Loved & Loyal | 1

i

Starts: Tuesday, July 5th, 2016

We've known each other since birth. Played in the same play pen. I was there to help her with her first steps. Our fathers have been best friends since high school and have done most things together. They both got married in the same year to the loves of their lives and had their children on the same day. Abby and I were born on August 15th. Our mothers became best friends when our fathers introduced them to one another. We live right beside each other. Go to the same school. We are the best of friends. I couldn't live without her.

I was the first born, the first to walk, the first to talk, the first to get my driver's license. But where I went, Abby was sure to come racing after. I am fiercely protective of her, and she is just as protective of me.

I pulled into a parking spot at the local mall, grumbling in my seat.

"I can't believe you're making me do this."

"I can't believe you were dumb enough to get in the car," Abby retorted back.

I groaned loudly but got out of the car anyway. I went around to her side to wait for her to get out. She grabbed her red Converse backpack and exited the car. I locked the doors and slung my arm around her shoulders as we walked to the main entrance. Luckily, I had gotten a fairly close parking spot, so we didn't have to walk too far in the heat. It was July, and it was hot. Abby had dragged me to the mall on this scorching hot day because we needed to get some things for our upcoming vacation.

Every year since we were eleven, our families went on a vacation to Europe for our birthdays. Abby and I didn't mind. We got beaches, great food, and odd experiences for our birthdays. We didn't need presents.

Our first store was West49. This is our favourite store. Abby and I had both gotten our longboards and penny boards here.

"We have to go in here, Abs," I demanded, steering her into the store,

"Ben, you honestly think I wouldn't go in this store." Abby looked at me with an expression I was very familiar with. It was her 'you-idiot-don't-you-know-me-at-all' look. I did know her, better than anyone.

"How about this one?" I said with a smirk, holding up a tiny, pink bikini. Abby gasped and slapped my shoulder.

"Ha-ha, very funny. You would like me to get this wouldn't you?"

We continued to banter back and forth, picking up and putting down multiple items of clothing, accessories, and so on. Abs ended up going to the cashier with a black and white bikini, jean shorts, an oversized sweater with 'SK8R' on it, and a pair of white low-top converse. She had a thing for that brand.

I brought my items up to the till which included a pair of blue board shorts, a black Hurley t-shirt, and matching blue Vans. We did differ on some things, always arguing over which were better, Converse or Vans.

There was a pretty girl, about our age, standing behind the counter. As I set my purchases on the counter, she stuck her chest out and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. She had long, brown hair, brown eyes, full lips, and a slim figure. And she is also shamelessly flirting with me. I wasn't into her. At all. I look to Abs, silently begging her to help me out. She got the hint and strutted over to me. She flipped her light brown hair behind her shoulder, mimicking the cashier, and slipped her arm around my waist.

"Baby, hurry up, I wanna go to La Senza. They have this gorgeous piece of lingerie I'm dying to get." Abs looked up to me with a pout, her other hand coming around to rest on my chest.

Abby pretended to just notice the girl behind the counter and sent her a look with her left eyebrow raised.

"Is there a problem?" She almost spit venom at the girl behind the counter. For a second, if I hadn't known this was an act, I would have thought she was actually jealous. My heart was beating faster as she continued to leave her hand on my chest.

I don't know what had come over me, but it needed to stop.

"It's okay, babe. I'll be right there," I said to Abs with a wink and a kiss to her temple. She walked off, swaying her hips slightly.

I paid for my clothes and shoes, trying not to look at the girl. I grabbed my bag off the counter and almost jogged out of the store.

"That is the most awkward experience I have ever had in West49," I declared as I reached Abby.

"No, do you remember when I got my first board? That was awkward." I laughed at the memory.

"Yeah, Abs, you're right, that was really awkward." I was laughing a bit too much now, so Abs hit my shoulder to get me to stop.

We continued on, walking through the mall, cracking jokes and messing around. I had my arm slung around her shoulders again and I stopped as we passed a certain store, causing her to stop abruptly as well, my arm keeping her by my side.

"You weren't serious about that lingerie thing, were you?" I asked, turning up my nose.

Abs scoffed. "Not unless you got excited." She winked at me and then continued walking, my arm falling limp by my side, my mouth hanging open. Damn, I forgot for a minute how much of a tease she was.

Abby has had multiple boyfriends. From nerds, to bad boys, she's fucked 'em all. She's not a slut, but she gets around. I, on the other hand, have had a few girlfriends and I'm not a virgin but I haven't been with many girls.

Our next store is not one worth remembering the name, but they sell Calvin Klein, so we both go in. We part ways and meet up back at the register. We look at what the other has in their hands, then look back up into each others eyes.

"No, put it back," we say at the same time.

Abs narrows her eyes at me so I do the same.

"I found it first."

"No, I did."

"OK, well I'm going to get these," Abs says holding up her grey, Calvin Klein sports bra and matching panties.

"Well, I'm getting this," I say, holding up my grey, Calvin Klein boxers. Almost the exact same as hers.

"I guess we'll twin then..." Abby says begrudgingly.

We turn to the cash register and both put our items on the counter at the same time, trying to be first.

The lady behind the counter, about thirty, looks at our items then back up at us. She smiles kindly and rings up all of the underwear.

"You two make a nice couple," She says will looking at the register.

"Oh, umm.... No... We aren't - I mean.." I stutter, trying and failing to say that Abby's just my best friend. I hand the lady my card, paying for all of our stuff so the lady doesn't have to separate it.

"Awe, thank you! That's so nice of you to say-" Abby says with grace, pausing to look at the lady's name tag, "-Linda."

I just stand there like an idiot, completely stunned with how Abby handled that. She grabs the bag with both of our things in it and leaves the store. I hesitate for a couple seconds, debating whether to tell Linda the truth. I finally give up and follow after my best friend.