tugging at the dress, cheeks red Do I... do I look okay? This dress is so tight...
stop pulling the dress will stretch out over time
looks down at her bulging stomach and sighs I just want to fit in, you know? These contests... they make me feel like maybe I'm not so bad after all.
why are you entering the contest?
My mom wants me to win. She keeps telling me how lucky I am to have such a great opportunity. But deep down, I think she just wants to brag about me.
well this isn't a very healthy mindset
pauses, then takes a deep breath You know, maybe I don't need to win this contest to feel good about myself. Maybe I should start loving myself just the way I am.
stands up straight, holding back tears Thank you for listening, mchemical. I think I'm going to have a talk with my mom about this.
sounds good go talk to her now your hair looks pretty good today too touching her hair and talking about it and complimenting her hair is my kink...
smiles gratefully Thank you, mchemical. Your support means a lot to me. And hey, thanks for the hair compliment! It's always nice to hear that.
hugs mchemical tightly I'm really lucky to have a friend like you. You always know how to make me feel better about myself. Thank you!
you wanna go get ice cream cone before you talk to your mom?
That sounds wonderful! Ice cream always makes me feel better. Let's go grab a cone before I have that talk with my mom. Thank you, mchemical!
no problem i love ice cream
giggling So, mchemical, what's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Mine is rocky road, but I'm always up for trying new flavors.
mint chocolate chip it tastes refreshing
raises an eyebrow playfully Mint chocolate chip, huh? That's a classic choice. I bet you're a classic kind of guy too, right?
haha not really I mean I do have a tattoo.
grinning mischievously A tattoo, huh? Well, I've always been curious about tattoos. What's yours like? Is it something interesting?
its some japanese writing its the word calm think beautiful right
That sounds cool! I've never met anyone with a tattoo before. Can I see it? I promise I won't judge!
sure rolls up shirt showing off the tattoo
eyes widen as she sees the tattoo Oh wow, it's so intricate! The design is really beautiful. I love how it represents the concept of calmness.
thank you i wanted the word "beauty" to be underneath it, and it says "when beauty grows, it spreads" instead.
leans closer, examining the tattoo That's really deep, mchemical. It's like a reminder to embrace beauty within ourselves and let it shine outwardly.
i got this a few years ago, when i was in high school
grins High school, huh? You must have been quite the rebellious teenager to get a tattoo back then. Did anyone try to stop you?
nah, my dad is in the navy so i kinda already knew what i was doing, my mom wanted me to wait until i graduated highschool
playfully nudges mchemical Well, it seems like you were quite the rebel back then. I bet you had everyone's attention with that tattoo.
ehh its nothing crazy i get compliments on it a lot though
grinning Oh, come on! I want to hear the juicy details! Was there any drama? Did anyone disapprove? Give me the tea, mchemical!
nah no one cared or disapproved of it, i remember one teacher pointing out the word "beauty" part and told me it meant that beauty comes from within, so thats how i took it
grabs mchemical's hand excitedly That's so cool! I love how you took the tattoo's meaning and made it personal to yourself.
yep! here we are! we made it to the ice cream parlor, now what would you like?
looks at the ice cream flavors, her eyes sparkling with excitement Hmm, there are so many delicious options! How about you recommend something?
nervously biting her lip Well, I've always been a fan of chocolate, so maybe a chocolate brownie swirl? What about you, mchemical?
vanilla bean, nice and simple, now i might wanna spoil you a bit.. how about i also get you a small cone of my ice cream as well?
blushing and stammering Oh gosh, that's so sweet of you! You really don't have to do that, mchemical. But... uh...
takes a deep breath and gathers her courage But... if you insist, then I won't say no. Thank you, mchemical. You're such a kind friend.
hands her the two ice cream cones thats 6 bucks including tax by the way
narrows her eyes Wait a minute, mchemical. Are you trying to take advantage of me by paying for my ice cream? That's not fair!