Trustfall

Chapter 16 - 15 Candles

He places the white wrapped gift in front of me. I open it and take a black bike helmet out.

"Thank you," I chuckle.

"We thought that now you still have to wait a year to get your driver's license. You might want another way to get around, if we can't drive you." Dad says. I nod and thank them again.

Dad hands me the last present. "This is from me," he tells me, I thank him before I have even opened it.

I open the soft present, and pull out a gorgeous bronze dress, with a waterfall effect, and the straps with rhinestones.

"You like it?" he asks me, he looks rather nervous.

"I love it," I say with the biggest smile on my face "Thank you." I jump into his arms giving him the biggest bear hug.

"Great, I thought that maybe you can wear it tonight."

"Tonight?"

"We're going to throw a party for you, we have invited some people, and we're going to a hotel not long from here where we are going to celebrate it and the other guests can stay to sleep."

"How many guests are coming?"

"Apart from us, about 100." I raise my eyebrows and he quickly adds "but don't worry you don't have to meet all of them, you can just stay with us."

I nod and thank him again.

A party, that sounds nice, but 100! It's a birthday not a wedding.

*

Two hours after a delicious lunch and games I go take a shower to get ready for the party.

I step out of the shower and put on my new bathrobe that I got from Talia, it's so soft and comfy that I could fall asleep in it.

I wait to put on my dress until I have done my hair and makeup. We will leave at 5 pm and it's 4 pm now.

I dry my hair with a hair dryer and brush it before I start to curl it. It isn't thin, it isn't thick, it's perfect. It's been a hundred years since I last let my hair down.

I put on some make-up to hide my black eye, I also put some on the bruise on my arm, I want a good evening without reminders from everything that has happened.

I quickly pack some night clothes, some clothes for tomorrow and my toothbrush.

I slip into my dress, the smooth fabric slides up my body when I pull the dress up, I look in the mirror. It fits perfectly.

I find my new black sandal pumps that I got from Manuel and Samuel and put on and take the earrings I got from Alexander and put on as well. I go back to the mirror, I adjust my hair, I can't hide a smile, I haven't felt this pretty since... since never.

I glance at the clock, 4:50 pm.

I take my bag and my purse with my phone, extra mascara and lip-gloss and go down to the hall.

I reach the hall, no one is here apart from dad who is tying his shoelaces. I walk down the stairs, making the heels from my shoes make a sound every time I take a step.

"The others went ahead, they needed to take care of something," he tells me without taking his eyes from his shoes, "you ready?" he asks me and stands up and finally looks or rather glances at me, he looks away to walk over to the door but quickly looks back at me like he had to make sure what he saw was right.

His eyebrows raise his hairline, he grins, I have never seen him like this.

"Wow," he whispers, "you look beautiful," he tells me, now it's my turn to grin.