Chapter 7: Shopping Spree
1280 Words
"No, Bri! I told you, I am NOT wearing pink!" This girl was the epitome of girly. I was not. We had already paraded into each shop in the shopping mall to try and find a dress that I actually liked, and nothing was standing out to me yet.
"Ok, fine! What colour do you WANT to wear?"
I huffed in annoyance. Why was everything worth looking at fluffy, or had some weird pattern to it? Why was it so hard to find something simple, yet striking!
"I don't know, Bri! Green? Blue?" My eyes scanned the shop around me, looking for something even close to what I could picture myself wearing. My eyes suddenly caught sight of something. I scurried in its direction.
I picked it off the rail, and stared in awe. This was it!
"Bri! I think I found it!" She was soon by my side looking at the dress in front of her.
"Wow! Yes! This has you written all over it!" I checked the price tag and slightly winced at the price.
"Oh, Bri, it's too much! I can’t pay this..." She took it from my hands and checked it.
"Just go try it on! If you feel good in it, then it's worth it!"
"But I can't fall in love with something I can't afford!" I hated thinking about the clothes I had liked in the past and not bought.
"Tell you what! Were pretty much the same size, give or take the breast area. If it fits you, and you want it. Buy it, and ill by it off you after the party?"
"Really?"
"Yepp!"
"This isn't your thing though!"
"Will you just try the damn thing on already!" I smiled at her and turned on my heels towards the dressing room.
******
Slipping into it was like slipping on a glove. It hugged me in all the right places, and I loved the colour. This would definitely get me noticed at the party.
"Let me see!" Bri's giddy voice came through the curtain, and I pulled it back to find her standing there just outside my changing room!
"Yes, yes, yes! You have to get this! If one of the guys at school won't take you, I will, and I'm not even into girls!" Brianna's comment made me laugh and filled my confidence enough to make the purchase.
"Ok!"
I walked to the till after getting dressed back into my normal clothes, and placed the dress onto the counter. The cashier smiled warmly at us while she rang it up.
"That's $75 please." My stomach flipped at the sound of the price being said out loud as my hand reached for my bag and I pulled out my purse to grab my card.
"Thank you, miss." I shot my eyes up to see Bri taking her card back from the cashier.
"Bri, please tell me you didn't!" Her smile was warm and full of love.
"If I can't treat my girl to a pretty dress, what can I treat her too?" I pulled her into a bear hug as the dress slipped into a carrier bag.
"Thank you!" Bri chuckled.
"No need to thank me sweetie!"
******
"So, he still hasn't said anything to you?" We had managed to find a table in our favourite cafe up the road from the mall and were both indulging in a hot chocolate following our small shopping spree. The smell of coffee filled my nostrils as the noise of the milk troffer hissed through the air. I sat with my hands wrapped lightly around my mug as it warmed my fingers.
"Nope." I popped the 'P'.
"It's so weird. When I asked him about it, he said you were both fine!"
"What!" Was he lying to her about it? Or was I really imagining it!
"He said you had both been busy with school work, and that he was making new friends in school, so hadn't had time to catch up with you this week."
"That's bullshit! I swear he has been ignoring me on purpose!"
"C, just, maybe relax a bit. You sound more annoyed than usual about something so feeble. I'm sure it will be fine!"
Was I? I did feel crazier than normal about this. It wouldn't normally bother me. Was this jealousy?
"Maybe your right. I just thought we were getting along so well last week, and now this. Maybe it is just me."
"Look, just get through a few more days, and then we can all let loose at the party on Friday, and I'm sure we can all have a proper catch up then! You might relax a bit and he might find some time to chat with you. I'm positive it's all a big misunderstanding!"
"Ok."
"Anyway, I hear Daniel is keen to see you on Friday!" I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my drink.
"He's cute, I guess. I'm not fussed, to be honest." Bri shot her hand to my forehead in an attempt to be even more dramatic than usual.
"OMG! Claire, are you sick?"
"Oh, ha ha! Very funny! Look, he is just one option! I'm hoping this dress will have them lining up to have a 'private canoodle' with me!"
"Hell yeah, they will!" Bri spent the rest of our time together going over hairstyles and make-up options to match my dress, and I could finally relax and enjoy the anticipation to let my hair down.
******
"Mum! You know I hate lamb! Why do you force me to eat this stuff?" I prodded the limp slab of supposedly edible food that lay across my plate.
"Because Rick likes it, and so do I!" We were sat around the table having dinner once again, talking about the day's events as if it was on our family news bulletin. Mum was having car trouble, which Rick seemed to know how to fix, or at least pretend that he did.
"Ohh, mum! I forgot to mention. Mr Bateman is planning a trip to the Michigan Museum of Natural History next month. Can I go?" Her face lit up at my enthusiasm.
"Wow! That's a bit of a trek!" Rick, however, seemed a little more concerned.
"I know, but I thought I could check out the University while I was there?" He seemed to like the idea as his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Is that an option for you? Michigan?"
"I haven't really made up my mind yet, but I thought it's worth checking out if I'm going all that way. Once we are done at the museum, I should have a few hours to mooch around, so I can head over and take a look around."
"Ok! I assume it’s an overnight stay as it's so far!"
"I will check and get you all the details I can." I was so excited, and I loved how my parents allowed me to be completely free to grow into whoever I wanted to be. They were so supportive!
"Great. I'll await the information! I assume there is a cost?" I nodded and told her how much it might be by pinching the air in front of my face and squishing my eyes into my cheeks as to imply 'only a little'.
I smiled and looked down at the slab of unflattering meat on my plate. My butterflies in my stomach died with the thought of having to try and swallow this stuff. It looked so grey and unappetising! What is wrong with just having beef or pork?
"For god sake, Claire. Just eat around it!"
'How unlike me to not want to eat my meat.'
- Writer
