Chatoyant College, Book 1: New Student Orientation

Chapter 33: Plus Sized

"Oh, there's one!" Corrie said, pointing across the street. They glanced around--there wasn't much traffic in this town--and crossed the street to find themselves at the door of the plus-size store. It was small, but in a town this size Edie hadn't expected to find anything better.

"Ooh, look at this!" Dawn let go of Edie's arm for the first time in several minutes and pounced on a display of low-cut, flowing tops. "This is the same color as that other shirt. And it should fit you. It'll look great!"

Edie took it dubiously. "It's awfully low-cut."

"So?" Naomi poked her in the boob, causing her to shriek and cover herself with her hands and the shirt. Naomi snickered. "Come on, it's time to show off those assets of yours."

"You have a nice body, Edie," Dawn informed her. Her eyes were twinkling--Edie was sure it was at her obvious blush. "You should show it off!"

"You two sound like you're on one of those makeover reality shows," said Corrie, walking up behind them. She thrust a pile of clothes from another part of the store into Edie's arms. "Here's a couple of skirts and a pair of jeans with some structure to them. Go try them on!"

She shook her head, accepting the clothes her friends handed her, but just staring at them. She couldn't imagine wearing anything like this. It just wasn't her. She would have to put them back. But somehow she seemed rooted to the spot.

Dawn put a hand on her shoulder. "Edie, you don't have to get them if you don't like them, of course. But you should try them on at least. Please?"

A saleswoman approached from behind her. Edie jumped a little when she heard the high-pitched, sugary sweet voice. "Do you girls need help with anything?" Edie turned to see a bird-thin woman with artistically tousled bleach-blonde hair smiling brightly. What was this woman doing working in a plus-size store? She clearly had no idea what it was like.

Dawn smiled at the saleswoman anyway. "Our friend just needs a dressing room."

"Of course," said the saleswoman, pointing to the far wall of the room. "They're right over there."

"Come on, Edie," Corrie said.

Edie took a deep breath and looked down at the clothes again. "All right. I'll try them on at least."

"That's the spirit!" said Naomi as they all accompanied her to the door of the dressing rooms.

Once she went in one of the stalls, she was alone. She hung the clothes on the hook provided for the purpose and just stared at them for a moment. They wouldn't suit her. But she'd promised her friends she would try them on. Feeling self-conscious, even though she knew no one could see her, she stripped off the faded jeans and t-shirt that she was wearing and pulled on the blue blouse and one of the pairs of jeans. They felt uncomfortably tight, and the top was far more low-cut than she was used to. It stopped short of being indecent, though, so at least she didn't feel completely exposed. She sighed and walked out of the dressing room. Her friends at least deserved to see how silly she looked.

To Edie's surprise, all three of them grinned simultaneously when she appeared. "You look great, Edie!" Dawn cried.

Naomi let out a low whistle. "You look hot. I mean it. And I'm picky when it comes to girls."

The surprise of that statement took Edie's mind momentarily off her appearance. "I didn't even know you liked girls."

Naomi shrugged. "Like I said, I'm picky... usually I just like guys. So you're in good company."

Edie finally had to grin. Though Naomi was not in the running for a girlfriend--despite her distracting breasts (she didn't have a bra on today, either)--it was still really nice to hear that. "You really think I look good?"

"Absolutely," said Corrie with a nod. "Maybe my opinion doesn't count since I'm straight, but I still know when a girl looks nice, I think."

She laughed. "I don't need everyone to be attracted to me! That would be pretty weird, in fact."

Corrie grinned, then leveled a severe gaze at her. "If you don't feel comfortable, though, don't let us pressure you into getting something you don't want to wear. Stay true to yourself."

Edie took a few experimental steps through the store. The jeans didn't feel so uncomfortably tight anymore--they had just enough stretch to them to move with her when she walked, and she had to admit that she didn't look as fat in them as she did in the loose, ratty jeans she usually wore. But the shirt... "I like the jeans, and I think I'll get them," she said. "But this shirt is just too low-cut."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

At first she thought Dawn felt insulted because she'd picked out the shirt--but then Edie realized that Dawn's shirt was just as low-cut as that one. "I didn't mean that!" she said hastily. "I mean, it's fine for you, but it just doesn't work for me."

Dawn laughed and gave her a quick hug. "I knew what you meant. I was just teasing you. Go try on something else and we'll find you a few other shirts, okay?"

By the time they left the shop, Edie had acquired one new top, two new pairs of jeans, and a skirt. She felt uncomfortable spending so much money, but she did have the money, and she could still apply for the library job or another campus job and make some more money. If she was going to buy groceries regularly, she would have to get a job, anyway. But she felt pretty good about the clothes, and a small part of her definitely hoped that getting more flattering clothes would help her get a girlfriend.

She could now see that the fog was totally gone, and the sun was warm on her face. She looked around, smiling. "Where should we go next?"

"Can we go to the liquor store now?" asked Naomi.

Corrie frowned. "Uh, I didn't think that was a real option. I don't want to go there."

"Me neither," said Edie. She still remembered Naomi's promise to get her drunk--at least that was what it had sounded like--and wanted to stay as far away from the liquor store as she could. Plus, like Dawn had said, none of them were twenty-one.

"Look," said Dawn hastily, pointing down the street the way they'd been heading. "There's a bookstore!"

Edie groaned. "As if I haven't spent enough money already!" But that didn't stop her from racing her friends down the street. The reason she knew she would spend money was that she loved books, after all.