What You're Not | ✔

16. PB&J

"You look cute," Mom stifled a laugh as I walked down the steps.

It was officially Halloween which meant it was time to fulfill my promise to Miles. I looked absolutely ridiculous. The costume was a bread-shaped tunic with purple jelly on it. Since it was sleeveless and basically just shirt, I paired with a long-sleeved black shirt and black jeans.

I allowed my curls to hang free instead of wearing my usual puff or hiding them under a beanie. Then I added a purple and white gingham print headband to complete the look.

"I know," I laughed, striking a pose. "Everyone's going to be so jelly."

Mom got quiet, a proud smile on her face. She was having yet another one of her proud mama moments.

"Mom," I groaned as she pulled me into a hug. "How much longer are you going to be all mushy like this?"

"However long I want," she retorted. "I thought you were going to become a shut in and you'd end up never moving out and living in the basement."

"Wow, it's nice to know you had such high hopes for me."

"And here you are now," she continued. "Going on a date."

I nearly choked on air. "It's not a date, Mom. I'm just helping him win a bet."

The doorbell rang and my heart rate accelerated. I was more nervous about this outing than I thought I'd be. Or maybe the side effects of downing six Pixy Stix in one go were settling in. Mom opened the door before I could get to it, letting Miles in.

"Hello, Mrs. Reed," Miles greeted her with a wide smile.

He was dressed in his costume, wearing the same thing as me underneath his bread slice. We looked so silly, but I guessed that was okay for a kids party.

"I'm going to need a picture of this," Mom announced.

"No," I groaned. "We don't need documentation of this."

Mom ignored this as she left the room, to get her phone I presumed.

"If we leave now we won't have to endure a photoshoot," I said, trying to nudge Miles out the door.

"The selfie queen is running from a camera?" he laughed, refusing to budge. "Let your mom have her picture."

"She has more than enough," I said, giving up on getting him out the door.

"Trust me, parents never have pictures of their kids." He seemed to be speaking from experience.

Then I remembered what he told me about his sister. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. When Dad died we realized we didn't have very many pictures of him.

You never really think of that kind of stuff when people are alive. You think they'll always be there. That you'll have more time collect pictures and things. Then they're not and all you have left to remember them by is a family photo that was taken over a decade ago.

"Alright," Mom said, reentering the room with her phone in hand. "Just one picture, I promise."

Agreeing to the picture, I stood next to Miles. I even smiled. When he draped his arm around my shoulder it took me by surprise and I looked up at him. He was looking down at me, a smirk on his face as Mom's phone clicked. Capturing the moment forever.

"I half expected you to to back out of this," Miles said once we were outside. "You know, after Vivian's stunt."

My mind went back to yesterday and what Vivian said. Miles must've apologized on her behalf twenty times. To be honest, I felt like I should've been the one apologizing for falling for her act in the first place. Also, a part of me felt guilty for not telling him about what Vivian was talking about before she left.