My First FSY

Chapter 3

I fell asleep and when opened my eyes, I found myself alone in the room. Great... at least they had the consideration to let me alone and not wake me up. I got up and saw a Post-it on the door.

 Hi, sleepy beauty, we have gone to meet the counselors. If you wake up before I come back, see you in front of the rock to the east of the hostel.
Elisabet. 

 I had no idea where the meeting was or where the rock was. but also didn't want to be locked in the room, so I dressed up and got out, decided to adventure myself in the unknown place. 

 The weather was too hot, usually for July, so I wore my favorite tank top and shorts along with my favorite black Converse. They advised us that at all moments we had to wear our ID cards around our necks. Great. This looked like a prison camp. I walked around the hostel and near the forest, I saw groups of young people in circles. I was about to approach one where I thought Sarah would be, but an older girl interrupted. A counselor? 

 —Hello. What's your name?— she asked as she saw my ID.

 —I am Rebeca— I answered raising my hand so she could see my bracelet and know that I belonged to the FSY. Didn't want to judge her for her physical appearance, but seemed too old to be there. A single Mormon girl older than thirty? I had already seen it all.

—I am Ester. I am a counselor of FSY and I'm afraid that your clothes don't get along with our dress code, so you will have to go to change your clothes in your room— she said smiling. I was starting to get tired of so many hypocritical smiles. 

I looked at my clothes and then at my talker. What was wrong with it? That shirt didn't even have a cleavage. I turned around snorting and went back to my room. Everything was silly. First, the dyed hair, and now this. How could they worry about something stupid like a tank top or shorts? Were they going to solve the world's issues with those absurd rules that didn't let me be myself? 

 An hour later, shy Elisabet knocked on the door and poked her head. 

—I see you're awake. We are waiting for you. Come to meet the rest of our company— she said as she entered the room.

—They didn't let me go there— I said knowing it was a half-truth.

—Why?— she asked.

—'Cause a girl named Ester didn't like my clothes so she sent me to change them, and as almost everything else is the same style, I rather stay here— I said bothered, more for the rejection than for missing the meeting. Elisabet looked at me for a moment and smiled.

—I know Ester. She is a good girl. Didn't you read the dress code of FSY?

—What code? No one told me anything about any code. Two days ago I didn't know I was going to come— I answered as an excuse. I remembered that they handed me a paper with some codes that I used to write a song that I didn't even like, so I threw it away.

—We have to wear modest clothes to go to the talks and activities that they are going to do. That includes not showing shoulders, cleavage, navel, or knees. Have you ever read the brochure For the Strength of Youth? It's really explicit about the topic— Elisabet informed with a sweet voice.

—What for? Who cares about how I dress? I own my body and my actions. I don't hurt anyone dressing as I want. Besides, I'm not showing anything immodest, why so many boundaries?- Elisabet vanished her unchanging smile. 

For a moment she was thinking about what to say until she talked again. 

—No matter how silly a code may seem, we must abide by it because is for our own good. Even though we don't know how it could benefit us at the moment, it will have a consequence. About the way we dress, you don't hurt anyone but yourself. I don't know about you, but I want with all my heart to find a boy who would respect me and take me to Temple one day— I rolled my eyes. It was the typical —What kind of boy I could attract if I walked around dressing immodestly? The way I dress is a reflection of the way I am on the inside... A good and respectful boy will look for a girl who is like that too.