My family has never been rich, but we’ve always gotten by.

We never had the fanciest things, we were happy.

My younger sister, Annie, and I often shared clothes when we were kids, but we soon became more protective of our own things.

Which is why I was so amazed to see her in my prom dress.

I’m 25, and back in 2017, my prom was something out of a fairytale, mainly because of the dress I wore.

It wasn’t just any dress; it was the dress.

Saving up for over a year on a tight budget, I managed to scrape together $300 — a fortune by my family’s standards — to buy this dreamy, flowy summer dress that made me feel like a million bucks.

It wasn’t just a piece of fabric, it gave me confidence after feeling self-conscious about my body throughout high school.

I had a lovely time at prom.

I felt fantastic and I had a great time with my date and my friends, and although I know it isn’t all due to the dress, I formed a special attachment to it.

I still wear it to fancy occasions to this day. Now, my 18-year-old sister Annie is gearing up for her own prom.

She’s always had a soft spot for my dress as well.

Recently, Annie came to me, asking whether she could wear my dress to her prom, since she loved it so much.

Considering how much the dress means to me and the fact that I still wear it at times, I gently declined but offered to help her find another one and even chip in financially.

She seemed cool with it, even grateful.

After spending the weekend at my parents’ house, I went back to my dorm.

I’m a full-time student, and I work part-time. But even though I don’t have a full-time job, I make quite a bit of money.

That’s how I’m able to help my sister pay for a prom dress.

And considering my dorm room is included in my scholarship, so rent isn’t a big thing for me at the moment.

I could only take the bare essentials with me to my dorm, so I left the dress at my parents’ house.

Two weeks later, during a rare visit back for my twin nephews’ baptism, I walked through the front door of the house I was raised in, to find my mother and grandmother putting Annie into my prom dress.

The two older women were eagerly standing around her, measuring her and obviously planning to cut up my dress to fit my sister.

The explosion of emotions that followed wasn’t my proudest moment.

I screamed, I cried, and yes, I even demanded she take it off.

In my blind rage, I just assumed that Annie had decided to use my dress despite the fact that I had asked her not to.

I was livid, accusing her of stealing my stuff just so she could feel pretty for an evening.

“Are you crazy, Annie?!

What was the point of asking me whether you could wear my dress if you were just going to do what you wanted in any case?

You didn’t even think about me, you just stole my stuff to outshine your friends.”

“My love, it’s only a dress.

Let your sister enjoy her evening like you once did. You’ve had the dress for years.

I think it’s only fair to pass it on,” My grandmother interjected.

“I’m not giving it up, Gran! Take it off NOW, Annie!”

My sister looked so dejected.

I grabbed my dress when she had changed out of it, stuffed it in a bag, and told everyone I would be spending the weekend at another family member’s.

But honestly, driving away, my guilt already started to set in. I mean, I knew first-hand what it was like to want to feel beautiful for your prom.

And I was so mean to my sister without even hearing her out.

I managed to cool down over the course of the evening, and I started thinking back to what happened.

Annie hadn’t really said anything.

When I thought about it, She looked like she wanted to protest for a second, but then she just looked confused.

And that look really made me feel like a monster.

The next day, I showed up to the preparations for the baptism with a huge iced coffee, flowers, and a packet of the hottest cheese puffs I could find.

I knew that would cheer Annie up a bit.

“I’m sorry, An. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. You know I can get a bit frustrated, and I just lost it when I saw you had taken my dress.”

“That’s the thing, Lora, I didn’t. Thought you told Mom I could have it.”

Oh, how dumb could I be? My sister and I had fought over clothes too often for her to just breach my trust like this.

We had an agreement, after all.

That’s how I learned that she was under the impression I’d had a change of heart, thanks to a little misinformation from our mom.

The confrontation that ensued with my mom and grandma wasn’t pretty.

In the heat of the moment, I said they were manipulative, but I reigned myself in this time.

I had seen how hurtful I could be when I was angry, and I didn’t want to upset any more people that I loved.

In the end, they didn’t apologize, though, and the day was extremely awkward.

The family divide was real.

Some called me selfish for not sharing with Annie, but to me, that dress was more than just fabric; it was a symbol of my independence and self-confidence.

Luckily, the dress saga eventually took a turn for the better.

Annie and I are to go dress shopping together for her prom. And as for the rest of the family?

Well, it took some long conversations, but we all finally put our own indignation behind us and managed to reconcile.

I’ve since forgiven my mom and grandma, understanding that their intentions, albeit misguided, came from a place of love.

In the end, it’s not just about a dress.

It’s about boundaries, respect, and understanding within a family.

I’ve also learned a few lessons during this time, and I’ve made a point of not saying things I would later regret.

Annie and I are on great terms again, and I can’t wait to see how beautiful my little sister is going to look at her prom.