Page 17 of Saved By My Buyers

Dahlia doesn’t know anyone here, and school starts at the end of the summer. I need to make sure she doesn’t spend too much time alone.

Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I chew on my bottom lip as I text my friend group chat.

Me:

Hey, is anyone up for hanging out this week? I want to introduce someone to you guys.

The bubbles in the chat go crazy as Chad, Natalie, and Riley all begin to text back.

Chad:

I like new people as long as they’re nice. Are they?

Natalie:

It’s so hot out, want to go to the indoor bounce house and be ridiculous?

Riley:

I’m in, Nat. Wednesday afternoon? Who are we meeting? How was the wedding?

I love my friends. Even though we’ve been attending private school our entire lives, we’re not stuck up. My dad has money, I just get to enjoy it.

Me:

The wedding was alright, I had more fun during the reception afterward. My stepsister is really sweet.

Chad:

How sweet?

Rolling my eyes, I begin to get undressed. My jeans and cute blouse are too much for a day of movies in bed. Frowning at my pajamas, I decide to pick out a pair of shorts and tank-top with clouds all over it.

Daddy stopped buying clothes for me ages ago, so I shop with friends or order online now.

I love rainbows and cute pajamas, but I’m the only one who sees them. When I go to sleepovers, I have a satin sleep set I wear because it’s difficult to find fault with it. Not that my closest friends give a shit about that, there are just times where I have to bite the bullet and spend time with classmates I thoroughly dislike.

Blowing out a breath, I gaze at myself in the mirror as I arrange my boobs in the shelf bra my top provides. When I turned thirteen, I thought I’d either had an alien invasion growing on my body, or that it was cancer.

Mom had died the year before from breast cancer, and I had no idea what was happening to me. The puberty conversation never happened for me, but Daddy had a hell of a time explaining it all to me.

It was really awkward. I did get my period when I was twelve, and I did a little research on what was happening. It was the week of the funeral. I quietly had sanitary pads delivered to me, figured it out, and kept going.

Growing breasts though? I thought I was dying. I honestly ran crying to my father to tell him I was going to die and I had cancer. I feel bad now that I think back on it, because he looked terrified for a moment.

Nope, just puberty hitting hard.

Deciding I’ve given Dahlia long enough, I walk into the bathroom and quickly reactivate my curls with a little spritz of water, ensuring they’re bouncy and pretty. Then, I also brush my teeth, because fresh breath is my friend. If I teased her about it, I should definitely follow my own advice.

Grabbing the little projector to play movies over the blank wall in her room, I load up a little box with that, my laptop, and snacks. Given that I know she gets lost easily, I’ll bring reinforcements just in case.

As I pick up my phone to toss it in too, I blush as I see the messages blowing up the group. I got a little distracted and forgot to check it earlier.

Chad:

BRONNIEEEEEEEE!!!

Ugh, I think I prefer Bee to this. Looking through the messages, I giggle as I read them all.

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