Page 111 of Giving In

I look back in the box and of course, there are matching gold heels to wear with the gown. He thought of everything.

My stomach fills up with butterflies and I hurry to my phone to text thank you. As I send it, my phone lights up with Emily’s name.

“Are you already finished?” I ask as I pick up.

“Yup, leaving Luke’s now. Can I pick you up?”

“Sure, I’ll take a shower at yours.”

Emily refused to pre-game with Luke so she could get ready with me and everything just seems to go so well that I’m actually looking forward to this ball.

???

After three hours of getting ready, Emily and I are looking at each other in her bedroom mirror. She’s wearing a tight light pink gown that hugs her full breasts and bum tightly and when I stare back at my B-cup, I let a sigh out.

“Trust me, I’d give anything for mine to be smaller,” she says.

“Give me a bit?”

She laughs and we go back to observing ourselves. Emily’s hairdresser put my long chocolate hair in a high ponytail wrapped with a golden bow, so the back of my dress is visible, or lack thereof. Two wavy strands frame my face and the gold make up makes my green eyes pop.

I feel...beautiful. I feel like Nathan knows me by heart. The dress fits perfectly, the length is not too long with the heels on and I know he had to have it tailored because of my height. Most of all, he chose a high neckline and long sleeves, knowing perfectly I wouldn’t be comfortable wearing anything that shows my scar. And that means the world to me.

Emily walks behind me, and she takes a few selfies of both of us.

“Your label is out, baby girl,” she says as she grabs it on the small of my back. “His and Hers,” she squeaks. “How did you get that?!”

I chuckle at her shock.

“Do you know how long I’ve been begging my mom to get me a dress from this shop,” she adds.

“Nathan got it for me.”

Her mouth falls open. “Are you joking? Okay, I’m officially super jealous of this boyfriend of yours. Not only is he a hottie but he also gets you luxury dresses that fit you perfectly.”

“You don’t know he’s a hottie. You’ve never seen him.”

“Please,” she scoffs, “I’m the social media queen. Come on. That body...the bun, theeyes.Phew!” She takes her phone out and brings up Nathan’s Instagram page. “By the way, this is cute a.f.”

She scrolls through and stops at a picture of him and me lying down on his sofa. I’m lying face down on him, looking at the camera while he’s looking down at me and, boy, the way he’s looking at me. We haven’t talked about love at all, but his eyes…there’s no mistaking it when you see it.

He’s topless in the picture, with his tattoos on display, his ripped abs tensed under my body. I look so tiny this close to him that I can’t help a chuckle. My eyes go down to the caption, ‘Bellissima’.

“Do you follow him already?”

“I do, but he was a hard one to find. Private Insta, no profile picture. It took me all afternoon, but you know nothing escapes my stalking skills.”

I can’t help a laugh, it’s just perfectly true.

“Can you screenshot this and send it to me please?” I ask.

“Yes, miss no social media.”

I roll my eyes at her. I went off social media after Aaron’s death. I couldn’t stand strangers asking me about it, sending me unwelcomed messages. I never went back.

The bell to Emily’s mansion rings around the house and she looks at me excited.

“Ready?” she asks.

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