"When are you going to realize people are never going to love you Adira?" The words were said with a sneer to add insult to injury.
I say nothing and let my gaze drop to the floor.
"Glad you know your place in the world."
---------
"Happily Ever...
"What's really going on?" Aunt Ava questioned as soon as I was seated on her overly comfy leather couch.
"I don't know why you would say that." I avert her gaze and play with the edge of my sweater.
"Why else would you come three days early with no warning, something clearly happened just tell me what it is so I can reign hell on whoever did this to you."
"As much as I would like that, you can't. I'm just going to end up disappointing a lot of people tonight." I sigh, my hand itching closer to my phone. If I bail on Derric he'll be upset but he'll get over it, eventually.
"Talk to me."
I unloaded everything to her, saving up to buy the dress and the struggles of earning the money for it and watching it all go down the drain as my step-sisters ruined it. Then I moved onto the fight with Edmon and how excited Derric is about his birthday and wanting to bail at the last minute to refrain from embarrassing myself with nothing to wear.
"Honey I wish you would have told me before, I would have bought the dress for you in a heartbeat." I hated hearing the pity in her voice.
"I know, Edmon also offered to help but it was something I had to accomplish on my own. Now it's worth nothing more than scrap fabric." A silence fell upon us. "I can't go to that party anymore."
"Wait a minute!" She exclaims suddenly rushing off to her bedroom leaving me to wonder what just happened.
She walks back a few minutes later with a big white box. She sets it on the coffee table in front of us and grins wickedly.
"Are you going to tell me what this is or leave me in suspense?" I ask.
"I was saving this for your eighteenth birthday, I wore it to your parents wedding so it's technically a hand-me-down but don't let that fool you. This dress hasn't been worn in over 10 years." She opens the box and pulls out a large poofy dress, practically spilling with fabric.
I didn't get the full look until she holds it entirely and I couldn't help but gasp. I reach out to touch it. "It's beautiful." I was mesmerized by the silk fabric and enchanting simplicity.
It was an off-shoulder dress with a v-neckline and a flowing skirt. The gown was a deep navy blue and elegant.
"Can I wear it?" I ask hopefully.
"Do I have another niece to give this to?" She jokes with a small smile. "Now we only have two hours to get you ready, and a lot of work to do, so let's do this."
-------
An hour in and I was showered, hair blow dried and sitting on the bed staring at the wall. I was actually going through with this. It was a miracle things were coming together, it was surprising for things to go right once.
Flash forward a few minutes later and I'm slipping on the dress surprised that it fit me like a glove. It was like magic!
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