Tattered Beauty (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

            A sunset, a sunrise; I remember how people used to tell time using the sun. It was so slow-moving that I could hardly stand it. It was a little better than staring at a clock, but still boring as could be. Anyway, do you know how magnificent it is being stirred awake by the sunshine streaming in through your window, the smell of flowers from the garden, and the sound of water rushing in the stream beneath? Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. It’s so tranquil and quiet here. I love it. When you’re in the city, you have to jump out of bed when gunshots are an alarm clock. I can take my sweet time here.

            But, not when you realize you have a date in just a few hours and nothing to wear. Panic gripped me as I jumped out of bed. I went through my closet—I found out that the rack rotates if I push a button, is that not the coolest thing ever?—and could not find anything date worthy. After an hour of no success I decided it was time to call in the professional. “Lily?” I called down the staircase.

            “What, dear?” her breathless voice travelled up to me.

            “What do you wear on a date when the guy hasn’t specified where you’re going or what you’re doing?” I asked.

            Lily bounded up the stairs. “You scared me! You sounded so panicked that I seriously thought you were dying or something. Anyway, let’s see what we have in here.” My aunt had a hardcore passion for fashion—whenever I say that, I think of the Bratz dolls. She owned her own boutique called Smash; it was a young adult store, aimed at people like me: young, vibrant, and a little edgy. She rotated through my rack again and again. “Hmm, let’s go down to the shop. You can get something there.” She suggested.

            I agreed and she left me alone to get ready. I honestly did not feel like getting all jazzed up just to go to the store, though. Instead of skinny jeans and a jacket, I wore sweatpants and a t-shirt, almost the same thing I wore to bed. Fashion just doesn’t seem to matter much to me sometimes. For my date though? Oh yes it did.

            Driving into the city at 8 o’clock was horrendous. Imagine it: children darting across the street to get to school, coming narrowly close to getting squished by speeding cars. Inside those cars are businessmen honking wildly trying to get to work on time. All the whole an emergency siren is blaring somewhere in the city and keeping everyone on edge. Delivery men breaking law after law to try to get their product to the address in time.  Hectic, I know. This is just early morning rush hour, too; you should see it in the evening. New York City had some of the most chaotic city life in the world.

            We arrived at Smash through the back door. “My employees bombard me with questions every time I come in. I’ll set you up back here before I go up there and check things out.” She said.

            I nodded, eyes sweeping over the store. The walls were a pristine white with ash wood floors. Various lamps and spotlights hung down strategically from the ceiling. “I’m considering switching to solar power,” Lily rambled. “The dilemma is the fact that I would only get use of it three months out of the year in the summer. It seems like a pretty big gamble to rely on it for electricity. You know what I’m saying?”

            “Mmhm. Listen, why don’t you go sort out business up front? I’ll browse around for a little while. I have an idea of what I want.” I suggested. A person buzzing over my shoulder whilst I shopped was another thing which got on my nerves. “I’ll come get you if I need anything.”

            “Alright, Hailey. Thank you. God knows the new girls need a hell of a lot more training.” Lily sighed, turned on her heel, and left me by myself.