A Perfect Fit

5

Isabelle

"I can't believe you handmade all of these, they're all gorgeous," my latest visitor at my market stall, a woman in her forties, beams as she picks out a yellow sundress. "I'd love to buy this one for my teenage daughter." She lets out a laugh. "Is it embarrassing that I'm still buying clothes for her at her age?"

"Not at all," I smile wistfully. "I think she'll love that her mom took the time to pick out something for her."

I know that teenage me would have been ecstatic if my mom ever bought me clothes. But alas, the only thing she cared about was my grades.

"That's settled then," the woman decides. "I'll take this one, please."

The blissful feeling of having just acquired a new customer envelops my body, like tasting the first scoop of an ice cream. "Awesome, thank you so much Ma'am."

"You're welcome," she says and takes out her credit card. "Your mother must be proud of you."

An instant knot forms in my stomach. "Yeah, I guess," I reply and fake a smile as I process the sale. It's easier to do so than explain that my mom would rather see me working inside an office and analyzing law cases. "Have a great day, Ma'am."

"You too," she nods and walks off.

"We sold another two of the lilac floral dresses," Jen, who's been working on the other side of the stall, walks over and says.

"You are amazing," I tell her.

"Thank you," Jen grins and then turns to me with a thoughtful look on her face. "Okay, question of the day...thoughts on the high school reunion?"

Admittedly, the upcoming high school reunion has been on my mind since I saw that Instagram post. "I mean, it would be nice to see our cohort but I don't know if I'm ready to face Oliver again," I confess. Oliver would be showing up to the reunion, no doubt—he loved large gatherings and any opportunity to be at the center of attention.

I'd always wondered what would happen if I ran into him again one day. Would he give me closure as to why he ended things? Would I throw something at his face? Or would I simply pretend that he was someone I used to know?

"You want to know what I think? You should rock up to the event like the queen you are and show Oliver's ugly ass what he's missing out on now," Jen says. "Like you started your own business at age twenty-two, you're hardworking, passionate, and one of the most lovely souls I know. And what is he? A bullet that you dodged and the trash taking itself out."

Her words suddenly ignite something within me. "I'm not the one who ended a six-year relationship with someone over text and ghosted them afterward!" I exclaim and slam the table at my booth. "If anything, he should be the one who's feeling bad about seeing me again, not the other way around!"

"Exactly!" Jen agrees.

"I'm going to show up to the reunion and show him what he's missing out on!" I vow and start pacing up and down like a woman on a mission.

Jen clasps her hands together. "Actually, I have an idea. You could bring someone with you."

I pause in my tracks. "As in...a date?"

"A fake boyfriend," Jen affirms.

Rocking up with a fake boyfriend wasn't a bad idea, even if it would involve a little pretending. I'd also be lying if I said that the prospect of showing Oliver that I'd moved on with someone else wasn't appealing. But this was real life and not the movies. And in any event, where was I going to find a fake boyfriend?