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el had never been one to feel confident in herself, she was always a shy person. always had been. she only really ever opened up to her friends and mike. and the thought of prom coming up and her not having something to wear scared her. why was she scared? el hated her body, she might have been a real beauty to everyone around her but she had created this version of herself that she hated. and soon, that version became real. every time she looked in the mirror, that's what she saw.
she didn't see happy, smiling, beautiful el. she saw sad, depressing, fat, ugly el. all of her negative thoughts went into that vision and became a person.
so whenever she went dress shopping she always went by herself because she was simply embarrassed. she didn't want to go with mike because her brain told her that mike would be embarrassed too once he saw her in a dress that outlined every curve in her body.
and when she went by herself she never had the reassurance of someone else by her side. no one had ever told her to ignore those thoughts. if she found something she liked, she would try it on, look at herself and then put it back.
and if she was going to go to prom she would have to get a dress.
*
"are you still going to prom?" mike asked randomly, "yes, i think so. are you?"
"i think meagan might kill me if i don't." he chuckled, "she might kill you anyway." el shrugged, "shut up. but if your gonna go to prom, do you even have a dress?"
"no." she said quietly, "well prom is coming up, don't you think you should get one, i don't know. soon?"
"yeah.. i just don't like dress shopping."
"well i'll take you dress shopping today, if you want." he suggested, "no mike- it's okay. you don't have to-"
"el just let me. i know your not going to go by yourself." el bit the inside of her cheek, "i really don't know, you really want to sit in a dress shop for like.. ever?" mike knew what she was doing, she was trying to scam her way out of it. mike didn't know why she was so opposed to dress shopping, didn't all girls like shopping?
"el i really don't care as long as you get a dress your happy with." he shrugged, that made her heart melt. "thanks mike." she smiled leaning over to hug him. "we have to walk to my house first to grab my car."
"if you don't want to go home my dad can drop us off instead." she said softly, "no um, it'll be fine. i'm sure their at work or something." el nodded, "alright, let's go." she wrapped her hand around his arm and they walked out of the front door towards his house.
*
after fifteen minutes of walking the two finally made it to maple street. the walk to his house was quick and when they arrived at the house karen's car was parked in the driveway. "i'm sure she won't bother me. i'll be out in second."
