That Should Be Me

Burgundy

"So what first?" Eleanor asks as I open the door for her.

"Well... I have some shopping to do. I need some clothes."

The car starts driving. "Don't you have enough clothes already?" She laughs.

I shrug sheepishly.

"No, you're right. I need some clothes too."

I grin at her. "So the mall then?"

She nods. The rest of the drive is spent in comfortable silence until we pull up at the mall. I rush out of the car and open the door for her before she can get out.

"Thanks, Liam," she smiles, hitching the bag higher on her shoulder.

"No problem," I shrug, opening the mall door for her too.

"So what first?" She asks, spinning to face me and walking backwards. I glance around.

"Well, I'm kind of hungry, so the food court?"

"Sounds good."

We take the escalator and Eleanor squeals. "They have Starbucks!"

I laugh. "I'll order, you get a table?"

She nods as I weave through the crowd to the Starbucks kiosk and order my caramel mocha and her almond latte.

I walk back to where she's sitting in a corner table.

"Here," I say, handing her, her latte. She glances at it then at me.

"You remembered?"

I shrug. "Of course."

She looks down. "Louis never does."

I frown. "He doesn't?"

She shakes her head. "Nope... always gets me either the pumpkin spice or just iced coffee."

I wrinkle my nose. "Those are both gross."

"I know! But I don't have the heart to tell him."

I sigh. "Some people have no idea."

We smile at each other.

"So, you said you were hungry," Eleanor states.

"Yeah...?"

"You only have coffee."

I look at my coffee for a moment and grin. "You're right. But I'm not so hungry any more." S

he laughs and we finish our coffee.

*

I have to admit, I like to shop. But it's nothing, nothing compared to Eleanor.

"El," I groan as we walk out of another shop. "Don't you have enough? I'd like to get something to eat."

"You said you weren't hungry!"

"That," I say, checking my watch. "Was five hours ago."

She skids to a stop. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Well... I'm almost done. I have the shoes, the purse, I need the dress!"

I sigh. "Fine."

She links her arm through mine. "Thanks, Li."

"Anytime."

She steps into the last store and I trail behind her, occasionally stopping to look at some jackets.

"Liam?" Eleanor peers from behind a rack.

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna try something on; can you tell me how it looks?"