[REDACTED]

IX

chapter name: 7

The three of them got out of the Jeep and all walked inside. George had thought about it in the car and turned to look at Ella, "I think I would want to get some of those things I talked to you about." She smiled and pulled out her phone, "Ok, well you two shop for a bit, George here's a card." She handed him a card, "It won't need a pin, also, meet me in the Starbucks around, 1:30 or 2?" George quickly nodded, "Yeah, yeah that all sounds good." Ella put her phone away, "Also, for the more feminine things I'll help you with that."

George nodded and Ella smiled again, then she walked away. George turned to face Nick, "So what was it that you need to get Karl?" Nick groaned (not in that way go touch some grass) "I can't get those things, just get them for me when you go with Ella." George scoffed, "Well I can't get them if I don't know what it is I'm supposed to get." Nick grabbed his phone from his pocket and searched for something running his hand through his hair before handing George his phone. George looked over the list carefully, not understanding why it had him so embarrassed.

"Why has this thrown you so off?" Nick just rolled his eyes again, "Well, anytime I look at that damn list I imagine him in that stuff." George smirked, "Aw Nick's got the hots for his boyfriend." George stood there laughing for a bit. "I can get the stuff for you Nick, under one condition." Nick smiled, "Anything." George acted like he was thinking about something. "The name of the person who fell for me over photos, that's my one condition." Nick fell on the floor, like actually fell over all dramatic like. "Get your ass up Nick don't make a scene."

Nick lazily stood up and muttered something under his breath. "What?" George hadn't heard him. "Clay, his names Clay." George acted very high and mighty for a moment until Nick grabbed his arm, "Come on we have shopping to do." George just smiled and let Nick drag him along. Eventually they walked into a hot topic. Nick acted like he was breathing in fresh air. "We need to get you some credit on the school hierarchy. Nice lanyard or something, also, we're piercing your ears, I don't care what you say." George scoffed playfully.

For the next two hours Nick dragged George in and out of stores, spending money and buying things that George liked, and Nick thought would be good for him. It was their last stop before they would meet up with Ella in the Starbucks. Nick made George close his eyes. "Ok so George, we're here." He opened his eyes to see that he was standing in front of a wall, and a poster next to it. Nick smiled, "This is on me, pick a few different ones, and I'll pick the official." George looked at the chart closely. He decided to get either an industrial, helix, or lobe. Nick nodded and thought about it for a second.

"All three. The helix can be a chain, black, attached to the lobe. Two studs on either side of the industrial instead of the bar. Then for the left ear, full industrial bar, double helix, and black diamond stud on the lobe. All black." The guy holding the piercing gun looked at George's ears and nodded, "It'll work well, especially on the pale skin." George just rolled his eyes playfully.

He wasn't nervous about the needles or anything, he was just ready to get it over with. He heard the guy fiddle with the gun and attach the different pieces. He heard the thing click and then felt the cold hands on his ears. When the needles shot through his ears and placed the metal firmly, he did expect it to hurt, even if it was just a bit. But when he felt the pain, he didn't hate it, in fact, he liked it. It made him calm down, somehow. A few moments later both of his ears were done.

Nick was standing there kinda shocked. "Wow, did it even hurt?" George gave a simple "Yeah." Then he stood up to look int he mirror. He liked how he looked, his hair was cut, ears pierced, face clean and not plagued with acne, expensive clothes that fit, and also, he didn't have bags under his eyes. He smiled, a genuine smile, and then turned to face Nick. "Ok, we should pay and then go meet Ella so we aren't late." Nick took a hundred from his back pocked and handed it to the guy who did the piercings. "Bye Kace." The guy, Kace, nodded and then Nick and George left.