𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐘, k.jacobs²

IX

"Okay so this one smells of apples," I say and hold up a green candle to Karl and he hums.

"No," He says and turns his face away. I smile. "Good, I didn't like how it smelled anyways," I say and place the candle back on the shelf. I bite my bottom lip and look around the shelf for another candle.

I spot a black one and pick it up, reading on the side of it. "Black orchids," I say and furrow my eyebrows. "Is that a real thing?" I ask Karl and he shrugs. I shrug back and smell the candle.

"Oh wow," I say and look at it with wide eyes. "What?" Karl asks and look up from whatever he was doing.

"It smells amazing," I say, astonished. I had no idea I'd actually find a candle I like. Usually I think they all smell like shit and just walk away empty handed, but this one single candle (literally, it was the only of its kind on the wall of scented and colored candles the shop has to offer) changed that by smelling like a goddamn spring day. A perfect one, like the ones spent in the woods during a picnic or when everything just goes smoothly.

"Are you buying it?" Karl asks and I look over at him, forcing myself to look away from the candle.

"Buying it? Of course I am, I think I'm going to marry this candle," I say, no hint of sarcasm or humor whatsoever.

"Oh," Karl's face falls and I start giggling.

"Don't worry, I can be married twice, when it burns out I'll count that as a death and marry you, I promise," I smile at him and he starts laughing, covering his mouth with his right hand.

"You're honking awesome, did you know that?" Karl says while still laughing.

I smirk and flip my hair. "Of course I knew that. I'm me, am I not?" I scoff and put my chin up, causing him to start hysterically laughing, earning a couple of stares from other people in the shop.

"Karl, shhh, people are staring," I hush him, whisper-screaming which makes me sound like a fifty year old lady who has smoked her whole life.

He quickly calms down. "Sorry," He whispers back and I get closer to the microphone in my phone.

"It's fine, but this is kind of embarrassing now, I think I'll go pay and leave," I tell him jokingly while looking around the store, staring down everyone who is looking at me.

"Oh, okay," He replies in a hushed voice and nods seriously. I start giggling but stop myself quickly by slapping a hand over my mouth.

"Let's go," I whisper to him and do the rest of the stuff I need to do like it's a let's play and Karl is the only viewer, because he is.

"Thank you," I smile and grab the bag with my candle as the lady in behind the register holds it out to me.

"No problem honey, come back any day," She smiles back and she seems so sweet that I would have just wanted to hug her if it wasn't for my social anxiety.

"You're really pretty," Karl says out of the blue, reminding me that he's still there.

"What? Oh, thank you," I blush. "You're very pretty too," I say.

"No, no I mean it. You're actually really pretty," He hurries to correct me and looks very serious. I glance at him and then look back at the pavement ahead of me.

"Thank you Karl, I- I don't know what to say honestly," I smile and I hear him sigh happily.

"You don't have to say anything, just let me admire your face while you walk home," He says and I giggle.

"That would have been creepy if you were anyone else than my boyfriend," I say and shake my head and he laughs.

"Probably," He agrees and I scoff with laughter again. The plastic bag with the candle in it causes a weird unbalance in weight between my right and left arm and I just want to carry the candle like a baby instead. But then people would look at me weird.

"What are you thinking about?" Karl asks and I look down at him in my head with raised eyebrows. I had forgot he was there for the second time today.

"Oh, I was thinking about my candle," I chuckle and he rolls his eyes.

"I'm starting to believe you love that candle more than you love me," He fake mopes and I feel the heat rising on my cheeks.

"I could never," I adamantly shake my head and he giggles. "I don't believe you," He sing-songs.

I sigh with a smile tugging at my lips. "Karl, I promise that I love you more than I love the candle that I bought only five minutes ago," I roll my eyes.

"Aw, I love you too," He grins and I know he's still joking, but I blush when he says that and have to look away. "Oh my god. Are you blushing? You look adorable when you're blushing. I should make you blush more often," Karl does a monologue as my blush just continues to grow with every word he says.

"I hate you," I mutter for myself.

"What was that?" Karl asks and arches an eyebrow at me. "Nothing," I say quickly. "Good," He says with a proud grin and I roll my eyes. How did I fall in love with this idiot?