Chapter 2- I can't emotionally handle shopping.

A few hours later, I was tired, surrounded by bags of shopping, craving another coffee, and sitting in the communal area of a six-stall dressing room.  I was also impressed with Maia’s stamina and persistence when trying to find the perfect outfit.

If only she would use her powers for good.

I glanced at her as she pursed her lips and eyed herself critically in the mirror.   The lighting made Maia’s hair look like a wall of living flame.  A normal person would think the effect was beautiful.  That the hair flowed like dancing flames.

 It made me shudder as I imagined it turning into chains. 

“Astrid! Are you even listening?” she explained as she folded her arms across her chest and started to narrow her eyes at me.      

“Yes, you look beautiful.”  I answered quickly and truthfully.  The embroidered crimson cocktail dress was beautiful and it fit her like a glove.  She looked like a glamorous pin up girl.

“No, I look too much like someone who’s going to sleep with your husband.  I’ll go with the blue and gold one.” 

That was also an honest assessment.

“Now your turn” she said wickedly as she turned back to me.  “What do you mean?” I responded with furrowed brows.  I hadn’t grabbed any dresses in this store and had already bought the winter clothes I had come for.  Sweaters, scarves, and long sleeve shirts galore.  Oh, and my guilty pleasure�"fun and crazy novelty socks.  Lots and lots of them.

‘You need something sexy for OperationOverLuca.”

I took a deep breath as she said his name.  then I realized what she had actually said and my eyes bulged.

“Wait, what did you just say?” I questioned not quite believing my ears.

“OperationOverLuca” she declared with her chin up proudly and a smug look in her eyes.

I wanted to smack that look right off.

“What the hell is that?”  

“The reason we’re here.” She said sweetly.

 “No” I said slowly. “The reason we’re here is so that you can take English Lit courses to finish  your major and for me to be in a city with actual museums to finish my art history minor.”   

‘No, that’s the ‘official reason’” she said with air quotes as she pulled back the dressing room stall’s off -white curtain, “The real reason is so that you can have an illicit love affair and move on and for me to have fun in Europe for a few months.  I mean why else would anyone study abroad?”

“a w-what?” I stuttered, my eyes still as wide as saucers.

“And wait!  What’s wrong with my clothes?” I sputtered outraged.

“I’m not even going to deign that with a response,” she said as she stuck her nose in the air, sniffed, and made her way back into the fitting room to change back into her clothes.

As my bossy friend came out I opened my mouth and she put her hand palm out and preemptively silenced me.  She placed the dress she had decided upon into my arms and said, “Hold this.  Stay here.  Let me grab a few dresses I think will look good on you.” She started to walk away then turned her head towards me “You’re a size eight, right?” 

“Yes” I responded as I sat down in the nearest chair bewildered as to what had just happened and if I had unintentionally agreed to anything.

Flabbergasted, I replayed the conversation in my head.  I moved my lips and started moving my hands as I went over what was said.  I was midway through my re-enactment, when in the middle of it, a middle-aged woman and her young daughter entered the dressing room.   

She noticed me, looked at me quizzically, and must not have been impressed, because as we made eye contact, she darted her eyes away and quickly shuffled her daughter into the nearest stall. 

I imagined the wide- eyed, shocked looking American who talked to herself and gesticulated wildly made her uncomfortable.  Go figure.

I stopped my performance before security was called. 

I hung Maia’s dress up and grabbed my iphone out of my purse and logged onto Facebook.  I stalked a few friends and liked a few comments before I went on my celebrity gossip sites.

I had just found an article on the latest scandalous break up of Hollywood’s it couple, when Maia returned with two dresses, one blue, turquoise, green and brown and the other one an electric blue.

“Here, take this.” She said as she gave me the two dresses.

“These look expensive!  How much are they?” I asked.

“They’re on clearance.  Now go!”  She answered as she shoved me into the stall.

I caught myself before I faceplanted onto the buttercup yellow carpet, then awkwardly stumbled before I steadied myself.

I removed my sweater dress and leggings and threw them in the corner.  I turned towards the full-length mirror and took a good at myself.  Although I had generously applied bronzer this morning, my naturally tanned skin still looked peaky and all the concealer in the world couldn’t hide the fact that I was sleep deprived.  My hair fell passed my shoulders in a mass of untamable sable curls, and as I watched them jump while moving my head, I felt like a lioness.  My most prominent facial feature though, remained my eyes, which were a distinctive amber color, the shade midway between a gold and burnt sienna. 

I took a step back and stared at my body dressed only in a white cotton bra and panty set.  I scrutinized my body and noted that although I had recently lost weight, I was still curvy and that my legs remained muscular from years of cycling.

“What’s taking so long?  You better come out here and show me, or I’m going in!” Maia threatened from outside

I quickly put on the blue, turquoise, brown and green halter dress.  I looked into the mirror and realized that the pattern was feather shaped and with the way the short skirt flared at the bottom I looked like a, “Omg!  I’m a peacock” I said aloud horrified.

“What? Let me see!” Maia said as she stormed in.

I turned to face her with my hands on my hips and a less than impressed look on my face.  She took one look at me and her eyes quickly sparked with amusement as she burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry, I can’t!...You look like you’re in the middle of a mating dance!” She got out between laughs.

“Get out!” I growled as I pushed her out in the middle of her laughter.

I took peacock dress off and put it on the hanger.

I looked at the long sleeved electric blue dress before putting it on and when I saw that it had nothing potentially embarrassing on it, I put it on and…loved it.

The color was bold and it fell knee length. The dress hugged me in all the right places and as I turned I saw that it had an exposed back zipper.  I looked good and for the first time in weeks actually felt it.

Maybe this is what I need, I thought as I looked at myself carefully.

I stepped outside and Maia gushed, “I love it! You could wear it with your black kitten heel booties.  You look great!  You need to get it!”

I looked at the price and saw that it wasn’t too outrageous and with a smile said “For once I agree.  Let’s go pay! ”

I went back into the dressing room and changed into my clothes.   While I was in there, Maia had grabbed our bags and together we went to the counter.

Author's Note

Please review as I'm a new writer.

This has replaced another chapter :)

Reviews

[D Connolly]

I love this chapter! Astrid shares my love for novelty socks, and Maia is really developing as a more realistic character. I'm not sure which chapter you've replaced; I read the first when they were waking up and the dream and all that. Anyway, I really like this, and I'm happy to see the characters fleshing out and Astrid finding a dress that might get her out of her funk. Good job!! Oh by the way, I know how difficult it is to completely erase a chapter and move forward, so congratulations on your bravery. Merciless editing is what real writers do

[WriterGirl247247]

Well done. We get a nice breather and a taste of normalcy before everything changes for Astrid. Very happy to see you show even more depth from Maia. Initially I thought you'd continue from the cliffhanger the previous chapter ended with, but now I'm thinking it'll be incorporated in chapter 3.

Sorry but again, a few minor things.

There are a few instances where you miss a period; mostly when someone speaks and once when they're not. It's not that uncommon a mistake, those slippery periods slip past me often, and it's only a few times so it's an easy fix.

At one point you have a " in lieu of a period. Again, very small typo.

Have spaces between the words for "Operation Over Luca". Or you could have it be an anagram, "O.O.L". Either way, it'll make it easier to read.

When a different character talks, make it a new paragraph. The reader can get confused who's talking and have to double back.

Your dialogue and character development need no help. You give both girls unique voices, which is no easy task. You move the story forward without sacrificing their realistic friendship. I adore Astrid's awkwardness. It makes her more relatable. This has a feel similar to the Percy Jackson series (if you've read them), and your chapter titles are as well. Great job.