Ivy

My mind is weird.

I should be mad at Ryder for being mean to me all the time, but instead, it makes me giggle when he snaps at me. Maybe I like the way he scrunches his nose when he is annoyed at me or the way his little vein pops up on his forehead when he is mad at me. It's adorable.

But then again, why do I find it adorable when someone is being mean to me? Is there something wrong with me? Maybe I have some sort of weird psychological issue that I need to address.

Or maybe I just have a strange sense of humor. I mean, I laugh at my own jokes even when no one else finds them funny. Maybe finding Ryder's annoyance amusing is just another one of my quirks.

Either way, I need to stop thinking about him so much. I can't get too attached because this isn't meant to be a long-lasting friendship. Guys like Ryder don't hang out with girls like me!

But I really did have so much fun with him at the carnival!

He had been weirdly understanding when I was scared of heights, and then he invited me to his friend's birthday party. He is actually going along with the whole pretend-mate thing!

I should thank my lucky star for finding someone who agreed to be blackmailed by me.

Oh my god, I need to find something to wear for the party!

I bounced my way to my bedroom to search my closet. I don't have a whole lot of clothes since I don't go out much, but I have to have something that's suitable to impress Ryder's friends.

I rummage through my clothes, but I can't find anything that I feel confident in. Nothing ever looks good on me and I can already feel the judgmental stares of Ryder's friends as they size me up in their heads.

"What are you doing in there, honey?"

My godmother Greta's voice startles me. I became an orphan at birth, so Greta was the one who raised me. She is one of the few people who are kind to me.

"I can't seem to find anything to wear," I say meekly.

Greta walks over to my closet and starts to shuffle through my clothes. "Hmm...what's wrong with the clothes you have in here?" she asks.

"They are just...too plain and casual. I'm going to a birthday party tomorrow, so I was thinking about dressing up a bit." I chuckle slightly.

Greta nods in understanding. "Okay, then. Why don't you wait here? I'll be right back." With that, she leaves the room.

I wait anxiously, wondering what Greta is up to.

After a few minutes, she returns with a garment bag in hand. "How about this?" she says with a smile.

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. Greta unzips the bag to reveal a stunning red dress. It's elegant and classy, with a hint of sexiness that I never thought I could pull off.

"Try it on," Greta says, pushing me towards the bathroom.

"Where did you get this? Is it your dress?" I ask, eyeing the dress again.

"No, silly. I'm an old woman. But even when I was young, there was no way I could pull that dress off." Greta chuckles.

"Then whose is it?" I question her.

"Put it on first, and I'll tell you." Greta grins mysteriously. "I have a feeling you'll love it."

I slip into the dress and stare at myself in the mirror. I can hardly believe it's me staring back. The dress hugs my curves in all the right places, and the color makes my skin look radiant.

"It's perfect," I say, turning around to face Greta. "Now, will you tell me?"

Greta beams with pride. "Yes, honey. This belonged to your mother."

My heart skips a beat as I take in Greta's words. I lost my mother at birth and never had the chance to know her, so anything that belonged to her was precious to me. "Really?" I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, really," Greta confirms. "Your mother wore this dress to a fancy party before she passed away. She looked stunning, just like you do now."

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. It's like a piece of my mother is with me, and I feel grateful to Greta for giving me this gift. "Thank you," I say, embracing Greta tightly. "I'll cherish this forever." Greta hugs me back.

"You deserve to feel beautiful and confident, honey."

I pull away and wipe away my tears. I can't wait to show up at the party now.

~-~

The next day, I start to get ready for the party. I didn't want to wear any makeup, but Greta insisted I do.

"I feel kind of silly in them," I protest meekly.

Greta smiles kindly at me. "Trust me, a little bit of makeup can go a long way in making you feel confident. Just a bit of mascara and lip gloss will do the trick."

I nod and let Greta do my makeup, feeling a bit nervous now. Greta brushes my hair and pulls them back, making an intricate braid. My hair is curly and wild, and sometimes it's hard for me to tame it, so I'm glad Greta is here to help me.

Once Greta finishes with my hair and makeup, I slip into the red dress and step into a pair of black heels. I take one last look at myself in the mirror and can hardly recognize myself. I look like a completely different person.

"You look beautiful, honey," Greta says, beaming at me.

"Thank you, Greta," I say. "All this isn't very necessary," I say, thinking Ryder wouldn't give a shit about what I look like. On the other hand, he probably can't wait to get it over with.

Greta takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "Just be yourself, and everything will be fine. And remember, if you ever feel overwhelmed, just take a deep breath and count to ten."

I nod, feeling comforted by Greta's words. She's always been my rock, and I don't know what I would do without her.

My heart thumps when I hear Ryder's car pulling up.

"Ah, your date is here. Do I get to meet him?" Greta grins.

I shift uncomfortably. "I don't know..."

"It's up to you, honey," Greta says. "But I think it would be nice for me to meet him. Just to make sure he's treating you right."

I smile at Greta's protectiveness. "Okay, you can meet him."

We make our way to the front door, and I take a deep breath before opening it. Ryder stands on the other side, dressed in a black shirt and jeans. He grins when he sees me, and I feel a flutter in my stomach.

"Ah, you clean up nice," he says.

"Is this all you have to say to this beautiful girl, young man?" Greta challenges him.

I gasp. "Greta! I don't need him to compliment me." I turn to Ryder. "This is my godmother, Greta." My eyes can't stop wandering around his body. The shirt fits him perfectly, and he has rolled his sleeves up.

Ugh, why does a simple thing like that makes him look even hotter!?

Ryder extends his hand toward Greta. "It's nice to meet you, Greta."

Greta shakes his hand firmly. "You better be treating her well, young man."

"I will," Ryder promises with a smile. "Are we ready to go?"

I nod, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. Greta waves us off as we make our way to Ryder's car.

"You look good," Ryder mumbles as he starts driving.

I chuckle. "You don't have to force yourself to compliment me."

Ryder looks at me and narrows his eyes. "Your self-esteem is shit."

"I'm just being honest with myself." I shrug and look away. I try to count to ten to calm my nerves, but it doesn't seem to work. I wonder if I'd be able to survive this party.