seventeen going under - jeremiah fisher

ch. 7

I was flipping through the clothing rack, dress after dress, trying to find the perfect one. It was Belly's birthday tomorrow and I needed more clothes for the deb ball events coming up so I agreed when Belly asked me. She was on the other side of the rack, looking for her own dress.

"I'm surprised Taylor didn't pack you a dress before you left. After seeing the bathing suit she packed." Belly rolled her eyes and pulled out a purple dress, holding it up for me to look at. I shook my head and Belly put the dress back.

"I'm sure there's something in there that she hid, but I wanted to come shopping with you. You seem to keep turning me down this summer." She sounded sad and suddenly I felt bad because it was true. I was blowing her off a lot because I was so focused on spending time with Jeremiah and now that I was mad at him, I agreed. I wondered if she knew that I was mad at him.

"I'm sorry." That's all I could say. "Do you want to get lunch after this?" I asked her. Her eyes lit up and she smiled, nodding her head. "When does Taylor come in?"

"Tomorrow. Jeremiah offered to pick her up with me," she told me. I nodded my head, shutting down at the mention of his name. I grabbed a red dress with a slit down the side and hold it up. "Too fancy. For dance lessons?"

I shrugged. "Is it? I don't know what to wear. All the girls look so pretty."

"I know, trust me." Belly laughed. "Maybe just a sundress or something?" I eyed up the red dress and ran the fabric through my fingers. It was silky and smooth, much like my mother's arms fresh out of the shower.

"I really like this one," I told her absent-mindedly. Belly smiled and told me try it on, so I took it to the fitting rooms and exchanged my jean shorts and baggy t-shirt that I was pretty sure belonged to Jeremiah for the red dress that hugged my hips perfectly. I called for Belly when I was ready to show her, waiting behind the curtain of privacy. She popped up a few seconds later, a blue gingham dress in her hands. "Ready?" I asked. She nodded.

I stepped outside of the fitting room and did a twirl. The dress wasn't long, it barely went past my knees and it was tight so it didn't flare out and spin with my body but the v-neck line made my boobs look nice and the red was vibrant against my skin tone. "I love it," Belly said.

I nodded toward the dress in her hand. "You trying that on?" I asked.

"I think so," she said, holding up the dress so she can look at it.

"Give me a second, you can have my room." I slip back behind the curtain and change again. A whiff of Jeremiah hit my nose as I pulled my shirt on. Definitely was his. My heart ached but I slipped my tennis shoes back on and left with the red dress.

While Belly was getting changed, I flipped through some of their summer dresses. A pretty floral one popped out at me and I grabbed it for Belly. I stuck my hand through the curtain, shoving the floral dress at her. She grabbed it and asked, "was is this?"

"For your birthday tomorrow. Try it on, too." She came out twice - once with the blue gingham dress one that got one thumbs up of approval from me and the second with the floral one. It was tight fitting to her body and ended right in the middle of her thighs. "That's the one." She smiles, smoothing down the dress against her body. "Taylor will never know what hit her."

I've met Taylor a few times when she's come for a week or two during past summers. I never really liked her, but I didn't tell that to Belly. Everyone needed a Susannah to their Laurel, or whatever. I had mine. Belly needed hers, too. I was the Mary in that duo, but I never really minded.

"Does she still like Jeremiah?" I asked quietly as Belly changed back into her regular clothes. I leaned my back against the wall next to the curtain so she could hear me. She laughed behind the curtain.