Please

Part 3

“Hey, um — (Y/N), wait up!”

Hmm?

Your footsteps falter, and you half turn as you see Josh trotting after you, his longer legs catching up with you pretty quick. You were walking towards the bus, your feet crunching on the gravel, and you hesitate as he stops in front of you.

What did he want?

You cross your arms defensively as he stops, his thumbs hooking into his pockets.

“Hey.” he says awkwardly.

?

“Hi.”

“So, uh — I was gonna head to the mall today, do you wanna come with me?” he asks after a moment, speaking as if he was choosing his words carefully. “Like Rick and Chris had that interview with some important magazine, and so me and the other guys are just gonna be hanging around the bus in our underwear. I figure I could spare you the experience.”

You want to frown, but your lips twitch a little before you look down.

The mall?

Well, you were needing a few things, but….

But you didn’t really know him that well.

You’re not sure how well that would go….

“Um, Ricky….”

“He’s cool with it, I asked him earlier,” Josh says quickly. “So if you wanna come to the mall, evenI’d be grateful; at least then I wouldn’t be wandering around by myself like a weirdo. And I was needing some shit from the shops, so — you wanna come? We can get food court food and pretend we’re not tourists.”

You snort a little.

Right.

Well.

It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, would it?

“I suppose I can,” you say after a moment, biting your lip. “What time do you want to go?”

“Any time you’re ready; the mall’s only like two blocks from here, so I figured we could walk it, grab a cab if we overload ourselves with bags or somethin’, y’know?”

Sounds like a good plan.

“Alright, let me run inside and get my stuff, and I’ll be right back?”

“Cool. I’ll meet you at the gates.”

You nod, and then disappear around a parked bus.

Josh lets his breathe go, then quickly pulls out his phone.

Balz: bro, we goin ShOpPiN!

Ricky: good now dont be an asshole n make sure she has a good time

Balz: when do women NOT have a good time w me?

Ricky: …. all the tme?

Right.

Asshole.

Josh sighs as he tucks his phone in his pocket, seeing you walking back towards him, purse slung over your shoulder.

You look so… plain.

You had your sunglasses on again, your long hair falling past your shoulders and down your back, and you look annoyed with it as you swat it out of your way.

You were wearing those washed out jeans again, and a plain, long-sleeve white top.

You need a wardrobe upgrade.