Chapter 2

When I got home, the living room was cluttered with little Thanksgiving trinkets. Mia spotted me and immediately burst out laughing. "Well, you really do look ridiculous."

Mom frowned. "It's so short. Did the stylist mess up? Why does it look so much like a boy's cut?"

I glanced at the Thanksgiving fair souvenirs in their hands. "You guys went to the Thanksgiving fair? Didn't you say you'd wait until I finished my haircut so we could go together?"

"We went on a whim. Mia said it'd be crowded tonight, so we went to check it out first," Mom replied. "You were getting your hair cut, so we can all go together next time."

Dad chimed in, "It's merely a fair. It's not like it's the last one ever."

Mia turned her head, and I spotted my hair clip tucked behind her ear. It was the one Ryan had given me for my birthday last year.

"That's mine," I said.

"I know. But your hair's so short now. You can't wear it. I'll borrow it for a couple of days," she replied.

"Give it back," I said.

She pouted. "It's merely a stupid hair clip. Seriously, are you really making such a fuss over it?"

Mom looked a little irritated. "Mia's wearing it for a bit. Your hair's so short now. If you leave it in the drawer, it'll gather dust."

Dad muttered, thinking we were making a big deal out of a cheap hair clip.

I glanced at Ryan. "That was your birthday gift to me last year."

"Let Mia have it. It matches her dress today," Ryan said.

"See? Ryan's on my side." Mia grinned and pressed the hair clip firmly into her hair.

I went back to my room, shut the door, and opened my suitcase.

Three days were enough for me to leave behind everything that wasn't mine to keep.

The next day, Ryan came over to smooth things over, sounding like he always did. "Still mad? Enough already. Mia told me she was so anxious last night that she barely got any sleep."

"Why couldn't she sleep?" I asked.

"She was worried you'd really cut her off. She's only mouthy, not actually mean. Come on, you're her big sister. Do you really have to keep holding a grudge every single time?" Ryan said.

I didn't say a word.

He reached out and touched my short hair. "Actually, it looks pretty good short. My mom always said your hair was way too long before, which made you look kind of sloppy."

"Your mom?" I asked.

"Yeah, she always thought you should cut it after we got married. I never really knew how to say it. Guess Mia ended up doing it for me, totally by accident," he said.

I looked at him, taking my time, and asked, "So you knew she was going to cut my hair?"

"Yeah, I had an idea. A few days ago, she asked me what would get the biggest reaction out of you, and I tossed out your hair as a suggestion. Never thought she'd actually go through with it."

"You knew I'd been growing it for seven years."

"Of course I knew. That's why it was funny to me. If she messed with anything else, you wouldn't care. What's the point if you don't react?

"Don't make that face. I love seeing you flustered. You're always so bottled up. Mia's the only one who can get a real reaction out of you."

So he loved it when I cried, when I was scared, and when I felt humiliated, in his eyes.

Mia poked her head in from the doorway. "See? Hazel, Ryan totally knows how to push your buttons. Remember that white dress you wore when you met his parents last year?

"And the lipstick? Ryan was the one who reminded me about those, too."

"Why are you bringing that up?" Ryan finally looked annoyed.

"Didn't you say that white dress was Hazel's most treasured, and told me not to mess with it? And remember two years ago..." Mia continued.

I remember the white dress.

It was my first time meeting Ryan's parents. I ironed it ahead of time and checked it a dozen times before leaving.

All through dinner, his mom kept glancing at me, as if she wanted to say something but held back. When I got home, I finally saw it. There was a giant red heart drawn on the back of my dress with lipstick.

I cried all night, and Ryan stayed with me, saying Mia was being immature.

"Come on, that was forever ago. Don't tell me you're still hung up on it," Ryan said.

"Seriously, Hazel, you're so petty," Mia snorted.

I folded the clothes draped over the edge of my suitcase. "It's not worth talking about."

Ryan let out a sigh of relief. "That's more like it. Once you calm down, we'll reschedule the engagement photoshoot."

After he left, I called the wedding planner. "I want to cancel the engagement party at the end of the year."

"Understood, Ms. Linwood. Do you need the groom's side to confirm the cancellation?" the planner asked.

"No," I replied.