Eight
PEARL
I look in my closet and try to find something to wear. I want to get Colton's attention. I know with his relationship with my dad that I’ll have to try hard to convince him. He and my dad have been friends forever. They’re like brothers.
I asked my mom for pictures of Colton with my dad when they were younger; he’s still as handsome today as he was then.
Maybe a bit smaller, and his face had no age, but he was still handsome.
He was the best man at my dad’s wedding; there are even pictures of me from when I was a baby in his arms. I curl my hand over my stomach as the butterflies fly.
The thought of Colton being a dad makes me warm.
The idea that I could have his babies makes me hot.
I look at the picture of Colton on his Harley Davidson and put away the book.
I don't think my mom will notice. I place the photo under my pillow, then go to sleep.
I pull a sparkly red dress from my closet and set it down on my bed.
The dress is long and matches my hair. It also has yellow sparkles all over it, with a split going down the skirt.
The v-neck is low but not so low I’ll get horrifying looks from teachers.
I put on the red feathered mask I bought at the store a few weeks ago.
It covers the upper half of my face, leaving just the bottom of my cheeks and mouth.
I place some eyeliner and red lipstick on, then put the mask over it.
I walk downstairs to put my shoes on and run into my parents. Dad’s wearing a black suit and a Phantom of the Opera style mask. My mom wears a dark green dress and a matching mask against her face with a stick she holds instead of elastic.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” says my mom. I bend down so she can place a kiss on top of my head. It was either that or my hand, and even though we've joked about it a few times, it's not as personal as the head. She has been doing it to me since I was a little girl.
“Thanks, Mom. You look nice, too, “ I reply.
“Hey, how about me?” my dad asks, and Mom and I both laugh at the little pout that he does. Acting like a kicked puppy.
“You look wonderful, babe,” my mom says, giving him a kiss, then dad puts her coat on.
My parents are so in love. They always have been.
I catch my parents sneaking looks at each other all the time, and I want a love like that.
I can see it in Colton's eyes that he’d be like that.
During dinner, he looked at me like he wanted me.
But I could see the guilt, too. He knew that he shouldn’t.
Dad said he and mom were high school sweethearts and were in love the moment they saw each other in the cafeteria.
Although mom is less willing to admit it.
Dad said mom played hard to get for a while, but after the first date, she was his.
I love hearing their love story. It's so romantic.
Most kids I know don't want to admit that their parents are a thing, let alone in love.
I think back to a conversation I had with Cassie and her predicament.
Her story might go very differently than my parents' love story. I hope she’ll be okay.
She said she couldn't make it to the party.
She's got a test that’s kicking her ass, but part of me thinks she just wants to spend time with Dax.
Who knows? Maybe she wants to tell him how she feels.
I know Colton. We might not have spent much time together, but I know how he is. Even other people, and my parents, say he’s loving, caring, and intelligent. Not to mention hot as fuck. Some say glasses make a guy look nerdy, but it adds to Colton’s good looks.
I pull on my jacket, and we walk out of the house to the car.
I have my own car, but I decided to drive with my parents—just in case I went home with Colton.
I don't want to leave my car at the school. I know it’s presumptuous of me to think I’d go home with him, but I want to make an impression.
We have a three-week-old relationship under the illusion that we’re different people.
As everyone puts their masks on tonight, I’m determined to take ours off.