I sighed deeply as I stood in what felt like the millionth dress shop of the day. Since agreeing to go this dance with Taylor, I had to find a dress that most ordinary girls would wear to a high school prom, but that's the whole problem: I'm not an ordinary girl. These dresses bare the midriff or shoulders, places that would look fine on anyone else but these places are riddled with scars and my skin has thickened, a side effect of one of my medications, and make me look awful, but that's not the only thing. These dresses are cut to showcase a healthy, lithe and normal body, not to hide the lack of it.
Dresses were not the end of my list of things to sort out for this dance. I had to get nails done, makeup sorted and buy shoes, which couldn't be done until the dress was sorted. I didn't have to sort my hair out though, what tiny bit that I did was long gone, thanks to Chemo, but I hated wearing a wig, they slide, itch and don't suit my skin colours and that drives me demented but, what can you do? I just have to put up with it. I'm not wearing a wig now, but I'm still not comfortable enough to go out without my head being covered, so I've wrapped a batik scarf of my mum's around it, Cassie said that I looked like an Albino African Queen but that it suited me regardless.
My assistant was trying to be helpful, showing us dresses of every kind. Short, long, midi, maxi, with straps, strapless, side zippers, back zippers, and in every colour, red, blue, black, silver, white, orange and this latest number. a mid-length yellow lace dress. I tried to nod with enthusiasm but even Cassie could see that it was halfhearted. I tried on the dress and exited the changing room to the waiting eyes of my mum, two sisters and my aunt Cathy, who had jumped at the chance to come dress shopping with me. My mum's eyes went from my scarf to my scuffed trainers and bit her lip, debating on telling me that regardless of what dress I chose to wear, I was beautiful, but decided not to. Cassie was more direct:
"you look like a half peeled banana, Liv" she said
"Gee thanks" I responded
"It really is quite modest and it covers a fair amount of cleavage" the sales assistant pushed
I ducked for a moment and pulled out my central line
"Really?" I asked, straightening up, having the three tubes shine in the bright shop lights "Will it cover this?"
The lady gasped and involuntarily looked at my head, still covered by my scarf
"Liv!" my mum scolded
"let's go. This bites" I said, turning on my heels and going back into the changing rooms.
We'd barely made it out of the shop when mum started lecturing me
"Liv, just because you're angry and frustrated and stressed, you don't need to take it out on everyone else, that lady was only trying to helpful"
"Well, she was a total bitch, did you see her staring at my scarf? How rude can you get?" I argued
"Liv. I understand. But it's not an excuse, don't you think that every other girl who's going to the dance feels the same way as you do right now?" asked aunt Cathy
"that's not the point Aunt Cathy, this is supposed to be MY night, and I wanna look good, like a million dollars type good, just for one night" I said and Cassie nodded as though she agreed.
YOU ARE READING
Reflection in the mirror
Teen FictionI'm Olivia, I'm dying. meet Olivia, her siblings and her parents, who are all preparing for one of the biggest fights of their lives. when Liv was diagnosed with cancer, there was no cure, but now, there is a treatment on the horizon but at a c...
