“I’ll try it on,” I agreed, carrying it into the dressing room. I stripped out of my jeans and shirt, and my bra. Lifting the dress carefully over my head, I let it shimmy down over my body and over my hips.
Wow. I stared at my refection in the mirror. This dress was stunning. I pushed open the door and called out for Kass.
“Holy shit, I hope you’re getting that dress,” she gasped, covering her mouth. “You look fucking amazing. You’re making me second guess my dress.”
I looked back at myself, tilting my head. It was perfect, but it was also expensive. When Layna gave me her credit card for a dress, I was pretty sure she didn’t have this budget in mind. Still, I had a lot of savings put away. And I hadn’t brought myself anything in a long time...
Okay. I was sold. All I could think was wait until Dalton sees me in this dress, even if it was a few days after the dance.
***
After we finished shopping, Kass dropped me back at home. Getting out of the house had brightened my mood; it had been exactly what I’d needed. I went upstairs to hang up my dress. The door downstairs shut and I raced back down, hoping it was Layna. I was so anxious for news on the hearing. Dalton hadn’t texted or called me, and that made me nervous.
Layna stood in the hallway. I watched as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the coat rack, searching her face for any indication of what might have happened. Nothing. She looked up and saw me. A smile. A smile was good, right?
“How did it go?” I asked, my stomach in knots.
“Well,” she smiled again. “He will be discharged from Tennerson’s, but because you are not willing to make a complaint, we concluded that nothing could be proven, so this won’t be on his record.”
Yes! I ran up and wrapped my arms around her.
“Am I correct in that you won’t be making a complaint?” she smirked.
I snorted and glowered at her. Funny. “Does he know?” I asked.
She nodded. “I just called him before I got in.”
She’d barely finished speaking and I was back up the stairs, slamming the door to my room shut. I grabbed my phone and dialed his number.
“So you heard,” he answered.
I threw myself on the bed and closed my eyes, focusing on his voice. I could almost imagine he was beside me, lying next to me. Touching me.
“I’m not going to lose my career.”
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” I grinned into the phone. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me either. Come up to the city after graduation. Come stay with me.”
“And your mom?” I piped up, cringing at the thought. I could only imagine what she thought of me. I was the girl who had stolen her little boy’s heart.
“Mom can’t wait to meet you, Wrenn,” he chuckled. “Do you know how long she’s been waiting for me to bring a girl home? I think secretly she always wanted a daughter.”
“Even a student?” I joked feebly. “Okay. I’ll come,” I decided. At the very least, talking to his mom was probably what I needed to do most to make a decision on what I wanted.
“Good. I’m sorry I can’t be there to see you tomorrow,” he said, the disappointment in his voice obvious.
My mood dropped as I thought about how hard the next day was going to be. I’d have Layna and Dan there, but my graduation was one of those things I’d expected to share with my parents and my brother. Not having Dalton there to see me graduate was just another blow.
“Don’t worry, Layna will take plenty of photos.”
“Good. I guess I’ll see you soon,” he said, his tone soft.
“Can’t wait,” I smiled.
***
Kass was over at nine in the morning to help me get ready. Personally, I didn’t see the point in getting up so damn early when we didn’t need to be at the auditorium until twelve, but I gave in. Who was I to spoil the sudden urge she’d developed to be all girly together?
“Are you going down tonight to see him?” she asked, running the straightener through her hair.
I nodded. At first I was going to stay \, then drive down the next day, go out for dinner with Layna and Dan and celebrate my graduation. Then I had the realization that the only person who I wanted to celebrate with wasn’t here.
He was the only person I really cared about sharing anything with. And what’s more, it hit me that I hadn’t had a single nightmare about the accident since the day we met.
It was at that moment I knew that no matter what, I couldn’t give him up. You can’t choose who you fall in love with, all you can do is be damn thankful you’ve found someone who understands you.
Nobody understood me like he did.
***
I sat in my chair in my gown and my cap, waiting for my name to be called.