Malicious compliance

“Dammit Ernie, why are you always going on about my clothes?” Yelled Nathalie at her stepdad. “I’m freaking nineteen years old, you and mom should have no say about it anymore!”

“First of all, you call me either Ernest or dad.”

“Ha, like you are either.” Scoffed Nathalie.

Ernest was about to argue that, but instead continued with the current argument. “…and second of all, it’s tacky. The short black dresses, the black shocker…”

“The black thong?” Nathalie grinned provocatively.

Ernest veins were about to burst. “All of that makes you look like a cheap prostitute! Can’t you put on an outfit that your mother and I approve off?”

“Mom already used to approve my clothes. It’s when she married you that she stopped having a opinion of her own!”

“ENOUGH!” Yelled Ernest. “I’ve had it up to here with you on this vacation! I’m going down to the bar with your mom and Chuck. When you come down, I don’t want to see you wearing that outfit, or I don’t want to see you at all! Capiche?” With that, he stormed out of the hotel room.

Nathalie sat down before the dresser, moping to herself. “This vacation is the freaking hell! I’d love to get back at him, but how…?”

Then, she remembered something about a law, or rather the absence of a law in this country, as well as the last words Ernest said to her.

“Fine, Ernie.” Laughed Nathalie. “You don’t want to see me in these clothes? Then you won’t see me in these clothes!”

A little later, Ernest, Chuck and Katerine, Nathalie’s mom, sat at a booth by the bar. “Did you two argue again, Ernest?” Asked Katerine, sounding a little exhausted.

“I had to, dear. She just loves it to provoke me. But I think I might’ve finally gotten through her this time!”

“HELLO, FAMILY!” Nathalie‘s voice echoed from the other side of the bar. Her family, as well as several other guests and staff looked into her direction, seeing the young nineteen year old Nathalie Knightly…

…buck naked!

“Oh, God!” Ernest grabbed his forehead. “Has she lost any kind of common sense? She can’t be naked! She’ll get arrested!”

“Actually, she won’t be.” Added Chuck. “I read that there are no laws against public nudity in Asnary, though it is rather frowned upon.”

“Look, I’ll have a talk with her, you-“ Said Katerine, before being interrupted.

“No. This is just an act. She knows I would hate this, but I know that she’d hate it even more. We all know that she is really uncomfortable with her own skin. Let her spent some time in the nude; she’ll crack.”

“Oh my God, this is mortifying!” Though Nathalie to herself. “I have half a mind to just run back to our hotel room. But for as much as I hate this, I know for a fact that Ernie will hate this even more. He’ll crack.” Nathalie sat down, grabbed the menu card, and said, “Let’s see, I’ll have the…”