Into The Woods

Chapter 17

Suzette:
Today is Prom. I get up out of bed and notice a text from Lark telling me that Porter is taking me to prom. I'm really confused about it though because Kendall is Porter's girlfriend. Porter doesn't even really like me either. But I want to go to prom and if I have to go with Porter then I'm good with that.

I get up out of bed and go downstairs. I grab a bagel and then some cream cheese from the fridge. I spread some cream cheese on the bagel with a butter knife and then my front door opens. I scream and hold the knife out in front of me. I instantly relax when I see Lark.

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask?

"I just came to see you since today is prom and you told Chasity that you didn't want to come with us." He says with hurt dripping from his lips.

"I-I-I don't know what your talking about. Chasity's the one who told me not to come in the first place." I say.

"Why would she do something like that. She's really nice and I guess your just jealous."

I bark out a bitter laugh and Lark's eyes turn dark.

"Me jealous of Chasity. You know what Lark you can leave. You say you love me but you really don't mean it. If you really loved me you would believe me and not Chasity. And you know what I DONT LOVE YOU! I never will." I snap.

There's tears in his eyes and I don't think I've ever seen him cry before except for the one time he broke his leg and couldn't play football. He looks at me and then takes a step towards me. He reaches me and puts his hand on my cheek. I flinch and close my eyes.

"If you didn't love me then you wouldn't act this way when I touch you." He says.

"Just go Lark. Please."

"Alright but don't say I don't love you because I do."

He turns and walks out the door, slamming it behind him. I drop to the ground and cry. I cry like I've never cried before. The floor is like the ocean and I'm ready to drown. I take in raspy breaths and then I run my hands through my hair. I pat my knees and then I stand up. I put on my strong face. I finish putting cream cheese on my bagel. I eat it.

I go back upstairs to my room and lay out all my makeup in front of my mirror. I turn on my curling iron. I look up and my face stares back at me in the mirror. I feel like crying again because I'm not as pretty as Chasity. I don't have her beautiful wide blue eyes. Mine are brown.

My phone starts ringing and I look at the caller ID to see Lark's mom.

"Hey!" I say.

"Hey Suze do you still want me to come over and help you?" She asks?

"Yes please if you don't mind."

"Of course honey. I'll be there soon."

She hangs up first and then I go to look at my dress hanging in my closet. I touch the dress and then pull my hand back as if my touch will set it on fire.

"It's so pretty mom. I wish you were here." I say to myself.

My moms not going to be here. She's not going to help me get ready. My dad's not going to be here to tell me how beautiful I look or tell the guy that's taking me to be careful or he'll smash their face in. I touch the dress again. I sigh and trace my hand up to the neckline. There's no straps and I'm kind of scared about that since I've never worn anything strapless before.

The doorbell rings and I rush downstairs. Lark's mom was really fast. Normally she has to take care of Sky. I open the door and there's no one there. But on the ground is a red box. I pick it up and open it. There is a necklace with a gold chain and one small diamond shaped like a dove. There's a note in there that says:

Thought you could use this for the dance.

I close the box and carry it up with me to my room. I know that Lark didn't bring me this. It was probably that sick person, who's obsessed with me. But I'm going to wear it. To show that person that I'm not scared of them, even though I am. To tell the truth I'm terrified. I really want Lark to be there for me. He's always been there for me and now he ruined everything by falling in love with me. I'm not that special so I don't know how someone like him could have fallen in love with someone like me.

The doorbell rings again and I'm ready to slap the person who's at the door. I get downstairs and it's Lark's mom. I open it and smile.

"Hi Mrs.Woods." I say, cheerfully.

"Hi Suzette. Come on let's go do your makeup first." She says.

I move aside to let her in and I close the door. I make sure it's locked and I close the curtains to the window in the front room. Once we are in my room she starts to doing my makeup. I don't know what she's doing because I never wear makeup. But she starts curling my hair and using so many bobby pins that my head feels heavy.

"So Larken told me about this morning." She says.

I feel a twinge of guilt. He's her son and I treated him pretty bad this morning. Lark and I have been friends forever and I've never raised my voice at him.

"I'm sorry Mrs.Woods." I say.

"Oh honey don't apologize. Lark can be a little overwhelming and I have to live with him so imagine what that's like." She says and laughs.

I laugh too and just nod.

"He loves you. I know that. My son never cries and all he did was cry this morning." She says.

She turns me toward the mirror. My hair is up into a bun on the top of my head with a few curls hanging down on the side of my face. My bangs are swept off to the side. There is a faint glow to my tanned skin and there is gold eyeshadow on my eyelids. I feel like crying again.

"Suzette do you love him?" She asks, throwing me completely off guard.

"I uh don't know. I'm only 17. I don't really know what love is." I say.

"I know honey but I know Lark loves you and he said you told him you'd never love him."

"I said that but I didn't mean it. I care deeply for him. But I always thought we'd just be friends."

"You know when a boy and girl are friends they never just stay friends." She says.

I sigh and think she's right. I look at myself in the mirror once more. Mrs.Woods puts her hands on my shoulders.

"You look beautiful honey. Do you need help getting into your dress?"

"Yes please if you don't mind."

She smiles and nods. I walk over to my dress. I slip out of my clothes and step into the big skirt of my dress. Once it's on all the way it swishes around me. Lark's mom zips it up in the back. I spin around once and the blue material shines in the light. I throw my head back and laugh. I grab my sliver heels and slip them on my feet. I look around for Lark's mom but she's gone. Of course she's gone. People always leave when it comes to me.