Harassenger: Backseat Admirer ✔️

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"You can guess what I'm here for."

Waking up from a deep sleep, the last thing I wanted to wake up to was the face of Della Clark.

All of my hair smoothed to one side, I wish I was the type of person who did have bed hair, that way, I'd have so much hair over my eyes I wouldn't be able to see the destructive, red-headed woman in front of me. I swear, if I looked close enough, I could see little tiny holes on her head where her horns used to be. Or maybe that was where her brain exited out.

"What are you doing here?" I yawned, not bothering to cover my mouth. I may not have bed hair, but I have morning breath. If I breathe hard enough, maybe she will pass out.

"I'm here to prepare you for your date, silly." She grinned, her mole moving with her mouth.

"About that, do you think we could cancel it?"

"Are you serious? I don't get why you and Holt think this is an awful idea. Natalie, this is a tradition that my great, great, great grandmother started. I can't simply allow you to throw tradition out the window because you feel a sense of anxiety about dating a man." I know she did know just say that.

"I'm not nervous; I've been on plenty of dates before." It's her pick of a date I'm worried about. I would not possibly think of marrying anyone she was related to.

"Then this should be no problem for you, right? Listen, I've got the perfect date for you and the perfect outfit."

"No, thanks. I mean, I promised Trixie she'd help find me an outfit." A lie, of course, but I wouldn't wear an outfit with Della's stamp of approval. I'd rather wear nothing at all, or on second thought, that's probably what she'd advise me to wear.

"Suit yourself. I'll be downstairs if you need me." She wriggled her long fingers in goodbye as I shut the door, resting my back against the wood and sliding onto the cold floor.

"She's persistent." I had almost forgotten I shared a room with Mick until I heard his deep, scratchy morning voice speak.

"I equally blame you and her. At least it's a tradition in her family, and as for you, you just wanted to see me suffer on a blind date, but I have news for you: you're coming with me and you're going to be as miserable as I will be." I told him. 

"I don't think it's possible to be as miserable as you will be, Natt. It's your date, but nice try." He winked, pulling himself upward on the bed.

"Whatever. I'm going get ready." I stormed out of the room to look for Trixie, who was already looking for an outfit for herself today in her room.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Come in. I can't decided between wedges or flip flops today. I'm liable to go to the beach, but I also want to eat out and don't want to look sloppy." She said, balancing both shoes between each hand.

"Wear the wedges because you can always take them off at the beach. Who needs any shoes at all at the beach?" I mentioned.

"You're right. Wedges it is." She nodded, putting them on her feet.

"Hey, could you help me find an outfit to wear while you're at it?" Trixie had an unique style, mostly consisting of polka dots and oriental style shirts with long skirts. She grew up in a conservative home with a bleak sense of style, so it was normal for her to venture out and wear odd attire. But that didn't mean she didn't have a sense of fashion when it came to other people.

"I have something I've been wanting you to wear, actually. I bought it here just in case you needed something new." Trixie rummaged through her bag of tricks and treats, pulling out a floor-length, flowy, floral gown. It was black in color with white designs, and spaghetti straps. It was beachy, yet appropriate for any occasion. I was worried I'd be too short to wear the dress, but it fit perfectly with a borrowed pair of Trixie's wedges. I finished the looks with a subtle share of lipstick and allowed my best girl friend to tie my hair up, letting a few curly strands fall on the sides of my forehead. I was ready to go by noon, and yet, the date wasn't until four in the afternoon. That's what I get for answering the bedroom door when Della knocked rapidly on the wood.

"You look amazing and, whoever this blind date is with, better thank his lucky stars he gets to embrace your glory." Trixie mentioned.

"Oh, stop it; you're too kind. Speaking of men, how's yours?" I asked, watching as she saved a tube of lip gloss into her transparent makeup case.

"He's at work, but I guarantee you he's embracing my own glory from afar. I sent him selfies all morning to show how much I missed him." She stuck her tongue out.

"Trixie, how did you know you loved him?" I asked.

"He was charming and kind-hearted, and he was a great guy but you can find that in anyone. I saw the way he loved me, and would do anything for me and I guess somehow with knowing that, I fell for him. Why, do you really think you're in love with Holt?"

"Yes, maybe, I don't know. I thought I did, but that's not why I'm asking. I talked to Holt about Della, and he couldn't name one good thing about her or why he loved her. You can name a thousand things about your man, and Holt can't name anything about his own wife. Putting aside my feelings, and thinking of him as my friend, I find it unsettling that he would jump into a marriage like that and I'm a little worried about him."

"Holt is a grown man and he's a smart one; sometimes people have to learn from their mistakes to be smarter than they were before, and if this marriage is a mistake, Holt will fix it, I know it. Please, try your best to enjoy this vacation and worry about yourself for a change. You have a date coming up with a mysterious man, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't let Holt control your mind when it's yours to control."

"I'm trying my hardest to be supportive so I'm going to go downstairs in this hot dress and I'm going to keep an open mind with my date." I assured Trixie, and tried to assure myself.

"That's my girl. You go and you rock that date. I have complete and total faith that this date will be amazing for you." Trixie held out her arms to me, throwing me into a big bear hug, the smell of jasmine flowing from her hair. She smelled like my mother, and it wasn't for her dark hair, I'd swear I had just gotten a lecture from Elisha Fisher.

"Yes, my date will be awesome. It will be." But even I, as optimistic as I was trying to be, didn't believe it.