You can't find me

Chapter 37

Ry's POV

It's been a week since I saw him in Alexanders bed. And I don't know what got over me then to have treated him like a friend. It was my bad. So now I've been avoiding him like the plague which has also been easy because he hasn't been in town this entire time. 

In this time I have spent a lot of time with Lucca's girlfriend, Sera who isn't as snobby as I expected. She can be a total asshole though to people who clearly don't identify as an elite. I guess I got a pass for that as she knows I'm good friends with her boyfriend. 

"Rae!! Help me out here, would you? Which color suits me more?" a voice comes from behind me and I exhale a sigh before turning around. 

At this very moment I would rather be doing anything than being on a shopping spree with Sera. I don't even know how she didn't get bored by looking at fabric pieces for hours. 

All she's wearing is a bodice and cage skirt because she booked out the entire boutique for the rest of the day for her try on session. So the shutters were closed and only the experienced employees were on shift right now. 

The dress on the right is a long maroon sweetheart dress that dangles on the floor and the left is basically a carbon copy of that.

How the fuck was there a difference in either of them? Even the color was the exact same. 

"Oh come on Rae! I have so many more to try, which ones better?" she says and twirls to show the lace design on the back of both of them. 

I make an expression that show's I'm so invested in comparing both of the dresses before speaking. 

"The one on the left goes well with your skin tone." I say completely bluffing but she wouldn't be able to tell that I was. 

She looks back n forth between both of them and then drops the left one into the arms of Sheera, the girl closest to her. 

"Okay show me more colors in that." she demands and then looks at me. 

Like hell no, she would not be making me a mannequin today. I take a step back and slump into a lounge chair next to the entrance of the dressing area. 

She huffs. "Oh come on Rae, get up. I want to find a dress for you too. Your going to be sitting with me at my table. I want everyone who's near me to look as elegant as possible." 

Of course, it was her birthday ball after all. 

I'm about to slump further in the seat but she stomps over with that clicking sound of her heels following her before yanking me off the seat. 

I groan out loud and she snaps at the worker who's just leaning against a dressing room, staring at us with a bewildered expression. 

"You." she says pointing at her. "Find my friend a dress that is within the red spectrum. A little lighter than mine and with full sleeves." And then goes further into the back to see the other dresses that have for her in maroon. 

The girl gets to work right away. Under five minutes I'm piled up with dresses to try on. 

I pick one that's backless and has full sleeves. Good enough for me I guess, only Sera had to approve of it, so I wore it and looked at myself in the mirror. 

It brought out my figure and it had a lower neckline than what I would normally wear but overall it was comfortable.

Sera came out in another dress that had a long slit and was made entirely out of maroon lace which showed a whole lot of more skin. She definitely checked all the boxes though to pull out that look. 

"What do you think?" she said while walking down the aisle. 

I give her a genuine nod of approval this time. 

"It's perfect." I tell her while casting mini glittery fireworks around her. 

She squeals and hugs me before taking a look at my own dress. 

"Ooo, I like this one on you. Get one with a different neckline though. You don't have room for any necklaces on this one." she says while swiping her fingers over my collarbone. 

"I don't think I need a neckla-"

She dismisses my response with a wave of her hands. 

"Nonsense." she replies. Sheera picks up a dress that has low square neckline and brings it over to her. 

"My lady, is this one okay for your friend?" she questions. 

Sera spins around to face her and glares. 

"Address her by her last name. She's important to me." she bites out. 

The girl looks horrified and before she's about to open her mouth, I give her a thank you and she runs to the back. 

I pick up the dress and take off the one I'm wearing to try it on. 

Sera helps me with the zipper and then stares at me through the mirror with a calculative look. 

"Hmm, this one is nice." is all she says. 

"That's good enough for me." I say before taking it off and slipping back into the clothes I wore to get here. 

It takes us two more hours before she finally picks a dress that is very much so like the first lace one she had tried on. When I tell her that she gives me a confused stare, saying the material and design was way different than the first one. 

I decide not to argue with that. 

I hear a knock at the front door and look at Sera to see she's talking to the manager. 

Heading over I look to see who it is and see a tired Lucca trying to peek inside the store. 

I unlock the door and let him in. 

"Hey." he says in a groggy voice. 

He stumbles as I let him in and I relook at his clothes. There's dirt, grass, ashy powder - and I think even blood on his army uniform. 

"Where the hell did they send you for a week?" I question him while putting a hand on his back to support him as he walks to the back of the store.

He sighs and stops walking to face me. 

There a big eye-bags under his hazel eyes that are completely dull. 

"It's confidential Ry. Do you have water or something? I came straight from dispatch, over here. Didn't want to disappoint Ser. I know how important this is for her." he wearily says and rubs his eyes.

He's still facing me when Sera realizes someone came to the store and I hear here voice coming closer to us. 

"Rae! The stores closed. Tell whoever it is to leave I-" she stops mid sentence when she's in our vision, dressed back into her white sundress. She lets out a gasp before running towards us or should I say to Lucca at full speed. 

"OH MY GOSH!! LUCCA YOU CAME! I-" she kisses him all over his face and lips. "Missed you so much, love. Thank you for coming." she gushed. 

He engulfs her into a tight hug and she burry's her head into his chest while sobbing from I'm guessing happiness. 

I don't think it occurs to her that he's completely covered in dirt and other shit as she's hugging him in one of her favorite dresses. 

Not to say Sera was a girl who said she even loathed hugging her cousins after they won their state dueling sessions because of how sweaty and dirty they were. 

And now she was hugging a guy who came from what looks like a literal war-zone. 

I guess love really did blind people.