“Then why are they saying it?” Her questions were so innocent, she shouldn’t have been caught up in my mess. I wished I could take everything hurtful away from her so only goodness and light were left.
“Because they’re mean people. They are so stupid they don’t even know how much they can hurt someone. Promise me you won’t listen to them.” I looked her directly in the eyes, watching her little reluctant nod. “Good, they aren’t worth our time. Now, have you done your homework?”
“No.”
“Then go do it. I’ll be in to check it in a little bit.” I gave her one last hug before she agreed to leave the room. I waited until she was out of earshot before speaking with Dallas again. “I can’t have them hurting Jemma.”
“What are you going to do?” She asked, spinning around on my desk chair to face me.
“Maybe I should break up with Cole?” She gasped, I knew how she felt. I always thought he would break up with me, but things had changed. It wasn’t just me our relationship was affecting.
“That’s not the answer,” Dallas insisted when she could speak again. “If you give up and back down, all those trolls win. You can’t let the bullies win.”
“And I can’t let Jemma get called names. She’s too young to deal with any of this.”
Dallas stared at me like I was an alien and she didn’t know me at all. It was true, I hated backing down from a fight – especially when I was in the right. But there came a time when protecting my family became more important than winning.
“No guy is worth my little sister being upset,” I insisted. And I truly believed it too. I would do anything for Jemma, I guess even including walking away from what could be the greatest love of my life.
She sighed. “Will you just give it some thought before you rush into a decision? This whole thing will probably die down in a few days and we’ll laugh about it ever happening.”
“I won’t make any big decisions tonight,” I promised. I was too drained to argue. “Can we do our homework now?”
Dallas nodded and we pulled out our school books. We worked that way for a few hours. Only when my dad came home and it was dinnertime did we say goodbye.
We only made small talk as we ate. If Dad noticed both Jemma and I were quiet, he didn’t say anything. I was glad when it was over so I could hide back in my room again. I wasn’t much company.
I distracted myself with anything I could. Eventually I started browsing through eBooks to find something new to read, at least that was safer than any social media sites.
A chat request from Donald Duck popped up. My cursor hovered over the accept button. What was I going to say to Cole? I still wasn’t sure if I was going to have to break up with him. Speaking with him was probably only going to make the situation even more difficult.
And yet I accepted it anyway. Cole’s happy face popped onto the screen as he waved hello. “Hi, beautiful.”
“Hey, Cole.” I tried to keep my voice upbeat to match him but it was nearly impossible. Not when all I wanted to do was cry like a big, stupid baby.
“Guess what we signed up for today?” He seemed so happy, the last thing I wanted to do was bring him down.
“What?”
“This huge charity event. About twenty bands are getting together in a big televised concert. We’re hoping to raise over twenty million dollars. How great is that?” His green eyes were sparkling with excitement. It was nice to see him so excited about something he probably wasn’t even going to be paid for.
“That’s great. What charity is getting the money?” I asked, trying to make conversation.
“One that defends animal rights and conservation. It’s such a worthy cause. They’re going to be able to do so much with the money.” He trailed off as he stared at me through the screen. “But enough about me. Are you okay? Did your day get any better?”
I blinked back the tears, hoping my old computer camera was too grainy for him to see. I didn’t want him to know just how upset I was. It wasn’t like he could do anything about it from hundreds of miles away.
“I can’t use my phone so I’m sorry if you sent me a message and I didn’t return it. It’s ringing off the hook.”
“Twitter must be pretty hard to see too.”
I didn’t even want to know what was on Twitter. “I haven’t checked it.”
“Good, don’t.” He flashed me a smile, trying to cheer me up. It wasn’t going to work, I could have told him that. “Is there anything I can do to make it better?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Silence lingered. I didn’t know Skyping could be just as awkward as sitting in a dead quiet room with someone. Cole must have noticed too as he changed the subject abruptly.
“So, the prom is coming up next week. It’s on the Friday, right?” I nodded. “I was going to wear a black tux. What color dress are you wearing so I can match the tie?” It was kind of sweet he even thought to ask. Despite my misery, I couldn’t help but smile a little.
“I haven’t got a dress yet. I’m sure any color will be fine.”
“I don’t want to wear any color, I want to match you. I’ll hold off on getting a tie until I know, how does that sound?” He looked at me expectantly.
“I’ll get a dress this weekend.”
“I’m sure you’ll be the most beautiful girl at the prom in whatever you get.” Damn it, he had a way of melting all my resolve with just one compliment. He always sounded so sincere, it was tragic.
Chapter Seven
I was desperately trying to tune out all the eyes staring my way. It was like I was a celebrity without all the benefits of free stuff and Photoshop. I was an outcast, someone nobody wanted to be associated with. The reject gold digger who was going to be the death of Two Dimension… apparently.
But I had to find a prom dress because apparently I was supposed to ignore all the haters. As Ellen DeGeneres says, make your haters your motivators. Good in theory, difficult in practice.
“How about this one?” Dallas asked, holding up a horrible blush pink number. She had already found her dress – in the first store. This was now our sixth shop and my options were quickly vanishing. I wanted to just get anything that fit but I didn’t want to end up on Fashion Police too. That would complete my pyramid of shame.
“You can’t go naked,” Dallas whined. “What’s wrong with this one?”
“It’s the color of a naked person.”
She looked at it again, shrugged, and replaced it on the rack. “You’re kind of right.” She started flicking through the dresses with intent and determination.
I wandered around the shop, not really seeing anything. It all looked like a glob of colors and sequins to me. I wasn’t even sure if I still wanted to go to the prom. It would only be a test to see how many whispers I could ignore.
Then I saw it. Hanging on the bargain rack, alone like a little reject, was a turquoise dress that floated down to the floor. Little glistening beads were sewn onto the fabric, enough to make it glimmer but not enough to make it sparkle.
I held it up against me in the mirror, it was going to be perfect. And it was half price. A little outcast dress, ideal for a little outcast girl.
“I’ve found it, Dal,” I happily declared. She clapped with delight.
“It’s really cute.” She would probably say that no matter what I picked out, it was up to that stage. “Try it on.”
I quickly changed and deemed it a good fit. Dallas rushed me to the checkouts before I had a chance to change my mind. Her feet were probably hurting as much as mine were.
We had some lunch before heading home. I promised my dad I would babysit Jemma for the afternoon before my shift at Burger Nation. She was going to love my dress. I would have to talk her out of wanting to try it on.
I dropped Dallas home and continued on until I pulled into my own driveway. When I did, I had to double check to make sure I had the right house. When I realized I was parked in the correct place, my heart lurched.
Jemma. She was inside with the babysitter. I ran through the mess, taking care not to fall over random logs and rocks along the path. I burst through the door and frantically searched the house.
I found Jemma and Lizzy huddled in her bedroom. The little kid’s eyes were streaming with tears. I crouched down on the floor to take her in my arms.
“What happened?” I directed my question at Lizzy, cradling Jemma’s head against me. All I wanted to do was protect her but clearly I failed.
“It was a group of girls, they pulled up and just went crazy. I yelled at them to go away and I called the police but they were finished by the time they arrived. They were on a rampage, I don’t think they could have stopped them anyway.” The words poured from her mouth in one long sentence. “Jemma was freaking out and I tried to calm her down but she wouldn’t stop crying. I tried calling Mr. Morgan but just got his voicemail.”
“I’m sorry it happened. You did the right thing,” I assured her. She was barely more than a kid herself. I don’t know if I would have thought so clearly if I were in her position. “You can go home, I’ll take it from here.”
“Are you sure? I can help you clean up-”
“No, it’s cool. But thanks anyway.”
She nodded and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. It took almost an hour to calm Jemma down enough so we could get off the floor. My dad still wasn’t answering his phone, despite how many messages I left for him.
When I got Jemma settled on the lounge in front of the television, I took out my own phone and retreated to my room for some privacy. In the few days since the whole debacle started, the calls from weird numbers had slowed down enough that I could actually use the phone. All text messages went unread.
I called Cole, my mind made up. I couldn’t let my family continue to suffer because of my relationship with a superstar. I needed to end it and I needed to do it now.
“Hey, beautiful,” he answered. He always sounded so happy when he answered the phone. I hated what I was about to do to him. But it needed to be done. I had a whole destroyed yard to prove that.
“Hey, Cole.”
“Did you get a prom dress? You went shopping for one today, right? What color is it?”
“It doesn’t matter, that’s not what I’m calling about.” I took a deep breath. I had to do it, there was no other choice. “I can’t see you anymore. I’m really sorry.”
“What? What’s happened?” His voice went up an octave or two. “Was it that reporter again? Was she back? Was it someone else?” So many questions, I felt like I was on a game show.
“I just can’t see you anymore. I’m sorry but I just can’t do it.” The tears were starting to fall down my cheeks, I needed to wrap things up. “Thanks for being so sweet to me and nice and funny. I have to go.”
I clicked off the line before he could say anything. I felt like the worst girlfriend in the world. If someone had broken up with me like that, I would be out for blood. I had just given Cole a perfect reason to hate me.
I slumped onto the bed, still holding the phone. It started ringing, the caller ID said it was Cole. I should have expected him to want more of an explanation but I wasn’t exactly thinking straight. I turned the phone off and threw it down beside me like it had bitten me.
One look at my prom dress folded over the desk chair was enough to start the tears flowing in earnest. I wouldn’t get to wear it now, I didn’t even want to leave the house ever again. I desperately wished the world would disappear around me and leave me to my misery.
Chapter Eight
I gripped the side of the bed, refusing to move. Dallas could push and pull all she wanted but I wasn’t going to get up. I had spent all week going through the motions like a zombie and I had no plans on changing my mind now.
“You’ve got to come,” she said through gritted teeth as she tugged at my sheets. “You said you would and you can’t leave me to go alone.”
“You’re not going alone, you’ve got Dax.”
“He isn’t my best friend.” Dallas stopped to catch her breath. I had given her a good fight, probably not what she was expecting in her pretty pink prom dress and silver tiara. “Come on, Melrose. Seriously.”
“I’m not going to the prom. I don’t have a date and everybody hates me,” I pointed out. It was basically just stating the obvious by that stage.
“Nobody hates you. They’re not even talking about you anymore, everybody has moved on already.” That wasn’t true. All week people had been hassling me about Cole and all the lies the media were spouting about me. I knew Dallas was trying to make me feel better but it wasn’t going to work.
I gripped the edge of the sheet and pulled it above my head. I was so determined not to get out of the bed. What I needed was a magic wand that would make Dallas leave me alone.
“Melly, why are you in bed so early?” Jemma asked. I hadn’t even noticed her sneaking in.
“Because I’m tired,” I replied.
“No you’re not,” Dallas said, calling me out on my lie and then addressing Jemma. “She’s hiding because she’s too scared to go to the prom and have the night of her life.”
Jemma’s eyed widened. “But she’s got to go to the prom. She’s been talking about it for ages.”
“Don’t tell me, tell her.” Dallas kicked the bed with her stiletto clad foot.
“Melly, you’ve got a pretty dress, you have to wear it.” Jemma gave me the look that nearly always made me do whatever she wanted me to. Nearly always. She had no idea what I was going through at school, if she did she would hide in the bed with me.
A horn honked outside and Dallas darted over to the window. She waved at someone before returning to my bedside. “We’re going to be late. No more Little Miss Nice Girl.”
Instead of pulling my sheets off from the top, she started un-tucking them from the bottom. There was nothing I could do to stop her. I tried to kick her hands away, careful not to really hurt her, but she still didn’t stop.
Before I knew it, I was lying on the bed with no covers. Dallas puffed as she regained her composure. “Now, get up. I’m not wasting time anymore. We can’t be late for the prom and you still need to get dressed. Please, do this for me, Rosy. I need my best friend there.”
I stared at her, trying to work out if she was just trying to tug on my heartstrings or if she really meant it. Dallas and I had been through a lot of stuff together. She was the keeper of my deepest, darkest secrets and I held the same for her. The last thing I really wanted to do was to disappoint her.
Her eyes were sincere, they had to be. I knew when she was acting, which was quite often, but she wasn’t lying right then and there.
I sat up. “Do I really have to go?” She nodded and held up my dress – the same dress I loved so much because it was a reject on the bargain rack. If I was a dress, I wouldn’t even be on the bargain rack anymore, I’d be in the rags bin.
I sighed and got to my feet. Dallas shoved the dress into my hands and pushed me toward the bathroom. I grabbed a bra and some underwear on the way through. I wasn’t going to wear anything fancy though, I wouldn’t want to admit I made an effort to go to the prom where nobody wanted me.
I was ready in ten minutes. My hair was in a simple ponytail and my makeup was minimal. The turquoise dress was enough to speak for itself as it glistened under the light. The last thing I slipped on was a bracelet with a little heart locket. Cole gave it to me when I visited him in Los Angeles. Even though I didn’t want to be reminded of him, it kind of made me feel better to think of him being with me in some small way.
I dreaded leaving the safety of my bedroom. Only a few weeks ago I had been so excited about going to the prom with Cole. I had played the night out in my head over and over again. We would dance all night, laugh with my friends, and feel like a
nything was possible. But considering we were broken up, that was never going to happen.
During the past week, Cole had rung repeatedly. I ignored each of the calls, just texting back an apology. He would never understand why I couldn’t be with him, why protecting my family was greater than my love for him. One was a duty, the other a privilege.
The prom was not going to be any fun without him. I didn’t even know why Dallas wanted me to go so badly. I would only bring down everyone I encountered. I would be the sad sack in the corner watching everyone else have fun. Which is exactly why I didn’t want to go in the first place.
“Come on, slowpoke,” Dallas said as she grabbed my hand and led me out. As we approached the living room, I realized we weren’t alone. Someone was standing there in a suit. Someone tall and familiar.
“What’s going on?” I asked, completely confused. Dallas gave me a beaming grin.
“Your date,” she replied simply. It explained nothing.
Andy gave me a nervous smile. “You look really nice, Mel.” He looked really nice too, but I still didn’t understand what he was doing there.
“Come on, let’s go. We are so going to be late.” Dallas led the way, expecting us to follow. Andy waited cautiously until I went first, then he trailed after us. I gave one last look to Jemma and Lizzy before closing the front door. Too late to back out now.
Dallas ushered us into the waiting limo and locked the doors once we were inside. She probably knew I was already thinking about making a run for it. She snuggled up to Dax, trying to regain her composure.
“So how much did Dallas have to pay you to take me to the prom?” I asked Andy quietly. He wasn’t exactly within our normal circle of friends at school. He was in a grade above us so if we didn’t work at Burger Nation together, we probably wouldn’t know one another.
Andy laughed. “I could have gotten paid? Man, I knew I should have held out for something.”
I swatted his arm playfully. “Thanks for coming.”
“You won’t say that after you see me dance.” He pretended to do the robot, dancing in his seat. It was adorable. If there was anyone besides Cole I needed that night, it was Andy. Whatever Dallas had done to convince him to put on a suit and come with us, I was grateful for it.
The Star Kissed Collection Page 13
