Overprotected

Chapter Fifteen

"Carson and I are going to the mall... With Noir. Wanna come help keep him in check and give him someone he likes to hang out with?"
I ask, talking to Bryce. I had invited Blair and Nate, but they passed to go to the movies.

"Sure. I'm anxious to meet this Noir guy that you rave about and Carson hates."

"Thanks. You could also help keep things from being awkward between me and Car. I know we made up yesterday and all, but something still feels off."

Bryce smiles. "Again, I'd be glad to."

~*~*~

"Lexi come look at this board!" Noir drags me over to a store window, Carson and Bryce trailing behind. I pull my wrist from Noir, jerking roughly to a stop.

"Isn't it great?"

I don't surf. I have no idea if it's great or not. "Yeah, Noir. That's really fabulous."

"Personally I think the colors clash." Carson says, coming up behind me.

"Red and yellow? Come on, Carson. They look cool on the board." Noir replies.

"Red and yellow are great together!" Carson says cheerily. Too cheerily. "But you have to be colorblind not to see that that is not red, but scarlet. And scarlet does not look good with yellow."

I sigh and roll my eyes at Bryce. The whole morning had pretty much been like this. "Guys let's move on. I see a shoe store over there. Let's go in, Carson needs new Nikes."

"I don't need-"

"Carson look at your shoes!"

He glances down. So does Noir.

"Yeah those are pretty bad pal." Noir says sweetly.

Carson grits his teeth. "They're not that bad. New laces would help a lot."

I lace my arm through his. "Come on. I agree with Noir on this one."

We enter the store and I grab a pair of grey sneakers. "These are cool." I say, holding them up.

"If you like grey." Carson mumbles.

I try not to be hurt at his reply, but I can't keep a quick look of disappointment from flitting across my face. Noir sees it.

"I like grey!" Noir snatches them from my hand. "Woah Carson, is this your shoe size? You got small feet."

"It runs in the family," Carson says, teeth clenched.

Bryce picks up a pair that are black, with dark blue laces. "Carson, bro, these are nice."

Carson takes them. "I'll try them."

After much debate, Carson does get that pair and Noir leaves with the grey ones, though as far as I know he doesn't need them.

"Where to next, sexy Lexi?" Noir asks, nonchalantly putting his arm around my waist.

Carson puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me from Noir's grip. "Don't call her that."

"Oh, like you've never called her sexy Lexi."

"I'm not saying I haven't. As her boyfriend, I respect the right to. I will not permit it from you though, especially with me right here."