The World Outside by Eva Wiseman

Author:Eva Wiseman [Wiseman, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-88776-982-5
Publisher: Tundra
Published: 2014-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

To my surprise, Mama agreed to a new dress.

“I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about buying something for your graduation,” she said. “Do you want me to go to the mall with you to help you pick something out?”

“I told Devorah Leah that I’d go with her.” I couldn’t think of anything worse than going dress shopping with my mother at my age!

She nodded. “That’s fine.” She gave me her credit card and told me how much I could spend. “If you find a dress, make sure that it can be returned, just in case I don’t like it.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that since I’d be the one wearing it, it only mattered if I liked it. But I thought better of it and took the credit card without comment.

That afternoon, my friends and I scoured the mall from one end to the other. The dresses we saw were either too short or too revealing or too expensive.

“I guess today isn’t my lucky day,” I groaned. “So many dresses and none that I like.”

“We haven’t been to Sassy yet,” Devorah Leah said.

“What’s Sassy?” Jade asked.

“The Sassy Boutique,” she explained. “They have great clothes.”

“It’s useless to go there,” I said. “They only have casual outfits displayed in the window.”

“It doesn’t hurt to check it out,” Devorah Leah said.

“Okay, but we’ll have to hurry. My father will be here in a few minutes to drive us home.”

We took the escalator to the second floor. At the top, we were greeted by the sight of Faygie, a box of Shabbos candles in her hand, matching steps with an older woman and asking her, “Are you Jewish?”

Several of our classmates were similarly occupied, their shopping bags of candles piled up in front of the boutique’s window.

“Oh, no, they’re doing outreach.” I turned to Devorah Leah. “Did Faygie ask you to come along?”

“No.”

“Let’s leave,” I whispered. “She hasn’t noticed us.”

But it was too late. Faygie’s prey had quickened her steps and Faygie gave up following her. When she turned around, our eyes locked.

“Why are you here?” Her face brightened. “Did you come to do outreach with me? How did you know I was in the mall?” Just then, her gaze fell on Jade. “What’s she doing here?”

“We’re here to shop. Jade’s shopping with us.” Devorah Leah’s voice carried a hint of anger.

Faygie’s eyes widened. “Shopping?”

“They’re helping me find a dress for grad. Are you going to buy one?”

She snorted. “I never even thought about it. I have more important stuff on my mind—like doing the things the Rebbe wants us to do!”

Devorah Leah rolled her eyes. “Do you have to be so perfect all the time?”

Faygie nodded primly. “I do my best. That’s how the Rebbe wants us to behave.”

With that, she turned her back on us and approached another woman walking by. “Are you Jewish?” we heard her ask.

Devorah Leah, Jade and I left her and went into the boutique. The same saleslady who’d told us not to bother her customers all those months before was standing behind the counter.

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