Lonely Hearts Won't Break

SEVEN｜ GOOD COMPANY

"So, third times the charm?" Eden stood beside me and watched as I stared at the curves of my frame in the worn antique finished mirror and smoothed my palms along every inch of the burnt orange material that stuck to it. I twisted my lips just as my eyes squinted and scrutinized the deep v-cut and slit up my left leg that gave the gown's floor length a bit of spice. Both touches did the perfect job of displaying my brown skin and rather tastefully but still too much I wasn't quite comfortable with. "Come on, Tate..."

"I don't know," I mumbled, shaking my head. "Why do I have to be in your wedding anyway? You know I hate dresses."

"So you're just going to lie in my face?" Her brow perked up. "The last time I saw you in person you had on a satin dress and it literally stopped underneath your ass."

"Uhm, I gained weight so it filled out more than expected and kept rising every time I moved." I explained in my defense. "But never mind that, you know what I mean. I like dresses I can wear with sneakers, dresses that aren't revealing." I gathered the sides of the gown up from my feet and turned around to step down from the round fitting platform. "This isn't that kind of party, now is it?"

"You'll only be in it for a few hours. Besides, I would like my sister to be my maid of honor and not just a guest."

"You really think I'm deserving of such a title?" I questioned and walked over to the large fitting room with her right on my heels. "Don't you have friends for that?"

"Tate, shut up and just tell me which dress you like," she hissed. "If it helps, I think this one is flawless on your skin tone and I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to wear sneakers at the reception."

"Really?" My eyes widened as I slid the material from my arms and allowed the rest to slither down to my hips. "Because I have the perfect pair of Air Jordan 1s for this!"

"Is that all that you wear?"

"No, I like Air Max and Air Force Ones as well. I also dabble in other brands too, but Nike will always be the supreme."

"Okay..." she muttered. "Well, I'll give you that much just as long as you choose a dress and today."

"Fine, fine. We can go with this one. I'll get over all the exposure."

"Exposure? Sis, barely." Eden chuckled as I finally stepped out of the gown. Within seconds she collected it from the floor and hung it onto its hanger. "Your body is out of this world and I really can't fathom why you hate showing it off so much. I mean, I barely have the assets you possess and I flex every chance I get outside of work."

"Oh don't we know, diva." I smirked and strolled over to the nearest chair where my biker shorts and crop top were thrown over. I slowly began dressing myself while Eden plopped down across from me and regarded her phone in her hand. "I'm just not fond of too much unwanted attention especially when its coming from the male gaze. And you, Eden, as well as your fiancé have several male friends that will be in attendance."

"But they're nice guys, if you actually gave them a chance."

"I think I'll pass on that and don't ask why. I don't feel like explaining my dating philosophy yet again." I said rolling my socks back onto my feet. "Back to the real topic here. I can't remember the last time a man looked at me in awe, like he was completely enamored, like I was his muse and not a piece of meat he wants to swallow whole. That's why I just wear turtlenecks," I joked. "They don't deserve to see a slither of skin."

"I can understand that."

"Mhm, sure. Says the woman whose parent's used to put her in pageants because she loved the extra attention." I snickered. "Hell, when you grew out of those you made sure you stayed dripped in the finest just for the compliments. You would never understand."