Comfort Zone

Mirogoj

Chapter 6
Paisley

Since beginning high school, my persona has changed unbelievably.

I've gone from a quiet, unspoken girl with a dangerous amount of anxiety, to a slightly less quiet, unspoken girl with a dangerous amount of anxiety.

Alright, I haven't changed much.

Though I have, in many ways. Before high school, I was terribly un-organized, confused and un-focused. I knew no aspect of standing up for myself, until my grade 9 year of high school, when I decided after a winter of depression and an unhealthy relationship that I needed to take care of myself.

That spring was a huge turning point for me. I cut my hair, changed my style, cut down my friends to only the true ones (which is why I now have two best friends, who are Justice and my little brother) and began to focus on schoolwork above all else.

The one thing that stayed with me throughout middle school to present was my anxiety. As much as spring of grade 9 turned my life around for the better, it was also when my anxiety began to flourish into something bigger and scarier than it had been before.

In my opinion, my hamartia is my fear. I often hold myself back from doing things that could be fun and instead stay in and do homework, comfortable in a familiar bubble where the worst thing that could happen is stumbling upon a math question that I didn't understand.

"Hello! Earth to Paisley," Justice's voice snapped me out of my train of thought.

"Which should I wear, the black one or like the pinkish one? I can't really decide, cause like the blue one is kinda pretty too, but ugh..."

"Definitely the blue, Just!!"

Justice stood by her bed in a tight black dress and skin-toned tights, holding up a pink dress on a hanger and looking down at my personal favourite, the blue dress.

"No, do you want to wear that one, though?" Justice asked me.

"Uh, sure, if you aren't," I replied.

We had two hours to prepare for the Mirogoj Cemetery. I wasn't exactly sure of what this was, but I'd been told there would be art, which interested me enough to go along with the group.

From what Justice had told me we were going out for dinner first, at a nice restaurant, which explains why we were wearing dresses.

My eyes widened as a flash of blue jumped into my vision. I caught the dress before it could hit the floor and thanked Justice with a smile.

"Well, are you going to try it on?" She acquired.

"Yes," I laughed.

I swiftly undressed, picked up the dress and fit myself through the loose bottom. I fixed myself up where the dress had been loose or not fitting correctly, and as I flung my hair behind my shoulders and looked up, I was surprised to see the look on Justice's face.

She looked me up and down seemingly in awe, and I couldn't help but smile. She didn't have to say it, so I replied to her silence with a "I love you Just," and a warm smile.

"Well damn it," she began. "I should've worn that one."

I laughed and looked her up and down aswell.

"No, that dress looks absolutely perfect on you."

"Thanks, Paisley."

I turned my body to look into the full length mirror which stood in the corner of our little bedroom.

The navy blue dress fit me perfectly, hugging every curve in just the right way. My neck was covered by sheer lace, which continued down to a sweetheart neckline where the darker fabric began underneath the lace. Around my waist the dress loosened and flared out, until hitting mid- thigh with a silk like texture. The sleeves, like my neck area, was sheer lace down to my wrists.