"FIONA!"
The shout echoed across the marble floor of the mall, bright and familiar, slicing through the soft sound of people walking with shopping bags and chatter around them. Fiona stopped mid-step, her heart leaping in a sudden burst of joy. She turned quickly toward the voice, her tired body almost forgetting its soreness for a moment.
There she was. Lana.
Her best friend. Her only friend.
Lana waved with both hands, her dark curly hair bouncing softly around her slim shoulders. She looked effortlessly beautiful, the kind of beauty that shone even in casual clothes, her fair skin glowing under the warm mall lights and her smile bright and sweet enough to draw glances from people passing by. Her figure was slim and confident, her posture relaxed, the kind of grace Fiona had always admired but never felt inside her own body.
Fiona touched her own hair self-consciously. Her shoulder-length dark brown waves were frizzy from rushing. Her dark green eyes looked a little tired, and the small mole near her right eye, one she secretly liked, felt suddenly noticeable. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as Lana hurried closer.
Lana was everything Fiona wasn't: confident, stylish, sharp. But she had never mocked her weight, never made her feel like less. She supported her dreams, encouraged her skincare formulations, even helped her test ingredients late at night. Fiona's heart always softened around her, even though sometimes, in rare flashes, she caught something uneasy in Lana's eyes. Something she never wanted to overthink.
Today too, Lana's eyes flickered for a split second with something strange, something almost like distaste, before her lips curled into a bright smile.
"What are you doing here, Fiiio?" Lana asked cheerfully, stepping close enough to squeeze her arm gently.
"I'm looking for a dress," Fiona said softly, adjusting the wrinkles on her orange dress. "Maybe you can help me? You're good at fashion… I thought maybe…"
"Of course!" Lana said immediately, looping her arm through Fiona's. "Your bachelorette party is today, right? Let's make you look unforgettable."
Her voice sounded warm, enthusiastic, almost too enthusiastic. Fiona didn't notice. She only felt relieved. "Thank you," she whispered.
Together they walked through the bright corridors, the mall full of perfume scents and soft music playing overhead. Fiona winced slightly as her legs ached from the blood loss, but she kept walking, letting Lana guide her.
Finally Lana stopped in front of a boutique filled with mannequins in glittering dresses and bold, bright colors.
"This one," Lana said after browsing for a while, pulling out a dress from the rack with a triumphant smile.
Fiona stared at it.
It was short, much shorter than anything she had ever worn. The bright red fabric shimmered under the lights, and thankfully it was available in her size, though it looked very bold. Very, very bold.
Her throat tightened. "Lana… this looks… short."
"Trust me," Lana said quickly, placing the dress against Fiona's shoulder. "You'll look stunning in it. Jackson will lose his mind when he sees you. Come on, Fi, don't you want to surprise him?"
Fiona hesitated, her fingers gripping the fabric nervously. But the way Lana looked at her, reassuring and excited, made something warm bloom in her chest. Lana cared. Lana knew better. Maybe… maybe she could look beautiful too. Just for tonight. Just once.
"O-Okay," she said softly.
She took the dress and walked toward the changing room, her heart thudding a little harder with each step.
Inside, she changed slowly, wincing as the tight fabric dragged along her sore arms. She pulled the dress down, adjusting the hem nervously. When she looked at herself in the mirror, her breath caught, not in delight, but in quiet, trembling discomfort.
The dress was stunning… but not on her. It clung to her waist, highlighting the curves she was insecure about. Her thighs looked bigger than she liked, the hem sitting uncomfortably high. The sleeves hugged her upper arms tightly, making her feel broader, heavier, rounder.
Still, she took a deep breath, whispered "please look okay" under her breath, and stepped out.
Lana was waiting outside.
The moment Fiona appeared, Lana's eyes widened. First in shock, then amusement flickered there, a tiny glimmer she immediately swallowed. She pressed her lips together quickly, schooling her expression.
"Perfect!" Lana said brightly, clapping her hands. "Fiona, you look amazing!"
Fiona bit her lower lip, her gaze dropping to the floor. Her heart pounded with an uneasy ache. She tugged at the hem, trying to make it longer, but it stubbornly stayed where it was. Her thighs looked thick. Her arms looked big on both sides. She felt exposed, embarrassed, like a red balloon shaped into a dress that didn't belong on her body.
"I… I look strange," Fiona whispered.
"No, no," Lana insisted, smoothing the dress over her shoulders. "You look gorgeous. Trust me."
Fiona nodded slowly, swallowing her doubts.
Because Lana was her best friend.
Because she wanted to believe someone could see beauty in her.
"God, this dress is so pretty!" Lana's voice rose with an almost breathless excitement as she lifted a glittering, dark, stunning dress from the rack. The sequins shimmered like a midnight sky sprinkled with stars, elegant and bold, exactly the kind of dress that made heads turn. She pressed it against her own slim waist, swaying a little as if imagining herself walking under warm lights.
"Fi, look at this one," she said, smiling brightly. "Maybe if you don't like the red dress, you can buy this instead?"
For a moment Fiona felt her heart flutter, because yes, the dress was gorgeous. The dark shimmer, the sleek shape, the elegant neckline… everything about it whispered beauty and confidence. She stepped closer, her eyes softening with a quiet, vulnerable hope.
Maybe something like this could make her look special too.
But before she could speak, the salesperson stepped politely between them.
"Sorry, ma'am," he said gently to Fiona. "This one isn't available in your size."
The words landed with the weight of a stone dropped into still water. Fiona's breath hitched, but she forced her expression to remain calm. She nodded politely, her fingers brushing the dress one last time before pulling back.
"Oh," she managed, trying to sound unaffected. "It's okay."
Inside her chest, something delicate folded in on itself.
Lana, however, didn't miss a beat. A small, satisfied gleam flickered in her eyes, so quick Fiona didn't catch it, but she covered it with an exaggerated pout.
"I wish I had brought my card," Lana sighed dramatically. "Ugh… silly me. I didn't bring cash either. I could have bought it right now."
Her tone carried a subtle hint, one Fiona had grown used to over the years. A hint that tugged at Fiona's soft heart.
"I can buy it for you," Fiona said immediately, almost too quickly, as though saving someone else from disappointment eased her own.
Lana paused.
For a moment, true satisfaction glimmered openly in her eyes, warm and triumphant, but she masked it instantly with a soft, hesitant smile.
"No, Fiona… you can't always help me," she said gently, shaking her head. "You shouldn't… I mean, not all the time."
But her fingers still stroked the glittering dress with longing.
And her gaze, beneath the layers of sweetness, said something very different from her words.