It All Started With a Diary

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"You must do the things you think you cannot do." —Eleanor Roosevelt
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Chapter 22
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"Please!"

I glared at Raven, who was currently on her knees. Her red lips were down turned into a desperate pout.

I sighed. "Raven, I already told you no."

She rolled her pretty eyes, and pulled herself back onto the beanbag chair. "Why not?" I rolled my own eyes this time.

"Because, it's just going to be a quick little date. More of a hangout, actually. Why should I try to dress up only for an hour or two?" I tried to persuade her. In reality, I didn't give two shits about impressing Kade tonight, but she didn't need to know that.

She stood from her seat. I watched her turn, grab a bag, then throw the clothes she had bought the moment I told her, right onto my lap. "Well you two might end up staying a lot longer if you dress up!" Her voice was way too suggestive for me, nor did I like the chuckle she let out.

"No." My cheeks heated to a high degree as I threw the clothes into her now empty seat. "Absolutely not."

She raised her hands in defense, a smug look on her face. "Hey, I'm just saying. Have you seen that man? Who wouldn't want to—" I dared my ears to close her off completely. I had seen him, talked to the asshole too. Sure, he was sinfully beautiful and with a tongue as smooth as a snakes, but it was venomous as well.

Raven picked me up from the diner once my shift was over, and I was thankful of that. I hadn't told Ryland about Kade and I going on another date, and I wasn't intending to, not for a while anyway. It was too much of a conversation to make right now.

Raven gripped my knees, gently pulling me off my beanbag chair. "Pretty please?" she continued to plead, her hazel eyes widening to the point of humor.

The door to Raven's bedroom opened, causing the both of us to jump. Her mother stuck her head through the door, a smile on her beautiful face.

Raven and her mom were very similar in the looks department. Curly red hair, though her mother's was held up in a tight bun half of the time. The both of them held up hazel eyes, but they always gleamed with happiness and joy. Their personalities were too alike to mistake, both jokers and positive.

I liked her mom from the very first time I met her. It was pretty easy for her mother to see that I was the shy type, so she didn't try to push me to talk, and that was something I appreciated. Raven told me her father and mother were divorced due to infidelity issues, and that she didn't have a relationship with him. Her words were full with so much distaste and invisible anger, I decided to leave it at that.

"Hey girls, I'm heading out. Kimberly dear, feel welcome to stay over if you like," she said, warm eyes crinkling at me. "Raven and I love your company."

Raven smiled at her mom, situating herself back on the chair. "Where you headed this time?"

She rolled her eyes, reaching up to make sure her bun was still in tact. Of course, it was as perfect as ever. "The scums that pay me are sending me out to New Jersey until Tuesday, which actually means Sunday. At best."

Raven and I laughed at her word choice. When we first met, she called in Indian food and then told us how her boss continued to work her to death. The pay was fantastic though so she stayed.