Page 122 of The Lucky One

“It’s perfect, Danielle.” I sniffled, no idea why I was suddenly so emotional. “I can’t believe it’s prom already.”

“Oh, Emi.” Danielle patted me on the shoulder. “It’s okay. I know going shopping with you is never just about the clothing.”

A laugh escaped my lips as I recalled the Halloween costume debacle. Danielle passed me the dress and returned to her own search.

But prom was marking the beginning of the end... Ugh, I didn’t want it to be the end yet!

Feeling someone’s gaze on me, I glanced to the side and caught the eyes of a curvy woman standing behind a rack. My skin tingled. Her smile seemed oddly calculated, as if she’d been waiting for me to notice her. I clenched my teeth when she stepped out.

Marna.

I strode toward her, the dress clutched tight in my arms. “What do you want?” I snapped, stopping five feet away.

“Wow, you sound like Paul now... or maybe Jon? I think he’s your current flavor of the month. Or did it change again?” She sniggered.

“What do you want?” I repeated. “Obviously you’re not here for prom dress shopping.”

She shrugged. “Who says I can’t have a look at dresses?” Her eyes bore into the dress over my arm. “Yours doesn’t exactly scream prom either, but I don’t see a ring on your finger. A bit desperate, don’t you think?”

I pressed my teeth together. She was trying for the oldest trick in the book. But that didn’t mean it didn’t work. “Bye, Marna.”

Turning to leave, her voice snagged me back like a lasso around my neck. “I want you to deliver a warning to Jon,” she growled. “He was supposed to meet me a few hours ago. He hadn’t shown or replied to my messages, and I’m not as patient as I used to be.”

I slowly turned back around, my heart beating in my throat. “J-Jon is in contact with you?” My voice shook like an earthquake.

“Yes,” she crowed, making my worst nightmare come true. Jon was talking to them again...

He wasn’t sober anymore. He...

The oxygen was sucked out of my lungs. I gripped the nearest clothing rack. He had relapsed; he had given up—

Everything went dark.

This is all my fault...

“She’s okay, girls,” a woman’s voice echoed in my ears, pulling me reluctantly back to consciousness.

“Emily!”

As my vision cleared, I found Kiki, Danielle and Natalia hovering over me. With effort, I propped myself up on an elbow. “Where am I?” I said, taking in the doctor’s bench and the machines surrounding me.

“You’re at my mom’s office,” Kiki said, concern lacing her words. I scanned the room again. There, next to Kiki, was her mother, offering me a kind smile.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You passed out,” Dr. Chanakit said. “But I checked all your vitals, and it’s most likely stress.”

“A panic attack,” Kiki clarified.

“I’ll leave you girls alone for a bit. Take as much time as you need,” Dr. Chanakit said, planting a kiss on Kiki’s cheek before exiting the examination room. The sight of their closeness tugged at my heart, intensifying my longing for my own mother.

“I don’t understand...” I said.

“You don’t remember? We were dress shopping,” Danielle said, triggering a flood of memories.

Marna had found me, delivered a warning.

My breath grew short again.

---