Beautifully Broken Page 17

  “Oh, no, Mrs. Harris,” Jenny giggles from the backseat. “It’s Jenny. Only my mother called me Jennifer and that’s when I was in trouble.”

  Both women giggle. I roll my eyes and search Pinterest for a dress style I don’t hate. It’s a hard task because I don’t wear dresses anymore, not since moving back across the tracks with bio-mom Monica. Why? For starters my ass was grabbed in passing anytime I wasn’t in my room. It was gross enough with a layer of pants between their hands and my skin. I shiver just thinking about what it would be like in a dress. Also, crashing on the bus at night in a skirt or dress would be asking for trouble. So, pants it was. This year, living with the Harris’ again I’ve allowed myself to wear our school skirts, but haven’t ventured back into dresses.

  “Well, Jenny,” Mamma T says. “Call me Mamma T. The only time anyone calls me Mrs. Harris is when one of my kids have done something wrong.”

  “Alright then. Mamma T it is.” I can practically hear Jenny’s smile. It’s infuriating. Like seriously, who is this happy all the time? This act has to be as fake as her bleach blonde hair. I don’t get it; Rex doesn’t hang out with girls like her at our school. In fact, half the time he seems irritated to be around all the plastic trust fund kids. So why her? What about her sucked him in and earned the best friend title? What am I missing?

  “Now, don’t worry about a cent, Jenny. I’m buying.” Mamma T turns down Highway 60. Ten more minutes and we’ll be at the mall. Ten more minutes and this part of the prom fiasco will be that much closer to over.

  “Definitely not!” Jenny exclaims. “Rex promised me a no limits shopping trip and I’m going to find the most expensive shit I can.” She giggles. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been spoiled like this and he knows damn well I’m gonna take full advantage of it.”

  “Do you even want to go to prom with Cooper or was this just some ploy to get Rex’s money?” I wanted to like Jenny. I really did. Despite my hesitations and inability to separate her from the girls at school, I wanted to find what drew Rex to her. She is after all the only friend he’s ever mentioned, but I can’t play nice if she’s a gold digger.

  “Piper!” Mamma T scolds.

  Jenny giggles again. Who laughs this much? “Not in the least. This is my birthday-slash-graduation present. Don’t worry, knowing Rexy-Roo he’s got something major planned for you. This shopping trip is going to look like a grain of sand compared to what he’s cooking up.”

  I don’t want anything from Rex for graduation. Not his money, his gifts, or his time. The best present he could give me would be for him to find someone else. Our time is up. On Monday Gerald gets released. This is our last weekend together and I think that’s part of why I’m so bitter. I don’t want to run, but I don’t have any other options.

  Mamma T pulls into a front row parking space. I jump out of the car, ready to put as much space between Jenny and I as possible. I don’t know if I can do this. Stuck all day and night with a fake gold-digging bitch who is using my boyfriend for his money. I need to keep my earbuds in and my mouth shut to avoid unnecessary drama. I’d never expect Rex to choose me over her and I don’t want to give Jenny a reason to make him choose this weekend. I hurry to the front entrance and sit on the bench. I’ve never seen Mamma T like this, all giggly and school-girl like. If I’m going to endure a whole day of shopping and prepping, I need a minute’s peace.

  “This is your mall?” Jenny asks staring at the mostly empty stores around us once inside. “It’s pathetic.”

  “Afraid so,” Mamma T says nodding her head. “Unless you want to drive two hours down to West Palm, but we won’t make it back in time for our salon appointments if we do that.”

  Jenny reads the mall’s directory board and grimaces. “I’d rather do my own hair than settle for whatever’s inside the crappy stores that are left here.”

  “Let’s do it,” Mamma T says fishing her keys out of her purse again. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and we can snag a few walk-in appointments down there.”

  Two more hours each way, plus Lord knows how many hours of shopping? Our mall has maybe twenty stores, but only five that would have dresses. That one down there has at least forty in it with prom dresses. This could take all day! I groan. “Seriously? A dress is a dress. Does it really matter where we get it from?”

  Jenny gasps. Perfect, manicured nails cover her heart. This girl could win an Oscar for her goody-two-shoes, southern-belle act. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Piper. We cannot just get some dinosaur dress. This is your senior prom and mine for that matter.”

  Bitch doesn’t care about prom; she just wants to spend as much money as she can. I cross my arms. “It’s not like it’s your school. What does it matter what you wear?”

  “Well it’s yours, and while you might not care about this night, I care about it because Rex does. Which means you should too. He’s doing everything he can to make tonight perfect because he likes you.” She pokes my shoulder. “Rex doesn’t like damn near anyone. So suck it up buttercup. We’re going to West Palm.”

  Hours. It’s been hours and Jenny still hasn’t found a dress. Neither have I, but that’s not the point. I will pick any damn thing off the rack. The reason I haven’t yet, I don’t want to carry it from store to store while Jenny takes her sweet time choosing. And while Mamma T isn’t going to prom with us, she has somehow picked out a fancy dress and shoes to match it for herself. Why? No freaking clue, but it’s her money not mine.

  “I’ve finally found it!” Jenny squeals. She’s holding a floor length, navy blue dress, so dark it almost looks black. The neckline plunges low to a rhinestone waistband, and the back is a mesh material with a line of buttons going from the top down to where her ass would be. As a whole, it’s a nice dress.

  “Are you gonna try it on?” I ask, my eyes on a rack of gowns in front of me. I run my fingers over the hangers looking for a long one in a color I don’t hate. This might be harder than I thought.

  Jenny holds the dress out. “Oh, this isn’t for me. It’s for you. I found mine five stores ago.”

  My jaw drops. That sneaky bitch tricked me. “But I thought—”

  She grins. “I know, but I wasn’t about to let you show up to prom in just anything. Here.” She rattles the hanger, sending a wave through the fabric. “Try it on. This should be your size, but I want to see how it falls on you. Although, with your curves I’m sure it’ll look great. Not to mention, the back will show off your killer sparrow tattoo.”

  How does she know I have a tattoo? My mind’s fogging. This whole time I thought Jenny was being a snooty bitch, searching for the perfect dress to wear at a prom that isn’t even hers, and all this time it was for me. What else was I wrong about? “Um, okay.”

  I take the gown into the dressing room and slip it on. It has built in pads, so I don’t need my bra, which is nice. I smooth my hands over the fabric, admiring how the material looks black in some angles and blue in others. I was wrong, the silver rhinestones don’t fall at the waist, but at the bra line. The front dip isn’t nearly as dramatic as I expected but is still revealing. My boobs look great in it, so does my ass, but I don’t like seeing my panty lines. This is definitely a dress to go commando in. I hate to admit it, but the damn thing looks amazing.

  “Do we get to see?” Mamma T calls. I can hear the excitement in her voice.

  My hand shakes against the doorknob. I don’t know why I’m nervous. It’s just Mamma T out there and Jenny. Jenny who I clearly misjudged. I open the door slowly, but once I step out, they both gasp, Mamma T’s hands covering her mouth. “Piper, honey,” she says, a tear running down her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

  “Here.” Jenny hands me a strappy silver pair of heels. “Try these on. They’ll go great.”

  I kick off my boots and slip the three-inch stilettos on and stumble my way to the mirror. The shoes are sexy, but deadly. “I’m gonna break my neck in these.”

  “Hmmm. Okay, be right back.” Jenny disappears to t
he shoe section of the store and returns with two other silver heels to try on. One a chunky shoe, the other a lower but still skinny heel. Both look like they’ll sprain my ankle. I nix all heels and go with a silver pair of ballet flats. Pretty and practical.

  “Well, “Jenny says with an amused look on her face. “If you’re not going to wear heels at the dance, you at least need to wear them at the hotel. Pack them in your overnight bag with some killer lingerie. Do you have any? If not, I saw a huge Victoria’s Secret near where we parked.”

  Mamma T’s eyes bulge out her head. I’d laugh, if this wasn’t such an awkward situation. Jenny, however, does laugh. The girl’s like a freaking bobble head doll. Only instead of bobbling, she’s giggling. “What? It’s a well-known fact that everyone has sex at prom. Better to go into the night prepared than end up pregnant because you weren’t ready."

  28

  Piper

  Jenny squeezes my arm, her gaze locked onto the boys who have yet to notice us. She leans closer, whispering, “Isn’t he dreamy?”

  I’m not sure which man she’s talking about, Cooper or Rex, because they both look good. But Rex looks like he walked out of an Armani catalogue. He’s wearing black dress pants, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a black tie. No jacket. Hair lightly gelled and styled to perfection. I smile, my insides melting because he is beautiful. I’m gonna miss him.

  Jenny links her arm through mine and we cross the living room to the kitchen. Needles travel up my flesh, they’re not as bad as they usually are but they’re still uncomfortable. I fight the urge to flinch away because I don’t want to offend her. Jenny’s not at all what I thought she was. While she curled and pinned my hair into place, she told me what’s been going on in her life. Like me, she’s a poor kid on a scholarship, unwanted in a school full of rich bitches. The only difference, she used to be rich, which kind of makes her worse off than me. I never had friends in school. All but one of Jenny’s abandoned her, ridicule and torment her. I fully understand why she didn’t want to go to her own senior prom.

  Rex holds his hand out for me, the corners of his lips lifting as his eyes trail over my body. I take it, letting him spin me once before pulling me into his chest. Both arms wrap around my waist the moment his lips meet mine sending fireworks ablaze. The kiss is quick, not even coming close to satisfying the ache burning through me.

  “Who is this model, and where did my Piper go?” he whispers in my ear, fingers tracing small circles on my lower back. I giggle and shrug. I dip my head, resting it against his shoulder, cheeks burning with embarrassment. “I love your hair.” He fingers one of the long barrel curls. “Especially the blue tips. It matches your dress.”

  “That was Jenny’s idea. She has some magic powers when it comes to hair.”

  “What was my idea?” Jenny asks coming closer with Cooper. They make a cute couple. Jenny’s dress, a pink sequined halter with matching knee length feathers, pairs perfectly with Cooper’s tie. They stand close to each other, but not touching. Not yet at least.

  I rest my cheek on Rex’s soft shirt so I can see them better. He smells like heaven. I’ll probably spend the rest of my life sniffing fragrances in department stores searching for the cologne Rex wears. This sucks! I don’t want to leave you! “The blue and the curls and well, everything.”

  Jenny giggles. “Glad I finally won you over.”

  “You two didn’t like each other?” Rex asks, a hint of concern in his tone.

  Jenny shrugs then leans into Cooper. “She thought I was a gold-digging bitch. We’re good now.”

  “Alright kids,” Mamma T says coming into the kitchen taping the screen of her phone. “I need a million pictures to document this night.”

  “Mooom,” Cooper complains. “Seriously? You get one and that’s it.”

  Mamma T dismisses him and starts snapping candids. After posing us each separately, as couples, and then as a group, she’s finally satisfied. She sends a group text with the best of each of us in it and then disappears in the house, probably figuring out which ones to upload to her Facebook profile.

  I walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water while everyone talks about the photos, waiting for the limo to arrive. My heart’s in my throat. There’s so much riding on tonight—it’s our last weekend together, my first school dance, the night could lose my virginity—I think I need something stronger than water.

  Logan sneaks up behind me and whispers, “You look beautiful.”

  I turn and throw my arms around him because I think I’m starting to become that person—a hugger. Sure I still get the needle pricks down my spine, but the strangling feeling of my lungs about to explode isn’t there anymore. It’s a little uncomfortable, but the discomfort is manageable and almost enjoyable. Also, I know how hard tonight is for him.

  Logan freezes, but soon wraps his arms around me. We pull away after a second and stare at each other. There's a dark cloud brewing behind his eyes. Everyone thinks he’s not going to prom out of rebellion, but I know the truth.

  “You can still come,” I tell him because it’s true. Rex ordered a Hummer limousine, completely over the top for just the four of us.

  Logan shakes his head. “A promise is a promise.”

  I squeeze his shoulder and give him an I’m-sorry-smile because I don’t know what else to do. Logan’s misery is his own fault. I’ve never lost someone the way he did, so I don’t even know what to say.“

  You look like you’re ready for a funeral,” Cooper says clapping his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

  Logan forces a smile that almost looks genuine. I feel bad for him, wondering how much of his high school persona is nothing more than a tough guy act. If I hadn’t just witnessed this vulnerable moment, I would never have known he was suffering. “Maybe, but at least I’m not dressed for one.” Logan then pauses to look at his brother some more. “Actually, you look like a waiter in that shit. Fetch me a drink.”

  I leave them to their brotherly burns because growing up this used to last for hours. Besides, maybe Cooper will see through Logan’s tough guy act and offer up some advice. As conceited as it sounds, he lost me. He went through a similar pain and might know what to say. My phone dings again. I grab it off the counter and glance at the screen.

  Bane: It’s time.

  “Time for what?” Rex asks sneaking up behind me.

  I jump, my heart racing a mile a minute. “For me to get ready. Bane was supposed to remind me hours ago. I guess he just remembered.”

  It’s a lie, but I can’t leave. Not now, besides I’m supposed to have the weekend. I won’t let Bane take what time I have left. And Jenny is right, prom is important to Rex. He deserves this night and frankly, I want it. I want one high school memory that’s actually worth remembering. Tomorrow I’ll think about Gerald. Tomorrow I’ll run. But tonight’s about us and I’m not gonna let anything ruin it.

  I’m pretty sure most schools decorate their gymnasiums for dances. I mean, why not. They have the empty space, and it’s a good way to save money. Not to mention nearly every movie and TV show I can think of (which at the moment is only Glee and The Vampire Diaries) use their school for dances. But no, not us. St. A’s prom committee rented out the ballroom and terrace at the Horizon Hotel because they have the money and were dying to spend it.

  The limo stops under the lobby overhang. A valet holds the door open for us to climb out. Jenny goes first, then me, followed by Cooper and Rex. The lobby is buzzing with life. We follow a few of our classmates down a hallway to a large, lighted archway.

  As soon as we step inside, our picture is taken. I rub my eyes, clearing the spots from the flash, then look around. The room is beautiful, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Sheer fabric and strings of clear lights splay out from the center of the ceiling to the walls. Two dozen or so round tables, covered with white tablecloths with lighted lantern centerpieces, are spread throughout. A DJ plays music from a table in the corner and a few people are already up
dancing.

  Rex takes my hand and leads us deeper into the room. He claims a mostly empty table near the terrace and drapes his blazer over the back of the chair. Cooper does the same while Jenny pulls two small coin purses from the inside pocket of Rex’s jacket and sets them in front of where we will sit.

  “Where did the jackets come from?” I yell. The music’s too loud for conversation. Then again, by looking around, people are either dancing or kissing, so not too much talking going on in here.

  Rex leans into my hair. “Carried them from the limo.”

  Right. That makes sense. Actually, it confuses me more. Limos don’t come with tailored jackets in them. Maybe he put them in there while I was in the kitchen talking to Logan. Poor Logan, Danika would have loved tonight. I reach for my phone to text him and see how he’s doing but remember it’s in Rex’s pocket and change my mind.

  Rex’s hand finds my lower back as he leans into my ear, “I’m gonna check in and bring our bags up to our rooms.” I nod. He kisses my cheek then heads back towards the lobby.

  “I’m hungry,” Jenny yells. “Want to go out on the terrace?”

  I shake my head. I am a little hungry, but I’ll wait. It’s quieter outside and these two haven’t had any time alone together yet. Cooper deserves a chance to be happy, and Jenny might be that chance. “I’m good. I’ll just wait for Rex.”