Dear Future Husband,
Not having good friends seems like such a distant memory now. If only I had known back then that I've had a best friend in Clarissa all along, we just couldn't get past our differences to realize it.
We spent the whole day at the mall together and it's the most fun I've had with Clarissa in a while.
When we were kids we would always "play friends" and pretend that we weren't sisters, just best friends and try to make people think we weren't related. It was kind of silly looking back on it now, because sisters should always be best friends, but I know from experience that it's not always true. Today, we were best friends.
It started out as me wanting to go to the mall to get a birthday present for my friend, but my parents had to go to brunch so they couldn't drop me off.
"Clarissa, can you take your sister to the mall?" My mom said as she hurriedly pulled her shoes on.
"Can't you drop her on your way to brunch?" Clarissa called from the couch, still in her pajamas.
"We're already late. Come on just do us a favor." My mom replied, not letting her get another word in before she left.
"Ughhhh." She groaned, not budging from her spot. "Can Grant take you?"
"I already asked him, he has to go to a funeral."
"Kendra?"
"Her parents are going to the same brunch mom and dad are going to."
"Why can't you order something off Amazon like a normal person?"
"Because it won't get here in time." I argued. "You know what, nevermind. I'll just go tomorrow-"
"No," She groaned, turning off the TV. "Mom and dad will get mad if I don't bring you." She finally pulled herself from the couch and started shuffling to the stairs. "Just give me twenty minutes."
"You can just drop me off." I offered.
"Well if I'm going to drive all the way out to the mall I might as well get a bra." She mumbled.
Twenty minutes turned into forty and I was just about ready to take the car myself when she finally came downstairs, wearing a tight crop top and jean shorts (It was sixty degrees.) Sometimes I really wonder if we are actually related.
I told her I would meet her at Victoria's Secret after I got Meg's present because I knew she would be in there for a while. Sure enough, once I was done she hadn't even gotten to the changing room yet and had a good half dozen bras in her arms.
I had to usher her into a changing room because I knew she could easily collect a couple more.
"Aren't you going to try something on?" She asked as she stepped into the changing room.
"I don't need anything." I shrugged.
She rolled her eyes, putting down her bras on the bench in the changing room. "Honey, you're in a relationship, of course you need something. Hold my changing room." She said before waltzing back into the main store.
A few minutes later she came back with about five bras she shoved into my arms. Upon first glance I saw a lot of lace and a lot of extra padding.
"Clarissa, you know I don't intend on getting naked around Grant any time soon." I said.
"Never say never," She said with a wink. "But he doesn't matter. It's you that matters. I always go out wearing a sexy bra because when I feel sexy, I am sexier. It's scientifically proven, now go try them on."
I had no choice but to do as she said and I guess I wasn't too upset about it, some of them were really nice and did make me look pretty sexy. I had told myself I wouldn't buy anything today, but I ended up settling on a white lace push up bra that I couldn't stop looking at myself in. It was the first push up bra I had ever worn and I was pretty impressed.
Of course, Clarissa had taken three bras with her to the register, but frankly I was surprised she didn't get matching panties for each one.
"See?" She smiled at me as I checked out. "Treat yourself sometimes, sis, you deserve it."
"I guess you're right." I said. "For once I actually agree with you." It was a miracle.
We left the store at around noon and we had both gotten what we set out for, so I was ready to go home, but Clarissa had other plans.
"Oh my god, I need that skirt." She said, rushing into a nearby store.
We spent a good half an hour in there just for Clarissa to walk out empty handed. The same thing happened about four more times as she was drawn into stores by something in the window just to walk out empty handed. I really just wanted to leave, but Clarissa kept saying "Let me just try on this last piece then I promise we can go." We were polar opposites, I hated shopping whereas she couldn't stop, so you can see how I started to get annoyed.
"You're the one who wanted to come to the mall in the first place." She argued as she held a sundress up to her chest. "Do you think this would be good for Aunt Molly's wedding in a few months?" She asked.
"Just give me the keys I'll wait in the car."
"No, you're going to leave me here." She hung the dress back up. "Come on, Alina, just live a little. Shopping is so fun, especially when you don't want to buy anything. Here," She shoved a tube top into my hands. "Go try this on."
"Clarissa, I don't wear clothes like this." I laughed.
She rolled her eyes. "That's the point. Go crazy, the only person that has to see you in that is you and the dressing room mirror. Who knows? Maybe you will like it." She said.
She was kind of right, and I figured standing around watching her shop for herself was a lot less fun than trying on random clothes.
I pulled a couple short dresses off of the racks, ripped skinny jeans that seemed to be more skin than fabric, ten inch heels, full length gowns, leather jackets, I was going wild just for the fun of it.
I looked ridiculous in every single outfit. I could never see myself wearing any of it in public, but it was still fun to see on myself. Clarissa had come to the dressing room to try on some clothes to and I modeled every outfit for her, her cheering me on every time by saying things like "Yes bitch slay!" Or "Damn baby can I get your number?" In a similar way, I commented on every one of Clarissa's outfits with "Your butt looks really good in that." or "Who is she?" Needless to say, it was a lot of fun.
We both left the store empty handed but full hearted as we laughed about ridiculous clothes we had tried on. We ended up going to two more stores and doing the same thing before we started to get hungry.
After much argument, we finally settled on Cheesecake Factory and fueled up before what I thought was going to be the ride home.
"No way, girlfriend," Clarissa said. "We're just getting started."
"We've been to all of the good stores already." I protested.
"Fine, then let's see a movie."
She told me we were seeing Captain Marvel but she snuck me into the Pet Sematary theater, and I would've walked out if she hadn't forced me to stay. I really didn't like scary movies, but I had tried so many new things today I figured I might as well give it a shot.
I ended up holding Clarissa's arm the whole time and only watched about half the movie because my eyes were shut the rest of the time.
"That was kind of stupid." Clarissa said as we left.
"Are you kidding me? That was terrifying." I argued.
"Eh." She shrugged. "Ok what's next?"
We got Starbucks, went to two more stores to try on clothes, and played games for a good half an hour at the arcade before mom texted us asking where we were.
"Oh my god, it's six o'clock." I said with a laugh as we finally made it to the parking garage.
"Time flies when you're having fun." She smiled at me.
We got to the car and I was about to get into the passenger seat when Clarissa handed me the keys. "Aren't you gonna drive?" She asked.
"Really? You hate being in the car when I drive."
She shrugged. "You caught me in a good mood."
I was about to get in the front when I remembered something kind of important. "I haven't driven on the highway yet."
"So what? I can teach you."
"I must have caught you in a really good mood." I laughed as I got into the driver's seat.
I safely made it out of the parking lot onto the main streets when I noticed the on ramp quickly approaching.
"Get on the highway here." She instructed as she picked at a pimple, barely paying attention to my driving.
"How do I do that exactly? Is there anything specific I should know? Any tips? Safety hazards?" I asked as I blinkered and nervously got on the ramp.
"You passed your permit test, shouldn't you know this?" She asked, finally realizing that I was really clueless. "Well for starters, you should probably go a little faster than thirty miles per hour on an on ramp, like, a lot faster."
I pushed my foot hard on the pedal and the car shot onto the highway really fast, making us both scream.
"Slow the hell down! Jesus Christ not that fast!" She screamed at me.
I let my foot off the gas and let the car get down to sixty miles per hour, my heart rate still going about eighty.
"Ok, now blinker, check your mirrors, look over your shoulder, make sure no cars are coming, and change lanes."
"I know how to change lanes, Clarissa."
"Well Jesus I thought you knew how to get on the highway but I was wrong." She laughed. "You're fine in this lane for a while so just relax and go the speed limit."
I couldn't help myself and I started hysterically laughing, maybe because of the nerves or maybe because of my stupidity, I didn't know. Clarissa laughed too and I thought the car might go off the road we were both laughing so hard.
"You're a terrible teacher." I said between laughs.
"You're a terrible driver!" She hollered back.
Luckily, we finally calmed down in time for Clarissa to instruct me to get off the highway and we were back on familiar roads that didn't require much instruction.
"I really did have fun today," I said to her. "I like hanging out with you."
She smiled at me. "Me too. I wish we did that more often."
"There's just been so much going on lately, I feel like you and I never get to spend any time together and when we finally get the chance, we are arguing."
"I agree," She sighed. "No more bullshit anymore, okay? Let's get back to being real sisters who fight about stupid stuff like borrowing clothes instead of boys."
"Deal. No more nonsense."
I was really glad Clarissa and I got that time together, because I felt like now there was officially no more animosity between us. We could finally be sisters, not rivals.
I finally had my best friend back.
Xoxo, Alina