Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

39. A DAY OF FIRSTS

Once we got to the outlet mall, we went into a huge shoe store.

As soon as we walked in I immediately saw them; a pair of the same low cut, black suede, four inch high chunky block heel, ankle boots that I had shied away from on my shopping trip with mom.

I hurriex over and picked one up.

"Ooh, nice choice," Beck cooed.

Wow her voice is sexy. I told myself, as she continued.

"Very nice. Definately not something a tomboy would choose. You gotta try those on. You're off to a good start, girl. I'm impressed."

I looked at her then back down at the shoe in my hand.

I did want to try them on. Just as I had wanted to try them on the first time too, but had been too afraid of crossing a line to actually do it.

Today, I dunno if it was because I wasn't with mom or if it was just because the words came from a girl as gorgeous as Beck, but a warm yet nervous excitement began to spread through my body.

At that moment, I gave in to my desire and decided, this time I would try them on.

A big grin pushed my cheeks up.

I think, not having Mom around is what really helped to embolden me. There was definitely something about Beck and the way she didn't know my life story that put me at ease and helped me totally embrace my new character.

I excitedly found a place to sit down, took my sandals off and after putting on a pair of disposable footie stockings Beck handed me, I quickly slipped my feet into the shoes. I knew what the footies were for since Mom had explained it to me before.

Once I had the boots securely laced up, I stood, got my balance, and cautiously took a few steps.

Beck chuckled at me.

"Have you never worn any kind of heels before?"

I don't know why, but at that moment my cheeks turned red. I responded with, "Why, is it obvious?"

"Well, yeah, but that's about to change," she replied, before explaining to me how to walk in these boots.

Despite the four inches of extra height, with the chunky block heels and her instructions, I was able to walk around with surprising deftness.

Standing in these boots, it occurred to me how I really loved the extra height. Now I was practically eye-to-eye with Beck.

With her urging me on, telling me how great she thought I looked in them, and pointing out that they were on sale, there was no turning back. Not only were the boots on sale for 30% off, the regular price, they were an additional $21.00 less than they were the other day, in that store.

A quick purchase later the boots were all mine and I walked away with them still on my feet.

Beck and I spent the next almost four hours, just trying on different clothes, mostly things we'd never buy for ourselves, but we still had a good time trying the stuff on to see how it looked on us at least once.

We also took photos of each other in the items. It was like our own little fashion show. Unbeknownst to her, Beck was teaching me just how much fun clothes shopping could be, and I was learning volumes about what styles I liked and what looked good on me.

Cocktail dresses, ballroom gowns, naughty nightwear, five hundred dollar and more designer dresses . . . Beck was having a blast introducing me to what she said was, "anything other than the drab, boring clothes of a tomboy."

Me on the other hand, I was enjoying the attention . . . Okay, I'll admit it, and the clothes too.

The only low point of the shopping trip was when I began to realize four inch heels, chunky or not, were not the most comfortable thing to wear for a long period of time, at least not the first time for me to wear them. I wanted to change out of them, but told myself that the only way I'd ever get used to wearing them and be able to without them hurting is to keep them on.

I know, not the brightest idea, but I didn't want Beck to know I couldn't hang with her. She had on heels and wasn't crying about them hurting so I wasn't going to say anything either.

At one point we found a big two-for-one sale on two piece bathing suits in this one shop and After telling Beck I had never worn a two piece she wouldn't let me refuse to try a few on.

When I nervously walked out of the dressing room in the first suit; a yellow high-waisted bikini with with a pattern of red hearts all over it, she immediately took a photo before I was able to protest.

I literally felt naked standing in the store wearing that bathing suit. I didn't care how good the girl in the mirror looked, I was embarrassed and couldn't wait to get back to the safe privacy of the dressing room. I decided I'd rather be forced to wear a mini skirt than have to wear a bikini again.

Beck went on and on about how beautiful it looked on me and how this was "probably the one," but she wouldn't know for sure until I tried on the other ones we had selected.

A mom who was shopping nearby with her, probably about a year older than me, daughter, overheard our conversation and agreed with Beck that I looked beautiful in the suit.

The daughter spoke up and also enthusiastically agreed, adding, "You won't be able to avoid the loads of attention you'll get from boys, wearing that suit. Trust me, you should get it."

"Thanks," I nervously replied, before hurrying back to the dressing room, to quickly take this much too revealing garment off.

I didn't want to put another one on, but Beck wouldn't let me say no. I tried the others on and let Beck see me in them, but I didn't go back outside the safety of the dressing room.

By the time I had tried all of the suits on, Beck insisted on buying a bikini for herself and since all swimwear in the store was Buy One, Get One Free, she insisted on getting the yellow one for me.

As we walked away from the check-out counter, Beck informed me that if we got home in time this afternoon, I would be swimming in this suit and she wouldn't let the tomboy in me try to talk my way out of it either.

Apparently today is going to be a day of many firsts for me.

At least I got some time to get used to the idea of me in such a revealing suit in front of Dave and Jeremy, before actually having to do it.