leaving.
YOU ARE READING
His Favorite Slave
VampireCorey is a sweet girl. She's smart, honest, quiet, a really good friend and drop-dead beautiful. Everyone loves to be around her. But Corey's seemingly perfect life is about to all come crashing down. Before she knows it, she's captured by a strange...
