Dark Rose [#Wattys2016]

Eleven**Autumn

"Oh, pick this one." I shoved a beautiful purple blouse towards Chloe.

"I don't know." She said for the fiftieth time, or maybe not. I decided that I should stop counting since it was a phrase she had made inevitable. I was beginning to think it was her mantra.

"You've said that to every shirt, pants, skirt and even a spring dress that shouldn't even be in season." I protested.

"Yeah." She grimaced. "It's just that, shopping isn't really my thing. I haven't really been good at it. I mostly just grab jeans and a few shirts."

"That's horrific." I gasped.

She scowled. "That's me." I slumped but because I was in public, instead I pulled them back and straightened my posture. "Besides, we have a woman who shops for us."

"I have that too, but I learned how to shop for my style. Just try it on. What is the point of shopping if you don't even shop for anything? What do you even do in a mall, watch the people pass?" I griped.

"I don't even go to the mall." She hissed, waving her hands in frustration.

I took a calm breath. "Please, just try it on." I groaned.

She pursed her lips before finally capitulating. "Fine." Chloe snatched it out of my hands and pulled back the curtain from the dressing room, hooking the hanger on the curtain rod before swishing it closed.

Five minutes later, she had changed into the blouse. "Okay. How do I look?" She asked, trying to sound bored but looked as if she secretly appreciated my selection.

I smiled. "Fantastic. Please tell me you will purchase?"

She laughed. "And I would wear it where? More importantly when?" Chloe examined herself, twisting her hips in certain poses and nodding her head up down, catching the light at a certain angle on her face.

"I don't know. To a dinner perhaps or maybe lunch date." I suggested, but she still seemed to think the idea ridiculous.

"Ha! Lunch date?" She scoffed.

I waved it away. "If you don't buy it, I will." I mock threatened.

Chloe giggled. "Fine."

I laughed with her and we both made our way to the cashier. I had at lease twenty seven outfits—that I had prepared in number of minutes, not to brag—and compared Chloe's I went ahead and took her shirt from her, ignoring her protests.

"$48.79, please." The sprightly cashier announced.

I passed her the money and shoved away Chloe's bill. "Don't." I said sternly. "Compared to all the outfits I have and the one shirt you have, I might as well put it together."

She sighed, surrendering. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." A high-pitched giggle made us both turn to see where it came from. As usual, my charismatic brother had hypnotized another girl. She laughed and patted his arm every two seconds. My brother's smile didn't even twitch.

"Does he talk to every girl that passes?" Chloe whispered to me as if we would be heard. The cashier handed us our bags and pulled an iPhone—which I learned from Keegan—out of her pants pocket.

"Of course," I said, answering Chloe. "It's his greatest skill, or that I know of."

"Hmm." She hummed, but her head was turned so I couldn't tell or see what she meant by that.

Gabe grabbed our shopping bags, not bothered by the frilly colors or that everything inside was filled feminine items. When we stepped beside my brother, the giggling stranger took one glance at me and muttered a goodbye before tip toeing away.