Friends Don't

Chapter Eight

Lana stood in front of the mirror hanging on the back of the closet door applying her makeup when I walked into the room. "Are you ready for tonight?" she asked.

"What's tonight?" I questioned as I plopped down on my bed watching her steady hand as she applied her mascara. "I'm not going to another party with you."

"It's not a party." She slid the brush back into the tube and screwed it shut. "It's the parent night thing."

"Oh, yeah." I had completely forgot about that, probably because my parents wouldn't be attending so I didn't feel the need to worry about it. "I'm not doing that whole thing."

"Why not?" She applied her new nude matte lipstick.

"Because my parents aren't coming?" It was more of a statement but I was surprised she asked such a question. She's known since the parent night announcement they wouldn't be attending.

She shrugged. "So? You can still go. My parents would love to see you."

"Are they going to claim me as their own?" I laughed.

She tossed her lipstick into her purse and turned to me unamused. "You can still go and have a good time." Then she smiled. "But of course they would claim you as their own."

"I don't know."

"Yes, c'mon!" She shook my shoulders as if trying to lighten the mood, her broad smile never leaving. "I'm not going to let you sit in here all night. Besides, my parents haven't seen you in awhile and they would love to."

"Lana," I began but she cut me off.

"I'm not taking no for an answer." Then she headed to her small closet and rummaged through her clothes, ignoring me when I asked what she was doing. She pulled out a cream colored dress. It was tight fitting at the waist but still loose enough to breath, and flowed loosely just above the knees.

"I have my own clothes, you know?" I laughed.

"I know." She laid the dress out on my bed. 'But you look amazing in this one."

Despite wanting to get into my pajamas and just crawl into bed while everyone else went to hang out with their parents, I got up and got dressed. I could see it on Lana's face that if I would have stayed in she would have been upset; not that I stayed in but because of why.

We stood in front of the mirror checking ourselves over one last time. I really did love this dress. Lana wore a soft gray strapless dress that complimented her golden blonde hair perfectly.

I peered out the window noticing all the parents pouring onto campus before Lana called for me to hurry.

We stood outside the building waiting for Lana's parents to arrive. We agreed to meet them outside before heading in so it would be easier to find each other. We stood there around ten minutes before we spotted them making our way to us.

"Mom, dad!" Lana called out as they neared us before wrapping them both into hugs. I stood off to the side allowing them to have their moment together after being a part for this long.

Then her mother turned to me with her arms open wide. "Ellie, dear, it's so nice to see you."

I embraced her. "It's nice to see you, too, Mrs. Young." Then I looked up at her father. "And it's nice to see you, too.'

"Ellie, it feels like it's been so long since you've raided our kitchen and hogged up the sofa," he said to me with a smile.

"Dad," Lana exclaimed softly hitting his arm.

"What?" He laughed. "I've missed those days."

I laughed. "Me too."

I spent a lot of time at their house with my parents always being gone and honestly, their house felt more like a home than my own did. They really did treat me like their own and I could never thank them enough for watching over me all those times.