One Night ✔️

Chapter Sixteen

1 hour before prom, back home.

"Papa, what did you put in this sauce? I can't stop eating it. I would put this on a wooden plank and devour it," I mumbled as I stuffed my face with rice and chopped pieces of marinated chicken.

"Salt, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, rosemary, and basil."

"I see Mom has taught you well with her seasonings."

"Nope, this one was all me. I used one of my mom's recipes. She made it for me all the time when I was a kid back in Puerto Rico."

"Mmmmm."

"Don't stuff yourself or you won't fit into your dress, Mija." He attempted to take the fork out of my hands, but quickly snatched his hand away when I growled at him. His reaction was priceless. It was as if I was watching a live telenovela.

"No muerdas, bestia! Necesito mis dedos para cirugía!" (Don't bite me, you beast! I need my fingers for surgery!)

He secured his hands protectively on his chest. This man is the definition of dramatic. I almost spit up my food because of how hard I was laughing. Once I calmed down, I drank the rest of my water and then finished the scraps of my chicken. My now messy face was in desperate need of a napkin, so I grabbed a couple and dabbed away. Dad was right. I was a beast.

"Sienna, I wanted to talk to you about your dance tonight." My mom spoke for maybe the second time tonight and I grew still at her topic of choice.

"Okay... let's hear it."

"I just- I hope you have a wonderful time." Her words stunned me momentarily, speechless. Just a few hours before she was ready to lock me up and now she was telling me to have fun. What kind of alternate reality was I living in?

"T-thank you... I should probably head upstairs to get ready anyway," I said, pulling out my chair from the table.

"We'll see you in a bit, sweetheart," Pa said as I deposited my dish into the sink and left the kitchen. Walking up the stairs I was feeling a little lightheaded. I couldn't believe it. Things had finally gone in the direction I wanted. It'd be an understatement to say I was excited.

I hopped in the shower to freshen up because although delicious, I had to rid myself of the chicken smell. As I was shampooing my hair, I brainstormed how I would style it. Would I wear it up or down? Would I need hairspray? Hair clips? I didn't know.

I'd never really dressed up or attended any fancy events. Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped my fluffy towel tightly around my body and stood in front of the mirror.

"Nothing Pinterest can't fix."

I typed in 'prom hairstyles' and scrolled for maybe ten whole minutes before finally settling on a modern bouffant style. It wasn't as high but it surely was just as beautiful. With my curling iron, I added more definition to my naturally wavy hair before moving on to my makeup. I decided to go with a look Alex taught me: pink glittery eyeshadow and a neutral lip.

The best part of the whole process was putting on my dress. After slipping on the blue scalloped lace panties Alex surprised me with, I stepped into a black floor-length, thin strapped gown. It had a daring high slit and an open back which was my favorite feature.

Still barefoot, I walked to the corner of my room and pulled out my body mirror. My breath hitched when I saw myself for the first time all done up with hair and makeup.

It was in that moment I felt the most beautiful I had ever felt in my life. But I had to force myself to keep my emotions under control. There was no way I was about to ruin the glittery eye I worked so hard to achieve. I crossed my room and grabbed a tissue from the box on my nightstand, carefully dabbing in the corners of my eyes.