Page 64 of The Moment Promised

Chloe’s eyes light up in mischief. “I have an idea, follow me.” She gives me no room to protest before she yanks me out of my seat, making me drop the last bite of my churro.

She drags me across the tiny mall. All the way to a lingerie shop.

“What is this?” I ask.

“I’m getting you laid, my friend. It’s time you start embracing your potential.” She nods like she’s sure of her herself.

I glance hesitantly at the store, and then to Chloe. I don’t know how comfortable I feel wearing…that.

A mannequin stands in the window, dressed in an array of thin leather and chains, covering everywherebutthe intimate parts.

“Chloe, I cannot pull that off, and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. That’s not me. Nope, not happening,” I say, turning around to the opposite direction of the store.

“Let’s just look, I’m sure they havesomething.”

With lots of persuasion and back and forth, I finally cave. We spend five minutes looking around the store, until a sales lady comes over with a tape measure and starts measuring my bust. No introduction,nothing.

I glance over at Chloe, who seems to enjoy watching me turn different shades of red. She discreetly pulls out her phone and takes a picture, immortalizing the moment.

“Thirty-two B, come this way,” she says, wrapping the measuring tape around her neck as if it were a scarf.

I quickly turn to Chloe and shrug, trying to keep up with the sales lady as she travels in and out of aisles of lingerie. “I hate you by the way,” I whisper.

The sales lady turns around holding a velvet hanger, and a beautiful set of red lace attached. “Dressing room is to the left.” She hands it to me, and then she’s gone.

“She’s got some taste,” Chloe says, examining the thin, lacy fabric. “Well…go on then. You heard the woman, dressing room is that way.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine.”

I fumble with the lingerie until it is in place. I stare back at the woman in the mirror, her head lifting high and shoulders back. She lookssexy.

“What’s taking so long in there?” Chloe groans, right outside the stall.

I unlock the door and crack it as little as possible so Chloe can fit through. But she pulls it all the way open and steps inside.

I rush to close it. “Hey! Someone could’ve seen me.”

“Holy shit. You lookhot,” she says, ignoring me.

I blush at the compliment, and instead of shrugging it off like any other day, I actually believe her.

The red compliments my skin tone and embraces my hair color. The lace wraps around my curves in a way that doesn’t hide them like I usually do with my clothes. It embraces them in a way that makes me feel like agoddess.

“Now do you believe me?” she asks, rhetorically.

I almost do, so I buy the lingerie with giddy energy, imagining standing in front of Finn wearing it. It’s a thought that terrifies me in the best way.

Chloe and I spend the rest of the day together. I’ve never really had a female friend in my life. It’s nice.

After we get back to the apartment, we find Charlie and Finn arguing about a game on the TV, so I take this opportunity to throw my lingerie into the wash on delicate.

Chloe and I lay on her bed and spend the rest of the night talking about…well,everything. I feel like I’ve known her for years when it’s only been a few days. Every few minutes we hear Finn and Charlie standing up from the couch with the squeak of the hard wood floor, followed by some sort of cheer or protest.

Chloe thought it would be a fun drinking game, however I thought we would be blacked out after five minutes, so instead we just burst out into laughter each time we hear them.

“Can I tell you something?” Chloe asks.

“Spill.”

---