stutter » a. irwin

chapter 02. glamorous

❀ J U L I A ❀

I examined myself in the mirror, turning from one side to the other. The navy blue dress clung to my curves a bit too tightly for my liking, but I had to admit, it looked great. After we returned to our shared apartment, Rachel immediately started sifting through her closet trying to find the perfect dress for me. Although we weren't anywhere close to the same size - she was petite while I was a bit taller - her closet was full of unworn sample sizes from her various modelling jobs.

I probably would've hated her if she didn't give away half of those clothes to me.

There were plenty of dresses I tried on, but none of them were right. That probably sounded super cliche, but they were either too bright, too sparkly, too revealing... none of them were my style. I could tell Rachel was getting frustrated, and a smile twitched at my lips when she yelled at me through the bathroom door.

"We're going clubbing, not attending a damn wedding! This is not some next Hilary Duff movie!"

It was around the fifteenth dress that I could actually bear to look at my appearance. The dress ended mid-thigh and clung to my body, with short sleeves and a round neckline that showcased my collarbone. From the front it looked simple, but the back was more daring. The straps criss-crossed into a complicated pattern that stopped at my tailbone, leaving me feeling bare and cold. I pulled on an oversized denim shirt over my dress to cover up the risqué back; the shirt itself was comfy and helped me feel less self-conscious in the tight clothing I had on underneath.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Rachel's eyes immediately targeted my denim shirt. "No, you are not wearing that thing to the club." She affirmed. "You're definitely going to catch someone's eye in that dress, so why are you trying to cover up that amazing body?" She desperately questioned.

"I'm not so sure I even want any attention on me," I muttered quietly, slipping my feet into my beat-up vans discreetly. I didn't want to be tripping into anyone tonight after this morning's fiasco.

Rachel paused in shuffling through her closet to shoot me an incredulous look. "Seriously, Julia? I'm sorry, but you need to live a little. You can't just keep sticking your nose in a book and pretending the world doesn't exist anymore. It's time to grow up."

I tugged my newly glossed lip between my teeth as I ran my fingers through my now straightened hair. I loved Rach and everything, but that comment really stung. I'll admit that I definitely lived a quieter and reserved lifestyle compared to Rachel and her modelling career, but I wasn't totally oblivious to having a little fun. I knew she was just trying to look out for me though, so I took a deep breath to collect my thoughts. "I get what you're saying, but do we really have to go clubbing tonight? Can't we watch The Mentalist on Netflix instead?" I suggested desperately.

Her response was simple.

"Uh, no."

I groaned frustratedly, flopping down on Rachel's bed as she laughed at me. "Sorry Julia, but I really think we'll have a lot of fun tonight."

This was going to be one hell of a night.

❀❀❀

Music was pulsating through the speakers so loud that I could literally feel the vibrations of the bass piercing my eardrums. Lights flashed everywhere in a frenzy, illuminating the bodies fused to each other on the dance floor. I was so caught up in observing everything that I didn't notice Rachel had been pulling me along towards the bar.

"We'll take two beers!" she yelled over the pounding music, leaning across the bar so the bartender could hear her. The smell of sweat and beer was overpowering and there were so many people that I was beginning to panic a little. Rachel clearly noticed my worried expression and began to rub my arm. "Don't worry about the crowd; when we get out there you won't even notice them."