Daddy Issues

The Girl No One Would Ever Want

Burgundy. It is the colour for sexy, beautiful, powerful women.

The complete opposite of what I am right now. I closed my eyes as I ran my fingers down the beautiful dress. It was long, yet had a long slit on the right side, and had the waist cut out and replaced by a series of carefully intertwining ropes. I held my breath and opened my eyes.

It was beautiful, within my budget, and exactly what would make me fit to be Jake Maximillian's date to the dance. Something, however, kept gnawing at the back of my mind.

I worried about my rather curvier body than the dress seemed to be made for. I worried about how my big glasses would fit with this. I worried about the heels I knew I would have to wear with a stunning dress like this.

I sucked in a deep breath, then took it out of the hanger and turned to Rebecca. She was a close friend of mine who had agreed to come with me when Kimberly, my best friend suddenly had to cancel on me.

Rebecca gave a small clap, her head nodding fast. "It's perfect. It will go so damn well with your blonde hair."

I smiled, then nodded and gave it to the mall attendant. She collected my card and walked away, and I just stood there, contemplating the dreaminess of the entire thing.

My heart felt like exploding as I thought of Jake. We lived close enough for me to fantasise about being that neighbourhood girl who would catch his eye, and it never happened till last month.

It still felt like a dream that he had asked me, out of all the perfect girls, girls like Rebecca, girls like my best friend, Kimberly who was, hands down the prettiest person I have ever met. I smiled to myself as the memory of the first and only time he had kissed me rushed back to my mind, and I could feel heat rise up my cheeks.

"Ma'am?"

I looked up, and the attendant was still holding the unpacked dress, and her eyes looked rather weary.

"Yes?"

She cleared her throat. "I am sorry, but... this dress had already been booked. We have only this unit left."

My heart immediately sank, and I turned to Rebecca, who looked just as disappointed as I was. I turned back to the receptionist, my eyes lingering a little on the dress.

"I... when would the next one be available?"

"We are not restocking this design, ma'am."

Rebecca stepped in front, her eyes wide. "You were going to sell it to us. Say the truth. It wasnt booked before us. Someone offered a higher price just now, am I right?"

My brows furrowed at the accusation, but one look at the attendant's face, and I could tell Rebecca knew exactly what she was talking about.

"No, it was just. .."

"How much did they pay?" Rebecca said, pulling out her card. "We will double it."

"Rebecca," I said, pulling her back. I had an idea who it could be.

Dating Jake, especially when he was so well known in such an influential neighbourhood... it definitely came with some disadvantages. I was used to the bullying. I was used to the snide remarks, and I like to think dating him is reward enough for me to bear it.

"Who is it?" I asked the attendant, my voice low. "Let me guess. Blake? Riley? Saman..."

"Me," a new, familiar voice said, and I stopped talking, my brows furrowed as I looked up.

Kimberly, my best friend, was standing behind the attendant, her beautiful blue eyes holding mine, her lips slightly curled up in her signature smirk.

She looked as heavenly as always. Her perfect hair, her perfect little dress, her heels...

"Kimberly? Wait. You bought it for Kyla as a surprise?" Rebecca asked, then started to laugh. "f**k, you had me sweating! I thought it was one of those other girls, and I was ready to..."

"I bought it for myself," Kimberly replied, her voice low.

My lips parted, and my mind felt like it was at war with reality right now. I could barely reconcile the cold Kimberly I was seeing right now with the Kimberly I always knew and loved.

"I had no idea you were going to the dance," I said, disappointment seeping into my voice. "Of course the dress would fit you more. It would look absolutely beautiful."

She smiled and waved the attendant away, and I watched with dismay as the attendant walked away eagerly to pack the dress for her.

My head dropped, and tears immediately filled my eyes. Jake had specifically asked me to wear a burgundy dress with a slit.

"That's what I like about you, Kyla. You pick up on things real quick."

I nodded, but I didn't look up, and I heard as she turned away.

"Who is taking you to the dance?" Rebecca suddenly asked, her voice firm and almost stubborn.

I looked up just as Kimberly turned back to Rebecca. "What?"

"I asked, who is taking you to the dance? Seeing your fixation on the exact same dress that Kyla wanted to fit in with her date, it makes me rather suspicious. Doesn't it, Kyla?"

I shook my head. No. Definitely not. Not Kimberly. Not Jake. Definitely not. He saw her. They were friends. And he still went for me. Yes, they did a lot together, but... no.

Kimberly nodded slowly. "Well, yes. You are right. Jake is going to be my date to the dance, and he specifically asked for a burgundy dress with a slit."

My eyes widened, and before I knew it, everything I was holding came crashing to the flood, just like my heart.

Rebecca turned to me, her eyes wide with shock. This was so out of left field that it left me so blindsided. No one gave me a heads up. Hell, it felt like a badly scripted movie. Like my friend was suddenly possessed by the spirit of one of the girls that had bullied me before.

"What?" I finally asked, my voice shaky and teary.

She shrugged. "I was hoping to spare your heart, but I will just rip the bandaid. No, you are not going to the dance with Jake. I am going with him. Unfortunately, he wants someone who wouldn't wobble around in heels and disgrace him im front of his sponsors and his father's influential circle. You should sit this one out, bestie."

It felt like my world, my esteem, my entire existence came crashing down at my feet. Like the entire last month of fairytale romance with Jake was a lie. A mirage of my own yearning.

Kimberly turned away, grabbing the bag from the attendant that has returned, her lips lifting with a smile.

"Are you f*****g serious?!" I screamed after her, my chest heaving hard, my body unable to take the amount of pain I was feeling right now.

She turned, her eyes holding mine. "No. I am f*****g Jake, Kyla. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Kim."

"You can be so f*****g dense sometimes, huh? Look at you. Turn to that f*****g mirror and look at you! Do you look like someone Jake would want? Have you guys gone beyond a kiss? Of course not. He doesn't find you attractive enough."

"He said he loves me," I argued, my heart shattering again and again. I wasn't sure what it was breaking for. My best friend, or the man I loved. Maybe both. "He said I am pretty and..."

Kimberly suddenly covered the distance and forcefully turned me around to the mirror behind me.

I watched my reflection through blurry lens, my soul shattering with what I knew was the truth.

"Even you would pick me, bestie. Talk more of a mere man."

"Why are you doing this?" Rebecca asked, pushing Kimberly off me.

I fell to my knees on the floor, my eyes still fixed on the reflection of me staring back.

I looked absolutely pathetic. Absolutely plain. Nothing like the woman I knew a man like Jake would want.

"I am sick of her stupid delusions. I am the one Jake wants. I hope you realize that now."

I couldn't bring myself to reply, even as she turned and walked away, leaving me in shattered pieces.

"Kyla," Rebecca said, wrapping her hands around me, her head resting on my shoulder. "I am sorry. I... maybe this is some stupid prank. Maybe she... maybe she..."

My phone suddenly started to ring. I turned to it, and the caller ID showed Jake. As naive as my heart still was, I felt a ray of hope seeing his name on my phone.

I quickly answered and brought the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

There was a slight pause, and I knew exactly what he would say to me. Kimberly hadn't been joking. This wasn't some stupid prank. This wasn't a bad dream.

"I am sorry, Kyla. Please don't bother contacting me anymore."

Tears ran down my cheeks like they were forever stored in there for this day.

"Jake..."

"It was a stupid dare, and I let it get too far. It's nothing you did. It is my fault. I am sorry."

Before I could say anything else, he cut the call, leaving me on my knees, in tears, in pieces, staring at the reflection of the girl no one would ever want.