As it turned out, a sudden surge of confidence did not change my cluelessness when it came to shopping for clothes.

I had wandered into the most crowded store I could find- to ensure the clerks wouldn't have time to approach me. Like many other people I'd rather look on my own, even if I didn't see any dresses I'd feel comfortable in.

Maybe this particular place was a bit too 'hip and happening' for me. I stopped at one of the racks, rubbing the fabric of one of the dresses between my thumb and index finger. It was so soft and thin and pretty.

I felt my resolve sink down into the floor. No way I could put this on. This was more something for Joyce and Paisley, or Vera.

Suddenly, there was a tug on the dress from the other side of the rack.

"Oh, sorry," I apologised, immediately letting go.

"...Charmeine?"

Vera's head popped up around the corner first, then the rest of her when she saw me. I realised she was dressed like the other clerk at the door. There was a name tag on her black shirt. Did she work here, too?

"Hey," Vera greeted me. "I thought it was you. How are you doing?"

"Good," I mumbled, flustered by the friendly and familiar way Vera greeted me even if she was probably just doing her job. "Just looking around."

"For a dress?" Vera guessed, gesturing at the many, many racks with dresses currently surrounding us.

"Yeah," I said. "But I don't usually wear dresses so I'm not really sure what would look good on me."

Vera nodded politely at me, but I couldn't imagine her ever having that problem. Even a garbage bag wouldn't distract or detract from her good looks.

"How about..." Vera narrowed her eyes, and I felt heat rise to my face as she scanned me. Intensely.

Vera then turned to the clothing rack nearby, rummaging through a bunch of the clothing before pulling one dress out. "This one?"

She chose one of dresses I'd already decided I could never wear. But I couldn't say no to Vera, so I gingerly took it from her outstretched hands.

It was a pale color of pink. Not a color I had ever considered wearing. Nor had I ever picked something so tight around the waist or short at the bottom. Vera was looking at me expectantly however, and that was enough to make my feet move to the fitting room and get in line.

She didn't even follow me there and she probably didn't care that much in the first place. Yet... there I was, pink dress I didn't want to buy in hand. All because I had no spine and an intimidatingly pretty girl - who worked in the store to boot- had asked me to put it on.

I reached the front of the row faster than my fragile nerves were ready for, and a friendly woman who kept smiling pointed me in the direction of a free fitting room.

Before inevitably having to put the pink thing on I sat on the bench with my hands in my hair, pondering about my poor choices and inability to say no at the worst possible moments. 

When I finally got to slipping the smooth fabric over my hips, I was surprised to find it easy. Vera had somehow managed to grab the correct size in one go. An impressive feat, considering my 'birthing hips' had specific demands from pieces of clothing.

I closed the zipper before daring to peek into the mirror.

What I saw there nearly literally made my jaw drop.

"Charmeine? Are you still in there?" Vera's voice rang out from the other side of the curtain.

That broke the spell. I blinked rapidly at my own reflection before turning.

"Uh, yep," I replied, before shyly pushing the curtain aside and glancing around the corner.

I hadn't expected Vera to still be around. Like she didn't have better things to do in the store. But there she was, together with the other always smiling shop clerk.

"Do you have it on?" Vera asked, beckoning me. "Show us."

"Okay, okay." I stepped out, self-consciously tugging at the skirt part when both Vera and the attendant stayed quiet.

I had hardly recognised myself in the mirror. While I had my doubts about the pink, it was surprisingly fitting. Speaking of fitting: the fabric was also snug at exactly the right spots making it seem like I was much more of an hourglass than I actually was. 

"Well?" I asked meekly when both Vera and the other clerk failed to speak and just stared at me. 

Clerk number two smiled brightly. "It really suits you!" she complimented me. 

Vera took a step in my direction and my heart leapt when she put her warm, kind of rough hands on my arms and spun me around. 

"It's great with your hair colour," she muttered, sounding in thought. "You've got a really nice shade of red. The brighter the better for this dress." 

"Uh, thanks." I was very, very distinctly aware of how Vera's hands were still resting on my shoulders, though, she let go about a second later. 

The other shop attendant smiled at me. "Please tell me you're taking it?" 

I glanced at Vera and her lips curled up in a rare, encouraging smile. 

"Yeah," I said with cheeks that had to match my hair. "I'll take it."

Vera had also given me a few other ideas. Now that I was buying this, I might as well go all out. 

I went to the climbing hall with a fully and thoroughly stuffed bag. Instead of putting the dress on already, I'd decided to keep it and all my other purchases for tonight and a second attempt at Club Ocean. After all, I could hardly put on a dress during a climbing workshop. 

While waiting around on a bench near the entrance of the climbing hall, I didn't see Ty anywhere on the wall, nor Vera. Around ten minutes before time, one by one more people came pouring in and waited near me. I assumed they were here for the workshop as well, but I didn't ask and they didn't ask me. 

Vera came rushing into the hall three minutes before the workshop was supposed to start, still in her shop attendant outfit. 

"Sorry I'm late," she apologised in our general direction, running straight on to the dressing room without awaiting a reply. 

I was amazed when she appeared in full exercise gear right on time, especially since I took ages to put on clothes myself. Most of all in the morning. 

Today was much better than yesterday. My muscles were still cramped and sore, but at least everyone around me sucked about as much as I did. There were always fast learners and ridiculously athletic types who could get up the wall in one go, but the majority of the workshop class was just like me: trying, laughing when falling down, and waiting for Vera to help us by explaining the route up. 

While Vera seemed to have zero tolerance towards people talking to her on the street or just randomly hitting on her like Ty, she had the patience of an angel when explaining climbing tips and tricks. 

By the end of the workshop I was tired as hell, but also happy and content as I sat on a bench to take off the tight climbing shoes. 

Vera sat next to me. "Hey," she greeted me. "And? What did you think of the workshop?" 

"Good!" I blurted out, still thrown off and flustered every time Vera gave me her full attention for any reason. "I think I learned a lot. Uh, I definitely have more techniques to use now."

Vera breathed out through her mouth and leaned back on her hands, which she'd placed behind her on the bench. "Okay, thanks. That's nice. I'm new to teaching so if you have any tips for me for next time, let me know."

"No... not at the moment. No tips. But I will." 

Vera didn't get up to ask other students the same question like I'd expected her to do, and I cleared my throat. 

"So, you work here and at a clothing store?" 

"Yep," Vera replied. "Saving up for college. But, to be honest, working at the climbing hall suits me better than working at the store." 

"You could always work for a place like Club Ocean too," I suggested, to which Vera wrinkled her nose in distaste. 

"God, no. I'd end up punching someone in the face before the first shift was over. Working at a clothing store is already the upper limit of my tolerance." 

I laughed. "Fair enough." Vera would bring heaps and heaps of guys into the clubs, but I could see that going horribly wrong if said guys came to find her later. She's already halfway lost her patience with Ty after he flirted with her yesterday.

I darted a glance around the climbing hall, still not seeing Ty anywhere. 

"Hey, Vera. Do you maybe know what days Ty comes in here?" I dared to ask. 

Maybe she knew, since they seemed to know each other well enough to bicker and Ty apparently 'always forgets' to pay for his shoes. 

Immediately, a crease appeared between Vera's eyebrows. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason," I hastily and utterly unconvincingly stammered. 

Vera breathed in and out deeply. "He's here nearly every day of the week. But I don't think he's the guy you should be chasing, Charmeine." 

Before I could reply, Vera abruptly got up and walked away.