Paper Thin

• 50: The Whites' House •

Melody

Sweaters, blouses, skirts, jeans, and dresses, all thrown across the room like a tornado had ripped violently through my closet. I paced around the room in a panic. I'd just gotten home from school and had a couple hours before Carson came to pick me up. Yet, all I could do was stare into my closet.

How fancy was this? Dress or skirt? What if looked like a prostitute like Rose said I did... Or what if I looked too bloated from eating? Should I wear something loose then? How formal is this? Maybe tighter is better... but not too tight.

I sat on my bed and took a shaky breath.

Okay. It's a November night... it's chilly.

My eyes wandered over to a burgundy garment in the more wintery section of my closet. A sweater dress... I stepped over to it gingerly, as if moving too fast would make the outfit look terrible on me. My fingers pried it off the hanger and I slipped it on me before slowly turning to face the mirror. Focusing on the clothes and not my body, I decided it would do. Loose enough to hide me, but close fitting enough to look nice.

I found a pair of black boots that came up over the knee and socks of the same length and put those on. After putting on a necklace, I curled my hair and did my makeup before I started to clean up the mess in my room.

A knock on my door made me jump and I turned to face it. "Come in."

"Just so you – whoa." Mia stopped mid-sentence as she opened the door and noticed the clothes bomb that went off. "What happened?"

"I got dressed."

"Fair... anyways, I was letting you know that my mom and your dad went to some conference thing in Boston and are coming back tomorrow afternoon. They left a note," Mia said, resting a hand against the doorpost. I continued picking up clothes as she spoke. "I'm having a few friends over anyways – that's a nice dress."

"Um, thanks." I hung up the clothes in my hands and bent to pick a few more up. Mia never complimented me; was she feeling okay?

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah."

"Right. Good. Don't need you around..." Mia said.

I turned to face her from my closet. "Look, I know you hate me or something, but I'm really stressing over this night and don't need this right now."

It sounded a little harsher than necessary, but my anxiety levels were high, and the last thing I needed was Mia taking away what little confidence I had.

"I don't–" her voice was small, and then she cut herself off. In a louder voice, she added, "Right, whatever. Just don't get in the way when you come back."

"I won't." I glanced out the window and then saw Carson's car pull up outside. My heart pounded in my chest, and I threw the rest of the clothes on a pile on my bed. My knees wobbled slightly with every step I took, but I kept moving because if I stopped, I would turn back and hide under my duvet.

I pushed past Mia, closed my room door behind me and headed down the stairs. By the time I made it to the front door, my hands were trembling. I pulled open the wooden structure, and saw my handsome boyfriend waiting behind it. A smile illuminated his face, which made me think I was going to have a heart attack right there and then. He was wearing dark, fitted jeans, and a nice white button up shirt. Carson lifted his hand slowly, a red rose between his fingers.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I whispered. I took the rose from his hand and wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him towards me for a hug. "Thank you."