短裙

I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic[物質主义的]. My friends label[贴标签] me as a goody-goody[伪善者，假正经的人]; my parents say I am conservative[保守的] and modest[朴素的] 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[被引诱的，有兴趣的]？ My family and I were in Target， and there it was， waiting. A skirt， specifically[特别地] designed not to cover anything. It was tan[棕褐色的] and looked like something one of those anime[日本动漫] 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[羡慕地].

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[决定性的] moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was—a geeky[愚蠢的，令人讨厌的] 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[卖弄风情] or wears cool clothes to fit in.

I took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty[朴素]. 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[马尾辫]. I saw myself.

我会是第一个说自己不是追求物质的人。我的朋友们给我贴上了“假正经”的标签;我的父母则认为我在穿衣打扮方面颇为保守朴素。我不穿比基尼，也没有任何一条裙子或短裤的长度在膝盖以上。这是我的选择。

所以为什么？为什么我会觉得如此动心？我和家人在塔吉特百货商场购物，而它就在那里，等待着。一条短裙，一条专门设计得很暴露的裙子。它是棕褐色的，看起来就像是日本动漫里的女学生会穿的那种短裙。

我查看了下我的钱包。这条短裙卖十美元。我有足够的钱，我能买下它。我想象着自己穿着它走进校园时，我的朋友们惊掉下巴的呆样。男生们会约我出去，而我会很开心。我可以买下它——不，我应该买下它。

我把它指给妈妈看。她很是讶异，但还是说我可以自己决定。我的妹妹在一旁羡慕地看着。

我走进更衣室试穿。我很确定这条短裙能改变我，在某种程度上让我不再像我，而是变成一个我希望成为的人。我换下牛仔裤，穿上裙子。现在，决定性的时刻到了。我看着镜子。我站在那儿——上身穿着一件超人T恤，脚踏一双运动鞋，一副傻样。我开始哭泣，眼镜镜片模糊成一片。

这条短裙并没有改变我。虽然它很合身，可能在当今世界的审美看来，它让我变得漂亮，但那不是我。我不是那种卖弄风情或者穿着很酷的衣服去迎合世界的女孩。

我脱掉裙子，换回舒适朴素的裤子。妈妈敲了敲更衣室的门，问：“埃米莉，你还好吧？”

我擦了擦眼泪，回答道：“我很好。”我再次看向镜子，看见了一个金发碧眼的瘦削女生，戴着傻乎乎的眼镜，绑着马尾辫。我看到了真正的自己。