Chapter 7: More Of Me To Balance

Roxanne's POV

"Okay, what happened?"

I dropped the entire armful onto my bed, dresses, skirts, crop tops, the heel box landing on the pile.

"Roxie." Charlotte got up from her bed, setting down her snack. "Talk."

"He wants me to wear these." I gestured at the pile. "Like I'm some doll he can dress up and show off."

Charlotte crossed the room and picked up the white bodycon dress, holding it out Infront of her with both hands.

"I mean..." She held the dress up against herself and turned to the mirror. "They're no that bad..."

"They're not that bad on you." I sat on the edge of my bed. "On me that's gonna be a whole different conversation."

She lowered the dress and looked at me. "Roxie..."

"I'm not having self-pity, I'm being realistic. Those dresses on my body are going to be..." I searched for the word, "...a lot. I can already imagine the way they would cling to my curves, the way it would expose every inch of me that I'd spent years hiding."

Charlotte was quiet for a moment, then she set the dress down carefully and picked up the heel box, lifting the lid.

"Oh," she said softly. "These are actually really nice."

"I can't believe I have to walk in them, in three weeks, to a midnight party where Tyson is going to introduce me to the entire school as his girlfriend." I watched her turn on heel over her hand. "I cannot walk in heels."

"You can learn..."

"I've tried to, multiple times." My voice was sharp. "My ankles and heels do not agree and I don't see them resolving the agreement in three weeks."

"Okay." She set the shoe down and looked at me. "I'll help you practice."

"You don't have to..."

"I want to." She was already moving to her wardrobe, pulling out a pair of her own heels, nude, pointed, a solid three inches. She slipped them on with ease.

"See?" She stood up straight, and walked from the beginning of the room and back and looked at me. "You just have to find your center of gravity and trust it."

"It just takes practice." She said.

"Charlie, you're like a hundred and ten pounds." I looked down at myself. "I'm going to be shifting around, with my weight."

"It's just about balance..." She said carefully.

"It's about the fact that there's more of me to balance." I said plainly. "You're small, you step I heels and it holds you up, it's not the same with me."

She didn't argue with that. "Try mine." She held out her hand.

"They won't fit..."

"They'll be close enough for practice." She wiggled her fingers. "Come on."

I took her hand, stood up, and stepped into her heels.

The moment I slipped them on, I wobbled, my ankles already protesting. I gripped the edge of the desk, my knuckles white, as I tried to take a step.

I took one, then two, three, then my left ankle gave out, and my left ankle gave out, I stumbled, catching myself on the desk just in time. I glared at Charlotte, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Okay." Charlotte bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Good start."

"That was not a good start!" My voice rose.

"You made it a few steps..."

"I nearly went down." I yanked the heels off and tossed them on the bed.

"But you didn't." She said. "We're practice every day until the party and by Saturday you'll be fine."

"Three weeks of this." I sat down on my bed. "Three weeks of practicing walking like a normal human in shoes that were designed by someone who hates women."

"We'll get there." She said.

"I hate this." I groaned.

Charlotte picked up the shoes from the bed, holding them out. "You have to practice. The party is in three weeks."

I stared at the heels and felt my stomach twist, I hated that Charlotte was right, that I had to do this. But I hated the idea of embarrassing myself in front of Tyson even more.

Charlotte flopped back on her back, stretching her arms above her head and sighed. She reached for another snack, popping it into her mouth before she spoke again.

"Oh, by the way," she said. "Liam will be at the party."

"Liam?" I repeated, voice flat.

Charlotte nodded. "Yeah, he's been busy with hockey, but he said he'd try to make it." She but her lip. "I haven't seen him in a week. I miss him."

"Great." I snorted. "So I get to pretend to be in love with Tyson while you get to actually be in love with Liam.

"Don't be so jealous." Charlotte grinned.

"You wish." I flopped backward on my own bed, staring at the pile of clothes.

Charlotte laughed, tossing a pillow at me and I caught it, hugging it to my chest as I glared at the ceiling.

"You know," Charlotte said after a while. "It's not that bad, I mean Tyson is not ugly. He's hot."

I groaned, covering my face with the pillow. "I hate you."

My phone buzzed on the desk and we both looked at it.

I already knew, I didn't know how I knew,but I knew. I reached over and picked it up anyways.

Check your schedule and practice in those heels every day. I'll check your progress before the party, don't embarrass me, Pumpkin.

Charlotte leaned over, peeping into the screen. "Pumpkin?" She raised her eyebrows. "You guys using couple nicknames now."

"Shut up." I tossed my phone on the bed, groaning in frustration.

"You like it, don't you?" Charlotte grinned.

"I do not," I snapped, but for some reasons my cheeks were warm and I knew Charlotte could see right through me.

"Whatever you say," Charlotte laughed, shaking her head. "Pumpkin."

I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her but Charlotte dodged, laughing as the pillow hit the wall behind her.

"Don't make it a thing," I said. "Let's just practice."

"We have three weeks of practice." She handed the shoes over.

"Yep, and we're nowhere near done."