“No Mom, he said in class that cotton is the fabric of death like…50 times. We’re going to have to hit up Wal-Mart or something this weekend so I can buy some clothes that won’t result in me dying.” I informed her, attempting to convey the importance of purchasing polyester clothes.
My mom gave me an exasperated look; she had no idea what I was getting into cost wise when I had signed up for the school’s adventure studies class, and the news was coming as a bit of a shock.
“It’s not as bad as you think!” I said, trying to counter her thoughts. “I’ve already got a pair of pants and a couple of tops! We’re just going to need to buy a few more bottoms and maybe one more top layer…”
“Lara…,”
“Or…do you have any old clothes that I could borrow?”
“I don’t know. I gave most of them to Good Will when they didn’t sell at the garage sale last year.” Quickly turning on her heal, my mom left me standing in order to search her wardrobe for any garments that had escaped her desires for a clean and updated closet. Not even 30 seconds later, I heard my name being yelled from the top of the stairs, a clear indication that I should get my butt up there while she was still willing to help me. Before I could even make it into the closet though, my mom’s arm shot out with a couple of hangers of clothes.
“I still have some of my old clothes! We’re in luck!”
“Mom! How high is the waist on these things?” I asked, holding a pair of pants up to my body in the mirror. She was still engrossed in searching for clothes however, so I quickly striped and slithered into the old style black pants, looking to find out where the waist line hit myself.
“Oh yeah!” I said in am exaggerated sexy voice. “These pants are hot!” She turned to find me standing superhero style, hands on hips with a wide stance, and gave me a smile.
“Oh yes, definitely hot!” Was her sarcastic reply.
“Wait wait! Give me one of the tops too!” She passed a silky teal one over to me which I slipped on. Quickly, I readapted my pose.
“Now, I am complete! I’m thinking that I should wear this to school tomorrow, what do you think?” She laughed at the absurdity of my outfit and the looks she imagined I would receive, especially from my best friend, Emma.
“Oh! For sure Lara!” The kidding tone continued along with her laughter. “Emma would kill you if you came to school in that! You know how she can’t stand to be near you when you dress crazy!” She was really laughing now, mouth open and a hand at her side for support.
I forced my eyes wide and asked her innocently, “What, you don’t think I look pretty Mommy?”
We both laughed. The fact of the matter was, I did not look too pretty at that moment, quite the opposite actually.
“Guys, be quiet! I’m trying to sleep!” My sister’s voice yelled accusingly, muffled through the wall splitting our closet and her bedroom.
“Sorry Ash!” I shouted to the wall, a smile still upon my lips.
“We’re going to bed!” Hollered my mom in agreement, trying to look sorry herself. And so we just looked at each other in our mandated silence; a silence that lasted all of six seconds as laughter broke through the barriers of our tight-lipped mouths and clamped hands, flooding the air as we held onto each other for the first time in years.
“Guys!!!”
* Written for a flash fiction assignment in my creative writing class.
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