Sweet Home Alabama

0003: MANDY SAYS, I NEED AN OLDER MAN

“Enlarge your boobs.”

“Get a man who values you.”

“Gain weight to look thicker.”

“Wear tight clothes and flirt more.”

I blinked at the words, my heart sinking deeper. My reflection in the darkened screen stared back at me; a too-thin, glasses-wearing mess of a girl who wouldn’t even know how to flirt if her life depended on it.

The idea of me trying to get thicker or find the right man was laughable.

I wasn’t Mandy, or Mom, or any of those confident girls online who could just snap their fingers and get their lives together.

I was just… me.

There was a knock on the door, startling me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“Go away!” I croaked, my voice hoarse from crying.

The knocking got louder. “Mimi! Open the f*****g door, or I’ll break it down!”

I froze.

Mandy.

“I mean it!” she yelled, and I could almost see her glaring through the door. “Don’t make me do it, Mimi. I’ll drag you out of there.”

I groaned, chucking a crumpled napkin in the direction of the door. “Leave me alone, Man-man!”

“Nope. Not happening.” Her voice was sharp, commanding, the complete opposite of mine. “You’re being pathetic, and I’m not letting you wallow like this. Open the goddamn door.”

I hesitated, staring at the mess around me. The thought of Mandy seeing me like this was mortifying. But at the same time, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere.

With a sigh, I shuffled off the bed and unlocked the door, cracking it open just enough to glare at her. “Happy?”

She pushed it wide open, stepping inside without hesitation. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the tissues, my red face, and the dim lighting.

“Wow,” she said, crossing her arms. “You look like a raccoon who got hit by a bus.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, retreating back to the bed.

Mandy flopped onto the chair by my desk, spinning in it dramatically. “Look, I know you’re heartbroken and whatever, but missing classes and this..” she gestured to my disaster of a room, “...is not it. You’re letting that jerk win.”

I pulled my knees to my chest again, avoiding her gaze. “It’s not that simple, Man-man. I.. he… I just… I can’t handle this.”

“Can’t handle what? A guy who clearly wasn’t good enough for you? Girl, you’ve got three overprotective brothers and a dad who’d probably throw Jordan out a window if he saw what happened.”

“That’s the problem!” I snapped, my voice breaking. “I can’t even go downstairs without them treating me like some helpless baby. And Mom…” I trailed off, my throat tightening. “She loves you more than me. You’re everything she wants me to be.”

Mandy’s face softened.

She leaned forward, her voice quieter now. “Mimi, your mom loves you. She’s just—”

“A headache,” I finished for her, managing a small smile despite myself.

Mandy grinned. “Exactly, and I'm your BFF. But seriously, Mimi. You can’t let this break you. You’re better than that. And if you’re not, we’ll fake it ‘til you are.”

I wanted to believe her. I really did.

But the weight of everything was still crushing me, and I wasn’t sure how to dig myself out of it.

“Let’s start small,” Mandy said, grabbing my phone. “First step? Delete those dumb search results. You don’t need bigger boobs or added flesh to be amazing, okay?”

I laughed weakly, wiping my face with another napkin. “Okay.”

But deep down, I wasn’t sure I believed it. Not yet.

_____

I stared at my phone screen, scrolling through the endless list of links. Mandy was sprawled on my bed, her legs kicking up in the air as she chewed on a piece of gum like this was her idea of fun.

“Click that one,” she said, pointing to an ad with glossy gold lettering that read: ‘Where to Meet the Right Man: Sophistication and Desire Await.’

I hesitated. “This feels… desperate.”

“It’s not desperate,” Mandy argued, sitting up. “It’s strategy. Look, Mia, we’re just exploring options. Don’t you want to know how it feels to have a guy actually want you? Like, really want you?”

Her words made my cheeks flush. I didn’t answer. But the idea lingered. It grew roots in my mind now.

“Not just any guy,” Mandy continued, leaning in like she was revealing some big secret. “An older guy. Someone who’s been around, knows what he’s doing. Someone who’ll not only want you but tell you why he wants you, how to keep him wanting you.”

I laughed nervously, trying to brush her off. “You make it sound like we’re plotting some seduction scheme, Man-man.”

“Isn’t that the point?” she said with a smirk. “Face it, babe. Jordan didn’t deserve you. But if he’s too dumb to see that, then maybe you should show him what he missed out on. Show him what it’s like when you’ve got guys lining up for you; guys who actually know what they’re doing, unlike that man-child.”

“Jordan isn’t a man-child,” I muttered, but the words felt hollow.

Mandy snorted. “Oh please, Mimi. You’re telling me you didn’t notice how he treated you like an accessory? Like you were just there to make him look good? He didn’t even want…”

Her voice trailed off, but I knew what she was going to say. Jordan didn’t even want me the way a guy should want his girlfriend. Not fully.

Not in the way that made me feel… desired.

“Look,” Mandy said, her voice softening. “I know you’re still hung up on him. And yeah, maybe this is still about him. But you also deserve to feel what it’s like to be wanted. To have someone look at you like you’re the only thing they’ve ever needed.”

My chest tightened.

I hated how much I agreed with her.

“And let’s be real,” Mandy added, her grin returning. “My b***h of a sister Beatrice might’ve been right about one thing. Older guys? They’ve got their s**t together. They’re confident. They know how to make a girl feel… everything. Just like your older brother, Kyle.”

Wink. She winks. Tchh!

“Kyle's not even the oldest or finest of my brothers. If only you had met Senior Adrian before he disappeared into thin air seven years ago,” I smiled, not really knowing why.

Adrian was the oldest of us all but he's no longer with us. He left for something.. school? A job, I can't remember, I was barely eight then. And he never came back till now.

“Your mama did show me pictures a few times and he looked hot in all of it,” Mandy admitted, laughing. “Hey, back to the main thing. You just need someone who’s mature enough to take your virginity like a man, not a boy, and show you how to make guys want you.”

The mention of my virginity made my face heat up. I looked away, embarrassed. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It is easy,” Mandy said, grabbing my shoulders. “We’ll find the perfect place. Somewhere exclusive. Classy. Where you can meet someone who’ll not only make you feel wanted but also teach you everything you need to know to knock Jordan flat on his ass when he sees you again.”

Despite myself, I let her words sink in.

As much as I hated how everything came back to Jordan, I couldn’t deny it. I still cared what he thought. I still wanted to prove something to him.

Mandy grinned as I clicked on the link she’d pointed out earlier.

The page that loaded was sleek and polished, with photos of elegant lounges and promises of “refined connections.”

One location caught my eye: The Velvet Fox. It wasn’t far, and it looked… different.

“That’s the one,” Mandy said, her eyes sparkling. “Get ready, babe. Tonight’s going to change everything.”

I glanced at overjoyed Mandy who had rushed off to my closet.

Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time to let go of who I’d been and try something new. Something bold.

Maybe tonight, I’d finally learn what it felt like to be wanted.