I tightened the belt of my black robe and stood by my dresser, make up all-done. Watching as Vanessa ransacked my wardrobe.
“Are these all the dresses you brought?” Vanessa asked, flipping through the hangers with disbelief.
“Well, I packed for a vacation, not a date,” I replied, twisting my foot against the floor.
Vanessa had insisted on helping me get ready, even after I told her I could manage it myself. Eventually, I gave up arguing and let her.
While she searched through my clothes, my mind drifted back to the afternoon.
I’d never seen that side of Darnell before. He was bleeding and begging me not to go. He never actually said the word please, but something about the way he said it still sent chills through me. The desperation in his voice. The look in his eyes. It felt like I w
