My New Home

65. Two Months Later - Beach Day

A loud bang on my door made me jump.

"Carrie! Hurry your ass up!" It was Luke. Just great.

"Give me a minute...please!"

I heard a groan from the other side of the door.

"A minute or we're leaving your ass." Then I heard him stomp away and down the stairs.

I looked back at myself in the fake mirror, feeling gross in a swimsuit.

Why had I agreed to go to the beach today?

And why on Gods green earth did I agree to go swimsuit shopping with Charlotte and Penny!

"How do you like this one?" Charlotte asked, putting a light pink bikini against herself.

Charlotte was so beautiful. She has the prettiest ginger hair and eyes that could pierce ice if they wanted to. They were also damn near the color of ice too!

The only thing we shared was freckles. Even then she beats me out in that, mine look caked on while hers were plentiful and natural looking.

She would look good in anything. Especially this revealing bikini.

"You'd rock it girl." Penny said.

Charlotte took that one and another bright blue on in the dressing room. "I'll send pics!" She said happily, closing the curtain.

"Let's go shop for yours." I said, trying to keep the spotlight off me.

At the time, I was hoping I could just help the two with the search and not have to get my own. Now though, looking back. I was naive for not assuming that this trip wasn't a ploy for them to get my body confidence back up.

Stupid past Carrie.

"Uh we don't have too, I know there won't be any my size. None that are cute anyway."

I always felt back that Penelope had such low self-esteem, she really was pretty.

Her olive skin, chestnut eyes, and adorable smile.

She was a beauty for sure. The only thing that she deems wrong about her is her size.

"Let's look anyways, you never know."

I was on a mission then; yes, to get as far away from bikinis as possible but also to help Penelope find her a swimsuit.

"The plus size section, my worst nightmare." She said as I dragged her to a row of swimsuits in her favorite color: Forrest Green.

"See any you like?" I asked, sifting through them. She give me a look. "They're all ugly."

I land on one I like so maybe she'll like it. "Oh come on, this one's hot."

She raised an eyebrow and plucked it from me. "It's not my size. I'm a sixteen." Damn it!

"But you like it?" She sighed. "I do."

I took it back from her and said over my shoulder that I'd be back. She looked embarrassed but it's quickly met with surprise when Charlotte came up behind her and scared her.

The two playfully argue with each other as I find the lady behind the counter. She was furiously clicking on a keyword and chewing gum.

When I walked up to her, she actually rolled her eyes at me. I tried my best to keep the smile on my face as I said. "Hey I'm wondering if this swimsuit comes in a size 16."

She looked me up and down and raised a brow.

Pfft rude.

"I'm asking for a friend." I replied.