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Her soft fingers find mine, and she brushes them before replying, “I think so, too.”

64

Mireya

Play - The Doll People by Sofia Isella

The gala

I hate seeing myself in dresses.

The feeling of being seen in such a vulnerable way makes my skin itch and the thought of everyone being able to see my scars almost makes me want to vomit on the spot.

How strange it is, to stop wearing dresses because someone loved the way they looked on you too much.

“The way the material flows around your waist looks so pretty, Rey!” Hayzel screeches as I turn around to look at her.

My best friend looks beautiful in the dress she’s wearing. Red and silky, her brown hair flows perfectly around her face.

She’s smiling and so happy that I let her pick the one I have on right now.

“Earth to Reya,” Hayzel says, bringing me out of my head.

“I feel like I look too squished in this, Hayz,” I say, looking at myself in the floor length mirror.

“Nonsense, you look beautiful in that one,” she tells me as I shuffle around, pulling at the fabric.

“We have this one, it’s a lovely floor length blue dress, its bodice is more loose fitted but it flares around the skirt to give it more shape and dimension,” the shop teller says, coming over holding up the said dress. “It’s less revealing but more sophisticated.”

I go to open my mouth but Hayzel beats me to it, “It’s perfect, she’ll try it on!”

She grabs the hanger from the teller who walks away looking pleased and shoves it at me. “Go on, go on Reya, try it on!”

The curtain is pulled closed and I’m left with no other choice but to try the damn thing on.

A few moments later I step out of the dressing room hearing a lot of compliments from both Hayzel and the shop teller. Hayzel flashed the credit card that Nana gave her for emergencies and paid for everything before pulling me away from the store.

The journey back from town wasn’t anything to comment on, I felt as if I dissociated from everything around me. I didn’t hear Hayzel talking to me. I didn’t hear the engine noise turn off when we arrived back at St. Ellesta.

I think I only came back when she pinched my arm and screamed that I needed to be more enthusiastic about this.

Tonight we have to succeed on that exercise, and can’t afford to fail, even if I don’t know how my body will respond to it.

Play - Female Robbery by The Neighbourhood

Hayzel is fluttering around the vanity table as she curls her hair.

“You look beautiful, Mireya,” she says, meeting my gaze in the mirror.

I stand beside her looking over my now straightened hair. “I should say the same about you, I like your hair like that.”

She smiles and pretends to faint from my compliment, “It’s like you’re flirting with me.”

I snort hiding my laugh as she adjusted her dress. “Vain much?”

“I mean, we don’t get to dress up like that every day, so yes,” she replies, turning back to me with a smile. “Also, because we’re still flirting, you wanna see something?”

I glance over my shoulder with my brows furrowed. “What are you up to?”