•A flower that will never wither•

Chapter 4: Shopping.

Firstly before this chapter starts, I just wanna say I'm sorry if things are a little dry, it's because I don't want to immediately jump into the spicy stuff. I want Connor and Chloe to build up a friendship before actually starting to like eachother. I have many ideas, but they're not suitable for the time being.
_________________________________________

After Connor, Chloe, Markus and North finish their meals and head out, they begin to plan what they'll do.

𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "So, what are we doing now?"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I was thinking maybe we could go to the mall."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "That's not a bad idea, let's go!"
They stroll down to the mall at a medium pace, the mall wasn't that far away, a walking distance if you will.
Once they've stepped foot into the mall, Chloe and North are already being pulled towards multiple different stores.
Connor and Markus are chatting together while keeping an eye on the two overly excited girls.
Chloe and North stuble into a designer store which appears to be quite high end. They both find something that attracts them and they stick to it.

𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Oh wow, look at this dress! It's stunning!"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Oo, the one you have isn't bad, but check out this one~"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Ok, fine. You win."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Thought so-"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Should we try them on?"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Oh sure! Maybe we'll buy it, who knows."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "I hope the price tag likes me.."
They both saunter into the women's fitting room while the guys wait outside, North comes out first and she's obsessed with the outfit, she rips the curtain open and runs to show Markus.
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Markus! Look! It's so beautiful!"
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Wow, North. You look so pretty.."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Thank you! Can you check how much it is?"
North turns her back to Markus so he'd be able to check the price tag.
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Woah.. That's.. A really expensive dress ya got there, North."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Really?.."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Mhm"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "..please?"
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Oh don't do that."
North grasps her hands together in front of her with puppy eyes.
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Please? I really love it.."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "ugh.. I can never say no to you."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Fine."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Thank you so much, baby!"
(Connor the whole time: 🧍‍♂️)
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Baby?"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "yeah, it's something humans say to their significant other, like a nick name of sorts."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Oh, alright then."
North hops back to her fitting room, but she stops in her tracks mid way.
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "..Oh.. My.. RA9.."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "What? You don't like it? I knew it looked bad on me.."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "What the hell did you just say? You better take that back right now, you literally stole my breath." (North bein' a real simp rn-)
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Really? You mean it..?"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Of course I do!"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Should I get it?"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Yes, yes a million times yes!"
Chloe chuckles at North's sweet reaction.
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Alright! Could you check the tag?"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Sure"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Ooo... That's a hurtful 500$."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "WHAT? Ahem.. Sorry.. What?"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "yeah.."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "ugh.. What should I do?"
North smirks before she begins speaking, she gets closer to Chloe's side whispers to her.
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Maybe before you decide, you should show Connor~"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "W-what? No! I'll embarrass myself!"
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Oh come on, you're no fun."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "..Fine."
Chloe hesitantly makes her way to Connor and Markus, shaking with every step she takes, she finds herself in front of their gaze.
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Wow, Chloe, that's a really nice dress!"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Thank you, Markus."
Markus gives Chloe a small smile, until he switches his gaze to Connor, a barely visible smirk was forming at the corner of his lips, he decided to go look around the store to give the two space.
Connor was staring at Chloe, Chloe was looking to the ground while fiddling with her hands awaiting for a response.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "..you look very pretty."
Chloe wips her head up to look at him.
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "T-Thank you, Connor.."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "I'm doubting whether to buy it or not, it's quite expensive. North says I should go for it."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "..If you'd allow me.. I uh.."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I'd like to purchase it for you as a late christmas gift.."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "..wait.. really? I mean, n-no!"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "..Thank you for the offer, but it's too much.. I can't accept that."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Please, I insist."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Connor, please-"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Chloe, please, I want to get you a gift.. I didn't get the chance to get you one at Markus' party, so please.."
Chloe looked at Connor and he was looking at her with those eyes of his..
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Dammit, Connor.. Fine."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Great! Thank you, Chloe!"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking you!"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I'm thankful that you allowed me to purchase it for you."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Yeah, ok.. I'm getting you back for this though."
Chloe went to change, North had already changed and went with Markus to buy her new outfit. A few seconds later, Chloe walks out with the dress in her hand. Connor and Chloe make their way to the cash register and purchase Chloe's new dress.
Soon after they walk out of the store.

𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Thank you again, Connor. Really."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Don't worry about it, I made that decision."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Still, I feel like I owe you back."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "You don't owe me anything, Chloe."
While they're wandering around the mall, Connor's attention gets caught with a tie he's interested in.
Chloe follows him as do Markus and North.
Markus stands next to Connor as he observes the tie Connor's got his eyes on.
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Oo, that's a nice one."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Yeah.. Yeah it is."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "You interested?"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I am, but.. I don't know."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "You can come back and check it out again later."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I really like it, it's very much my style, but I don't think I want to get it right now. Maybe I'll come back later for it."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Your call."
Connor and Markus continue forward while Chloe and North stop dead in their tracks.
Chloe had the fortune to overhear their conversation..
North slides to Chloe's side while they're both staring down at the tie.
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "..you thinking what I'm thinkin'?"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "..yep."
Without the knowledge of Markus nor Connor, Chloe purchases the tie for Connor despite him saying that he'll return later for it.

After a few hours of running around in the mall, entering and existing multiple stores and drink breaks, they decide that it's finally time to call it a day and depart.
At the park where the café is, Connor, Chloe, Markus and North are standing talking to eachother.
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Well, This was a great outing, I've had plenty of fun."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "Yeah, It was pretty pleasant to hang out with you both."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "I agree, we should all meet up again sometime soon."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "I can't disagree, it was nice for a change to finally go out and meet up with my friends."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "It was nice seeing you Connor and Chloe."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Nice seeing you two, Markus. And North."
𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝: "I loved hanging out with you today, Chloe. I hope we can meet up again."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Me too."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Goodnight, Markus."
𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙪𝙨: "Goodnight, Connor."
The note ends with that and they all make their way back to their car.
But before Connor could return back to his, Chloe stops him yet again.
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Connor?"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Yes, Chloe?"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "I was meaning to give you this."
She took out a box and Connor opened it to find the tie he liked inside.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Chloe-"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "No, I'm not taking it back. Yes, you deserve it."
Connor lightly smiles at Chloe.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Thank you.. You really didn't have to-"
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Shh, I don't wanna hear that. I had to. Your gift for me is worth so much more and I wish I could've gotten you something more valuable, but.. I guess another time."
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "This is more than enough for me. Thank you."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "You're welcome.."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "So.. I'll see you later?"
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙧: "Yeah, Goodbye, Chloe."
𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚: "Goodnight!~"
Connor and Chloe head back to their vehicles then speed off back to their homes for the night.
_________________________________________

That wraps up that part, sheesh..
Thank you for reading, I hope you like it and above all else, stay safe out there. Bye~

𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩: 1391.