Dear Neighbor: A Standalone Romance by Rebecca Castle

Author:Rebecca Castle [Castle, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2021-03-01T00:00:00+00:00

17

ABBY

I applied the finishing touches to my outfit. I watched myself in the mirror as I ran the red lipstick around my open mouth.

I puckered my lips together and carefully placed the lipstick down on the shelf with a flourish.

I nodded at myself in the mirror and blew out some anxious air.

The red dress I had on perfectly matched my lips and the red ribbon in my hair.

Okay. It looks good.

But now I needed to get a second opinion before I left that front door.

I left my room and hurried down the hallway into the living space. Serenity was lying on the couch balancing her head on her hands, watching TV. She sat up when I entered, checking me out up and down with wide bewildered eyes.

“Abby,” she said. “You look beautiful.”

My cheeks flushed and I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Really, you do. Wow.”

I twirled around in the dress.

“You think it’s okay for Prom?” I asked nervously.

“Okay? It’s more than okay. It’s perfect. You look beautiful, you’re going to be the prettiest girl there tonight.” Serenity dived off the couch and scrambled past me, calling out as she headed into her room. “Wait a second, let me get a photo of you.”

I didn’t exactly want to be going to Prom. I didn’t really care to sort of just… stand around for a few hours and get drunk secretly from the teachers. I wasn’t in a mood to dance. If it wasn’t for Charlotte pestering me so much to come, then I wouldn’t even be going. I just wanted the night to get over with quickly.

Not long until graduation.

She came back eagerly carrying her phone. She stood by the doorway and flashed the camera at me. I smiled and tried to pose, sticking my tongue out for comical effect. Serenity took dozens of photos. She dashed to me to show them on the little screen.

Yep, she’s right. I do look goddamn beautiful.

“Thanks, Serenity.”

She looked up at me. I knew what she was thinking, I was thinking the same.

“I wish Dad could’ve seen you,” she said.

Yep. Just what I was thinking.

“I know. Me too.”

I didn’t want to cry and ruin my makeup, so I turned away from Serenity’s sad face.

I wished Dad was there. He could’ve taken me to Prom. He would’ve been so happy to see me dressed up like this. I could imagine his beaming smile.

Now I had no one.

“How are you going to get there?” my sister asked.

“I’ll call a cab,” I replied, fishing in my purse for my phone.

No one had asked me out for Prom. Well, except Miles. The other night. The night of Serenity’s seizure and the night I told him to fuck off.

And he did. I hadn’t seen him for the past few days, not since that night he drunkenly proposed to take me to Prom. What was he thinking? Did he really expect me to say yes when he was staggering around like that and slurring his words?

He hadn’t been at school. I hadn’t seen him on my trips to work.

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