Carry Me Home

Nine

Evelyn

"What are you here for anyway, Angel?" Rowan asked, turning his phone on silent and stuffing it into his front pocket.

"I need to buy new jeans," I said hastily before pointing out the fact that his phone was on silent now. "Why is your phone on silent? Are you planning on kidnapping me and making sure no one finds out?" He only responded with a throaty laugh and patted my head in a comforting manner.

"I'm not here to kidnap you, Angel. If I wanted to kidnap you then we'd be in a place that's much more secluded than the shopping centre." I rolled my eyes and pushed him away. The small space between the two of us was deeply intimidating. "I'll see you in half an hour, Evelyn. I need to go do something."

I watched Rowan hastily walk away in the opposite directin to me, and once he disappeared into the midst of unknown bodies did I also start heading towards my own destination.

The first place I thought I should check out was Forever 21. My eyes darted towards the jeans rack and I instantly picked out the faded black jeans. I needed a new addition to my black jeans collection anyway. Hardly ever did I purchase blue jeans but today was a new day. I scanned the blue jean rack thoroughly before making my decision on buying dark blue jeans with rips in the knees. It doesn't hurt to be a bit rebellious every now and then.

After trying them on and making sure that they fit, I meandered over to the checkout, subtly looking at other items as I walked over.

"Evening," the cashier greeted, a dull smile on her face. In her defence I'd be bored too if I just had to stand there. I handed her the jeans as she scanned them and placed them in the bag along with the receipt. "That will be £24 please."

After handing her the money and collecting my jeans, I wandered around the rest of the centre. Rowan said he'd be back in half an hour and it's only been twenty minutes. I strolled around hoping to find a store to attract me inside but nothing did until I saw a pair of printed grey high tops in H&M. Immediately I diverted my path and entered H&M, excited to get a new pair of shoes. Unexpectedly, my phone beeped before I could even pick the shoe up and marvel at its beauty.

Where are you? (Received at 6:31)

In H&M (Sent at 6:32)

I'll be there (Received at 6:32)

I slid the phone back in my pocket so that I could pick up the shoe and check the price. £20, that was a sufficient price.

"Why are you practically drooling over that shoe, Angel?" said a voice behind me. I turned around and stuck my middle finger up at him to which he only scoffed at before putting it down. "Nice girls like you shouldn't swear. Should I tell your aunt that you've been a bad girl?" he teased, speaking in a babyish tone making me slit my eyes at him.

"It's a pretty shoe." He asked me to hand it to him for further inspection. It's a shoe, Rowan.

"You really do love the colour black, don't you. It's an adequate enough shoe. Are you going to buy it?" I nodded and took the shoe to the checkout. After paying for it with a giddy expression on my face, Rowan suggested we should go for a walk before we go back to campus and he was quite adamant that I should loop my arm around his to which I reluctantly agreed.

"I like this shopping centre for the main reason that it has a lake near it," he said, looking out towards the glistening lake where the swan were now gliding across it.

"It's calming," I added on and he nodded, agreeing with my statement.

"What did Faye say to you earlier today?" My previously calm state suddenly turned alert from Rowan's abrupt question.