Chapter 11


    Chapter 11: Letting Her Down?


    ily–July 16th


    Her rm woke her up, exactly at 9 a.m. She jumped up immediately, excitement coursing through


    her. Today was her day and everything had to be perfect. Jo had told her that the entire restaurant


    had been rented out for the whole day. Her and Sommer had ns to go and decorate it


    themselves. lo wasing at noon to pick them up to take them shopping for everything they


    needed. She had already picked out the perfect outfit. A pair of ck leggings were going to be


    worn under a beautiful sapphire summer dress strategically adorned with rubies. Her father had


    beenpletely against the dress, but Sommer had told her she looked like a goddess in it. Its


    mid–thigh length had made her anxious to wear it, but her leg had progressed so much since


    Gregory had been helping her. It barely gave out anymore and even though she still had a slight


    timp, she was so much more confident. Her blue eyes almost matched now and she couldn’t wait to


    see him tonight at dinner. She froze. Oh, Goddess, he wasing.


    She went to stand in front of her mirror to look herself over. She usually didn’t care how she looked


    or what people thought of her, but today was special. She would be seeing Lakas for the first time


    in months. Granted, she called him once a week now, but it wasn’t the same as actually seeing him.


    Her parents had tried to convince her that it was just a crush, but whatever it was, she wanted to


    look good tonight when she saw him. It was going to be a shock to her parents when he showed up,


    because she hadn’t told them. She didn’t want them to turn him away, not that she thought he


    would let them.


    She quickly brushed her hair and got dressed in jeans and a tank top. She gathered her dress and


    leggings to take with them when they went to Sommer’s house. She put her shoes on. Oh no. She


    didn’t have shoes for tonight. How could she have ever forgotten about shoes? All she had were


    raggedy tennis shoes and she didn’t want to pair this outfit with those. She ran down the hall to


    where Sommer was sleeping for the sunimer. She threw the door open and flung herself on the


    bed next to her best friend. She buried her face in the pillow and screamed.


    “Well, good morning to you, too, drama queen. Are you aware I have 2 more hours to sleep?”


    She looked up at Sommer with tears in her eyes. “This is a crisis, Blue.”


    She rolled away, yawning. “I’m sure it’s not as big of a deal as you’re making it out to be.”


    “I don’t have shoes for dinner.”


    She rolled hack. “What the hell, Lily? How do you forget shoes?”


    “I don’t know,” she wailed.


    Sommer got up


    r got up and went to her closet. She began to dig through it, tossing shoe after shoe out of it. 15


    minutester, she sat back on the heels of her


    feet.


    “Well, we will just have to get some while we’re out,” she told a hysterical Lily.


    “But I only have money for decorations.” She sighed. “How much are shoes? I can take it out of the


    decoration money.”


    Sommer rolled her eyes and went to her purse. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to Lily.


    “I was going to wait until tonight, but I don’t like to see you cry.”


    Lily opened it and pulled the card out. Sitting inside the card were four $5


    $50 bills. Her mouth dropped open and she stared at Sommer.


    “Did you steal this?”


    Sommer giggled. “Not this time. I actually earned it from working.”


    Lily fell back on the bed, grateful once again that she had met Sommer. “What would I do without


    you?”


    “I don’t know, but remember I loved you before you became queen of everything.”


    Lilyughed and shoved her. “Shut up! I’m not going to be queen.”


    Sommer yawned again. “Tell that to your shrine of the king in your closet.”


    Lily paled. “You know about that?”


    Chapter 11: Letting Her Down?


    “Girl, I think aliens could see how much you like him.”


    She flushed. “Thanks, Summer.”


    “Mhmm. Now, can I please go back to sleep? You can watch movies until Beta Jo gets here.”


    She nodded and Sommerid back down. Lily picked up the remote and flipped through channels.


    She paused on the news to watch Lukas address his citizens. Sommerughed beside her.


    “Oh, yeah. The aliens can definitely see.”


    Three hourster, armed with bags of decorations and a brand new pair of red high heels


    bejeweled with sapphires, they entered the five star, two story, Dragon Ind restaurant. They were


    led to the back and to along with Sommer, began to unload the bags. Jo and Sommer moved three


    tables together and covered it with the golden silk tablecloth. Lily began to arrange the white


    candles in their covers around the table. She took the faux pearls and began to methodically ce


    them on the table. She ced the beautiful centerpieces between each pair of candles. The silver


    of the two dragons on the end tables highlighted the shiny, onyx one she ced directly in front of


    the chair she had already imed. When she was finished with the table, she stepped back. She


    moved the center candle a little to the left to fix the slightly off feel and she pped her hands


    together,


    “Where are the runners?”


    Sommer rolled her eyes, grinning and handed her the hand stitched, whitece runners. They had


    her name on them and she took her time to make sure that ends hanging matched the tablecloth.


    Sommerturned her around to show her the only other decoration they had picked up that Lukas had


    already paid for. A three foot tall, ceramic ck dragon guarded the entrance to the party room. She


    ran her fingers over it as Jo leaned down to breathe fire into it. It heated under her hands and it


    began to glow. The eyes turned into a beautiful dancing red and Lily’s mouth dropped open.


    “How did you do that?”


    She shrugged. “I told you that it was custom made for you.”


    “Thank you,” she whispered.


    “No problem. Are you ready to get dressed? Everyone will be here in two hours…


    To dropped them at Sommer’s house and gave her a hug. “I’ll see you there.”


    Excitement filled her. “Okay, Jo. Bye.”


    She dashed up the stairs with Sommer


    “Well, damn. Remind me not to have children. When you run out of usefulness they desert you,”


    she teased from behind them.


    They fell onto Sommer’s bed giggling. Sommer lifted her hand up and Lily took it,


    “Are you nervous?”


    “Yes! Lukas will be there.”


    “Oh, I know,” she said, responding mischievously. “It’s all you’ve thought abouttely. Seeing your


    boyfriend,”


    “He’s not my boyfriend.”


    in be


    Sommer rolled over to kiss her cheek. “But you want him to


    “He’s old.”


    Sommerughed. “Maybe he wants to rob your cradle and you aren’t exactlyining. Oh,


    Lukas,” she jokingly moaned.


    Lily red at her. “Don’t do that,” she snapped as she got up.


    She snatched her bag up and ran into the bathroom.


    Chapter 11 Letting Her Down?


    “I’m sorry, Lily. I was joking”


    Lily mmed the door and locked it. She sat on the toilet to cry. It wasn’t even like that, at least not


    for him. After a bit, her tears stopped flowing and she blew her nose. She cleaned her face and got


    dressed. She smoothed the dress down, looking herself over again. The dress didn’t show her


    whole body off like a second skin, but it was a lot tighter than she had ever worn before. She


    chewed on her lip. Ok, she was indeed nervous. She walked out of the bathroom and began to go


    through Sommer’s closet.


    “What are you doing?”


    “Finding something else to wear. I can’t wear this,”


    Sommer came over and turned her around. “Why not?”


    “It’s too much. It makes me look-


    “Beautiful, confident, mature and like this whole dinner is about you? How else did you want to


    look?”


    Lily sighed. “I’m scared.”


    “He’s going to love it, but even if he doesn’t, it makes you feel good. That’s what’s important. I know


    you bought it with him in mind, but believe me when I say, this dress was made for you”


    Lily ran her hands down the dress again. “Do you really think so?”


    She dragged her to the mirror and pulled her blonde hair back. “What do you think?”


    Lily ran her eyes over her body and happiness filled her. Her body looked wless and even her leg


    looked perfect. The dress hid the small tilt to her hips that was caused by her uneven legs. She


    turned back to Sommer and hugged her.


    “It’s beautiful”


    “Yes, you are, queen. Now, let’s finish. Mom hates it when we arete.”


    They hurried to finish and went downstairs. Sommer held Lily steady on her heels. She drove them


    to the restaurant, where they waited out front for Lily’s parents, Lukas and jo. When her parents


    arrived, she refused to go inside. The time crept by as they waited for the familiar ck charger to


    pull up. After half an hour, Lily sighed. Her parents pushed her inside and made her sit in front of


    the te of food they had ordered for her. She ate slowly, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.


    Where was he? He had promised to be here.


    “Good evening. Beta JoAnn, King Sterling, Donald and Casey. How are you all tonight?”


    Her head snapped up and she looked behind to to see Lukas. She jumped up from her seat and


    went over to the doorway. She peered through it and frowned.


    “Is Lukas with you?”


    “No, I do apologize, but he is not here.”


    Her heart broke in her chest. “It’s okay.” She put a fake smile on her face. “I’m d you guys could


    make it. I really have missed you guys.”


    “We wouldn’t have missed it, pumpkin,” Papa Sterling told her as he hugged her.


    She went back to the table and pushed her food around on her te for a few minutes while


    everyone else chatted. Sommer’s momughed at Papa Sterling’s jokes while Papa Slonsky


    watched. Sommer squeezed her knee under the table as she leaned close.


    “I’m so sorry, Lily.”


    She waved her fork. “Don’t worry about it. He has more important things to do,”


    To gave her a sympathetic look. Lily hated when others pitied her. She hated being pitiful. Her


    stomach rolled.


    “Daddy, can I go home? I am really tired.”


    Chapter 11: Letting Her Down?


    “Sure, thing, Princess. Let me pay and we can go.”


    Jo stood up. “I can take her. Stay and finish dinner.”


    *Yes, Beta JoAnn. That would be wonderful, thank you.”


    Jo led her out and she stared out of the window as jo drove.


    “Hey, Lily? Would you like to go to see a movie?”


    She sighed. She knew Jo was just trying to cheer her up


    “Sure.”


    Jo u–turned and began to speed in the other direction. In no walked with her to the concession


    stand.


    time th


    they were at the theater, jo bought tickets to the rated R shark movie for them and


    “What can we get for you,dies?


    “She would like nachos, arge blue raspberry free, and a Snickers ice cream bar,” a male voice


    said from behind her.


    Chapter Comments


    Amanda Hannover


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    first time reading this book and so far Fm enjoying it.


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