Hard Boy ✔️

2

- Everybody Wants You; Johnny Orlando - 

Aurora Holland

"I'm telling you, this will look beautiful on you!" Paige exclaimed, holding another glittery skirt in my direction.

Despite knowing I had plenty of clothes to choose from, Paige insisted we go shopping for the party later tonight. She said I needed to dress to impress, and if I didn't know any better -- she was channeling her inner Vivienne Holland.

Dressing to impress was something my parents were huge about, thinking first impressions were the most important. Sure, there's a bit of truth to that, but in my personal opinion, depending on the first time you meet them, I don't think they're all that important. People can put on this fake persona and act like someone else, what matters to me is what they're truly like.

What their personality traits are, their interests, and hobbies. Things that actually make a person a person. Not doing anything they can to impress other people. 

"Maybe this with a cute shimmery tank top?" She continued to look through the racks.

The mall was awfully busy, but it was probably because it's a huge mall and a Saturday. I was already feeling nervous about starting school at Riverway High on Monday, but now I have to be nervous to go to some party tonight.

To make matters worse, I have no idea whose party it is. It could be an absolute psycho's party. There could be drugs and alcohol.

Oh, who am I kidding? There's going to be drugs and alcohol.

We continued to look through what felt like the hundredth store we'd been in today, and I just shook my head any time Paige held a top or skirt I didn't like up to me. She's got style for sure, and her style is beautiful, I just know that although they're cute now, the moment they slip onto my body -- they're going to look ugly. 

It was like that from store to store, the only items us leaving with are things Paige saw and liked herself. She failed to find anything I was willing to wear, and so she just sat with a defeated look on her face as we munched on some cheesy fries in the food court.

"You gotta like some of these, Ror." Paige sighed, setting her lemonade down.

"It's not that I don't like them, everything you've shown me is cute. I just don't think any of it suits me." I admitted, wiping my mouth with a napkin.

Her jaw fell, seemingly shocked at my response. "You're saying... you're saying you've liked everything?"

"Yep."

"From the first item of clothing I picked up?"

"Yep."

"In the first store we went to?"

"Yes, Paige," I answered with an eye roll, finishing up the rest of my food.

"We could have already gotten your outfit by now!" She exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table.

People nearby looked at us, but I just smiled nervously before putting my attention on my cousin. "Paige, I told you liked all of them."

"You're so insecure for no reason, Aurora." Paige leaned back in her seat, "You would look good with anything on. We could even try things on before buying them, and if worst comes to worst and what we buy ends up not being what you want to wear, we could mix and match with stuff we own."

"Or we could just wear what we already own," I said.

"You're telling me now that you're not being forced to wear the same crappy uniform every single day, you're not taking advantage of it?" Paige asked, "I went all out on every single one of my outfits in anything I did the moment I left Point Prep. Whether it be school... the grocery store..." She then trailed, "I'm surprised you're not jumping at every piece of clothing I throw at you."