“Let me get a picture before y’all leave,” Lexi said and crouched before us. She pulled out her phone. Levi put his arm around my shoulder. I smiled to the phone, then she pulled out another camera. It was bigger and yellow. “And a Polaroid for my scrapbook,” she said. Levi laughed under his breath.

“Babe,” Austin called from behind. “You planning to have them there all night?”

“Hush!” she scolded, and snapped the button. A hand sized white picture rolled from the camera. Lexi shook the picture before bringing it to us, holding it out until the coating processed and our image came into view.

Butterflies burst in my stomach at how we looked on that picture, both of our faces presented timid smiles. But we looked happy.

“You look amazin’,” Lexi complimented, her tight throat causing her southern accent to become thicker.

“Can you put it in my room?” Levi asked. Lexi smiled at Levi like a mother would look at her son.

“Of course, sweetie,” she confirmed. “I gotta frame that it’ll go in real nice.”

Levi leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Lexi’s cheek, before taking my hand. “You ready?” Levi asked. I nodded my head. My stomach rolled; my butterflies flew away to leave only racking nerves.

We waved at everyone as we left the front room and we rushed into the Jeep. The music was playing low as we belted up. I expected him to pull out onto the road, but before he did, Levi leaned over the console and took my mouth in a kiss. I sighed as his lips moved gently against my lips, his tentative tongue slipping in to duel against mine.

Levi’s hand wrapped in my hair. He broke from the kiss, breathless, gray eyes leaden with need. “You look real fucking good, bella mia,” he rasped. My heart beat wildly as he swore. Levi rarely cussed. I fought a smile. It showed me how beautiful he truly thought I was. It made me feel like the prettiest girl in the world.

Moving back to his seat, Levi pulled out onto the road, and all the way to the hotel in central Seattle, he kept our hands entwined on my lap. As he pulled into the parking lot at the fancy hotel, players and their dates were entering the main door. I suddenly felt frozen by fear.

Levi held me tightly, lifting his hand to stall the valet that tried to come and take our car. My nerves increased when I saw the valet look at Levi in confusion. “We’d better go,” I hushed out, trying to keep the tightness from my throat.

“No,” Levi pushed. “He can wait. I can see something’s wrong.”

“It’s just nerves, Levi. I’ve… I’ve never been to anything like this, wearing fancy clothes, eating fancy food. I,” I sighed and shook my head, “I’ve never been around this many people… I’ve never had to talk to people like this. I’m,” I pushed down the lump clawing up my throat and asked, “What if I have to speak? What if they hear my voice?” I felt sick just at the thought of going in, my eyes drifting to watch the many girls glammed up in dresses entering the dinner in groups. They were laughing, linking arms… they were all so perfect and normal.

Just like Annabelle and her friends.

Everything I wasn’t.

“What if they do?” Levi said softly, as I looked to his understanding face. “What if they do hear you speak?”

“It’s not like everyone else’s. I’ll…” I swallowed hard. “I’ll embarrass you, Levi. In front of all your friends.”

Levi’s jaw tensed, then he said firmly, “Bella mia, I promise you, it’s not so different that people will judge you.” He leaned forward, his face an inch from mine. “And I’ll be with you. All night, I’ll be with you. I can be your voice if you need it, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. I promise. Just… just trust me. I’d never do anything to upset or hurt you. You don’t need to be so scared. You’ve got me, and I’m not letting you go.”

I read his face and watched his kissable lips promise me I’d be safe. And I believed him. I knew he wouldn’t see me hurt. I knew he’d protect me no matter what.

You have to take this chance, I persuaded myself. You can’t always live in the shadows.

The sound of a horn blasted behind us, making me jump. Levi laughed at my shock, shaking his head. Bringing my hand to his lips, he asked again, “Are you sure you wanna do this? If it’s too much I can take you home. I won’t be mad.”

As I watched his lips brush against my skin, I said, “No. I want to be here with you, for you. I need to do this, for me too. I have to do this sometime. Why not now?”

Levi gave me the brightest smile, then he opened his door. The valet opened my door too and helped me out. I walked round the car and immediately took hold of Levi’s outstretched hand. He proudly led me into the foyer. I looked around in awe at the opulence surrounding us. “Crazy, huh?” Levi said pointing the huge crystal chandelier hanging down from the ceiling.

I nodded my head just as someone came over and asked if they could take my coat. I shrugged it off, Levi’s storm gray eyes roving over my bare arms. He licked along his lips. I caught the flush traveling up his neck.

The moment was interrupted by Levi’s friends who came barreling through the crowd with their dates in tow.

“Alabama, there you are!” the boy I remembered as Jake called, his girlfriend, Stacey clutching his hand. Ashton came too, along with a few other guys I hadn’t met and about four other girls. I immediately saw the redhead girl standing near the back. I saw her watching Levi, my stomach turning in possession. It was strange for me to feel like this toward someone else, but Levi was mine, I didn’t like the surge of jealousy that sprouted from someone looking at him with more than simple friendliness in their gaze.

“Elsie, hey,” Ashton said, snapping me from my thoughts. I smiled as he kissed me on my cheek, before moving closer to Levi’s side.

Jake did the same, as did Stacey. I was introduced one by one to Levi’s friends, then finally, the redhead, Harper, stood before me. “Elsie, hey, nice to see you again,” she greeted and kissed my cheek. I pulled back as quickly as I could, my hands beginning to tremble. She reminded me too much of Annabelle—the hair, build, the same fake smile that hid her true intent. Even from the way she spoke, I could see Annabelle’s cruel eyes and hear the voice that still kept me from sleeping at night.

The girl that, every night, haunted my mind.

The sound of a man clearing his throat came from the doors of the dining room. “If you’d all like to take your seats, please. The dinner is about to start.”

Levi glanced down at me with his eyebrows pulled together. I knew he had felt my shaking hands, but I forced a reassuring smile. I would have to tell him the deeper reason why I hated speaking so much, why meeting new people—especially girls my age—caused cold shivers to race down my spine and my stomach to flip. But I wouldn’t do it tonight. I didn’t want to pull any attention. I would get through tonight, then I’d tell him.

I took a deep breath—I’d tell him it all.

Clara’s echoed words filled my mind when I told her to fight against the damage done to her by her bullies. And her response couldn’t have been more accurate when she’d asked me if I had fought the damage I’d endured.