Right Through Me

T W E N T Y

You're Invited! 
To Diane and Ethan's 10 Year Anniversary!
When: Friday, June 12th 7 p.m.

"Oh, no," I whispered to myself, slowly reading over the invitation.

Formal Dress Code, Please bring yourselves and your appetite!

"Formal?" I whimpered, throwing the invitation down and rubbing my temples.

It was currently Friday, June 12th, the day of the party and it was only an hour and a half until it started and I still had nothing to wear. I was currently having a crisis and cursing myself for only having jeans, leggings and over-sized shirts.

I had read the invitation about a million times since I first got it in the mail and reread the dress code part over and over, hoping they meant something other than formal but I was left disappointed nearly every time.

I nearly tore my room apart trying to find something worth wearing, but there was nothing that really screamed formal. I had heels, thank God for that, but I had no dress and not even a skirt. I sat on my bed, surrounded by my clothes scattered around the room and staring at my now empty closet.

"Oh, God!" I screeched, throwing my head in my hands and looking back up at my closet. "I have nothi--" I stopped mid-sentence, catching glance of a box in the back corner of my closet.

Standing to my feet, I rushed over to it and pulled it out and gulped loudly. It was an old, beaten-up cardboard box with the words 'Mom's stuff' written on it. It was dusty and the packing tape was coming off from never opening it. 

I forgot this was back there.

I opened the box and saw the pictures of me and her, when I was young, her journal, another photo album and then a few pieces of her clothes. For now, I completely avoided the sentimental stuff and heading straight for her old clothes. There were a few shirts, an old sweater, and to my undying luck, a long black dress.

I hugged the dress to me and nearly screamed with joy.

"You're looking out for me after all, huh, mom?" I said, looking up to the ceiling.

Not wasting another second I put the dress on and nearly shed tears at how perfectly it fit. It was long, and hugged my curves and flared out towards the end. The back was open and the sleeves were off the shoulder. Gorgeous is all this dress was, it was breathtaking. I left my hair down and put on some black heels. Luckily, I was smart enough to do my make-up first so I grabbed my hand bag and rushed downstairs and called a taxi.

Here goes nothing.

* * * * *

You fucking idiot!

I hated myself more than ever tonight. I was so worried about what to wear I never even thought about Donovan showing up and he was there and I have already spent nearly an hour avoiding him.

"Lina!" Diane said happily, my back tensing as I spun around and plastered a force-smile on my face and hugged her. 

"Oh, gosh. Congratulations on ten years guys," I said happily, looking between her and Ethan and glanced behind them and around them for Donovan.

"I'm so glad you made it," Diane said, smiling happily. "You didn't RSVP so I was a bit worried that you wouldn't be able to make it."

"Me? Not make it?" I laughed sheepishly. "How could I miss it?"

They joined in on my laughter and I caught sight of Donovan behind them, approaching us and I panicked. 

"Uh--I'm going to run to the bathroom. Congratulations, again, guys," I told them quickly, making a run for the bathroom and slamming the door behind me.