Every love has a story. How you first met. Who said the first word.
Even mine does.
Seven o'clock is not the time anyone will think of falling in love. But as our worlds collided, we did just that. In a moment...
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CHAPTER 12
It was short.
This was the consequence of not trying on a dress before buying it. With deep regret, I succumbed to the punishment I'd received for being so indifferent about this engagement party. Now, it was too late to go to the mall and buy a new dress, which would fall perfectly above my knees instead of reaching only halfway-down my legs.
"Ela! Patrick's here!" my mom shouted from downstairs. "Tell Katharine to come down as well."
"Coming!" I answered. But I was still mentally sorting out the remaining clothes in my closet. I thought about the blue one, but it was too casual for a party. What else could I wear?
After another minute, someone tugged the hem of my dress.
It was my sister. She was wearing a red dress and a hair ribbon of the same color. In her hands was a small white pouch.
I smiled at her. "You're all dressed up."
She nodded.
With a deep breath, I looked at the mirror one last time before I grabbed my purse. With Ariel not around, I had no one to ask but Kath. "Do I look awful?"
She shook her head, lips forming a quick smile.
"Sure?" I asked again. Kath nodded again in response. When she realized I wasn't convinced, she simply took my hand and used her little force to drag me along.
"This dress feels weird. I feel exposed, and I don't have anything else to wear," I complained to her, even if it sounded childish for my age. She turned around to face me, still holding on to my hand. When she narrowed her eyes at me, I smiled in response. "Okay, I'll stop."
When we got downstairs, we saw our mother picking an earring that would look nice with her purple cocktail dress. Despite the situation and my tantrums about this event, I told Kath, "She looks nice, doesn't she?"
Katharine nodded her head.
"There you are! What took you so long?" Mom said when she saw our reflection in the mirror. Turning around, she held out her dress. "I'm freaking out now. Do I look okay? Is this dress too much?"
Kath let out a knowing sigh.
"You look fine, Mom," I told her, suppressing a laugh. Moments like this reminded me of how she was my mother, and we were still alike in many ways.
"My fingers are slipping, and I can't think straight. I wonder what Patrick will think..." she went on. "What if he doesn't like the color?"
"Trust me, you look beautiful in that dress," I consoled her. I remembered Enrique's scolding the other day. He had a talk with me, after hearing from my mother that I was very verbal against this engagement party. Enrique said that I also needed to be her daughter, too. Not just my dad's. I promised him I would try, even just for today.
