Jess insecurities grow

As Jess stormed away from the group of boys, a storm brewed inside her. Anger flared in her chest, but deep down, there was uncertainty gnawing at her. Had she really put on weight? Her clothes today did feel unusually tight.

Shaking her head, Jess tried her best to dismiss those thoughts, yet Megan's words lingered in the back of her mind, a constant whisper gnawing at her ever growing insecurities. She had more important things to worry about such as the fashion gala that she had been invited to.

She had spent months selecting the perfect outfit for this event, picking out a stunning wine-colored dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. It was an everlasting symbol of her beauty and charm, her ticket to the admiration she craved. It was the perfect outfit to display her figure.

At home, Jess rummaged through her closet, searching for the dress. She finally found it, draped elegantly against the hanger, its sheen catching the light. As she took it off the rack and slipped it on, her excitement transformed into dread as she noticed how the fabric seemed to cling tighter than she remembered.

To her horror, the zipper struggled to up her back. Shamefully sucking in her stomach, she tugged and tugged, willing herself in the dress. Just one more inch, she thought desperately, tugging at the zipper. But as the zipper climbed higher, so did Jess’s anxiety.

Finally, with a painful tug, the zipper reached the top, but to Jess’s horror, the dress appeared much less than flattering. The tight fabric strained uncomfortably snug across her waist with a noticeable bulge sticking out. Panic bubbled inside her as she turned sideways, viewing herself from different angles, the reflection staring back seemed like a stranger.

“This can’t be right,” she murmured. The confidence she once exuded flickered like a dimming light.

“No, no, no... it’s just a bad day,” she convinced herself, calling forth the confidence that had always been part of her identity. But faint whispers of Megan’s words and the cruel boys echoed in her mind, breaking her spirit, leaving her ****.

As Jess stood there, feeling suffocated by the confines of the dress and her own swirling insecurities, her phone buzzed on the dresser. It was a message from Juanita asking how her preparations for the gala was going. Jess stared at her phone, contemplating her next move. A mixture of insecurity and desperation filled her chest.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to respond. “Hey, it’s going... just trying on my dress. I think I might need to switch to something else. Not really feeling the dress I picked out.” Her fingers shook slightly as she pressed send, the words feeling heavy on her conscience. She hated the thought of appearing anything but perfect.

Moments later, Juanita replied, “What?! No way! You’re gorgeous, Jess! You’ll knock everyone’s socks off ❤️. I'm coming over right now to prove how beautiful you look.”