Page 116 of Don't Be in Love

I nodded, trying to force my mouth to smile. But it wasn’t working. If Sabrina had no use for this apartment, then therewas no point in her dad renting it to us so affordably. I’d have to find my own place.

I was going to be alone again.

“We’ll make the most of the semester. Take weekend trips. Get dinner more often. We already have something planned for this week!” Sabrina gushed.

“You planned something?” I asked.

“Gosh no. James texted Mia and I about The Januarylast week! Let me go check the post. Invitations for The January are always sent the week of.”

The front door closed, and Mia stared at me with concern, as if I was going to explode.

“What do you want me to do? I can send a fake email that says you have to re-do an exam on the same day? Or I can start injecting your water with something that’ll make it look like you’re sick?”

“Inject itwith what?”

“I don’t know, maybe food coloring or something? If we turn your tongue a weird color, I bet that’ll scare Sabrina enough to let you stay home.”

“It’s fine, I want to go.”

“You do?”

“You guys are leaving in May. I spent the entire fall semester buried in work and now I only have a few months of us living together to make up for all the outings I missed.”

“Even if Dorian is there?”

“He won’t be a problem.”

The door swung open. Sabrina walked in with three envelopes, and two boxes, one the size of a sheet cake.

“You sure did quite a bit of shopping while we were gone,” she gestured to me before placing the boxes on the coffee table.

“I didn’t buy anything.”

Her brow rose. “These are addressed to you.”

We gathered around the table immediately as if we were preparing for an emergency séance. If a séance solely involved staring.

“Could it be from your aunt? You have started talking again,” Brina guessed.

“Only recently though.”

“Will you just open it!” Mia begged.

I tore open the package big enough to hold a sheet cake. They scooted closer on the rug as I flipped the top over.

“Wow,” they exhaled.Wowwas right.

It was a dusty lavender gown made from a thin organza fabric. With a plunging neckline down the center of the breastbone, it met at a thin bow that kept the chest together. It was fitted from the waist to the hip. While the bottom half was a drop waist skirt, composed of three individual tiered layers. Thin lilac and mauve beads peppered the chest and tiered layers.

It looked like a dress made for a fairy. Or the wife of a very wealthy pirate.

Under the thin straps was a note that saidHappy Christmas.

Dorian. He must’ve dropped this off while I was at work.

“Oh my gosh, it must be from James!” Sabrina gasped.

Mia’s eyes widened. Crap. I may have forgotten to fill her in on the whole Sabrina-thinks-James-and-I-are-in-love situation.