Craving Ava

4.2 - New Me

Ava

"This is useless!" I said to my phone in frustration, throwing another dress on the ground.

"Calm down, Avarie." I heard Sydney on the other side of the line. "He's not expecting you to dress like you're going to the Oscars."

I hadn't told Sydney and Tyler about Easton, and what he did for a living. I knew the moment I told them they'd fill me with a billion questions, and I didn't have an answer for most of them yet.

If they knew who he was, they'd be aware that nothing I have in my closet is good enough to be seen with him. Specially not in a public place.

He told me it didn't matter what I wore, but I figured he was just being nice. Of course it mattered.

"You don't understand, this is the first date. We're going out to eat, probably somewhere fancy. I can't show up in jeans and a blouse."

She sighed.

"There's no need to panic. I can get there in two hours and we'll go shopping."

I looked up to the sun shaped clock on the wall of my bedroom, showing me it was still 8:30 am, and it was my turn to sigh in frustration.

"Thank you, you're the best." I dropped onto the bed, feeling defeated, with the wrong dresses scattered all around me.

"I know."

***

Nearly an hour and a half later I exited my house in a dark blue Adidas tracksuit and black sneakers, wearing my hair in a bun. I thanked the heavens Easton wasn't from around here and couldn't see me like this, but I was on a mission. To find a dress I didn't hate on me.

I caught the bus to Queens Center and met Sydney at the entrance. She raised an eyebrow when she saw me.

"Let me guess. I look as overwhelmed as I sounded."

"You could say that." Sydney replied. In a tight yellow pleaded dress and brown turtle neck, she looked ready for just about any occasion. She grabbed my arm and quickly pulled me inside.

We scoured the stores' displays to see if anything caught our attention. I kept glancing at the clock, afraid time would pass us by and I'd have to leave empty-handed.

After what felt like forever we reached a small boutique with a dainty and modern logo saying "Violet's" that had a ton of dresses on display.

We went in and started searching. There were a lot of pretty ones, but I didn't think they would suit me and my shape. Of average stature and small features, I wasn't exactly cut out for dresses that demanded everyone's attention. No matter how much I ate, I never gained weight.

We decided on trying on three of them; the first one being a strapless olive green dress, bedazzled on the torso, with a chiffon skirt that reached ankle length.

"This looks hideous on me." I said, opening the fitting room's curtain, then covering my face with both hands.

"You look adorable." Sydney swatted my hands away. "You need to stop being so negative about your image. I wish I had your legs."

"I wish I had your..." I pointed at Sydney and motioned my hand from top to bottom. "... everything." I said, while exhaling heavily.

Sydney was incredibly curvy, an obvious contrast to me. Growing up, all I wanted was to be like her.

She shook her head and got up, grabbing me by her shoulders.

"Listen to me, Ava Marie. It's time for your anual self-love check."