30 Days of Love

A Night Of Our Own

Joanna's POV 

The peculiar silence is broken from the two repeated knocks from the door that cause me to wince, bringing me back to the house I'm expelled from.

I pick up the white chair, scooting myself away from the desk that I transitioned over to from the bed hours before, and open the door, shaking away the images that puncture my brain.

On the other side, Liam stands, not dressed as a golfer but as a photographer with his denim jacket that overlaps his black t-shirt, paired with denim skinny jeans.

"Why are you all dressed up?" I ask, looking him up and down from head to toe, not understanding what the occasion is for.

"If you think this is 'dressed up' you haven't seen anything," he jokes with a grin on his face.

I allow a slight chuckle to peek through. "No, but seriously, what's going on?"

"Come on," he says, reaching for my hand.

For a moment, I stare at the veins that circulate his hand, sticking out like rails on a railroad track, pondering if I should take it. But as I do, the ice that lies on mine thaws out while we make our way downstairs.

Our footsteps are as thunderous and striking as the knocks produced at my door by Liam moments before.

Once we stand in the living room's archway; a rainbow that welcomes us inside, Barbara stands in front of the glass coffee table with a dress that rests on a black hanger.

"Surprise!" she exclaims with Haven and Zara standing on both of her sides having a smile that was copy and pasted from Barbara on their faces.

"W-what? What's going on?"

Looking up at Liam for answers, his eyes sparkle with glee as he whispers, "We're going to a party."

A feeling of shock buries under the powerful emotions of thrill and anxiousness that flow through my body. And the only words that escape my lips are: "No way."

Liam gives me a smirk, nodding his head while his curly hair bobs up and down.

"We all agree that you, Joanna-" Barbara stops speaking as she realizes she's mistaken my name. Yet, for whatever reason, I don't flinch at her saying it. Nor do I hate her for it. "Jo deserves to go have some fun. Cade and I understand that you've gone through a lot because of this tradition and we just want to make sure that you have those teenage moments that every young adult deserves to have," she mentions.

"Thank you." I fold my arms and stare at the ground, noticing every little detail from the pattern of the wood floor to the dust that lies on top of it. I wonder if what Barbara has said was just a way for her to push me towards the tradition more. To make me more open to the idea that the tradition isn't going to take my teenage years away, but is going to simply keep us from going extinct. And though this is probably their plan, I can't help but feel as though they are being sincere.

And although I'm grateful for Barbara and Cade's understanding, I can't help but feel upset. Why can't mama and papa be like Liam's parents? How come they're so open to how I feel but my parents aren't?

"It's no problem. Now, come, let's get you ready."

Barbara carries the stunning dress in her right hand, while her left hand holds onto my arm, forcing me to let go of Liam's hand; his warmth still lingers.

Together, we stride back upstairs, turning right instead of left, arriving in the master bathroom. It's as big as my bedroom in my old house! My eyes trace every inch of the room, amazed by how incredible their home is. If only Luis could see it? If only we could have grown up to this life? The life of wealth.