No Strings *COMPLETE*

Chapter 17

       I dance with anticipation as I try to squeeze into a tight, red dress that Lilli picked oit for me. It isn't really my style but she would've hounded me until I tried it on, so I did it to get it over with.
      I finally got the damn thing on and zipped, so I turned to face the mirror. It hugs my curves in all the right places and accentuates the "goods". Lilli might not have done so bad this time around. As I'm admiring my reflection, I hear Lilli huff impatiently as she stands outside the dressing room. "What's taking you so long?! Hurrrrryyyy!" She shouts. I roll my eyes as I smooth out the cotton fabric of my dress and unlock the stall door.
     I ease the door open slowly for effect.
     The door is now completely open, and Lilli comes into full view, mouth gaping wide open.  I blush and attemptto cover my body. "Hot damn; Lil Mama! Do a little spin for me," Lilli hollars, following a cat call. Is your best friend really your best friend if she doesn't saught after you like a full blown lesbian?
     My mom comes out of nowhere, staring at me like I'd just walked out of the dressing room buttass naked. "Skilar Marie, have you lost your damn mind?! What are you wearing child?" Uh-oh.....
     "It-It's a dress Lilli picked out for me. Dont you like it?" I say innocently. She stares at me  wide-eyed. I wait for her to blow up. She takes a deep breath, and says, "Skilar, that dress is a little much and definitely not appropriate. Change out of it and I will help you pick out another one." Without another word, I spin on my heel towards the dressing room.
      After peeling the dress off, I put it back on the hanger and go to put it back on the rack it was on previously.
     My mom steps in the way of my putting the dress back and says, "Here, let me help you." "Mom, its okay. I'm going to pick oit one more dress and is it still isn't the righy one, we can try another store."
     And with that, she backs off. Before I went off to college, she would have clung to me and tagged along to make sure ai picked out the dress she approved of. We've made progress and I couldn't be more proud of her. So I wait for her to be a couple more feet away before I continue searching for another dress. I push a couple dresses aside that are either too pink, too puffy, or just too ugly. I continue looking, loosing hope for thus store. But just ad I srart walking away, I see one thatcatches my eye. I look around to make sure my mom nor Lilli are around or paying attention. I push some more clothes away to get a better look at it. The dress is short, a littke poofy, but not too crazy. So I picked it up to get a better look. The black, stringy dress had no back! But.... It's cute!!!! Hmmmmm.... I look around to see if my mom or Lilli were anywhere near.
     They aren't, perfect! I roll the dress up a little and start walking towards the dressing room. As I'm about ten feet from the door, I hear, "Hey honey! Did you find a dress yet?" My mom asks me as the steps in my path. "No, I'm just getting my shoes." I say with a straight face. "Alright, I'll keep looking for you." I smile and step around her, and make a break for it. I close the door and take a long breath.
     Unrolling the dress, I hold it out a few feet in front of me and stare longingly as it just dangles, tempting me to dare try it on.
     This is the dress, I can feel it! And if it looks hideous on me, then I have no sense of style and I'm going to die alone.
     I shake off the negative thoughts  and strip off my jeans and blouse. I take a deep breath in and tug the "cinderella" dress over my head. It slides in place flawlessly, and the first thought that came to mind was that it was too good to be true. My breath hitches in my throat and I spin around to face the mirror.
     All I csb do is stare in shock. Its perfect! It's formfutting, yet flaws just the right way. I honestly debate on showing Lilli and my mom the dress of hiding it and buying it before they have the chance to see it. They would love it without a doubt. "Skilar, honey are you ready to go?" My mom asks, tapping on the dressing room door. "Uh, yeah. I'll be out in a sec. Where's Lilli?" "I'm out here too, Ski. Hurry, I'm ready to check out Victoria's Secret. "Lord knows why she wants to go there. "Okay, okay. I'm coming out." I say, unlocking the stall door, and letting it swing open. I watch as their eyes lock with the dress. They both smile. "It's perfect!" They say in unison. I grin, "You really think so?" They nod excitedly, I wiggle ecstatically, and rush back into the changing room.
     I take the dress off and put it on a hanger. I put my clothes and shoes back on hurriedly. Grabbing my purse and the dress, I unlock the dressing room again and make my way to the sales counter. Lili and my mom grab their clothes that they picked out and followed me.
     I put my dress and a lacey black chocker that I found along the way- up on the counter and watch as the tenage cashier swipes them across the scanner and removes tge security tags. "Thirty five thirty," she says in a monotone voice as she shoves the items into a bag and thrusts the bag towards me. After handing her my card, she swipes it and hands it back to me alond with a receipt. I smile and move to the side to wait for the other two to be checked out.
     Once they're done, we move onto our next objective- food!
     "Panda Express! Lilli exclaims quickly. I scrunch my nose up; she always wants Panda Express. My mom looks at me and I shrug. I usually let Lilli have her way, it doesn't bother me much. "Would you settle for pizza?" My mom asks Lilli as she stops in front of a greasy pizza place. She's testing Lilli's ability to take the word 'no'. Lilli looks at her, and without hesitation, she smiles, and says, "Sure. Sounds good to me." I love how easy-going she is.
     We get in line and wait for our turn to be helped. Bored and with nothing better to do, I look around at the surrounding stores: Build-A-Bear, Claire's, DC, and a salon. That reminds me! "Do you think we'll have enough time to get out hair and nails done?" I ask my mother.
     She clicks a button on her phone, and says, "We should have time for one, not sure about the other," she says, looking nervous. This is thr closet I've ever seen this womam go to "not on a tight schedule" and I wasn't about to test the resistance of that boundary.
     We grab our food after ordering, and as she leads the way to the table Lilli says, "Getting our hair done is a good idea. Nothing says 'I don't need that guy anymore' Like a new hair color, right Ski-?-" Her eyes get bigger, as she realised what she had just said. My mom stares at her, bewildered and very confused. I stare at Lilli as if to say 'thanks, Lils! You big-mouthed bitch!' "Skilar, what is Lilliana talking about?" My mother asks, staring at me, and waiting for an answer. Lilli's face gets red. "Lilli's talking about my crush on a mutual friend of ours," I say, hoping she doesn't probe any further. It wasn't exactly a lie, but I don't need her pressing and getting Lilli to spill anymore information. My mother gives me a skeptical look as if she can just x-ray vision her way through bullshit.
     "Oh, okay. So Lilli, what idea do you have for Ski's hair?" My mom says, excusing the previous conversation. "I'd say give her some layers and go bright, like red or Lilac." My mom onky stares at her like she's lost her damn mind. "I'm not going to do anything ridiculous," I say, hoping that it'll keep mama bear from attempting to strangle Lilli. "But... it is time for change, so I'll probably judt ask the hairdresser what she thinks.
     For whatever reason, that momentability stops any future argument occuring.
    We finish our food and walk over to the salon, in hopes that they weren't too busy.
     They get us in immediately, and I am sat down in the black chair, closest to the door. The girl looks at me through the mirror and says, "So what are we  doing to your hair today sweetie?" I bite my lip; suddenly feeling bashful. "Well, actually, I was going to ask a professional opinion. So what do you think?" She exclaims my hair carefully, clearly thinking. "Why are you changing your hair? Bad breakup? Being bullied? Need change? Trying to get a guy to notice you?" My face redden and she smiles. "I see. Are you thinking a cut or color?" I shrug, "I have no idea. But, you are the expert. So I'm trusting in you."
     She smiles at me, "You're in good hands today. Let's get you shampooed, shall we?" I nod, all wing her to lead the way.
     As scared as I was to let a complete stranger control of my hair. I was ready and excited to see Nathan's... I mean Kieran's face.
     The wait seemed like forever, so when she finally said: "You ready?" I was beyond ready and anxious because she kept me facing away from all the mirrors. I nod eagerly, hoping I don't regret it.
   She spins me around slowly, for effect, and when I see the result, my jaw drops.