Page 114 of Dare To Break

She lifts her glass of juice, just to stop at her pink-coated lips. “Well, you need to decide.”

Homesickness is a sharp pain in my chest as I recall Halloween the year before. “Last year, me and Amanda cut holes out of white sheets and went trick or treating as ghosts.”

I haven’t heard from her in two weeks. I wonder what she’s doing. Maybe she’s forgotten me? What’s that saying? Out of sight, out of mind.

She’s moving on. What did I expect? That we’d be best friends forever like in all the movies we used to watch? That one day we’d live on the same street, and our kids would be friends just like we were. Maybe it’s time to let go of childish dreams. Holding onto them is only going to get my heart crushed, and I’m not sure how much of it I have left to spare.

Lacy gives a little laugh. “Cute, if you’re a dork.”

My smile fades at her reaction, and inadequacy squeezes my chest. “I can put something together out of my wardrobe.”

Lacy sighs. “You are not going to my party in sweats and a hoodie.”

“Technically, it’s the school’s party, cupcake,” Brad reminds her before taking a bite out of his piece of toast.

She rolls her eyes at her boyfriend and pouts. “Babe, I did all the work. That makes it mine.”

“I have to agree with Lacy, though. You need an outfit.” Jace speaks up from my right. “Everyone is going to have one. There’s a place in town that sells them.”

I fiddle with the four-leaf clover charm on my bracelet. “I don’t have a car.”

“That’s fine. We need to go into town. You can come with us.” Lacy fixes her gaze on me, her mouth curving in a bright smile. “At least I’ll be able to supervise what you buy.”

***

“Here. Try this on.” An arm appears around the changing room door clutching a white outfit.

I take it from Lacy’s hand and hold it up against myself. “Isn’t it a little short?”

“That’s the whole point.”

“Maybe I could try something a little longer.”

Lacy groans. “Do you want to go as a nun? Trust me, sexy suits you better.”

I turn my back to the mirror, strip down to my underwear and squeeze into the outfit. It clings to every curve. The layered mesh skirt of the white thigh-high dress floats around me as I move. Tugging at the bust line, my breasts are practically spilling out, framed by the silver embroidery.

I chew on my lip, and inspect my reflection. “It shows too much cleavage.”

“It’s supposed to be like that,” Lacy replies from the other side of the door.

“I’m not sure about this.”

“You’ll fit right in. Look, it even comes with a matching white thong!” Her hand appears again, this time holding a scrap of material and a pair of white wings.

I take them, leave the thong on the narrow bench, and carefully feed my arms through the elastic straps of the wings. The feathers are long and white, soft to the touch. Turning to the side, I admire them in the mirror.

“Don’t leave us hanging, Arabella,” Jace calls. “We want to see.”

My stomach flutters with nerves. Counting to ten in my head, I grab onto my courage and open the door. Lacy, Brad, Evan, and Jace are all waiting for me on the other side.

Jace whistles. “Wow.”

Brad flicks the end of one of my wings. “I like your wings. You make the perfect angel.”

“She does, doesn’t she?” Lacy’s eyes crawl over me. “With that blonde hair and her pale complexion, she can’t go as anything else.”

“Miles is going to be one happy man when you’re on your knees for him in that outfit.” Evan grins. “I’d do you.”

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