Chapter 4
I was a disaster in the morning, and that wasn't how I wanted to start my morning. I had to get my hair done and be prepared for Prom night. Mother noticed my fatigue at the breakfast table and questioned me about it.
"Oh, it was just nothing," I lied, covering my face with my coffee mug. "I just came home later than I expected." She nodded and turned back to what she was doing. Brian trampled down the stairs and looked at me.
"Eww, were you hit by a train?" He sneered, sitting down in chair and setting down his model airplane. I ignored the comment and just sipped at my orange juice.
"Brian! Please stop it!" Mom exclaimed. Daddy came downstairs.
"Brian, stop terrorizing your sister," he commanded, and Brian shrunk in his seat.
"What's terrorizing?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, a mannerism he usually did when he was curious about something.
"Um. . ." Daddy looked at me for an answer.
"Yelling, screaming, being annoying, causing harm," I rattled off the many definitions. Daddy beamed, and Brian smirked as Mommy brought in the breakfast.
"You're hairdresser will be here in an hour," Mommy announced. I nodded and picked up two eggs to put on my plate. Brian picked it up with his fingers, and Mommy scolded him for it.
"Use your silverware," she snapped, and he picked up his fork and began to eat.
"How was the party?" Daddy asked casually. I nearly choked on the piece of egg that I had in my mouth, and I sat up straight.
"It was . . . fun," I said, shrugging. "Nothing too special." Daddy beamed and drank his coffee.
"Are you excited about prom?" Mom inquired. I wanted them to stop asking questions, but I didn't want to seem suspicious.
"Definitely. I've been waiting for this for a long time," I said, putting as much emotion into it as I could muster. Mommy grinned. Brian took more bites of his breakfast and stood up with his airplane.
"I didn't say that you could be excused Brian," Daddy spoke up, raising his voice level a little. Brian paused.
"May I be excused?" He mumbled. Daddy rolled his eyes and nodded. Brian giggled and ran out into the backyard to ruin that new toy that Daddy had bought him. This was the only opportunity I had to talk with them about what Cassie and Lilly had said last night. I set my fork down and cleared my throat. They both looked up from their meals.
"I have something to tell you both," I said softly. Mommy looked worried, and Daddy turned his face to stone.
"What's wrong?" Mommy asked breathlessly.
"When I was at the party last night, I was told something that disturbed me. . . " I trailed off, chewing on my lip.
"What was it?" Daddy insisted. Mommy's face was twisted in a state of confusion and wonder.
"Cassie told me last night that I wasn't your birth child; that I was adopted," I confessed. Mommy stared at me blankly and then started to laugh.
"Oh June," she chuckled. "Haven't I told you never to believe anything that those two have told you? Why, they told you that if you put glue in your hair, your hair could be styled any way you wanted it to," she recalled. I grimaced at the memory, but I put that at the back of my mind. "They were probably drunk anyway."
"I don't want you hanging around them tonight, especially tonight," Daddy announced. I looked down at the table.
"But there my best friends Daddy," I said in a near-whisper. His eyes grew hot and angry.
"You will not be around them tonight, at all. Is that clear?" His tone made me feel awful, but I nodded anyway.
"Rick," Mommy muttered under her breath.
"You know you weren't adopted June, and I don't want to hear such talk," he bellowed. I sucked back my tears and shoved my plate across the table.
"May I be excused?" I choked. Daddy didn't answer and Mommy was glaring at Dad.
"Yes, you may be excused," she hissed, and I fluttered from the table and up to my room and buried my face into my pillow. I heard Mommy and Daddy talking downstairs, and I tried to ignore it, so I went into my bathroom and shut the door, running the sink and splashing water on my face to wake me up. Finally, someone knocked on my door and let themselves in.
"June?" I heard Mom call softly, and I slowly pried open the door and poked my head out. She gestured for me to come toward her and I inched out of the bathroom.
"I'm sorry about what happened downstairs," she began. "He got too upset." I nodded in agreement and sat down on my bed slowly.
"The point that I'm trying to make was, you weren't adopted," she said, smiling weakly. I shrugged helplessly. She suddenly broke out into a beaming smile and threw her arm around me. "C'mon, I think the hairdresser might be here early," she said. We stood up and walked downstairs together. The hairdresser was here, and Daddy was standing there, talking to her.
"Ah, Molly Parker! How nice to see you again!" She exclaimed, running towards Mommy and hugging her. Mommy turned to me.
"June, this is Nita LeBlanc. She's one of the best hairstylist in Colorado Springs," She introduced. I smiled.
"Well, let us get to work!" Nita cried and pulled me upstairs into my bathroom. She sat me down on a stool Mommy brought upstairs and circled around me, picking up a lock of my hair and inspecting it.
"Hmm . . . you take care of your hair very well, I see," she muttered.
"Yes," I replied. Nita folded her hands across her chest and sighed.
"Well, lets get started. First, we wash," she said and reached into her bag for bottles of shampoo and conditioner. "Kneel by the tub and run some hot water." I did as she instructed and she put a glob of shampoo in my hair, gently massaging it into my hair. She let it sit for a minute, and then helped me rinse it out. She let my hair sit for a minute, and then reached over and pulled out a bottle of conditioner. She poured another glob into her palm, and rubbed it into my hair. After a minute, she rinsed it out and sat me up.
"OK. Do you have any specific style?"
"Um, not really. Nothing too short though," I said. Nita smiled and reached over into her bag for her scissors.
"Let us go to work then." She snipped and trimmed and styled for nearly two hours. Finally, she took her hands away from my head and turned to see me from my frontal view. She grinned.
"Look," she commanded, and pulled out a mirror. I gazed in the mirror with awe and surprise. She had trimmed my hair so that it was to about my shoulders and was curled at the ends to that it was brushing along my cheek. She had added a few misplaced highlights which really brought out the color in my hair.
"It's. .. gorgeous!" I cried, reaching up to touch it.
"Touch it all you want," Nita said. Mom had left the room when Nita had began, and now Nita called her back in.
"Come see your daughter!" she exclaimed, and Mommy opened the door with a gasp.
"It's looks beautiful!" She squealed, clapping her hands together. I smiled.
"Well, I think my work here is done," Nita said, brushing her hands off. "Good luck tonight."
"Thank you," I emphasized as she gathered her things together and left the room. I turned around and stared in my mirror. It almost brought tears to my eyes because I was this beautiful. Finally, I had gotten what I wanted: Self confidence.
The hours seemed to fly by, and I only had 15 minutes until Andrew was coming to pick me up. I had put on my dress, a light cornflower blue dress with tiny rhinestones on the bodice. Mom said that it really brought my eyes out. She let me borrow a dark sapphire necklace Dad had bought her for one of their anniversaries, and the pair of earrings to match. I gazed at myself in the mirror, and I felt like Cinderella, and the dress that I was wearing was going to be ripped off as soon as it struck the hour of midnight, but I kept telling myself that this was real. I was waiting upstairs when Andrew rang the doorbell, and I nearly jumped out of my seat. I decided to make a grand entrance when mommy called for me.
"June! Andrew is here!" she yelled. I smoothed out my dressed, reached for my handbag, and opened the door to my room as softly as I could. I could see him waiting at the foot of the stairs, and his eyes lit up with appreciation as I walked as gracefully as I could downstairs. He took my hand and spun me around. I truly felt like a princess when he looked at me.
"I have your corsage, my lady," he said. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a red rose tucked into the breast pocket. He opened up a box and pulled out my corsage. I beamed as he put it on my wrist.
"Well, then, you two have a good time. Oh! First let me get a few pictures. Rick! Come out here and see your daughter!" Mom cried and reached over for her camera.
"Mom," I groaned, blushing. Andrew shrugged.
"I don't mind," he said, and put his arm around my waist and posed for the camera. Dad walked into the foyer and looked over at Mom, then me.
"You look just like your mother when she was in high school," he said. My cheeks turned a darker shade of red.
"OK, smile!" Mommy yelped and snapped a picture. Daddy got in behind us and placed his large hand on my shoulder. Mom took a few more, then stopped.
"OK, have a good time," Mom said and kissed my cheek. I hugged Daddy, and Andrew pulled me out of the house and over to the driveway where a black limo was waiting.
"Andrew!" I chastised.
"I had to go all out June. I knew you would look good, and I wanted to," he said. The driver that was waiting by the door opened it and helped me in.
"Thank you," I mumbled and sat down. Andrew sat beside me and instantly put his arm around my waist.
"You really look beautiful," he murmured as the driver shut the door. His lips were close to my neck and I shivered.
"Cold?" He asked, ready to peel off his jacket.
"No," I squeaked and he smiled. The driver started, and I looked out my window as we drove. Andrew kissed my cheek and rested his head on my shoulder. I tried to savor every moment of this night just as it was happening. I would write it all down later in my diary later anyway.
"We're here," Andrew announced, and the driver opened our door. Andrew got out, and extended his hand so that I wouldn't trip as I got out. I stepped out of the car and gasped.
Hundreds of people were standing outside the hotel, waiting for their friends or dates to arrive, or to see the glitz or the glamor of it all. Andrew looped his arm with mine and escorted me inside. Inside the lobby, people were standing around, talking and drinking punch.
"Now what?" I asked, looking around. I had never been to any of the school dances, and I didn't know what to do. Andrew laughed out loud.
"C'mon, I'll show you," he said and tugged me along. I didn't know how he was going to show me, but I shrugged and followed as he pulled me through the crowds. Finally, we were at the foot of the grand staircase. I gulped.
"I bought us a room," he said, leaping forward and walking up the stairs. "Come on up. I'm sure you want to put your purse down anyway," he called.
I exhaled and started to make my way up the stairs. He made a right and ran down the hallway to the last room on the right. He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.
"I got one of the better rooms," He said, and I stepped in. It had maroon, gold and white pinstripe wallpaper, and the bedsheets were colored dark red. Andrew went and jumped on the bed obnoxiously. I put my purse in the corner of the room and stood there embarrassingly. He smiled impishly.
"Come here kid," he said and gestured for me to walk over to him. He stood up and grabbed my waist.
"You look oh so good in that dress, and your hair is beautiful," he complimented, and I blushed so hard I thought I was going to faint. Nobody in my life had ever told me that I was beautiful. Well, not a boy at least, I thought. His lips dove to my neck, and he started kissing me. Tingling sensations ran up and down my spine as he did, and I felt the urge to wrap my arms around him, but I resisted. He reached for the zipper on the back of my dress, and that's when I went to pull away.
"Hey!" He cried, but I shook my head. "What's wrong?"
"I knew that was the reason that you wanted me to come up here," I said, tears stinging my eyes. But I wouldn't dare cry in front of him. That would show that I was weak, and that would give him the better advantage. I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed.
"June, it's prom night!" He groaned. I spun on him and he backed away.
"And you think just because it is prom, that means I should throw away everything I've achieve?" I asked him. He didn't answer. "Just because it's prom doesn't mean you have to show off to your friends. Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn't mean you have to, and if that's what I am, some kind of trophy from prom, then I'm not going to deal with it. That's not how I'm going to be treated!" I cried and started for the door, but he bolted there before I got a chance to reach the doorknob.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, pressing his hand to the handle. My heart sunk into the pit of my stomach. I had known that Andrew was very strong, and he could easily lift me with one hand. But I tried to look intimidating.
"I'm getting out of here. I know exactly what your plans are, and you can't sweet talk you way out of it this time!" I hissed, trying to shove him aside so that I could get past. But he bounced back and grabbed my wrists, squeezing them until it almost hurt. I squeaked. The look on his face was enough to put tears in my eyes. I had never seen this side of him before. He had gotten a crazed look on his face, and his smile was just too eerie. I sniffled as we walked back to the bed and he sat me down.
"You listen to me," He said, grabbing my face with his hand. I felt the tears burning underneath my eyelids, but I wouldn't cry, I just wouldn't! What was he going to say? There was nothing he could really say . . . to me at least. "You aren't my trophy, you're none of that. And I don't know where you get that idea from. You are my date because I love you very much, and I think you're so beautiful," he whispered in my ear. I couldn't believe him. But I had wanted to so badly.
"How can you love me . . ." I trailed.
"I see the things you do, and you are the one I want to be with," he finished. I couldn't help but let a fugitive tear out of my well of tears. He brushed it away.
"Why are you crying?" he questioned. I scoffed.
"You scared me!" I cried. "Seeing how you looked, it terrified me," I said softly. He frowned.
"I didn't mean to scare you," he said in my ear. "I just. . . I'm just not very good with the ladies," he admitted. My eyes widened.
"You? I. . . "
Yeah, everyone thinks that I'm just this great big ladies man," he blurted. "But I'm really not. Ugh," he groaned. "I don't want to talk about it. If you want to leave, then leave." He pointed to the door. I looked at him, then back at the door, and at that point decided that I didn't want to leave him here. He flopped on his back, and leaned over and gently kissed him on the lips. He opened his eyes, looking surprised, and leaned up to kiss me back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he put me into his arms, pulling me onto his lap. He rained kisses all over my face, his hands going up to caress my shoulders. I pulled away hesitantly and smiled.
"Let's go back downstairs. . . I'm sure we're missing important stuff," I said, and I went into the bathroom to freshen up before going back downstairs.
Down in the lobby, the band had started playing again, and people were sitting down at the tables, eating dinner and drinking punch. Andrew pulled me over to one of the tables all of his friends were sitting at, and we sat down. I felt out of place hanging around them, but I tried my best to make friends.
Soon things began to grow boring, and I whispered that into Andrew's ear. He looked at me like I was crazy.
"June, how could this get boring?" He asked. I shrugged.
"Is this all you do?" He shrugged.
"Basically," he muttered. I sighed.
"I'm going upstairs to get my purse," I said and went upstairs to retrieve it. I looked at the room one last time and then went to meet Andrew at the front doors.
"I'm sorry you didn't have a good time," Andrew said as we were walking back to the limo.
"I did, I just thought that there would be more to it," I replied. The driver opened the door and let us in. Once the door was shut, Andrew turned to me.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he said, slipping his arm around my waist. I didn't reply, instead, sets of shivers ran up my spine.
"What?" Andrew asked.
"Nothing, I'm just getting a weird feeling," I said, rubbing myself to keep warm. I rested my head on Andrew's shoulder and waited until we had arrived at my house. Andrew walked me up to the door and kissed me goodnight.
"I had a great time. Thank you," I said and wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a great big hug. He grinned.
"Call me," he said and walked back to the limo. He crawled in and the limo sped off. I fished through my purse for my keys, and opened the door.
"Mommy! Daddy! I'm home!" I cried as I walked through the house. They were in the den, talking. Daddy stood up to greet me.
"Hey, um, why don't you go upstairs and change out of that dress? We want to talk to you," he instructed. I couldn't see Mommy because she was sitting with her back to me. I ran upstairs and changed into my pajamas, and then ran back into the den. Mommy was on the chaise lounge, a towel draped over her forehead. Her eyes were red and UN-wiped tears still lingered on her cheeks. My heart beat faster.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Daddy stood up.
"You might want to sit down," he advised. I slowly took a seat on the couch. Mommy sat up and wrung her hands.
"What's wrong?" I repeated, darting my eyes to Daddy.
"Do you remember when Cassandra and Lilly said that you were adopted?" My heart sank and I felt sick to my stomach. "Goodness, this wasn't a good approach," Dad muttered, shaking his head.
"Please . . . go on," I pleaded. He sighed.
"June, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you really are adopted."
I blinked at him. What was he saying? Was this some kind of dream? I started to shake, and Mom straightened her posture.
"A long, long time ago, you're real mother was in a very bad situation. Her boyfriend was abusing her, she didn't have much money, and she had 4 little girls."
I leaped up from the couch. "4 little girls!" I cried. My head suddenly felt light and my dinner wanted to resurface. Daddy nodded, and Mom paled.
"Please tell me that this is all a dream," I said as tears pooled in my eyes. "It has to be."
"I'm sorry that it isn't," Daddy mumbled. I sat down and buried my face in my hands. Dad went over to the oak desk that sat in the corner and took some papers out of the middle drawer. He walked over to me and handed them to me.
"This is your birth certificate, adoption papers and a letter that she addressed to you." I took it out of his hand and glanced at it briefly before looking up at him. I saw his face turn into an ugly frown, and I knew that he was holding back tears.
D "This is your birth certificate, adoption papers and a letter that she addressed to you." I took it out of his hand and glanced at it briefly before looking up at him. I saw his face turn into an ugly frown, and I knew that he was holding back tears.
"Daddy, I don't understand," I whispered hoarsely, my throat closing up, tears clouding my vision.
"Your mother was a volunteer at the orphanage, and when your mother had arrived to . . . well, afterward, she grew very attached to you and your sisters. But soon, others had come to adopt the children, and you and one of your other sisters were left. Your mother saw how painful it was for you to be all alone, so we. . . " he trailed off and turned away as a tear slipped down his cheek. Mommy looked up at the mention of her name, and she was close to crying too.
I sniffled. "Why wasn't I sent to live with my other sisters?" I asked softly.
"The adoption agency's don't care much about pairing siblings together. They just want as many children to get out of the orphanage," Mommy finally spoke, and we both looked over at her. Tears dripped on the floor, and Mommy shook her head.
"I should have told you sooner. . ."
"Mommy," I said, she looked up, and fell back on the chaise lounge, her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Anna!" Dad cried and ran over to her. I started to sob so hard that my shoulders shook and I was gasping for air. Mom returned to consciousness, and I sprawled onto the couch and curled into a little ball.
How could this be real? How could I be adopted? This wasn't imaginable! The resemblance was too strong, the feelings were to genuine, for me to be adopted! I sobbed relentlessly, even as Dad, or the father I knew tried to control me, but I just couldn't sob. As if it were going to help me at all; to make the truth into a lie.
"June!" He ferociously yelled in my ear, but I pushed him away and sobbed. How I wanted to flee into his arms and just cry. But I just couldn't, after what he had told me. I had no one to run to, to trust with all of my secrets. Reality stings when it hits, and that leaves a permanent mark on you forever. I stood up and ran out of the door, grabbing my car keys and climbing into my brand new car, starting the engine and peeling out of the garage wildly, screeching tires echoing down the street.
I drove; I didn't know where I was going, but I drove forward, sobbing still. It seemed that I was going in the direction of Andrew's house, but I didn't know exactly where he lived, so I went out onto the main street. I drove madly, almost wrecking that beautiful new car, but I kept my composure and pulled over to the side of the road, turning off my engine and crying. How was this possible?
"No, no, no, no," I repeated over and over. I tried to imagine this as a beautiful dream gone horribly wrong. Why had this happened to me? Was this destiny? Was this meant to happen? I shook my head. This couldn't be true!
Slowly, my eyelids started to droop, and I could help but curling up in the back-seat of the car and crying myself into what seemed an everlasting sleep.
I was a disaster in the morning, and that wasn't how I wanted to start my morning. I had to get my hair done and be prepared for Prom night. Mother noticed my fatigue at the breakfast table and questioned me about it.
"Oh, it was just nothing," I lied, covering my face with my coffee mug. "I just came home later than I expected." She nodded and turned back to what she was doing. Brian trampled down the stairs and looked at me.
"Eww, were you hit by a train?" He sneered, sitting down in chair and setting down his model airplane. I ignored the comment and just sipped at my orange juice.
"Brian! Please stop it!" Mom exclaimed. Daddy came downstairs.
"Brian, stop terrorizing your sister," he commanded, and Brian shrunk in his seat.
"What's terrorizing?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, a mannerism he usually did when he was curious about something.
"Um. . ." Daddy looked at me for an answer.
"Yelling, screaming, being annoying, causing harm," I rattled off the many definitions. Daddy beamed, and Brian smirked as Mommy brought in the breakfast.
"You're hairdresser will be here in an hour," Mommy announced. I nodded and picked up two eggs to put on my plate. Brian picked it up with his fingers, and Mommy scolded him for it.
"Use your silverware," she snapped, and he picked up his fork and began to eat.
"How was the party?" Daddy asked casually. I nearly choked on the piece of egg that I had in my mouth, and I sat up straight.
"It was . . . fun," I said, shrugging. "Nothing too special." Daddy beamed and drank his coffee.
"Are you excited about prom?" Mom inquired. I wanted them to stop asking questions, but I didn't want to seem suspicious.
"Definitely. I've been waiting for this for a long time," I said, putting as much emotion into it as I could muster. Mommy grinned. Brian took more bites of his breakfast and stood up with his airplane.
"I didn't say that you could be excused Brian," Daddy spoke up, raising his voice level a little. Brian paused.
"May I be excused?" He mumbled. Daddy rolled his eyes and nodded. Brian giggled and ran out into the backyard to ruin that new toy that Daddy had bought him. This was the only opportunity I had to talk with them about what Cassie and Lilly had said last night. I set my fork down and cleared my throat. They both looked up from their meals.
"I have something to tell you both," I said softly. Mommy looked worried, and Daddy turned his face to stone.
"What's wrong?" Mommy asked breathlessly.
"When I was at the party last night, I was told something that disturbed me. . . " I trailed off, chewing on my lip.
"What was it?" Daddy insisted. Mommy's face was twisted in a state of confusion and wonder.
"Cassie told me last night that I wasn't your birth child; that I was adopted," I confessed. Mommy stared at me blankly and then started to laugh.
"Oh June," she chuckled. "Haven't I told you never to believe anything that those two have told you? Why, they told you that if you put glue in your hair, your hair could be styled any way you wanted it to," she recalled. I grimaced at the memory, but I put that at the back of my mind. "They were probably drunk anyway."
"I don't want you hanging around them tonight, especially tonight," Daddy announced. I looked down at the table.
"But there my best friends Daddy," I said in a near-whisper. His eyes grew hot and angry.
"You will not be around them tonight, at all. Is that clear?" His tone made me feel awful, but I nodded anyway.
"Rick," Mommy muttered under her breath.
"You know you weren't adopted June, and I don't want to hear such talk," he bellowed. I sucked back my tears and shoved my plate across the table.
"May I be excused?" I choked. Daddy didn't answer and Mommy was glaring at Dad.
"Yes, you may be excused," she hissed, and I fluttered from the table and up to my room and buried my face into my pillow. I heard Mommy and Daddy talking downstairs, and I tried to ignore it, so I went into my bathroom and shut the door, running the sink and splashing water on my face to wake me up. Finally, someone knocked on my door and let themselves in.
"June?" I heard Mom call softly, and I slowly pried open the door and poked my head out. She gestured for me to come toward her and I inched out of the bathroom.
"I'm sorry about what happened downstairs," she began. "He got too upset." I nodded in agreement and sat down on my bed slowly.
"The point that I'm trying to make was, you weren't adopted," she said, smiling weakly. I shrugged helplessly. She suddenly broke out into a beaming smile and threw her arm around me. "C'mon, I think the hairdresser might be here early," she said. We stood up and walked downstairs together. The hairdresser was here, and Daddy was standing there, talking to her.
"Ah, Molly Parker! How nice to see you again!" She exclaimed, running towards Mommy and hugging her. Mommy turned to me.
"June, this is Nita LeBlanc. She's one of the best hairstylist in Colorado Springs," She introduced. I smiled.
"Well, let us get to work!" Nita cried and pulled me upstairs into my bathroom. She sat me down on a stool Mommy brought upstairs and circled around me, picking up a lock of my hair and inspecting it.
"Hmm . . . you take care of your hair very well, I see," she muttered.
"Yes," I replied. Nita folded her hands across her chest and sighed.
"Well, lets get started. First, we wash," she said and reached into her bag for bottles of shampoo and conditioner. "Kneel by the tub and run some hot water." I did as she instructed and she put a glob of shampoo in my hair, gently massaging it into my hair. She let it sit for a minute, and then helped me rinse it out. She let my hair sit for a minute, and then reached over and pulled out a bottle of conditioner. She poured another glob into her palm, and rubbed it into my hair. After a minute, she rinsed it out and sat me up.
"OK. Do you have any specific style?"
"Um, not really. Nothing too short though," I said. Nita smiled and reached over into her bag for her scissors.
"Let us go to work then." She snipped and trimmed and styled for nearly two hours. Finally, she took her hands away from my head and turned to see me from my frontal view. She grinned.
"Look," she commanded, and pulled out a mirror. I gazed in the mirror with awe and surprise. She had trimmed my hair so that it was to about my shoulders and was curled at the ends to that it was brushing along my cheek. She had added a few misplaced highlights which really brought out the color in my hair.
"It's. .. gorgeous!" I cried, reaching up to touch it.
"Touch it all you want," Nita said. Mom had left the room when Nita had began, and now Nita called her back in.
"Come see your daughter!" she exclaimed, and Mommy opened the door with a gasp.
"It's looks beautiful!" She squealed, clapping her hands together. I smiled.
"Well, I think my work here is done," Nita said, brushing her hands off. "Good luck tonight."
"Thank you," I emphasized as she gathered her things together and left the room. I turned around and stared in my mirror. It almost brought tears to my eyes because I was this beautiful. Finally, I had gotten what I wanted: Self confidence.
The hours seemed to fly by, and I only had 15 minutes until Andrew was coming to pick me up. I had put on my dress, a light cornflower blue dress with tiny rhinestones on the bodice. Mom said that it really brought my eyes out. She let me borrow a dark sapphire necklace Dad had bought her for one of their anniversaries, and the pair of earrings to match. I gazed at myself in the mirror, and I felt like Cinderella, and the dress that I was wearing was going to be ripped off as soon as it struck the hour of midnight, but I kept telling myself that this was real. I was waiting upstairs when Andrew rang the doorbell, and I nearly jumped out of my seat. I decided to make a grand entrance when mommy called for me.
"June! Andrew is here!" she yelled. I smoothed out my dressed, reached for my handbag, and opened the door to my room as softly as I could. I could see him waiting at the foot of the stairs, and his eyes lit up with appreciation as I walked as gracefully as I could downstairs. He took my hand and spun me around. I truly felt like a princess when he looked at me.
"I have your corsage, my lady," he said. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a red rose tucked into the breast pocket. He opened up a box and pulled out my corsage. I beamed as he put it on my wrist.
"Well, then, you two have a good time. Oh! First let me get a few pictures. Rick! Come out here and see your daughter!" Mom cried and reached over for her camera.
"Mom," I groaned, blushing. Andrew shrugged.
"I don't mind," he said, and put his arm around my waist and posed for the camera. Dad walked into the foyer and looked over at Mom, then me.
"You look just like your mother when she was in high school," he said. My cheeks turned a darker shade of red.
"OK, smile!" Mommy yelped and snapped a picture. Daddy got in behind us and placed his large hand on my shoulder. Mom took a few more, then stopped.
"OK, have a good time," Mom said and kissed my cheek. I hugged Daddy, and Andrew pulled me out of the house and over to the driveway where a black limo was waiting.
"Andrew!" I chastised.
"I had to go all out June. I knew you would look good, and I wanted to," he said. The driver that was waiting by the door opened it and helped me in.
"Thank you," I mumbled and sat down. Andrew sat beside me and instantly put his arm around my waist.
"You really look beautiful," he murmured as the driver shut the door. His lips were close to my neck and I shivered.
"Cold?" He asked, ready to peel off his jacket.
"No," I squeaked and he smiled. The driver started, and I looked out my window as we drove. Andrew kissed my cheek and rested his head on my shoulder. I tried to savor every moment of this night just as it was happening. I would write it all down later in my diary later anyway.
"We're here," Andrew announced, and the driver opened our door. Andrew got out, and extended his hand so that I wouldn't trip as I got out. I stepped out of the car and gasped.
Hundreds of people were standing outside the hotel, waiting for their friends or dates to arrive, or to see the glitz or the glamor of it all. Andrew looped his arm with mine and escorted me inside. Inside the lobby, people were standing around, talking and drinking punch.
"Now what?" I asked, looking around. I had never been to any of the school dances, and I didn't know what to do. Andrew laughed out loud.
"C'mon, I'll show you," he said and tugged me along. I didn't know how he was going to show me, but I shrugged and followed as he pulled me through the crowds. Finally, we were at the foot of the grand staircase. I gulped.
"I bought us a room," he said, leaping forward and walking up the stairs. "Come on up. I'm sure you want to put your purse down anyway," he called.
I exhaled and started to make my way up the stairs. He made a right and ran down the hallway to the last room on the right. He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.
"I got one of the better rooms," He said, and I stepped in. It had maroon, gold and white pinstripe wallpaper, and the bedsheets were colored dark red. Andrew went and jumped on the bed obnoxiously. I put my purse in the corner of the room and stood there embarrassingly. He smiled impishly.
"Come here kid," he said and gestured for me to walk over to him. He stood up and grabbed my waist.
"You look oh so good in that dress, and your hair is beautiful," he complimented, and I blushed so hard I thought I was going to faint. Nobody in my life had ever told me that I was beautiful. Well, not a boy at least, I thought. His lips dove to my neck, and he started kissing me. Tingling sensations ran up and down my spine as he did, and I felt the urge to wrap my arms around him, but I resisted. He reached for the zipper on the back of my dress, and that's when I went to pull away.
"Hey!" He cried, but I shook my head. "What's wrong?"
"I knew that was the reason that you wanted me to come up here," I said, tears stinging my eyes. But I wouldn't dare cry in front of him. That would show that I was weak, and that would give him the better advantage. I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed.
"June, it's prom night!" He groaned. I spun on him and he backed away.
"And you think just because it is prom, that means I should throw away everything I've achieve?" I asked him. He didn't answer. "Just because it's prom doesn't mean you have to show off to your friends. Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn't mean you have to, and if that's what I am, some kind of trophy from prom, then I'm not going to deal with it. That's not how I'm going to be treated!" I cried and started for the door, but he bolted there before I got a chance to reach the doorknob.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, pressing his hand to the handle. My heart sunk into the pit of my stomach. I had known that Andrew was very strong, and he could easily lift me with one hand. But I tried to look intimidating.
"I'm getting out of here. I know exactly what your plans are, and you can't sweet talk you way out of it this time!" I hissed, trying to shove him aside so that I could get past. But he bounced back and grabbed my wrists, squeezing them until it almost hurt. I squeaked. The look on his face was enough to put tears in my eyes. I had never seen this side of him before. He had gotten a crazed look on his face, and his smile was just too eerie. I sniffled as we walked back to the bed and he sat me down.
"You listen to me," He said, grabbing my face with his hand. I felt the tears burning underneath my eyelids, but I wouldn't cry, I just wouldn't! What was he going to say? There was nothing he could really say . . . to me at least. "You aren't my trophy, you're none of that. And I don't know where you get that idea from. You are my date because I love you very much, and I think you're so beautiful," he whispered in my ear. I couldn't believe him. But I had wanted to so badly.
"How can you love me . . ." I trailed.
"I see the things you do, and you are the one I want to be with," he finished. I couldn't help but let a fugitive tear out of my well of tears. He brushed it away.
"Why are you crying?" he questioned. I scoffed.
"You scared me!" I cried. "Seeing how you looked, it terrified me," I said softly. He frowned.
"I didn't mean to scare you," he said in my ear. "I just. . . I'm just not very good with the ladies," he admitted. My eyes widened.
"You? I. . . "
Yeah, everyone thinks that I'm just this great big ladies man," he blurted. "But I'm really not. Ugh," he groaned. "I don't want to talk about it. If you want to leave, then leave." He pointed to the door. I looked at him, then back at the door, and at that point decided that I didn't want to leave him here. He flopped on his back, and leaned over and gently kissed him on the lips. He opened his eyes, looking surprised, and leaned up to kiss me back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he put me into his arms, pulling me onto his lap. He rained kisses all over my face, his hands going up to caress my shoulders. I pulled away hesitantly and smiled.
"Let's go back downstairs. . . I'm sure we're missing important stuff," I said, and I went into the bathroom to freshen up before going back downstairs.
Down in the lobby, the band had started playing again, and people were sitting down at the tables, eating dinner and drinking punch. Andrew pulled me over to one of the tables all of his friends were sitting at, and we sat down. I felt out of place hanging around them, but I tried my best to make friends.
Soon things began to grow boring, and I whispered that into Andrew's ear. He looked at me like I was crazy.
"June, how could this get boring?" He asked. I shrugged.
"Is this all you do?" He shrugged.
"Basically," he muttered. I sighed.
"I'm going upstairs to get my purse," I said and went upstairs to retrieve it. I looked at the room one last time and then went to meet Andrew at the front doors.
"I'm sorry you didn't have a good time," Andrew said as we were walking back to the limo.
"I did, I just thought that there would be more to it," I replied. The driver opened the door and let us in. Once the door was shut, Andrew turned to me.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he said, slipping his arm around my waist. I didn't reply, instead, sets of shivers ran up my spine.
"What?" Andrew asked.
"Nothing, I'm just getting a weird feeling," I said, rubbing myself to keep warm. I rested my head on Andrew's shoulder and waited until we had arrived at my house. Andrew walked me up to the door and kissed me goodnight.
"I had a great time. Thank you," I said and wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a great big hug. He grinned.
"Call me," he said and walked back to the limo. He crawled in and the limo sped off. I fished through my purse for my keys, and opened the door.
"Mommy! Daddy! I'm home!" I cried as I walked through the house. They were in the den, talking. Daddy stood up to greet me.
"Hey, um, why don't you go upstairs and change out of that dress? We want to talk to you," he instructed. I couldn't see Mommy because she was sitting with her back to me. I ran upstairs and changed into my pajamas, and then ran back into the den. Mommy was on the chaise lounge, a towel draped over her forehead. Her eyes were red and UN-wiped tears still lingered on her cheeks. My heart beat faster.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Daddy stood up.
"You might want to sit down," he advised. I slowly took a seat on the couch. Mommy sat up and wrung her hands.
"What's wrong?" I repeated, darting my eyes to Daddy.
"Do you remember when Cassandra and Lilly said that you were adopted?" My heart sank and I felt sick to my stomach. "Goodness, this wasn't a good approach," Dad muttered, shaking his head.
"Please . . . go on," I pleaded. He sighed.
"June, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you really are adopted."
I blinked at him. What was he saying? Was this some kind of dream? I started to shake, and Mom straightened her posture.
"A long, long time ago, you're real mother was in a very bad situation. Her boyfriend was abusing her, she didn't have much money, and she had 4 little girls."
I leaped up from the couch. "4 little girls!" I cried. My head suddenly felt light and my dinner wanted to resurface. Daddy nodded, and Mom paled.
"Please tell me that this is all a dream," I said as tears pooled in my eyes. "It has to be."
"I'm sorry that it isn't," Daddy mumbled. I sat down and buried my face in my hands. Dad went over to the oak desk that sat in the corner and took some papers out of the middle drawer. He walked over to me and handed them to me.
"This is your birth certificate, adoption papers and a letter that she addressed to you." I took it out of his hand and glanced at it briefly before looking up at him. I saw his face turn into an ugly frown, and I knew that he was holding back tears.
D "This is your birth certificate, adoption papers and a letter that she addressed to you." I took it out of his hand and glanced at it briefly before looking up at him. I saw his face turn into an ugly frown, and I knew that he was holding back tears.
"Daddy, I don't understand," I whispered hoarsely, my throat closing up, tears clouding my vision.
"Your mother was a volunteer at the orphanage, and when your mother had arrived to . . . well, afterward, she grew very attached to you and your sisters. But soon, others had come to adopt the children, and you and one of your other sisters were left. Your mother saw how painful it was for you to be all alone, so we. . . " he trailed off and turned away as a tear slipped down his cheek. Mommy looked up at the mention of her name, and she was close to crying too.
I sniffled. "Why wasn't I sent to live with my other sisters?" I asked softly.
"The adoption agency's don't care much about pairing siblings together. They just want as many children to get out of the orphanage," Mommy finally spoke, and we both looked over at her. Tears dripped on the floor, and Mommy shook her head.
"I should have told you sooner. . ."
"Mommy," I said, she looked up, and fell back on the chaise lounge, her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Anna!" Dad cried and ran over to her. I started to sob so hard that my shoulders shook and I was gasping for air. Mom returned to consciousness, and I sprawled onto the couch and curled into a little ball.
How could this be real? How could I be adopted? This wasn't imaginable! The resemblance was too strong, the feelings were to genuine, for me to be adopted! I sobbed relentlessly, even as Dad, or the father I knew tried to control me, but I just couldn't sob. As if it were going to help me at all; to make the truth into a lie.
"June!" He ferociously yelled in my ear, but I pushed him away and sobbed. How I wanted to flee into his arms and just cry. But I just couldn't, after what he had told me. I had no one to run to, to trust with all of my secrets. Reality stings when it hits, and that leaves a permanent mark on you forever. I stood up and ran out of the door, grabbing my car keys and climbing into my brand new car, starting the engine and peeling out of the garage wildly, screeching tires echoing down the street.
I drove; I didn't know where I was going, but I drove forward, sobbing still. It seemed that I was going in the direction of Andrew's house, but I didn't know exactly where he lived, so I went out onto the main street. I drove madly, almost wrecking that beautiful new car, but I kept my composure and pulled over to the side of the road, turning off my engine and crying. How was this possible?
"No, no, no, no," I repeated over and over. I tried to imagine this as a beautiful dream gone horribly wrong. Why had this happened to me? Was this destiny? Was this meant to happen? I shook my head. This couldn't be true!
Slowly, my eyelids started to droop, and I could help but curling up in the back-seat of the car and crying myself into what seemed an everlasting sleep.