Broken

Chapter 2

"Wake up!" I jolt awake, startled, and immediately see my cousin Odessa's face excitedly looking at me. I sit up and check my phone.

"Isabella! It's six thirty! You weren't supposed to be here until nine!"

"I know, I know, I was just too excited and couldn't sleep. But you should be thanking me; there will be fewer people at the mall, which means a less stressful shopping trip. We could also go and get breakfast!"

"We already planned on getting brunch and lunch. Do we really need that much food?"

"Um, is that even a question?"

"Fair enough."

I practically fall out of bed. I had a really restless night last night. "I had this really weird dream last night."

"What was it about?"

"Well, in the dream, I was in the city square running. It was like one of those dreams where someone is chasing you, but instead of being chased, I was the one doing the chasing. I couldn't see what I was running after, I just kept trying to catch up to it. I got up to the clock tower by the city hall, and then the tower started shattering. And then, slowly, everything else did too. First, the streetlights, then the cars, then the buildings, and then the roads, even the sky. Everything broke and crumbled down until I was left in pitch black. Then, I woke up"

"That's really weird."

"Ya.

"Well, do you think it means something?"

"Eh, it was just a weird dream. I mean, it could, but I don't know."

"Oh." It was quiet for a minute, "Well, let's get going then. We want to get to the mall before everyone else."

"It's six forty-five!"

We both explode into a fit of giggles. I get dressed and do my makeup as quickly as possible, and it's about half an hour later that we finally head out the door.

"Why do you take so long to get ready?" Odessa asked me. She had been rushing me the whole morning.

"I'm sorry, it takes a bit to do my makeup."

"It's not like you need it, you're completely gorgeous without it." I groan. I get this all the time from my friends and family, and basically everyone, but I just don't get it. I'm not fishing for compliments or trying to be conceited or anything like that, I just truly don't feel like I'm that pretty. I have a decent amount of acne and my nose is always really red for some reason, and I have bags and wrinkles under my eyes from stress, but for some odd reason, everyone thinks I'm pretty.

"I like putting on makeup. Anyways, what kind of outfit should I get? I have a couple of ideas, but I'm not sure if any of them would work." I've learned to just change the subject as quickly as possible because if I protest, they always do all they can to convince me otherwise. I also really need advice on what to wear. I want to look my best. After all, I am meeting the person that I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with. I'd like them to have a good first impression of me.

"Kili, I know this might sound a little mean, but I'm not going to help you with your outfit."

"What? Why? I really need help with this! What if he thinks I'm stupid because of the way I dress?" I'm practically freaking out right now. I can't understand why she's refusing to help me, especially on something that could potentially change my life.

"Because you need to show him the real you as soon as you meet him. I want you to get something that you love. Something that you like wearing. This is the person that you'll be sharing your life with forever. You can't put on a mask and keep it on until you feel comfortable taking it off. You have to be one hundred percent real with this person."

I couldn't speak for a moment. What she said was so deep, and that really shocked me because she's usually a pretty fun, playful person. What she said was right, though. If I was going to be stuck with this person for the rest of the time I spent here on this earth, why wouldn't I show him my real self?

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"So, what did you have in mind for what you're going to wear?" She smiled at me.

"I was thinking like a cute romper, or a matching shorts and crop top kind of set."

"I like that. What about the colors and designs?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe black or yellow. I guess I'll just see when I get there"

"Alright then," she said, and we continued the drive towards the mall.