Closer Than Your Shadow

Burnt Skin

Soooo sorry about how long the chapter is lollll but it made more sense not being broken up into parts, so deal with it <3

November 26th 1:42 p.m.
Gotham
Downtown

"I didn't think a canary yellow pantsuit would be in the pile. Project Runway is really rubbing off on you, huh? Feeling adventurous?" I laughed.

"You know I could have gone shopping without you!" Lindsay shouted behind the curtain.

"I told you. I felt bad about missing last night, so this is me paying you back. I'm running errands with you."

She complained but I knew deep down Lindsay loved this type of thing. She liked to go out and shop with me pestering her.

I didn't have to miss dinner with her last night, but the Robin stuff made me too anxious to lie through a whole meal.

"I know, I know. And I'm so grateful you've granted me all your annoying little opinions, but why would I take fashion advice from someone who's scared to wear anything with color?" Lindsay laughed. She threw a red dress over the curtain rod, and it landed on top of my face.

"I like wearing all black. It's a neutral color." I looked at the price tag and my stomach dropped. "Linds, this is more than my rent."

I didn't pay my rent, Dom did, but I still knew how much it was.

Lindsay's poked her head out from behind the curtain and her hair fell in front of her face.

"It doesn't hurt to indulge yourself sometimes," she shrugged as she pushed some of the strands behind her ear. She threw the curtain open and came out in a green halter top dress. She did a twirl and put her arms up to show off the whole thing.

"You look amazing," I praised.

"Would you paint me like one of your French girls if you saw me in this dress?" She joked as she twirled.

"If I was Sal, I'd bake a life size cake of you in that dress," I reassured her.

"Now that's what I like to hear." She stepped back into the changing room and asked, "So why did you have to cancel on us last minute?"

"Oh my god, it was horrible. I started getting sick after I got home so I decided to just sleep it off," I put the dresses in piles of like, love or despise. "Did you like the red one?"

"No, it made me look fat," Lindsay continued, "Have you talked to Lenny lately?"

"Uhm, yeah actually. Yesterday at the Bakery. He didn't say hi? We were in the alley."

"No, it's been a while since Sal or I saw him. Maybe a week or so, I was just wondering if he was okay."

She stepped out and was dressed in her own jeans and blue long-sleeved
t-shirt. She dropped all of her dresses them all onto my lap and maniacally laughed.

By time we finished checking out, I needed a joint and a good lunch, so we walked downtown to eat. The restaurant we chose was still closed so we took our time and went to a small boutique that was nearby. Lindsay raved on about it and said I needed to get a new dress for the club. I told her I'd look for something, but I didn't have the funds for a new dress. I'd just wear something old.

There wasn't a sign outside. It really was a hole in the wall, but the inside was cute. The walls were pale pink and a few white faux fur stools sat around the store. A flat screen in the corner played the weather channel and mirrors along the walls reflected the woman talking about the cold front that was coming in a few days.