Green Algae and Bubble Gum Wars by Annie Bryant

Marlena purred. “Here we are.” She directed Maeve and her mother to a rack full of bras covered in lace and ribbons. Maeve thought that, hanging all together like that, they looked like one big spiderweb. “The perfect bra for a high-fashion young lady like you. Chic, sophisticated, glamorous lace for miles…”
    Maeve’s mother looked shocked. “No. No. No. We’re looking for something less…um…sophisticated. I just don’t think that’s going to work,” Ms. Kaplan said. “Don’t you have anything…you know…white? Something a little more conservative?”
    â€œWhite!” Marlena exclaimed. “I think my coworker, Connie, can help you with a sports bra, if you like.” She spun around and charged after a lady carrying a leopard-print bag the size of a suitcase.
    â€œIt doesn’t have to be white!” Maeve called after her, but Marlena was gone. Maeve pouted. “I sort of liked that last one…”
    Ms. Kaplan gave her a look. “Seriously, Maeve. You knewthat was as absurd as I did—that bra might as well have been made of plastic wrap!” Maeve looked at her mom and they burst out laughing together.
    Suddenly, a monotone voice sounded behind them. “May I help you?” The woman tapped her name tag. “So. You want something white and sporty?”
    Maeve worked up her courage and spoke. “Well, it doesn’t have to be white. I think pink would be nice, too…”
    Connie, the expert on sports bras, turned and gestured for them to follow her. “This way, ladies.”
    Maeve and her mother practically ran after Connie, who was moving very quickly down the aisles. Finally, she stopped beside a rack full of white sports bras…very plain white sports bras.
    Maeve cringed and looked up to see her mother making the exact same face. Wow, thought Maeve. If these bras are too ugly for my mom, they must be seriously bad!
    â€œIt looks better on,” Connie offered tonelessly.
    â€œUm…thanks, Connie,” Ms. Kaplan said politely. “But I think we’ll take it from here and just look around.”
    Connie shrugged and said, “I’ll be over there,” and wandered off toward the register.
    â€œMom, I think that lady needs a personality adjustment!” Maeve whispered, watching Connie walk away.
    â€œMaeve!” her mother scolded. Then she admitted, “She did seem a bit…subdued.”
    Maeve sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She was feeling frustrated and disappointed. “Maybe we should just go, Mom. I don’t think we’re going to find anything here.”
    â€œOh, let’s not give up just yet.”
    â€œBut I feel like Goldilocks, Mom! Those first bras were way too fancy…then that one Connie showed us was just…ugh.” She shivered a little, thinking about the extreme ugliness of that bra. “Will I ever find one that’s just right?”
    Ms. Kaplan smiled at her dramatic daughter. “I think you will, Maeve. There’s bound to be something perfect among these hundreds,” she said as she gestured at the rows of bras.
    Maeve stared at the sea of “lingerie” around her and suddenly felt too worn down to shop, which was bad…especially for Maeve. Disappointed, she followed her mother around the store like a sad puppy as Ms. Kaplan haphazardly pulled off anything that looked like it could possibly fit her daughter. “Here,” Ms. Kaplan said, thrusting a pile of fabric at Maeve. “Try these on to start, and I’ll meet you in the dressing room.”
    Maeve nodded wordlessly and shuffled into the ladies room, feeling Connie’s weird eyes upon her as she passed. Awkward! Maeve thought with a shudder.
    She slipped into a dressing room and got to work. Unfortunately, none of the bras was at all acceptable on Maeve’s cute-o-meter. They weren’t as bad as