Not Who I Really Am

Chapter 2 - Party Shopping

When we arrived at the mall I had almost just forgotten about what happened. Almost.

I was still on the edge, looking behind me whenever I felt like someone was behind me. Opie kept giving me strange looks but let it run right past her. I figured that she wanted to give me some space before asking. But somehow she always managed to figure out when I was upset even when I didn’t seem anywhere near upset. 

We entered the front door at the mall and almost at once we were surrounded by people of all ages. Considering I’m only 5’3’ you could imagine my struggle. People from ages ranging from sixteen to sixty were surrounding me and my grandmother. Opie took a hold of my hand knowing I don’t do well in crowds.

Opie may have been small like me but she had a large voice, able to speak over anyone,

“ALRIGHT! I’ll try to get to all of you but my granddaughter doesn’t do well in crowds. If you let me bring her to her favorite store and out of this conniption and I’ll come back and answer all of your questions and everything you need. Alright?”

Everyone muttered a yes though no happy to have to wait. I gave Opie a slight smile showing her I was fine. 

We make our way through the crowd of my grandmother’s adoring fans to my favorite store. Well, one of them anyway. Forever 21. Yeah yeah I know it’s girly or whatever. But I actually like their clothes so you can leave if you have a problem.

Before Opie left she grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes,

“I’ll be back as quick as I can Artie, I promise. And when I come back we’re talking about what’s bothering you. Because I know that it has nothing to do with the party. Oh and one more thing. We are getting you some shoes too. Those converse you always wear won’t cut it”

I nodded in agreement. She really was good. You can’t fool my Opie. No sir-ee. 

I stood at the front of Forever 21 watching my grandmother get smaller and farther away until she was out of sight.

I walk through the doors of Forever 21 and immediately want to leave. If you couldn’t tell, I’m not the most confident girl in the world. I’m not really a people person. I guess you could call me an introvert. People are not my specialty; books and family are my type of things. Opie says I’m this way because my parent’s hid the fact that my mom was pregnant with me and still continued to hide me after I was born so I didn’t get our very much. I was hidden until about the age of five, when my parents died.

One of Forever 21’s employees came up to me and asked,

“Hello. Is there anything I could help you with?”

Me being the terrible person I am, I just kept walking. The only time I can actually stand talking to other people in public is when Opie is with me. I don’t know why, but that’s just how things are with me.

I went straight to the girls dresses section. I found so many dresses that I liked. But I narrowed it down to four. They’re all pretty simple but I am simple.

The first one I tried on was a yellow high-low dress with short sleeves. It also had a small golden belt around the waist.

I look in the mirror and realize how bad I look in yellow. Well there goes all my yellow clothes in my closet. I take off the dress immediately, put it back on the hook and try on the next dress.

The next one was all white. It was covered in a flower lace and had long lacey sleeves. It went to about the middle of my thighs. 

I look in the mirror and I just about jumped out of the dress. I look like a ghost in white. I’m so pale and the white dress makes it look like I’m a ghost going to a dinner party or something.

I strip off the dress and try on something completely different from the last. The next dress I try is all black, goes a little bit farther down my thighs, and has an illusion neckline. 

I turn towards the mirror again and sigh. I have a dress just like this at home. Opie had gotten it for me for my fifteenth birthday a couple months ago. 

I’ve given up. I can’t find a dress in my favorite store. I walk out of the changing room and hang up the dresses in the ‘reject rack’ and begin to leave. That’s when I see my grandmother. She’s looking in the clearance section. She always thinks that some of the best stuff gets put in the clearance section.

I make my way towards her the sadness obvious in my face. When I made my way to Opie she saw my expression and asked,

“What’s wrong dear?”

“I c-couldn’t find anything.”

“Dear what have I always told you?”

“I don’t kn-know Opie. Y-you tell me a-a lot of things.”

“Always check the clearance dear. It may be marked down i price but that doesn’t mean it’s no good. And look what I found.”

Opie pulls out a floral dress. It’s beautiful. Opie sees the smile on my face and says with a smug look,

“Let’s go to the dressing rooms, shall we?”

“We sh-shall.”

We make our way back to the dressing rooms and I couldn’t wait to try on the dress. If I didn’t like the dress on me I was going to be so disappointed. 

Opie made sure to tell e several times that she wants to see me in the dress when I put it on. She should know by now that I don’t buy anything with Opie permission.

I closed the door to the dressing room and begin to change. When I finish I turn toward the mirror a final time and a gasp flies out of my mouth. It’s absolutely gorgeous. If flows perfectly to the middle of my thighs, the top doesn’t show too much, the fabric was as soft as silk, and the white dress was covered in beautiful red roses.

I open the door to reveal the dress to Opie. I really hope she likes it. Opie’s back was turned towards me so I said lightly,

“Opie?”

She turned around and evaluated me in the dress. She smiled like the Cheshire cat. She actually looked like she was about to cry. And she was. She wiped a tear off of her face and said with love,

“You look so beautiful and grown up Artie. I can’t believe you’re going to your first party.”

“Opie…p-please don’t cry be-because then I’m gonna c-cry.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it.”

I laugh and wipe away a tear that escaped my eye. Opie looked at me and said jokingly,

“If you don’t that dress I am.”

I burst out in laughter. People do love their grandmothers, but I think I love mine a little more. After I’ve calmed down I informed Opie,

“I’m gonna g-go and change b-back.”

“Alright but we’re looking for shoes after.”

“Fine.”