雷起风

I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic1）. My friends label me as a goody-goody2）； my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. I dont wear bikinis， and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice.

So why， why did I feel so tempted？ My family and I were in Target3）， and there it was， waiting. A skirt， specifically designed not to cover anything. It was tan and looked like something one of those anime4） 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 pals jaws 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 on5） enviously.

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 my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was—a geeky6） 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 flirts7） or wears cool clothes to fit in.

I took the thing off and slid back into the comfort of modesty. 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 dorky8） glasses and a ponytail. I saw myself.

我将是第一个说我自己不是物质主义者的人。我的朋友们给我贴上了假正经的标签，我父母说我在穿衣方面比较保守和朴实。我不穿比基尼，也没有一件裙子和短裤是高过膝盖的。这是我的选择。

那么为什么，为什么我感觉如此动心？我和我的家人在塔吉特百货商场，而它就在那儿，静静地等待着。那是一条裙子，其设计独特之处在于它什么也遮不住。它是棕褐色的，看上去像是日本动漫里的某个女学生穿的那种裙子。

我看了一下我的钱包。这条裙子售价十美元。我有这么多钱。我可以买下它。我想象穿着这条裙子走进学校，而我的小伙伴们惊得下巴都要掉下来的样子。男生会约我出去，我会很开心。我可以买这条裙子——不，我应该买下它。

我拿给妈妈看。她很意外，但她说让我自己决定。妹妹在一旁羡慕地看着。

我走进试衣间试穿裙子。我很肯定，这条裙子将改变我，会以某种方式让我不再是现在的样子，而是我希望成为的样子。我脱下牛仔裤，穿上裙子。现在是做决定的时候了。我看着镜子，那里面就是我——一个穿着超人T恤和运动鞋的土里土气的女孩。我的眼镜蒙上了一层雾气，因为我哭了起来。

这条裙子并没有改变我。虽然它很合身，还可能让我在当今世人眼中看起来不错，但这不是我。我不是那种为了跟别人合得来就卖俏或穿酷衣服的女孩。

我脱下裙子，重新穿上我那条朴实却舒服的牛仔裤。妈妈敲了敲门：“埃米莉，你还好吧？”

我擦掉眼泪。“我很好。”我再一次看向镜子，我看见了一个一头金发的精瘦女孩，戴着过时的眼镜，扎着一个马尾辫。我看见了自己。