The New Me

Chapter Five

After we were done drooling over the hot guy we just saw, we walked through the parking lot and into the mall. As soon as we walked in the door Nichole stopped and stared.

"What is it Nichole?" I ask worryingly. I star at her for a second before a smile spreads across her face and her eyes open wide.

"Victorious Secret is having a sale!!!!" She screams. Almost everyone around us stops and stares.

"Calm down. It's just a sa-" I am cut off as she grabs my wrist and yanks me into Victorious Secret. Once we are inside, she lets go of my wrist. "Can you please calm down?" I ask.

"Calm down?! They're having a 50% off store wide sale! And look at this..." she picks up an oversized sparkly Pink shirt. "I've been wanting one of these for two years!" She squeals.

"I know, do you not remember complaining to me about them being too expensive for the last two years? Because I do, it's kind of hard to forget when you remind me every five minutes." I say. She turns her head and gives me a huge smile.

"I'm so getting one!!!!" She screams again. I look over at her with a confused grin. How are we such good friends? She is the total opposite of me. "Oh! I wonder if we can find you a crop top here!" She says overly enthusiastic. She walks over towards the cut off shirts and picks up a bright orange crop top. "How about this?" She questions me.

"Uh.....that thing barely covers anything. I might as well just show up in my bra. And can we find something a little less...colorful. You know I'm not one for bright colors." I reason with her. She gives me an annoyed look, and sets the shirt back down.

"Alright, just let me pay for this and then we can go into Rue 21." She says as she rolls her eyes. As we're walking to the register she spots some perfume and stops. She picks up a bottle of her favorite perfume and takes it up to the counter.

After she pays for her things she grabs the bag and we leave the store. We walk a little ways until we reach Rue 21. As soon as we walk in she spots yet another crop top. This one however has long sleeves, instead of it being strapless. She holds it up for me to examine.

"I like the fact that it's a settle shade of yellow, and that it has sleeves. I have one question though. What is the point of having sleeves? You're wearing a crop top, it's not like you're going to be warm anyway." I state.

"I don't know what the point in the sleeves are, will you please try it on though?" She gives me a hopeful look.

"Okay, okay. I'll try it on." I say as she squeals. We walk around the store and find some black high waisted shorts. She hands them to me to try on with the crop top. I take them and head into a dressing room while she waits on the bench. I quickly take off my shirt and put the crop top on. Then, I change into the shorts and examine myself in the mirror.

I really do look good in this. Stop it! I tell myself. You don't deserve this. They show too much of the past. I think.

I walk out of the changing room to show Nichole. She gasps in awe, and gives me a look of approval.

"I'm not really feeling the shorts" I say.

"Why not? They bring the whole look together."

"Yeah, I know but..." I trail off not knowing how to answer that.

"Will you please buy them? They look cute on you." She begs me.

"No, you know I don't feel comfortable in shorts. Especially in high waisted shorts that barley pass my fingertips. I don't like getting everyone's attention because of my body."

"I know, but it's just...you never agree to come to any parties and I want you to have fun." She gives me a saddened look, and I suddenly feel guilty.

"Well, I can have fun without feeling uncomfortable. I just, I haven't worn shorts in a long time. The last time I wore shorts was in elementary school....when the accident happened...." I stop when tears form in my eyes.

"It's okay, Autumn. I'm sorry, I completely forgot about it until I saw the scars. I was hoping you would still like them though." She apologizes.

"It's fine, I will get them. I need to get over it anyway." I state wiping away my tears.

"No, you don't need to get over it. You don't have to buy them for me." She feels guilty. I think. I'm such a bad friend. I can't even make my only friend happy.

"No. I'm getting them. We're going to walk into that party, like we own the dang place. We are going to be the hottest girls at that party, and we're going to have fun!" I demand.

"Are you sure you want to buy them?" She asks me one more time.

"Yes I'm sure. I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Besides it's not like the scars on my legs are going to kill me. I can't get rid of them so, why even bother hiding them right?" I stand up proud. I had never had this attitude before. I was suddenly proud to have survived the accident.

Why are you happy? You don't deserve it. It's your fault they're gone. I start feeling sad again when I think back to the accident. No! No. I will not do this anymore. This is happening. Im buying these shorts, and I'm going to a party, and I'm going to have the best night of my life! I argue with myself. I stand up and give Nichole a hug then go back into the changing room.

Once I am dressed again, I grab the clothes and walk out to greet Nichole. She takes the clothes from me and we walk over to the shoe section. She picks up a pair of black strappy sandals. I hadn't worn sandals since the accident either.

"How about these?" She hands me the sandals and I eyeball them for a moment.

"I like them, but we should try and find some to match the crop top."

"Oh that's a good idea!" She sets the sandals down and walks down a little ways. "I don't see any, we should go down to that new sandal shop and see if they have any." She states as she walks past me for the checkout.

Once we pay, we leave the store and walk down to Sandals Galore. When we enter my eyes spot a pair of yellow strappy sandals that match the crop top perfectly, and they have a little sparkle to bling up my outfit. I walk over and pick up the shoes. I find a pair in my size, and walk over to a bench to try them on.

Once I have them on I stand up and walk over to Nichole.

"What do you think?"

"I think they would look fantastic with your top." She states. "Are those the ones you want?" I give her a nod, and I go back to change into my other shoes. I put the sandals back in the box and brought them to the register.

"What time is it?" Nichole asks as we walk out the door. I grab my phone out of my pocket and check the time.

"12:48. We have time to get some lunch if you want." She gives me a nod and we walk down to Auntie Anne's Pretzels. We ordered and went to find a table.

When they called our number Nichole went up there and got us our lunch.

By the time we were done eating and talking it was 2:03. We decided to go back to Nichole's house and get her things for the party, and then go back to my house to get ready.