^Gif is of the amazing Kaycee Walker, played by Taylor Hill. Kaycee's one of my favourite characters but, of course, I know how she is in the end :)
"Oh, you must try this on!" Mum thrust the hangers into my arms, "Go, go, go!"
She seemed so enthusiastic now. Probably because she was helping pick out road trip outfits for us. Liv's arms were buried under a pile of outfits Mum had chosen. Liv's knees were almost shaking as we walked into separate fitting rooms.
I tried on a bunch of outfits, liking a very select few. Mum and I had contrastingly different styles. She liked always being over-dressed for any occasion. I preferred wearing things that are only for comfortability.
I stepped back out and Mum instructed, "Pick two outfits."
"What?"
"I'll buy you two outfits. Now hurry up because you're getting picked up in forty-five minutes."
Liv stepped out of the second fitting room and sighed, "I didn't like any of them. I'll just wear the stuff I have at home."
"Why not?" Mum actually looked offended.
Liv shrugged, "The rompers made my hips look big and the crop-top made my stomach look huge."
"Surely not," Mum rolled her eyes, "Go try on the romper and show me."
Liv frowned slightly but went without complaining.
I began walking around the small store called Francie's - everything is named after the owners, here - leaving a few items at hand. I was just putting back a too-formal skirt when there was a tap on my shoulder, "Hi, miss. May I help you or are you just browsing today?"
I glanced over my shoulder and the once-bubbly blonde's smile turned into a frown, "Oh. It's you."
"Hi Rachael," I nodded politely.
"Hi Violet," she sighed, "So, can I help you or not?"
"You work here?"
She rolled her eyes, "Obviously. Now answer my question."
I glanced down to the items in my hand, "No, I'm good, thanks."
Rachael frowned, "Fine. Let me know if you need anything... is that a size ten?"
I glanced down to the tag of the shirt laid on top of the pile and then back up, nodding slowly, "Yeah? Why?"
Rachael sniffed sharply, "Oh... you just look bigger than that, is all."
I narrowed my eyes, "You can't get to me, Rachael. Being skinny isn't an achievement. Sometimes, it's a sickness."
She harrumphed me and flicked her hair before strutting away.
I glanced worriedly to the fitting room door that Liv still hadn't come out from. I knocked sharply on the door, "Livvy?"
My sister mumbled, "What's up?"
"Can you show me a romper?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It looks bad."
"Surely not that bad. Just let me look."
Livvy opened the door, revealing her scowl and tear-rimmed eyes.
I squeaked, "What's wrong?"
Liv just crossed her arms, "The stupid romper won't zip up."
She turned around so I could see the zipper. I tugged on it sharply, but it wouldn't zip. It was too tight.
"It's just a size or two too small," I shrugged, "I can get you another size. What size is that one?"
Liv bit her lip - a trait she learnt from me - and didn't reply.
"Liv," I narrowed my eyes, "What size is it?"
She sighed, "I don't know. Mum picked it out."
I fumbled for the tag and held it so I could see. I chuckled slightly, "It's because she got you a girls' fourteen. You are not a girls' fourteen..."
Liv looked at the hanger, "But that says it's an extra small."
I shrugged, "Let's get you a bigger size, okay?"
She nodded and I stepped out, closing the door.
Mum looked up from a rack of jeans, "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," I said, scanning through the rompers, "She just got a few sizes too small."
Mum winced, "Whoops."
I let out a soft sigh, "She'll be alright, Mum."
She nodded slowly, "Yeah... yeah she will."
But rather than be reassuring to me it sounded like she was convincing herself.
***
I stared at myself in the mirror long enough to make me feel uncomfortable. You know when you look in the mirror and it takes a while to click that the face looking back is you? That was me currently. My straight brown hair was pushed back into a ponytail whilst my blue eyes darted around my figure in the reflective glass. My pale skin would never tan but I didn't care too much about it because I like not having tan lines. I was currently in a new shirt and shorts outfit. The shirt was grey, cropped with black hem, sleeves and neckline. It was paired with a pair of navy blue shorts that were a few sizes too big with a drawstring on the outside.
I walked out of the bathroom, feeling strangely at ease for surviving my first week here - minus the werewolf gang. I strapped my worn-out sandals on, grabbed my duffel bag and handbag and stuffed in a few last minute items before rushing downstairs. I hurried right into an argument between Mum and Liv.
They didn't even notice me as they shouted back and forth. I couldn't even begin to make sense of the argument but the door rang and they silenced. I murmured, "I'll get it?"
Liv hastily picked up her bags from the ground and hesitantly pecked Mum's cheek before following me to the door. Aaron looked up from the ground with a large grin, "Ready to go?"
"Yep," Liv said quietly and lithely slipped past him, walking down the driveway.
Mum stood beside me and watched her go with a faint sigh before turning to me, "Keep an eye on your sister, okay?"
I nodded, "Not a problem."
"And get rid of the pills in her handbag," she said pointedly before kissing my forehead and walking away. I closed the door behind me and faced a confused Aaron.
Aaron repeated, "Pills?"
I sighed, "Don't worry about it, Aaron."
We walked awkwardly together up to the large car idling on the kerb.
Aaron opened the door and I found myself moving to sit right in the middle of the car. Liv was taking up the back two seats with eyes closed and her earphones already plugged in. Ezra was pressed up against one side of me and Aaron the other.
"Hey Smith sisters," Jeremy greeted from the passenger's seat, "How are we?"
I smiled lightly, "We're good."
Then I turned around in my seat, looking over into the space behind me. I fumbled around for Liv's handbag before grasping it. I retrieved it whilst she watched me with one narrowed eye. The other remained closed. I fumbled through her handbag with furrowed eyebrows.
I muttered, "Where is it?"
Liv let out a small chuckle behind me.
I dropped her handbag back next to her, "Not funny, Liv. Tell me where they are."
"Nope," she crossed her legs and rested her hands behind her head.
I pressed my lips together as I shook quietly. I could feel the tears threatening to explode like an ocean. Liv truly didn't understand how upset she made me sometimes.
Before they could explode, though, Ezra turned in his seat and instantly put his hand in her jacket pocket, pulling it out faster than lightning. He shook the tiny bottle and put it in my own handbag. Liv glared at him whilst I stared at him, flabbergasted.
Ezra winced, "I saw h-her put-t-t it there... wh-when she was wal-lking up the dr-driveway."
Shy Ezra was back. I smiled brightly at him and threw my arms around his neck, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Liv muttered behind us, "You guys are bitches."
I unwound myself from Ezra and threw my sister one last glare before Kaycee chirped contrastingly, "Seatbelts on people! We finally found a radio station."
Ezra and Aaron let out laughs and I could imagine Kaycee and Jeremy were arguing about music the entire way here. The 104.9 music filled the car and we sang along with some tunes as we began the drive down to the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Walla Walla was all the way down there.
It was a five hour car trip so it was bound to take a while. We stopped at a McDonalds on the hour mark and all got out of the car, including Liv who seemed to be in a slightly better mood after her nap. Kaycee jumped onto her cousin's back and Ezra barely caught her before hiking her up and just flowing with having a seventeen-year-old girl be given a piggy back ride. We walked in and the smell of all the fast food made me grin.
Mum used to take us to this little takeaway shop in London before we moved. It served the greatest fish and chips and was my fondest food memory. We stopped going out to eat when all of the bullying started for Liv when she turned twelve.
Liv asked, "Can I borrow your handbag for a second? I don't know where my phone is and I think I might have put it in our handbag."
I subtly rolled my eyes but played along and fumbled through my bag, "Sorry. Only my phone."
"Well, you know, we have the same type of phone. Maybe we accidentally swapped? Can I see?"
I passed her my phone which she wasn't expecting. She pouted and passed it back to me, "Please?"
"No," I said firmly as the line kept getting shorter and shorter, "Now, what do you want to eat?"
She scanned the choices with distaste and then said, "The chicken caesar salad. And a mineral water. I'll find us all a table."
She sulked away and Ezra nudged me slightly, "Is Liv okay?"
I looked up into his chocolate brown eyes before shaking my head, "No."
"Will she be okay?" he amended.
I pressed my lips together and then admitted, "No clue, Ez."
Ezra placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and rubbed it before dropping his arm.
I smiled slightly up at him, "So, Mr Ezra James... you ever gonna tell me why you're so shy at times and then so fired-up at other times?"
Ezra chuckled slightly and then murmured, "I'll tell you some time."
"Some time?"
"Some time," he affirmed.
"So now we have a We'll See and a Some Time?" I joked.
Ezra ruffled my hair condescendingly, "If it's too hard to keep up, tell me."
I nudged him lightly in his rib cage with a small laugh before the cashier asked for one of us to go up. Ezra gestured, "After you, milady."
***
Song: Revolution Radio - Green Day.
Aren't they just the cutest? I love Ezra so much, to be honest, but I also know what happens in the end :) *squees*
So, my friend asked if I wanted to go to the All Time Low concert with her and YES, OF COURSE, I WANNA GO! but I'm broke *cries forever for eternity* so it looks like no concert for me :(
xx Sharky.