I rolled my eyes. “Roman appreciates me.”
“Ooo, do tell.”
“I don’t need to play games with him. He lets me know how he feels all the time.”
She huffed. “Fine. Then at least help me pick out a suit.”
Finally, I smiled. “No problem.” I had a few dollars in my purse. Probably not enough to buy a fancy bathing suit, though. Not unless I could convince Vienna to stop at the discount mart.
She parked right by one of the side entrances to the Stonewall Mall on the lower level and marched us inside to a store full of bathing suits. Since it wasn’t officially summer, nothing was on sale yet.
“Eighty dollars for three pieces of tissue paper?” I hissed in her ear as I carefully returned a bright orange bikini to its rack.
She rattled off the name of a designer I’d never heard of before and pushed me toward the next rack. “This!” She yanked a hanger with a jewel-green two-piece. “Not too revealing. And that emerald shade will look so pretty on you.” She fluffed my hair.
“It’s beautiful.” My eyes bugged at the price tag. “Maybe later in the summer when it’s on sale, though.”
“It’s your size. At least go try it on.”
Reluctantly, I followed her to the dressing room. A few minutes later, I wished I hadn’t bothered. The suit actually flattered my figure, making my legs look longer and my hips perfectly curved.
“Holy boobs.” Vienna adjusted the straps of my top and glanced at her own chest. “I wish I filled out the top as well as you do.”
I scanned the white and blue suit she was wearing. “That looks perfect on you.”
“Hmm.” She stared in the mirror, posing every which way, adjusting the material and straps with each pose.
“Vienna, you’re not going to be sitting still in one pose all day long. Buy something you’re comfortable wearing.”
“You know they’ll be taking yearbook pictures tomorrow.” She lifted her chin at an awkward slant and pouted at the mirror. “I want to make sure I look good from every possible angle.”
“Wouldn’t it just be easier to join the yearbook committee and choose the pictures yourself?”
Her mouth widened into a happy “O.” “You’re a genius!”
“I have my moments.” I picked up my clothes. “Can I change now?”
“Sure.” She ducked out of my dressing room and into hers. “I have a few more to try on. Do you mind?”
“Nope. I’m going to run next door and get a lemonade. Do you want one?”
“Too much sugar.”
I rolled my eyes and zipped my jeans. Grabbing the suit, I placed it neatly on the hanger. Outside the dressing room, I gave it one last longing look, before hooking it over the bar for the salesgirl to put away.
Instead of returning to the store with my drink, I waited for Vienna outside the entrance. I turned, watching other shoppers hurrying by. Moms with little kids. A couple arguing in front of the hair salon.
“Ready?” Vienna chirped.
I glanced down the long, wide corridor of the mall. None of the other stores would have a bikini in my budget. My plain navy swimsuit from last year would probably still fit. Or maybe I wouldn’t even bother swimming. It might be too chilly anyway. There were plenty of other things to do at Fletcher Park. I’d rather go hiking with Roman than swim in a chlorinated pool of my classmate’s pee, anyway.
“Let’s get out of here.” I forced a smile so I didn’t ruin her fun. “Are you happy with what you got?”
She hugged the bag to her chest. “Oh, yes. I’m very pleased. Come home with me for dinner? My mom’s making mac and cheese.”
“Okay.”
By “making” mac and cheese, Vienna meant her mom had left it in the crock pot before going out. Which was fine, since I always felt uncomfortable under her mother’s intense stare and rapid-fire questions. Vienna scooped heaping portions out for both of us. She picked at hers while I stuffed my face with cheesy, gooey goodness.
“So, you didn’t ask which one I ended up with,” she said.
I finished and set my fork down. “I assumed the white and blue one. Did you try on others?”
“A whole bunch.”
“Okay, so which one did you get?”
She tossed her fork on the counter and grabbed my hand, yanking me off the stool.
“Easy,” I laughed as I followed her up the stairs.
I’d always been jealous of Vienna’s room. The whole downstairs of my aunt and uncle’s house could fit in her bedroom. Someone had put a lot of thought into picking out fine, white, feminine furniture for Vienna when she was little. A matching dresser, desk, vanity table, nightstand and bed frame. She even had a pink upholstered reading chair in the corner with a fluffy pink rug and pink lamp.
Knowing Vienna would want to put on a show, I took a seat in the chair. She pranced over to the bed and turned the bag upside down. A tumble of colorful suits landed in a pile along with something in another separate bag.