After the week I've had, sitting in this salon chair with freshly washed hair and feeling totally pampered is exactly what I needed. Prom couldn't have come at a better time if I'm being honest, making it easy to agree with Kate to go and get our hair done together before the biggest evening of our high school years. After thinking I wasn't going to go at all, I'm kind of happy that Harry asked me to go with him and things worked out the way they did, because I'm surprisingly excited about it. Especially because I'm in need of some fun. Something to forget this week from hell.

It wasn't shocking that Anne allowed me to stay without question, and our disagreement about calling the police on my father was short because I apparently had some good points throughout our argument. With my mother gone and my bedroom sorted out and no bruises to show, there would be no proof that my father had done anything wrong and I wasn't ready to waste anyone's time. 

Anne's wish was granted on Thursday though, when Carter called me after school to make sure that I was okay and said I had to come by his house because the police were at my house with my dad. I sneaked into his room through the window so no one would see I was there, and ended up spending the evening with Carter and his mother, long after the police had left.

Carter's mom explained she was the one who made the call in the first place. After I had left the windows open, dad's screams were heard from next door, scaring the living shit out of his mom. The poor lady. She thought my mom was in trouble, not knowing she was gone. And Dad had flew off the handle in anger.

On Friday, Carter's mom told him the police had stopped by their house looking for my mother, because she was now considered a missing person, and because all I was able to say was that she was heading to Seattle to rehab, they were on the search for her. 

I thought it was strange that my dad didn't care to say that I was missing as well, but happy he decided to leave me out of it, until they showed up at school looking for me.

Needless to say, Friday was hell. Having to be stuck in the principal's office for half of the day with police officers, answering questions about my family was rough and trying to explain why I don't live at home anymore made me panic, especially because I had no idea what Anne was going to say if they questioned her.

It all turned into the reason I didn't want the police involved in my life. It was all hectic and gave me anxiety I never wanted to live through. Having to talk about my mother's alcoholism was beyond hard, but needed, to explain why she had left for the city. I wasn't able to say why she left without telling my dad, other than it was something that she needed to do for herself.

And to make matters worse, everyone knew the cops were there to talk to me, giving them reason to talk about me, make up rumors and make my life feel like I was living in a worse nightmare than ever before.

I hate high school. And I'm so happy it'll be over in a couple of weeks.

They wouldn't let me talk to Harry the entire time I was stuck in the office. I heard him arguing with the secretary outside the door, demanding they let him in to see me, but was forced to go back to class. It made everything so much more daunting, knowing I was more alone in this than I wanted to feel.

When Anne showed up, they were finally letting me back out into the world. But upon her arrival, the police felt the need to question her before we got to speak to each other about anything. I'm sure our intense embrace caused more questions than need be. But I was happy that when they questioned her about my living arrangements at their home, she said I was an adult, had moved out of my home to live with my boyfriend, and she was happy to have me there with Harry.

They had no legitimate reason to question me any more. I had given them all that I had, minus a few missing pieces. As long as mom and I were free of my dad from now on, everything would be alright.

The bell on the salon door dings against the glass making me look through the mirror to see who's walked in. I roll my eyes when I see Rachel, Maddy and Chelsea. "Great," Chelsea scoffs. "Looks like we're stuck getting ready with a criminal."

If the hairstylist wasn't currently busy cutting my hair, I would be in her face right now. Instead, I sit here, visioning smashing her face against the tile floor, trying not to show how angry her words have made me.

"Seriously Chelsea?" Kate pipes up beside me. "You know that Jayde isn't a criminal. Maybe try getting a life so you don't have to talk about someone else's."

"You're saying I should get a life?" Chelsea laughs. "I'm pretty sure I have more of a life than you. And last time I checked, we were the ones with dates to prom, while you two are stuck going solo."

"They aren't worth it," Maddy says, pulling Chelsea over to the chairs.

I try not to focus on the girls. I've been through enough this week to let them get me worked up for nothing, reminding myself that after a few more weeks, I won't have to deal with any of them anymore. What they think of me is so minuscule in the grand scheme of things and nothing they say anymore can hurt me. They are just typical high school girls who turned into mean girls over the last couple of months. And that's all they'll ever be to me.

"Do you think that Harry will show up?" Maddy asks, making my attention turn back to them after a long time. "I know he said he wasn't going anymore, now that he's not going with me, but—"

"Who cares about Harry?" Rachel interrupts. "I've given up on my promise to have sex with him on prom night. I can't believe I wanted him for as long as I did. And Maddy, you have Niall. Stop thinking about Harry."

"It was just a general question," Maddy shrugs. "Niall said he's been bugging him to come with us, but he won't answer him."

Kate looks over at me as we listen to their conversation, smiling at each other. I want to laugh, thinking about Maddy's blog, knowing exactly why she's wondering if he'll be there tonight. The fact that no one knows we're going together, is still baffling and I wonder what they're going to say or do when they see us show up together.

"He would look pretty hot in a tux though, wouldn't he?" Maddy questions. "I mean, all the guys will."

They go on about how everyone will look tonight and who they're planning on saving dances for despite their respective dates, while all I can think about is how I already know how hot Harry looks in a tux and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be going with him tonight.

The hair dresser finishes up with my hair and I make my way over to pay, still having to wait for Kate to get done. Maddy starts walking over to me as she waits for her turn to get her hair done and I roll my eyes at her presence.

"So, you're really going tonight?" she asks. I nod in response, not wanting to have any conversation with her right now. "I'm surprised you would."

"And why's that?" I question.

"I know you don't really want to go," she says. "And won't it suck not going with Carter and seeing him there with Layla?"

"I'm over Carter," I tell her. "And I'm happy that he's with her."

"But you're okay with going alone?" she asks, raising her eyebrows. "I mean, what happened with Niall was pretty embarrassing. Everyone knows you were supposed to be going with him, and you're going to show up solo?" 

I shake my head at her. Her tone is sincere and yet she's still condescending and I don't know how to take this small conversation. I just know that I don't want to be having it. "I don't really care what people think of me, Maddy," I finally say. "People go to prom solo and just with friends all the time. No, I didn't really want to go, but the whole Niall thing isn't stopping me from going and having some fun."

"So, you're not jealous that I'm with Niall then?"

I let out a laugh. "You can have Niall," I tell her. "Is that what you want? To make me jealous of you? Let me make one thing clear Maddy. I will never be jealous of you. You can have the biggest, nicest house, with the best family, have a boyfriend and be in the popular crowd," I use quotations with my hands. "And I will still never be jealous of you. I may not have anything that you do, but I have Kate and Ha—" I swallow hard. "And happen to think it's better to have just one good friend than be able to say I have lots of friends who are just a bunch of bitches."

Thankfully, Kate stands from the chair, her hair styled beautifully.

"Rachel and Chelsea are better friends than you and Kate ever were," Maddy scoffs in annoyance.

"Does it look like I care?" I ask. "Have fun tonight, Maddy."

Because of the whole police ordeal at school, I was forced to tell Kate that I was staying with Harry for the time being. She asked, of course, why, leaving me to tell her that my mom went out of town for a while and Harry's family was kind enough to let me stay in their spare room until she got back. The good thing about Kate is, even though she wants to ask more questions, she knows not to push it. I knew she could tell there was more to the story that I wasn't willing to give up, all thanks to the police showing up at school, but alongside saying that I could have stayed at her house, she expressed how enthusiastic she was about the fact I was staying with Harry, making bow chica wow wow noises to lighten the mood, despite her concern and curiosity. 

"Are you nervous?" Kate asks, as we pull into Harry's driveway. "I mean, about showing up with Harry tonight?"

"Kind of," I answer, quietly. "It's going to be strange being so public with him. We've been a secret for so long. But it'll be fine. It's not like we're going to act like we're together or anything. We're just each other's prom dates."

"I'm really excited to see you guys together," she smiles. "I know that he makes you happy. I think this is what you need. Do you think after this, you'll be together, ya know—not so secret?"

I shrug, not knowing how to respond. "We aren't even together. We're just friends with benefits."

"Well, that's a step up from last time we talked about it," Kate laughs. "You're more than fuck buddies now."

"I just don't see why it would be important to not be a secret," I explain. "There's nothing between us that could be public knowledge."

"Don't you want to be more than just friends with benefits though?" Kate asks. "I feel like you're more than that already anyways. He obviously cares about you and you're in love with him. It would just make sense to just go the distance with him now and be together, wouldn't it?"

I shrug again. I know that I would love to be able to call him mine and for me to be his, and to a point we already are each other's only. Just without the label. But things are never that simple and I don't think I want to open that universe knowing our stars won't always be aligned.

She lets out a long sigh seeing that I'm not going to respond. "Well, I won't keep you," she smiles. "And I'll meet you there at six."

"You don't want to ride there with us?" I ask, thinking that was the plan.

"No, Mr Matthews asked if I could help set up the photo booth because someone from the prom committee quit yesterday, so I'm going a little early," she tells me. "I thought I told you that already?"

"Oh, maybe you did," I mutter. "I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind this week. But yeah, see you at six. Can't wait to see your dress!"

I can only imagine how tonight will go, having to be around everyone. Just being stuck in the salon for an hour with those girls was exhausting. I know that I need to not focus on them and keep my eye on the prize. Which is having a good time with Harry and Kate. I need this night to be better than I have anticipated, to forget this entire week happened.

A/N: Sorry for the short, filler chapter. I haven't had a lot of time to write because I've been extremely busy this week. There's only a couple of chapters left  before I start the sequel. ☺

Thanks for 73.7K Reads! And it just hit 10K Votes, to which I am so thankful to you guys for! Thank you for showing my book so much love!! ♥♥ You have no idea how much it means to me!

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Much Love,
amberlove
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