Million Dollar Man

Chapter 4. It isnt bad.

After exiting the school parking lot, I drive immediately to Sunkiss. Sunkiss is a nice clothing store on the Far East side of town. More toward the city, and with it being more toward the city is has that New York vintage style that you would find in an old clothing store trying to modernize. Which is why Jaime and I love it, it has those edgy and girly styled clothes Jaime loves and that vintage, not so edgy girly clothes I love. It's perfect.

I remember living in the city faintly, Dad bought our house here outside of New York for family purposes when I was just 6 years old. He said it was for us to be closer and that we needed to get out of the city, we still have our houses there but we mostly go back for vacations or weekend, for clothes shopping even. Mother goes more often to the city than most of us since her job is there, and father works more at home, attending conventions and what not when he needs to, but he is gone less and less now than he would before.

I pull up in front of the clothing store carefully, killing the engine shortly afterwards. Jaime and I unbuckle our seat-belts and I hear the bell ring above us once we enter.

"Welcome it Sunkiss!" we hear Alexandra, the owner, greet from the cashier desk.

"Hey Alex, it's Jaime and Lizzy!" Jaime says. I catch Alexandra pop up from under the desk, a wide smile on her face and a pile of clothing in her arms.

"My sweeties, come come!" she drops the clothes on the desk and makes her way around it to greet us. She hugs Jaime and exchanges and kiss on the cheek and then moves to me.

"I haven't seen you two in such a long time! What brings you two here?!"

I smile as our embrace finishes and look over at Jaime.

"We have a party tonight, we need some new outfits." Alexandra nods with a smile.

"You know, it is perfect timing. We just had new clothes shipped in and I think you two will absolutely love it. I'll go to the back real quick to get some of the clothes I haven't laid out yet," Jaime and I smile and thank her.

"Oh it's no problem, I'll be right back, look around look around!" I smile. I love Alex's energy and personality. It's welcoming and nice to be around.

Once Alex is gone, Jaime and I start to look around. I recognize some clothes but only a few, Alex was right. They do have a lot of new clothing and I am loving it all.

"Alright Lizzy, we have to look classy, but not uptight. Edgy, but not slutty. See anything you like?" I take a nice gray colored shirt with a few designs on it out of the rack and show it to Jaime. She gives me a blunt expression.

"Are you going to a funeral? No," she takes the shirt out of my grasp and puts it back on the rack. "I am picking your outfit for tonight." I protest almost immediately.

"No, absolutely not."

"And why not?" she argues.

"Because, I do not want to dress too showy, I know how you will make me dress."

She snorts and moves some clothing on the rack around, looking for something. She finally takes a plain long sleeve shirt out and holds it up.

"Would you wear this to the party?" I take it in for a bit. It isn't so bad.

"See! I am picking out your outfit, no arguments." she places the shirt back onto the rack and walks us over to a panting Alexandra. I guess Jaime picking out my outfit won't be so bad?

"Alright, here is some of the new clothes." she takes out some clothing from a heavy looking box which I assume she was caring, explains the panting.

Jaime scatters clothing around, looking for something she thinks will pass the dress code in her head.

"Why aren't you looking Lizzy?"

"I-"

"I am picking out her outfit for tonight." Jaime interrupts me. I roll my eyes and Alexandra laughs, saying this should be interesting. The front bell rings shortly later and Alexandra leaves us moments after to help the customer.

"This!" Jaime holds out a short sleeved vintage looking shirt with a trail of buttons on top. It looks like it will only reach mid stomach.

"No." I protest immediately.

"Oh c'mon Lizzy, it's pretty. And it will suit tonight!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Why not?" she asks, as of it isn't clear why.

"It won't cover a thing! It is almost see through for Christ sake! If my mom was going to let me go, she definitely won't let me leave in that!" she rolls her eyes and sets the shirt down on the desk.

"Almost see through, almost. You can leave in a different shirt too! Here, we'll see how it looks first then you can say no if you want to." I know I won't change my mind, but for Jaime's sake, I agree.

We walk towards the jean section before going to the dressing rooms and I pick out a pair of really dark blue jeans that I like and Jaime surprisingly lets me, saying it will suit the shirt. I walk toward the dressing rooms and am handed a number two by a worker that I have never seen before at the entrance. She must be new. She tells me to hang it on the little hook on the door and I do.

I take off my clothes and put on the shirt Jaime picked out and the jeans I picked, and stare longly into the mirror. It isn't bad, I actually like how it looks. But I feel uncomfortable showing my stomach the way I am. Mother will never let me leave like this, which is why I have to leave in a different shirt. I can't believe I am going to wear this.

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