Drawing Blood

Chapter Thirteen

As the crowd folded around me and I descended into my worst nightmare, I threw Adam a backward glance; watching the doors close on him. "Is he not coming with us?"

"He'd only slow us down," Annie said. She pushed me into the first shop we came across, and led me to the escalator, grabbing a basket on the way; handing me one, as though she knew I would not take one for myself. "He said he has a few things to do, before meeting us for lunch." She held onto the handrail as we went up to the first floor, and I copied her; watching as the ground floor sank out of view. "I suspect he doesn't want me to be there when he buys my present," she went on.

"Well, I think that's the point, isn't it?" I followed her off the escalator, and through an aisle full of teenagers; the blaring music only adding to my misfortune.

"He usually sends me cash," she admitted as she came to halt by the women's jumpers, motioning me to look at them. "I'm dreading what he's going to buy."

I tried to be diplomatic as I eyed the pile of clothes with disdain, not knowing where to begin. "I'm sure it'll be nice, whatever it is."

Like an expert, she began thumbing through them, herself; chucking the ones she liked in her basket. "The last thing he bought me was an Nsync t-shirt," she pouted. When she caught my blank expression, she added, "The band broke up in 2007. He gave me the t-shirt in 2013."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Perhaps he thought they would reunite?"

"Really?"

Still laughing at her, I picked up a jumper to examine, before putting it back. "Couldn't you just ask for cash again, this year?"

She shook her head, her blonde hair swaying gently under the aircon. "He insisted on buying something for me, this year." She tossed another jumper in her basket, before moving away from me, and to another shelf that was tucked away in the corner. Struggling with my own basket, I followed her again; not knowing my way around. "I shouldn't have let him go off on his own, really," she frowned.

Under the impression she hadn't liked that he had escaped her clutches, I tried to cheer her up. "So, he buys lousy presents, Annie," I soothed. "Better that, than not seeing him, don't you agree?"

Knowing I was right, she pulled a face. "Come on," she said, "Let's go upstairs."

To my dismay, I found myself stepping onto yet another escalator, and heading for the second floor. We were soon lost in the men's department; rifling through shirt racks. She reminded me of a Tasmanian Devil; moving through the place at such speed, that I found myself struggling to keep up. "So, what happened between you and Adam, back there, anyway?" she asked me after a while, curious.

It was my turn to frown, now. "Nothing. Why?"

"You're not fooling me, Rose."

I kept my response short, feigning ignorance. "I don't know what you mean."

She eyed me suspiciously, her mouth curving into her most dazzling smile. It was the kind of smile that would have even the most dangerous people eating out of the palm of her hand. "You do know what I mean," she grinned, "I was going to call the fire brigade; it was so intense."

"Don't, Annie...."

"Don't what?" Acting saint-like, she snatched up a green shirt and held it out in front of her, blowing a raspberry when she realised she didn't like it. "You know you're both going to have to discuss this thing between you, don't you?" she went on, dismissing my protests with a wave of her hand. "It's like watching two, highly charged, hormonal teenagers, trying to make the first move."