not. If he truly cared about those birthdays he would have made an effort back then. Instead, I went without presents those years, getting nothing more than a piece of toast or whatever else I could find around the house. And where was my mother? Locked away in her room, stuck in her own personal hell of depression and hatred for my existence.
The strapless navy blue satin gown feels so different than the sweatpants I’m accustomed to wearing on my typical Friday nights. Trudy was right, though. It is the perfect dress for me. Silver ivy-like embellishments crawl across the skirt, wrapping around the cinched waist before crossing in front of my bodice. And as an added bonus, it’s unnecessary for me to wear a strapless bra due to the cinching of the bust. At least I won’t embarrass myself by trying to discretely adjust and readjust a stupid bra all night.
I slip on the silver strappy heels, picked out again by Trudy, that have a buckle at the ankle. I feel like Cinderella for once in my life instead of like one of the ugly stepsisters. It’s not often I play dress up like this and I’ve never put this much effort into it before. Usually, I’d borrow a dress from Kara or find one at a secondhand thrift shop that still looked decent to wear in public. But this gown makes me feel special, beautiful even. An illusion of elegance, even if it’s all just pretend.
Right on time, there’s a knock on my door. I smile, swiping my finger under my bottom lip to get rid of a lipstick smudge before making my way to the front. All I can hope for tonight is that I don’t fall flat on my face in these heels. It’s going to take some effort to remember to pick up the front of the dress so I don’t trip on that either. I’m not exactly what you would call ladylike if you haven’t noticed. Feminine, yes. Sophisticated, no.
When I open the door, I’m greeted to a very regal looking Michael, who is boasting a rather large smile. His eyes take me in as he twirls me around, holding my hand above my head to take in the full package.
“My God Tessa, you are stunning. No, that’s not the right word. Breathtaking. Or stunningly breathtaking. Even better.”
I flush at his compliment and push against his chest. I’m not surprised by the hardness I find beneath the shirt. A man looking the way he does knows how to take care of his body. And my guess is he puts as much detail into everything else in his life too. I like him in his suits, but he’s gorgeous in his tux. Very classy and elegant and way out of my league. At least I can appreciate him as a friend without it getting weird.
“You’re crazy but thank you. You look very stunningly breathtaking yourself.”
“Hey, I only speak the truth.” Michael’s beautiful brown eyes shine, showing me how excited he is to be here with me.
“I can’t thank you enough for offering to take me tonight. I just hope it’ll be worth your while and not too boring.”
He gives me a dimpled smile. “Boring? With you? Never. We’re going to cut a rug and rub elbows with the snobs of high society. It’s going to be fun. Besides, we wouldn’t want to disappoint the Assistant Attorney General by not showing up.”
I cringe internally when he brings up my father’s official title. I could care less about titles or material things. To me, he’s just Robert Martin, my sometimes father when it’s convenient for him. Maybe someday that will change, but for now it is what it is.
Grabbing my clutch from the counter, I turn and link my arm through Michael’s as we exit, pausing to allow me to lock up my apartment.
When we reach the sidewalk, I stop mid-stride. Not because of the chill in the evening air or the blowing of a soft breeze. It’s due to the large stretch limo that’s parked next to the curb. I turn my head to face Michael, who’s grinning from ear to ear.
“You rented a limo for tonight?” I whisper, my voice unsteady.
“I did. I figured we may as well arrive in style
The strapless navy blue satin gown feels so different than the sweatpants I’m accustomed to wearing on my typical Friday nights. Trudy was right, though. It is the perfect dress for me. Silver ivy-like embellishments crawl across the skirt, wrapping around the cinched waist before crossing in front of my bodice. And as an added bonus, it’s unnecessary for me to wear a strapless bra due to the cinching of the bust. At least I won’t embarrass myself by trying to discretely adjust and readjust a stupid bra all night.
I slip on the silver strappy heels, picked out again by Trudy, that have a buckle at the ankle. I feel like Cinderella for once in my life instead of like one of the ugly stepsisters. It’s not often I play dress up like this and I’ve never put this much effort into it before. Usually, I’d borrow a dress from Kara or find one at a secondhand thrift shop that still looked decent to wear in public. But this gown makes me feel special, beautiful even. An illusion of elegance, even if it’s all just pretend.
Right on time, there’s a knock on my door. I smile, swiping my finger under my bottom lip to get rid of a lipstick smudge before making my way to the front. All I can hope for tonight is that I don’t fall flat on my face in these heels. It’s going to take some effort to remember to pick up the front of the dress so I don’t trip on that either. I’m not exactly what you would call ladylike if you haven’t noticed. Feminine, yes. Sophisticated, no.
When I open the door, I’m greeted to a very regal looking Michael, who is boasting a rather large smile. His eyes take me in as he twirls me around, holding my hand above my head to take in the full package.
“My God Tessa, you are stunning. No, that’s not the right word. Breathtaking. Or stunningly breathtaking. Even better.”
I flush at his compliment and push against his chest. I’m not surprised by the hardness I find beneath the shirt. A man looking the way he does knows how to take care of his body. And my guess is he puts as much detail into everything else in his life too. I like him in his suits, but he’s gorgeous in his tux. Very classy and elegant and way out of my league. At least I can appreciate him as a friend without it getting weird.
“You’re crazy but thank you. You look very stunningly breathtaking yourself.”
“Hey, I only speak the truth.” Michael’s beautiful brown eyes shine, showing me how excited he is to be here with me.
“I can’t thank you enough for offering to take me tonight. I just hope it’ll be worth your while and not too boring.”
He gives me a dimpled smile. “Boring? With you? Never. We’re going to cut a rug and rub elbows with the snobs of high society. It’s going to be fun. Besides, we wouldn’t want to disappoint the Assistant Attorney General by not showing up.”
I cringe internally when he brings up my father’s official title. I could care less about titles or material things. To me, he’s just Robert Martin, my sometimes father when it’s convenient for him. Maybe someday that will change, but for now it is what it is.
Grabbing my clutch from the counter, I turn and link my arm through Michael’s as we exit, pausing to allow me to lock up my apartment.
When we reach the sidewalk, I stop mid-stride. Not because of the chill in the evening air or the blowing of a soft breeze. It’s due to the large stretch limo that’s parked next to the curb. I turn my head to face Michael, who’s grinning from ear to ear.
“You rented a limo for tonight?” I whisper, my voice unsteady.
“I did. I figured we may as well arrive in style
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