Aubry's POV-
The hot water felt good on my skin and the scent of Aiden was everywhere in the bathroom. It was intoxicating. I knew I was taking an extremely long time, but I couldn't help it... I never wanted to get out of the shower. I felt almost at home, more at home than my actual home, well used to be home, ever felt.
Finally, after far too long, I decided to drag myself out of the burning hot shower and crept into Briana's room. I dressed in the pretty dress and assessed myself. It was a beautiful garment. Though, it was just slightly too big. but it fit way better than any of my other clothes fit me.
It was a whole lot more revealing than I was used to as well... The open back framed old scars and my awful-looking bruises that were all over my back. I felt uncomfortable, but it was also too pretty for me not to feel at least slightly better about myself.
However, when I studied myself closer In the mirror, I could see too many of the ugly scars that I had collected over the years... From the jagged lines that I had received when I was only ten, when Sunny had pushed me too hard and I fell through a window. To the circular cigar burns going down my spine from when my father decided that it was an adequate way of punishing me when I was only seven and crying for my mommy. Then to the long and puffy scar that sat in the middle of my back caused by a barbed wire fence from when I was running away from another demented friend of my dad's. I instantly cringed at my awful looking marred skin.
My eyes then shifted down to my black, purple, and blue bruises that took up the whole of my mid and lower back. My bruises looked really bad and I knew that I was going to get a lot of looks and whispers about how ridiculous I looked... about how I didn't belong. It was the truth.
The dress was beautiful, but I... I was not. I was broken and too scarred. There was no way that I could go out there and subject people to that. To me and all of my scars... all of my issues.
I suddenly wanted to rip the pretty garment from my ugly body. Just as I began to take the dress off, I heard a knock at the door.
"Can I come in? it's Briana."
I pulled the dress back into place at her voice. "Of course, it's your room!"
She walked into the room and looked at me with a smile. I felt self conscious, but remained still under her gaze. "You look so gorgeous Aubry!"
I shook my head no and laughed non-humorously. "Look at this," I paused and pointed at my back full of all of the bruises and scars. "No one wants to see this."
She scoffed at me, "Who cares? I didn't even notice it until you pointed it out." She shrugged and stood behind me with a smile. She was quite a bit taller so she towered over me. "Don't you remember what you told me?"
I stared blankly at her for a minute because I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Your scars don't make you ugly; your scars show where you've been." I nodded at that reminder. "Look, that got me through a lot. Besides, you will not be the talk of the family today... I will be. This will be the first time that I've been out in front of them with short sleeves since the accident. So, they will certainly will be talking about how psychotic I am, not you."
For the first time that day, I took in her appearance. She had on a black high waisted maxi skirt, a red short sleeved cropped top, and black pumps. Her hair was straightened and her makeup was festive and warm. The scars on her arms were healing and all scabbed over making me smile. She looked beautiful and strong... I knew that I needed to follow her example.
"Let's do your hair and makeup. We're already running late."
She worked easily and effectively making me look really nice and put together. I glanced in the mirror and gave myself a very slight unpracticed smile... I looked decidedly okay.
"You ready?" I asked Briana and she smiled walking out first towards the chaos.
We walked side by side together into the room. The whole room was practically silent as people began to notice us. Briana had a new wave of confidence surrounding her as she walked ahead of me towards some relatives. The confidence really suited her; she was made to be noticed.
I, on the other hand, felt like a deer in headlights as I waked through the silent room. I was certainly not made to be noticed. I was supposed to be shoved in the corner and forgotten about... my whole life was a testament to that.
After Aiden shook his bitch of a step-cousin off of him, he made his way to me. His gaze was penetrating as he stared at me. No words were spoken, just his gaze... I began shifting uncomfortably as his look began making me feel uncomfortable. Well, not his look exactly, but the rest of his family's eyes that were on us and taking in our moment together.
He must've sensed my uneasiness and stood a little straighter while finally smiling widely at me. "Sorry, it's just that you-you're stunning."
I felt my cheeks go hot immediately.
B and Tom greeted me as well with hugs and compliments of their own. I was not used to the attention or the compliments. So, I stammered out an awkward greeting and tried to hid my blush as much as possible.
However, the embarrassed flush turned into an angry flush rather quickly with the way that Stephanie began speaking about me. I was sick of people looking at me the way that Stephanie and all the other mean girls looked at me. I was sick of being looked down upon and treated like a lowly animal of sorts... it was what my whole life had consisted of.
"Look, you little bit-" I started to tell her off and tell her where she can go shove her superiority complex that she had.
"Dinner time!" Dana yelled loudly cutting me off effectively. I could see the small smirk that she had on her face as she looked directly at me.
I knew that she had done that for my own good. Starting a fight in the middle of Christmas was probably not the greatest idea...
That time, there were two tables instead of only one last time. Granted, Christmas seemed to be a much bigger event than the last family gathering. It slightly relaxed me a bit because the tables were obviously split into the 'adult' tables and the 'kid' tables so I was fairly certain there the adults wouldn't be asking us too many questions like the time before.
All of us awkwardly sat down without talking. The older kids sat on one side while the little ones filled in the other side. Brandon's little sisters and Cece were the only ones talking up a big storm. Everyone else just looked around uncomfortably.
Soon enough, our plates were filled and I began eating the heavenly food. I almost moaned at the taste. It was absolutely delicious.
I was indulging in my food when I heard a loud scoff from across the table. "You're such a fat pig," I heard the screechy voice from across the table say. Surely the comment was directed at me.
I gripped my fork tighter and chewed slowly trying to ignore the bitch. I just wanted to enjoy my first ever Christmas dinner. Was that too much to ask for?
"And you're an ugly bitch," Briana said casually with a shrug making all of us look at her in surprise.
I supposed that she had never said anything like that to her overly vocal cousin before...
"Excuse me?" Stephanie asked loudly completely out raged at the insult.
I almost started laughing at the way her head looked like it was about to explode.
"You're one to talk, deformed ugly mongo," she fired back.
My fork clanked onto my plate loudly at her words.
Aiden stiffened all the way up and growled at her. "You stupid-" he started but was cut off suddenly by Briana.
"At least I have an excuse for my ugliness. What's yours?" Briana said quite loudly and harsh.
Her words startled all of us even more. I laughed heartily that time, I couldn't help it.
"You're not ugly!" Brandon said firmly to Bri.
Everyone just laughed openly at Stephanie.
Stephanie huffed and stood up from the table abruptly even knocking her chair down making all of us look at her like she was a psychopath. "I'm leaving! I don't have to take this-this abuse!" She announced loudly.
All of the adults looked to our table with widened eyes. They had no idea what was going on...
Stephanie looked at Briana and then to me with hate. "I don't know who the two of you think you are, but let me tell you something... you are both the lowest of the low. The people who no one wants to be." She sneered at us with anger. "So what?" She scoffed at me. "You got a hot guy's attention all the sudden? That'll end as soon as he gets tired of you. And you..." she said turning to Briana. "...You all of the sudden got all of this confidence?! That will be squashed in a matter of days when someone says something mean to you or tells you to go kill yourself. Then you'll run away crying like the little bitch you are."
"That is quite enough, Stephanie." Dana said loudly looking angry.
Stephanie scoffed. "Whatever! You two enjoy your time right now because it's all going to come to an abrupt end eventually."
"Get out," Aiden said with a glare.
"When you finally get done with the ugly duckling... you can call me." She told him before walking out of the house. Her mother followed after her frantically.
"Do we even want to know?" Dana asked while trying to hide an amused smile but miserably failing at the task.
"She's crazy!"
Dana let it go with no more questions. I guess she really didn't care too much...
Good riddance.
"Bri, where did this new found confidence come from?" Aiden asked what we were all wondering.
She shrugged. "Honestly? I've just decided to embrace myself. I have been punishing myself for far too long. So, I decided that I am going to embrace myself and not care anymore... Not care about what people think of me, not care of what anyone has to say about me, not care about what people say about what happened... I just want to be happy. I've realized that I'll never be the old me ever again, so it's time to embrace the new me. I've realized that the people who care about me will embrace the new me too..."
I smiled at her and squeezed her hand in support. "You are so strong, Bri!" I told her.
I meant it. She was beautiful and so strong... I was so happy for her.
A/n-
Sorry! This new year has absolutely been kicking my butt! 🙄🙄🙄 I am so sorry, I have been so busy and so unmotivated. I think I'm finally back though!!! I am going to try to update at least every other week! HOPEFULLY more! Just please hang in there with me! I love y'all! Sorry for any mistakes and plz point them out to me. I know I have lost a lot of viewers because of my hiatus so PLEASE please share and vote for this story! Also tell me what y'all think is going to happen! Comment what y'all think. I love y'all for always sticking by me! Once again, I AM SO SORRY! Love y'all! Vote, comment and share!
KAF❤️