Losing Him (Mitchell Family #8)(66)

The assembly was focused on superlatives, which my sister won a lot of. She was most beautiful, most daring, and most popular. Everyone cheered when she went up to collect her little awards.

I spotted Stosh in the crowd and caught him looking back at me three times. It gave me even more courage.

After the assembly was over, I weeded through the crowd to find him. I should have known when I saw him standing in front of my sister that something was wrong. It just didn’t dawn on me that it would go the way it went.

They both saw me heading their way. My smile turned upside down and my heart was beating a thousand times too fast. “What’s up?”

They looked at each other and then back at me. “Stoshua just asked me to prom. We are going to be the hottest couple there. I just know it.” She put her arm into his and waited for me to reply.

Of all the people on the entire planet, nobody could have hurt me like my sister did at that very moment. I was literally crushed into a million pieces. “I didn’t know you guys liked each other.”

They both looked at each other and shrugged. After all of this time, I’d thought he was interested in me, when the whole time he’d only been into my sister. She’d probably told him to be nice to me.

I felt like such a fool.

“That’s great.” I could feel the burning in my throat. I was choking back my own pain to try and be happy for my sister. It was impossible to even look at Stosh. I wanted to die!

The next week was even worse. Ivy drug me all over town, looking for the perfect dress. She said she needed to be the hottest girl there.

When she found her version of a perfect dress, which consisted of it just ending at her ass and showing entirely too much cleavage, she got even more annoying. “You know, you should come to prom. We could get matching dresses, like we did when we were kids.”

“No thanks. Prom isn’t my kind of scene. I’m just going to catch a movie. You know, the statistics show that drunk driving is heightened during events such as dances. Drug use is even worse. I prefer being home by ten and knowing I will wake up in one piece.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “Whatever!” While admiring herself in the mirror, “I seriously wonder what planet you came from sometimes. I mean, do you even hear yourself?”

If she wasn’t my sister, I knew we’d never be friends. We had nothing in common except our looks. “I can’t help who I am. When I’m out of college and I have a good job, I’ll have plenty of time to go out and have fun. I just don’t want to make a mistake that could cost me the future that I’m working so hard for. You can’t hate me for being responsible.”

“You really need to live a little. Your vagina is going to shrivel up like an old lady if you don’t use it!”

I rolled my eyes. “My vagina is fine, thank you very much.” “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” She continued admiring herself in the mirror. “Just because I’m saving myself, doesn’t mean I’m a prude. I’m happy with my

life. One day I can look back and be happy with my decisions. I don’t want regrets, Ivy.” She was going to have them. Everything my sister did made me wonder what the hell she was thinking.

Since dress shopping had been a nightmare, I avoided my sister until the big day. I’d had my moments and it was a blessing that we didn’t share rooms. I’d cried myself to sleep every night and being in school wasn’t easier. I had to maintain my friendship with Stosh like nothing had happened. He was into my sister, which meant he had never been into me. It was like a slap in the face to have to put on a smile everyday and pretend that our friendship hadn’t been tainted.

When he started asking me questions about my sister, I wanted to scream.

Then they became more than just prom dates. I saw him walking her to class and she kissed him right in front of me. I wanted to cringe. The two people that I loved the most were into each other. I was the odd person out. Nothing was going to be the same.

As upset as I was about their situation, I did switch places with my sister and take her exam. For some reason, I didn’t think about having to pretend to be her around Stosh. He found me walking down the hall and grabbed my hand. I’d pictured it for so long and wondered what it would be like to have his large hand holding mine.

He kept looking at me and smiling, but didn’t say anything. A few people passed us in the hall and he spoke to them, but not to me. When we arrived at my sister’s class, I knew we had to say something. “Thanks for walking with me.”

“It was my pleasure.” He played with my bangs, causing me to blush. I was so hot for him but, I couldn’t tell him.

I bit down on my lip. “Willow isn’t here today.” “Really? Where is she?” “She’s not feeling well.” It wasn’t totally a lie. I felt like I was going to puke. “Good thing she finished her exams. I just thought we could hang out in the

library. Oh well, I guess I’ll just take a nap.”

I thought he was just going to walk away. I mean, he started to, but all of the sudden he turned around and pulled me into his arms. Butterflies filled my stomach as he closed his eyes and pressed his warm lips on mine. I would have been able to manage with just a peck, but it escalated quickly. His tongue intruded it’s way into my mouth and found mine. I just couldn’t help myself. I’d dreamed of kissing this fabulous guy for so long. I had to feel what it was like once.