Lies for Truth

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“Oh come on you wear skirts and dresses all the time!” Julie complained.

“Not like this!” Ariana yelled back from inside the changing room.

“Stop being a prude and bring your sexy ass out here.” Charlie said, annoyed with her stalling already. He latched on and joined their girls day out and even acted like one of the girls by picking out outfits and giving advice Ariana wished he’d shove somewhere else. It was two against one, they both thought she needed to update her style and try new things.

Ariana looked in the mirror hanging on the wall behind her and examined the dress again. It was black, tight to her body like a second skin, short to just above her knee and barely any straps to speak of. She thought about how much Jax would like the dress and just how quickly he’d get her out of it. When she thought about it like that some of her fear eased. It’s not like she had to impress anyone else or seek their approval. He was the only one she wanted and for now she had him.

She pushed the curtain aside and let them see her in the dress.

“Oh la, la.” Charlie said with a big smile. “It’s a really good thing I dropped my crush on you and like us better as friends. From a guy’s point of view you look smokin.” He was supportive of her relationship with Jax and the only person she had to talk to about it, strangely enough she was glad for it and the changes that got them to this point. It was completely weird though.

Julie squealed. “I have such good taste.”

“I really don’t want to wear this in public, especially at a party with people I go to school with. I like it and I’d wear it but just not tonight.” She couldn’t take all those big steps at once after all, she was still scared to face her tormentors and their ridicule. 

“No one at the party would dare talk any smack about you while I’m there.” Charlie promised, going from one of her tormentors to her protector. “And there’d be nothing to talk about except the shock of seeing how hot you can be.”

“Yeah.” Julie agreed, her cheeks still turning a slight pink when Charlie spoke. They had been hanging out for the last two hours but he still gave her butterflies.

“No.” Ariana shook her head, she wasn’t budging. “I am up for finding something else.” She turned back around to get back into her jeans and t-shirt. That reminded her of something. “How about I stick with the jeans and you can find me a daring new top?” she suggested.

“Hmm, I guess that can work too.” Julie was satisfied for any little change she could get from Ariana.

Ariana left the changing room and went and sat next to Charlie at the visitors’ bench. “What happened with your date?” she asked, it was the first moment they could talk alone without Julie shoving clothes into her hands to try on.

“She headed home after finding what she wanted.” He said with a shrug, it was obvious he didn’t care too much about the situation.

“You must be pretty bored to hang out with the resident geek and a thirteen year old.”

“Hey! Yeah sure you are the geekiest person in the world but Julie is pretty cool.”

Ariana laughed, Julie would faint right now if she had heard that. “Alright, I won’t press for answers.” she didn’t need him to confirm what she already knew; he was scared to be home.

“I thought you were going to try to get out of going to this party.”

“Yeah but my mom asked about it and suggested I go and then Jax jumped on the bandwagon.”