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I hurry over, curious to see what dress finally meets her discerning standards. Martha holds up a short black number made of silky material that looks like it would cling in all the right places. My eyes widen.
"Oh wow," I breathe. "That's... beautiful."
"Try it on!" Martha urges, shoving the hanger at me.
I take it and head to the fitting room, excitement building in my chest. Slipping the dress on, I'm stunned by how incredible it looks - sexy yet elegant. The fabric hugs my body smoothly, the hem hitting mid-thigh. It's perfect.
I step out of the room, and Martha gasps loudly. "Sara! Oh my god, you look AMAZING!"
I can't stop smiling, doing a little twirl. "I love it!"
Martha grins, looking smug. "See, I told you we'd find the one." She gives me a little push toward the cash register. "Now let's ring it up before you change your mind. Dimitri's jaw is gonna hit the floor when he sees you in this!"
I laugh, gathering up the dress eagerly. As we wait in line, I turn and pull Martha into a sudden hug. "Thank you so much for this," I tell her sincerely. "You're the best friend ever."
Martha squeezes me tight. "Of course, babe! That's what besties are for."
I take one last glance in the mirror, smoothing my hands over the silky black fabric of my new dress. I went with simple black heels and just a touch of makeup - smoky eyeshadow and a swipe of bold red lipstick. My hair falls in loose curls around my shoulders.
I have to admit, I look good. Hot even. And it's all thanks to Martha. I make a mental note to do something for her to show my appreciation.
As I apply a final coat of lip gloss, I hear a sharp knock at my dorm room door. I glance at the time on my phone screen - exactly 7pm. Of course, Dimitri would be perfectly on time.
Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I grab my small black purse and cross the room. When I open the door, his eyes immediately rake over me from head to toe. I flush under his intense gaze but maintain eye contact.
"You look beautiful," he says after a long pause, his voice lower than usual.
"Thank you." I offer him a smile. "You clean up pretty nicely yourself."
And it's true, Dimitri looks unfairly handsome in anything. The dark colors accentuate his tall, lean frame. He holds my gaze for a moment before offering his arm.
"Shall we?"
I loop my arm through his and let him lead me from my room, pulling the door shut behind us.
But instead of leading me outside, Dimitri guides me toward the stairwell of my dorm.
"Where are we going?" I ask, confused.
"You'll see. It's a surprise."
We climb two flights up and emerge onto the rooftop patio. We stop in front of a nondescript door he unlocks and opens, gesturing for me to walk through. My eyes widen as I take in the scene before me.
We're on the rooftop terrace of my dorm building. Twinkling lights are strung overhead, mingling with the emerging stars. In the center sits an intimate table for two, with gleaming dishes and a bottle of champagne. Soft music plays from a speaker. Surrounding it all are dozens of flickering candles.
I turn to Dimitri in astonishment. "You did all this? Here?"
He smiles, looking pleased by my reaction. "What better place than right here, where it all began?"
"Dimitri..." I breathe. "That’s so thoughtful of you.” I also feel relieved. I haven’t mentioned it to him, but I worry about Lorenzo telling me his men are watching me. Probably best if they don’t see me leaving my dorm all dressed up in a car with a man.
He smiles, looking pleased by my reaction. "Of course. Only the best for you."
I'm speechless, overwhelmed by the sheer romance of it all. The fact that he went through so much effort just for me...
Dimitri leads me to the table and pulls out my chair. I sit, marveling at the beautiful meal spread before me - seared scallops, fresh salad, and chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert.
"I can't believe you managed to plan all this without me finding out," I laugh.
