Aligned: Volume 2 Read Online Free
Author: Ella Miles
enough for them. I’m just not elegant enough, classy enough, or beautiful enough. I’m just not enough, and no dress or hairstyle is going to change that.
I come out of the dressing room wearing another large black ball gown that swallows my tiny figure. I have to wear black to show I’m still mourning the husband I lost while also making sure to cover my prosthetic leg. Otherwise, people would think I’m trying to pull focus from the loss of Ethan by displaying the loss of my leg. I also have to look elegant and beautiful with a hint of sex appeal so the attendees will find me attractive and care that I lost Ethan, but not so attractive that I look like I’m a slut and ready to move on to the next guy. It’s exhausting. Elisabetta and Laura both agree the best way to do that is with a ball gown. I disagree.
I stumble into the room almost tripping over the large gown.
“Shoulders back. Stop slouching, Alexandra,” Laura barks at me.
I hold my tongue trying my best to smile instead of ripping Laura into tiny pieces. Oh Ethan, why did you leave me? I don’t know if I can handle dealing with his mother for much longer, even if she is the only connection to my past. It’s not as if she shares anything about my past with me except how wonderful Ethan was and how I was never good enough for him.
“No, this won’t do,” Elisabetta says as she studies me. She looks at Laura, and they both sigh as if I’m a lost cause. Like they would have better luck dressing up a dog in a dress to parade around the ball.
“I’ll go change,” I say heading back to the dressing room, making sure to keep my shoulders back and holding my dress up to ensure I don’t trip again. I close the door to the dressing room and let out the growl I’ve been holding back as I rip another dress off and crumple it on the floor. I sigh looking at the crumpled silk and chiffon; it’s not fair to the dressing room attendants to leave it that way. I pick up the dress, smoothing the wrinkled fabric before putting it on a hanger. I look at the pile of dresses I have yet to try on. Each black ball gown will suffocate me in its tent-like fabric. I hate dresses and would prefer never to have to wear one, but I know if I have to wear one, these aren’t going to be it.
I dig through the hangers hoping to find a gem beneath the horrendous pile of poofy fabric when I spot it. Its black, long fabric lies flat against the wall as if the larger, heavier dresses have smothered it. It doesn’t look exciting, but to me, it’s the glimmer of hope I’ve been looking for. I quickly put on the dress to find that its simple strapless top fit nicely to my chest and the fabric hugs my curves without exposing too much. A large slit on the left side allows my toned left leg to be seen without showing my hideous right leg. This is the dress. Now, I just need to convince Elisabetta and Laura.
I walk confidently out of the dressing room toward them chatting away, most likely complaining about something else I have done. Complaining about how Ethan didn’t marry a more sophisticated woman. I make sure my shoulders are back as I move to the center of the room standing as tall as I can when I look at myself in the mirror. I even wear a bright smile, and I swear I see a twinkle in my eye when I gaze at myself in the mirror.
“What do you think?” I ask.
Silence is the response I get, which makes me smile brighter. Elisabetta finally gets up from her seat circling me as a vulture would, searching for a flaw she can point out, but none can be found.
“I think this will work. We will have to find some nice jewelry to go with this. A bold necklace and earrings. And we are going to have to deal with your hair, but I think we can make this work. Do you agree, Laura?”
Laura stands, scrunching her eyes at me as she studies me. “It will have to work. We have a salon appointment in an hour to make.”
Thank god! I think
I come out of the dressing room wearing another large black ball gown that swallows my tiny figure. I have to wear black to show I’m still mourning the husband I lost while also making sure to cover my prosthetic leg. Otherwise, people would think I’m trying to pull focus from the loss of Ethan by displaying the loss of my leg. I also have to look elegant and beautiful with a hint of sex appeal so the attendees will find me attractive and care that I lost Ethan, but not so attractive that I look like I’m a slut and ready to move on to the next guy. It’s exhausting. Elisabetta and Laura both agree the best way to do that is with a ball gown. I disagree.
I stumble into the room almost tripping over the large gown.
“Shoulders back. Stop slouching, Alexandra,” Laura barks at me.
I hold my tongue trying my best to smile instead of ripping Laura into tiny pieces. Oh Ethan, why did you leave me? I don’t know if I can handle dealing with his mother for much longer, even if she is the only connection to my past. It’s not as if she shares anything about my past with me except how wonderful Ethan was and how I was never good enough for him.
“No, this won’t do,” Elisabetta says as she studies me. She looks at Laura, and they both sigh as if I’m a lost cause. Like they would have better luck dressing up a dog in a dress to parade around the ball.
“I’ll go change,” I say heading back to the dressing room, making sure to keep my shoulders back and holding my dress up to ensure I don’t trip again. I close the door to the dressing room and let out the growl I’ve been holding back as I rip another dress off and crumple it on the floor. I sigh looking at the crumpled silk and chiffon; it’s not fair to the dressing room attendants to leave it that way. I pick up the dress, smoothing the wrinkled fabric before putting it on a hanger. I look at the pile of dresses I have yet to try on. Each black ball gown will suffocate me in its tent-like fabric. I hate dresses and would prefer never to have to wear one, but I know if I have to wear one, these aren’t going to be it.
I dig through the hangers hoping to find a gem beneath the horrendous pile of poofy fabric when I spot it. Its black, long fabric lies flat against the wall as if the larger, heavier dresses have smothered it. It doesn’t look exciting, but to me, it’s the glimmer of hope I’ve been looking for. I quickly put on the dress to find that its simple strapless top fit nicely to my chest and the fabric hugs my curves without exposing too much. A large slit on the left side allows my toned left leg to be seen without showing my hideous right leg. This is the dress. Now, I just need to convince Elisabetta and Laura.
I walk confidently out of the dressing room toward them chatting away, most likely complaining about something else I have done. Complaining about how Ethan didn’t marry a more sophisticated woman. I make sure my shoulders are back as I move to the center of the room standing as tall as I can when I look at myself in the mirror. I even wear a bright smile, and I swear I see a twinkle in my eye when I gaze at myself in the mirror.
“What do you think?” I ask.
Silence is the response I get, which makes me smile brighter. Elisabetta finally gets up from her seat circling me as a vulture would, searching for a flaw she can point out, but none can be found.
“I think this will work. We will have to find some nice jewelry to go with this. A bold necklace and earrings. And we are going to have to deal with your hair, but I think we can make this work. Do you agree, Laura?”
Laura stands, scrunching her eyes at me as she studies me. “It will have to work. We have a salon appointment in an hour to make.”
Thank god! I think
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