This is the start of a new me.
“You know, you should get a tan,” Dawn says as she piles all of my new clothes into shopping bags. “Not too much, of course, you want to keep your skin nice and wrinkle-free, but just a little sun will do wonders.” She leans forward, cupping her hand to her mouth like she’s telling me a secret. “Tan skin makes you look thinner.” She winks and I grin.
“Of course, you’re not as big as you think you are,” she says, shoving more clothing into bags. “All your sizes are medium, so I don’t want to hear any more of that fat talk, okay?”
I heave a sigh. “It’s medium in women’s sizes which are different from junior’s. I’m like a size extra, extra, extra large in those clothes.”
She waves her hand at me. “Men don’t want to date ajunior. They want awoman. I promise.”
I smile up at her and hook some of the bags on my hands. It’ll be a long walk back to my car with all of this stuff. Of course, now that I’m feeling confident in my new wardrobe, I don’t exactly want to go home just yet.
“Do you think I could change into one of these outfits before I leave?” I ask her.
She grins. “Absolutely. I’d choose the pink top.”
“Good choice,” I say, digging it out of the bag. I practically skip to the fitting room and change out of my old clothes and into a pair of black leggings, silver sparkly flip flops, and the pink top. It’s neon pink and has a neckline that makes it look like my boobs are something people want to look at. The color goes great with the blond streaks in my hair, and I’m feeling more confident than ever when I wear it.
After dropping my shopping bags into the trunk of my car, I walk back up the strip and cross over to the beach. With my new flip flops in my hands, I let the warm sand sink between my toes. I tip my head back and let the sun warm me, the salty air filling my lungs. It feels good to be out here on the beach with all of the other normal people.
I breathe in deeply and tell myself this day is the start of a new life for Bess Navarre. I’ll start going out and doing things. When Maddie gets back home, I’ll stop denying her invites to the beach and the mall. I’m going to be more open and I’m going to have fun.
I’ve never felt better.
And then a football comes flying from out of nowhere and smacks me in the shoulder so hard, I’m knocked straight to the sand. I cry out in pain and shock, the impact seeming to hurt more with each passing second. Panicked thoughts fly through my mind.
Did someone hit me on purpose?
Am I about to be made fun of for going out in public with even a shred of confidence?
I’m on my ass in the sand, my shoulder killing me from the pain, and all I’m thinking about is how mortified I am to be in public right now. Someone calls out an apology and I look up to see a guy with short brown hair running toward me. He’s wearing blue board shorts and no shirt, and all I can say is the tan looks really good on him.
“Shit, I’m so sorry,” he says, stopping in front of me. I realize now that he’s actually talking to me, not just running by on some other mission.
“It’s fine,” I say, scrambling to stand up in the sand. “No big deal.”
But even as the words leave my mouth, I’m struggling to hold back tears. I bend and pick up the football, holding it out to the guy. He seems really familiar, but then again, all of the hot guys at Robert Cullen High School look alike. Just a bunch of muscled, tall, Greek gods walking around the place. “Here’s your ball.”
He takes it and drops it to the sand, his focus on me instead. “Are you sure you’re okay? Where did you get hit?”
I look at him like he’s lost his damn mind. Why on earth would any guy stare at me with that much concern? I mean, it’s not like he actually cares.
But weirdly, as he watches me with concern in his eyes, I’d almost think that maybe he does.
