I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic[物質(zhì)主義的]. My friends label[貼標(biāo)簽] me as a goody-goody[偽善者,假正經(jīng)的人]; my parents say I am conservative[保守的] and modest[樸素的] when it comes to clothes. I dont wear bikinis[比基尼], and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice.
So why, why did I feel so tempted[被引誘的,有興趣的]? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically[特別地] designed not to cover anything. It was tan[棕褐色的] and looked like something one of those anime[日本動(dòng)漫] schoolgirls would wear.
I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my friends jaws[下巴] dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it—no, I should buy it.
I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on enviously[羨慕地].
I went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid[滑落] my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive[決定性的] moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was—a geeky[愚蠢的,令人討厭的] girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry.
The skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of todays world, it was not me. I am not a girl who flirts[賣弄風(fēng)情] or wears cool clothes to fit in.
I took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty[樸素]. My mom knocked on the door. “Emily, are you okay?”
I wiped away my tears. “Im fine.” I looked in the mirror again and saw a blond skinny girl with dorky[愚蠢的] glasses and a ponytail[馬尾辮]. I saw myself.
我會(huì)是第一個(gè)說(shuō)自己不是追求物質(zhì)的人。我的朋友們給我貼上了“假正經(jīng)”的標(biāo)簽;我的父母則認(rèn)為我在穿衣打扮方面頗為保守樸素。我不穿比基尼,也沒(méi)有任何一條裙子或短褲的長(zhǎng)度在膝蓋以上。這是我的選擇。
所以為什么?為什么我會(huì)覺(jué)得如此動(dòng)心?我和家人在塔吉特百貨商場(chǎng)購(gòu)物,而它就在那里,等待著。一條短裙,一條專門(mén)設(shè)計(jì)得很暴露的裙子。它是棕褐色的,看起來(lái)就像是日本動(dòng)漫里的女學(xué)生會(huì)穿的那種短裙。
我查看了下我的錢包。這條短裙賣十美元。我有足夠的錢,我能買下它。我想象著自己穿著它走進(jìn)校園時(shí),我的朋友們驚掉下巴的呆樣。男生們會(huì)約我出去,而我會(huì)很開(kāi)心。我可以買下它——不,我應(yīng)該買下它。
我把它指給媽媽看。她很是訝異,但還是說(shuō)我可以自己決定。我的妹妹在一旁羨慕地看著。
我走進(jìn)更衣室試穿。我很確定這條短裙能改變我,在某種程度上讓我不再像我,而是變成一個(gè)我希望成為的人。我換下牛仔褲,穿上裙子?,F(xiàn)在,決定性的時(shí)刻到了。我看著鏡子。我站在那兒——上身穿著一件超人T恤,腳踏一雙運(yùn)動(dòng)鞋,一副傻樣。我開(kāi)始哭泣,眼鏡鏡片模糊成一片。
這條短裙并沒(méi)有改變我。雖然它很合身,可能在當(dāng)今世界的審美看來(lái),它讓我變得漂亮,但那不是我。我不是那種賣弄風(fēng)情或者穿著很酷的衣服去迎合世界的女孩。
我脫掉裙子,換回舒適樸素的褲子。媽媽敲了敲更衣室的門(mén),問(wèn):“埃米莉,你還好吧?”
我擦了擦眼淚,回答道:“我很好。”我再次看向鏡子,看見(jiàn)了一個(gè)金發(fā)碧眼的瘦削女生,戴著傻乎乎的眼鏡,綁著馬尾辮。我看到了真正的自己。