He's the one man in this room I view as more than a brother, though I'll never tell him that. Especially not now. Now that I'll have to—
"You need to make room, girl," Dane jokes, trying to snuggle in behind me on the couch.
I smile as I scoot up, giving him enough space, and his long, warm arms slip around me, gently tugging me to him. He nuzzles me so sweetly before pressing a soft kiss to my jaw, and then runs the kiss back to my ear.
It takes every ounce of my strength not to shiver. I don’t want to put my emotions on display. It's a very hard feat to accomplish when he's snuggled up like this with me.
"Why are you guys here? You're going to be late," I mumble as Dane's hand finds the bare skin of my stomach.
Skin on skin. Gah. It kills me every time.
Maverick frowns, as do the others.
"I came because you're my date, and you're here. Why these assholes followed me, I don't know," Dane teases, earning a few glares from the others.
"Date?" I muse, seeming lost under his spell—as usual. "How was I your date?"
"Who else was I going to dance with?" he asks simply, shrugging.
I wish it wasn't so easy for him to make me smile.
I can envision five very pissed off girls standing around in lavish prom dresses right now.
"You guys should go. It's just... I'm fine now," I mutter guiltily, but they all snort as though I've said something ludicrous instead of sensible.
"Not happening," Kode says as he plops down in the chair close to Dane and me. "Besides, I don't care anything about dancing. I prefer movies, pizza, and popcorn. It's the perfect prom night, if you ask me."
I manage to laugh—though it is a terrible, weak laugh—for the first time since yesterday afternoon.
Dane snuggles in closer to me, kissing me again on the cheek. "Where're your parents?" he whispers, sounding a little angry.
"Edward is on a plane to New York for a business meeting. Eleanor took Tria to Justin's for the big prom dress reveal. I suppose she felt it would be insensitive to me if she gleamed about her healthy daughter's night in front of me."
I sound bitter, but I shouldn't. Eleanor has been wonderful to me. I wouldn't have survived these past five years without her. This house is cold—cruel and cold. She's the only one with any emotion.
Edward is stoic, rarely even glimpsing my way. He spoils Tria and tends to me out of obligation. I can't wait to go to college, even if I won't be going there feeling complete.
"I'm staying the night," Dane whispers against my ear, making me smile.
Every time he stays the night, I can't help but wish he'd cross the line. Just for one night. Our friendship is too strong to be wrecked by one night.
The front door opens, making all of us look up as it shuts back. Eleanor walks in with tear-streaked cheeks, and she pauses when she sees the five Sterlings in her living room.
I expect her to make them leave, considering Edward hates me having them over. But she smiles weakly instead. "You boys want me to order any food?"
"Pizza's on its way," Dale chirps, making her tight smile return.
Then her eyes find me. "Rain, I have the surgery dates if you want them. I'm sure the boys will want to be there."
They all stop what they're doing and turn to face her, waiting on her to elaborate as their breaths cease. I didn't tell them the gory details. Only Dane knows. I only told him because I had no one else to talk to.
"What surgeries?" Maverick asks in a rasp tone, swallowing hard.
Her eyes grow a little wide when she realizes she's slipped up. Dane kisses the top of my head as he sits up just a little.
"Sorry," Eleanor murmurs sincerely, wincing. "I thought that was why they're here."
"We're here because Dane said Rain couldn't come to prom tonight. We didn't need more information than that," Kode utters with a trembling, hoarse voice. "What surgeries?"
She exhales wearily as she sits down on the rigid and uncomfortable chair next to the oversized bay window. I can't tell them, and I know Dane doesn't want to. I hate to put the burden on Eleanor, but I just... I can't.
"Rain's mother died of breast cancer when she was just thirty-one," Eleanor says softly, making my eyes water and Dane's hold on me tighten in response.
"Yeah," Corbin drawls, frowning in confusion. "What does that have to do with surgery dates?"
Eleanor wrestles with whatever emotions she's dealing with. I don't know if it's from Tria going to her senior prom, or if she's genuinely upset over the fact I'm eighteen and have already been categorized as high-risk.
"Rain was told that there was roughly a ninety-percent chance of her getting breast cancer. Her mother was young when she got it, and it ate through her quickly. Her grandmother was a little older, but not by much. Rain has to have a surgery to prevent that from happening."