Chapter 63: Wedding dress

Well... I used to be good in school. I'm not anymore and my grades can attest to that. I'm going to have to fix that shit and fast, before I ruin my chance to go to college and get the hell out of here. I don't think I'll survive here the rest of my life.

"Hey, were you in the yard last night or yesterday at any point?" he asks.

"No. Why?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Some of my plants fell over. Must have been an animal or something," he tells me.

"It must have been," I agree with him, since I wasn't the one who broke his pots.

"Well, let me know when you're ready," she tells me a few minutes later. The spoon is halfway to my mouth when I stop it in mid-air.

"Ready to go where?" I ask with furrowed brows. Lately everything gets all mixed up for me and I don't know where my head is most of the time.

"We're supposed to go dress shopping today, silly," she says, and I groan inwardly.

I had completely forgotten. It's a few weeks before the wedding and I grimace at the thought of my future stepbrother. As much as I hate him, he brings up other feelings as well.

I don't know how Rayan will react when we are official stepbrothers. We already know it's going to happen, but I don't know how he'll react when it does. That's another thing to worry about. Will he calm down or will he go into torment. This situation could literally go either way. Trying to read him is impossible.

"Shit, is it today?" I ask, just to make sure.

"Yes. I've just been telling you every day this week," he says, rolling his eyes again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine. It's just that I've been a little worried this week. I totally forgot it was today," I tell her. "You stay here and I'll go change. I've already showered, so I won't be long."

"Okay, honey," she says as I get up from the chair and run upstairs to my room. I grab a simple yellow floral dress, throw on a sweater over it and pair it with white sneakers.

I pull my red hair back into a bun and look at myself in the mirror. I hate the way I look. I see the bulging belly and thick thighs. I hate everything about me. Before I let go and hate everything else too, I turn away from the mirror.

I take another Percocet. I want it to start kicking in so I can lose some weight. I think when that happens, I'll start to feel a little better. I take the pill with some water and go back downstairs. This pill will help me lose weight and, at the same time, give me the high I'm craving.

Mom is still in the kitchen, where I left her. I go in and tell her I'm ready to go. She gets up from her chair and we head out. I sit in the passenger seat, she sits in the driver's seat and off we go.

I hope we have a good day because I feel like I haven't had a good day in years. I forgot what it's like to laugh and have fun like a normal teenager. I forgot what it's like to exist without anyone messing with me.

We get to the dress store and I immediately realize it's overpriced. As soon as we walk in, the staff greets us like we are royalty. I laugh at the thought of us being royalty. But Mom is soon to marry royalty. The man is like a gazillionaire.

Maybe that's why Rayan walks like a jerk most of the time. His head is too full with all the money he has and the rest he will undoubtedly inherit.

I admire the inside of the store as we walk in. It's beautiful. It's an open space with rugs on the floor and there are lots of beautiful dresses hanging on the walls. In the center is a very comfortable sofa and chairs all around. The color scheme consists of browns and creams, gold lights and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

This place screams money and the dresses also seem to have a high price tag. We are the only ones here. I guess they've booked the whole place for mom to try on the dress.

One of the maids pulls out two glasses of champagne, hands one to Mom and then turns to me. I take mine and the lady leaves us alone.

"You're not twenty-one yet," Mom says looking at me.

"Come on, Mom! It's just one drink. Besides, what's the point of marrying a rich guy if I can't enjoy his perks?". I ask her, giving her my best puppy dog eyes.

The truth is, I'm already high and I try to act normal in front of my mother so she doesn't suspect I'm high. I'm thirsty and feel the nice cold champagne in my hands. Isn't it funny that I'm not old enough to drink yet, but I can buy drugs? But that's illegal, so it doesn't even matter.

"Fine! But just one," he tells me and I give him a big smile.

"You're awesome!" I tell him with a laugh.

"Stop sucking up to me and go sit down! I'm going to try on the dress," she tells me.

I take a seat and grab my cell phone. I flip through it as my mom walks into the fitting room to try on the dress. A second later, I get a text and pull my phone out of my purse to read it.

Noah: How are you feeling today?

Me: Better. I'm shopping for dresses with my mom. She's getting married soon :(

Noah : LOL. why the sad face, isn't that a good thing?

Me : Under normal circumstances it would be...but it's because of who she's getting married to that makes me sad :(

Noah : Oh this I have to hear ;)

Me : Rayan's father ....

Noah : Please tell me you're kidding me!

Me : I wish I was!

Noah : Is that why the guy was so possessive of you last night?

Me: Oh please, he's NOT possessive of me! The guy hates me for some reason and would rather see me die than be possessive of me.

Me: And again, I'm so sorry about last night!

Noah : It's okay, honey ;)

Me : How's your face?

Noah : It's fine. A kiss might make me feel better ;)

Me : LOL. I'm telling your girlfriend that you're being a pervert!

Noah : Damn, you hurt me, baby! But you forget she already knows you're the annoying little sister I never had ;).

Me: Gee, thanks, asshole !

I hear my mom's voice coming out of the dressing room, so I tell Noah I'll text him later, and he tells me to have fun with my mom.

"What do you think?" he asks me as I walk out into the open space. I literally stand there with my mouth open because she looks gorgeous.

She's wearing a strapless lace dress that looks amazing on her. It's full of crystals and rhinestones around her breasts and goes all the way down to her stomach. It is a floor length dress. I have no doubt that this dress is outrageously priced.