"Daria, which tube top should I wear? Britney swears by the hot pink one, but Jackie loves the red one!" Charlotte kind of whines as she holds both up against her chest in the tall mirror on Britney's door.
I think to myself for a few seconds. "Definitely the red one. It looks good with your tan.”
"Oh, you're right!" Satisfied, I lean back on Britney's bed and reach over to crank up the volume on the stereo on her bedside table. "Suicide Machines" immediately blares in the room and I turn it back down.
"Brit, can I put on something else?"
"Yea .... sure.” Britney doesn’t even look up as she focuses all her attention on making the liquid eyeliner on Charissa's left eyelid perfectly straight.
I happily eject "Suicide Machines", replace it with Jennifer Lopez, and close the disk holder. Turning up the volume, I grab a Teen magazine off Britney's bookshelf and start flipping through it, not exactly ready to start primping for that night's party. Instead after a few minutes, I close my eyes and think about everything my friends and I had done that day and how awesome it is to be back in Martha's Vineyard. Running down sandy beaches as the sun sets, visiting charming shops, watching the sailboats dance in the water. All year, I wait for these relaxing days and fun filled nights with my best friends.
"I feel so good, I knew that I would....been taking care of myself like I should!!" My vineyard thoughts are suddenly interrupted completely as Patsy sings with Jennifer at the top of her lungs.
"Daria, don't you think you should be getting ready'? Charlotte asks. "We only have an hour and a half now until we have to go!" Charlotte looks at me expectantly.
"I heard Jeremy Woods is coming tonight!" Charrisa tells me from where she is sitting in front of Britney on the floor. She immediately regrets it though after Britney scolds her for moving while she's trying to do her mascara.
"Wow," I say without enthusiasm. I roll my eyes and smile. Jeremy had been a guy I had met here last year at one of the parties we go to every summer. I grab the bag with the clothes I, have bought in Oak Bluffs trom Take It Easy Baby, the store where we always get new outfits for summer parties.
I head for the bathroom down the hall. It has a beach theme to it with shell-print wallpaper. The window is open and I stick my head out of it, inhaling the cool, Vineyard air. From Britney's bathroom I can still see the water, and I ache to go jump off the dock to cool off.
"Daria? I need to use the bathroom after you so don't take hours, okay?" I hear Charlotte's voice from outside the door.
"Okay, Char!"
"Britney!" Her voice trails as she walks back to her room. I swear I can't tell them apart sometimes! I pull the stretchy black miniskirt and leopard print tube top from the bag. After adjusting each piece of clothing, I am satisfied. The miniskirt shows off my tan legs and the tube top reveals just enough. Attaching a shell necklace to my neck and fluffing up my hair, I open the door to go model for my friends. Their
instant cries of delight make me positive that I have made the right clothes choice.
“Thanks guys!” I reply modestly as I look at my figure once again in a mirror. I do like how the tube top hugs my waist, but I am not exactly sure how I am going to manage with the skirt. I probably won't be bending down too much. "No offense guys, but before I get into primping mode, I think I’ll just take a walk outside."
Britney and Charlotte look at me weirdly, but I just tell them I’ll be back soon and hop down the stairs, forgetting that I'm wearing the miniskirt and tube top. Shutting the front door behind me, I start to walk around Britney's property. I sigh with pleasure as the calm breeze picks up my hair and the bright sun warms my shoulders and back. I find a comfortable spot to sit down and soon, it is so peaceful that my eyes droop and 1 am lost in an afternoon nap.
When I wake up, I immediately glance at my watch and realize that I had slept for a whole hour! Quickly picking the leaves out of my hair and brushing off my skirt, I slip on my flip flops and hurry towards the front of the house.
Just then, Britney's older brother Alex steps out of the door. He's just as gorgeous as his sister and I had a crush on him for years when I first knew Britney. He was wearing khaki shorts and no shirt, which showed off his amazing muscles. I guessed that he had just gotten back from sailing.
"Hey, Alex." I say, fully expecting him to let me pass so I can hurry and finish dressing, but he stands there with a sly smile on his face. Then I feel his eyes look me over from head to toe. Immediately I am hit with the realization of exactly what he's looking at. My hands automatically go to my tube top to adjust it and I pull,down the skirt as best I can. I'm sure my face is beet red.
"Hey, Daria." This is the first time he's ever used my name. I smile and brush past him, more focused on the measly fifteen minutes I have to get ready for the most important party of the summer where just about every teen who stays on the Vineyard is going.
Bounding upstairs and into Britney's room I see that everyone is dressed and making last minute adjustments, adding a bracelet here or body glitter there.
"Daria! We had no idea where you were! Britney sent her brother to come find you! You have to seriously hurry!" Patsy tosses me a brush and I am immediately bombarded by Britney and Charlotte for makeup. Britney adds some eyeliner while Charlotte is on top of her, touching up my mascara. After they are done we all look each other over.
As I look at our tight and short miniskirts and tube tops that we are just going to have to adjust every five minutes, I am immediately hit with a sudden realization.
We all look like complete skanks! Why are we putting ourselves through all this torture? No guy can be worth feeling practically naked. Is being checked out a couple of times by attractive guys really worth not being able to bend over and feeling cheap?? Plus, do I really want every guy at that party acting like Britney's brother? I sit on Britney's bed, torn between being able to get guys and being able to feel good about myself.
I get up and go to my suitcase and pull out my trusty Lily Pulitzer skirt and a white sleeveless shirt. The skirt will still show off legs and at least I will be able to move without feeling self-conscious. Picking up the discarded clothing, I throw the tube top and miniskirt at my reflection in the mirror. I put on the skirt and shirt as my friends watch with gaping mouths.
"But, Daria, you looked so good!!" Britney whines. My friends all have their hands on their hips in their miniskirts and tube tops.
"She still looks good, I think!" Charissa points out
“Thanks, Charissa. At least I feel good and can MOVE!" I shout.
The tension eases as my friends all laugh. They all pull on wholesome looking sweaters and loose pants to wear to get past parental scrutiny and for once I don't have to bother.
Charissa looks at me again with furrowed brows. "Ya know, I kind of agree with Daria. I don't want to have to worry about bending down all night either." I watch her as she peels out of her clothes and puts on her own Lily dress. Charlotte and Britney just roll their eyes and tell us we're crazy. Patsy is kind of quiet.
After getting the nod of approval from Britney's mom and dad, we walk down the street to the party. Halfway down the block everyone except Charissa and I start to strip and carry their other clothes as they walk. The sun is going lower and lower towards the water and the air is getting even cooler.
Finally, we reach the spot and we can already hear music being blasted from the back of the property. "Hey guys! Long time no see!" Rachel shouts to us, the hostess of the party. I watch as my friends toss their discarded clothing in a pile with probably every teenage girl's parent-approved wear on the grass near a tree. Just then I see Jeremy making his way towards us. I see him watch Britney and Charlotte adjusting their tube tops and then he looks at me and smiles that perfect grin that I fall in love with all over again.
“Hey Daria, hey Charissa." He looks into my eyes.
I smile back, “Hey!" I'm surprised that he doesn't say two words to Charlotte, Patsy, and Britney.
“Come with me, you guys." He pulls my hand behind him and Charissa nudges me the whole way. We go towards the crowd of teens, the music getting louder and louder. Strings of lights are hanging all over. As I start to dance with Jeremy, I look back at my other friends who are staring at us from where they are still standing next to the pile of clothes on the grass, adjusting their tube tops, and wondering where it all went wrong.
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