Eccedentesiast || l.r.h.

Chapter 25 - Contemplation

Hot. The receipt said. How did he even have the time to write that? How did he even get a Sharpie marker?

I shook the thoughts away and slipped out of the bikini. I covered myself in my black shirt, skinny jeans and a flannel tied around my waist and my usual combat boots.

I put the items I wanted to buy; the sunflower crop top and bikini on my right hand and the rest of the clothes I dragged along on the other.

I unlocked the door with a click and stepped out. The boys were all waiting outside at the same spot. "Let's go," Michael called. "Wait I'll just put the ones I don't want back," I told them and excused myself. "Meet you guys at the cashier."

After making a few trips front and back, I managed to place everything back in their initial places. Except for the crop top and bikini. I stared at the bikini. I contemplated for a moment, but not too long because I didn't want to keep the boys waiting for more than they already were.

During the contemplation, thoughts interrupted, or rather allied with the decision 'no'. Unwanted ones.

You sure you're going to be able to rock those out? Azalea, those are not made for you. Azalea, Arzaylea can do better. Forget it Azalea. Azalea the boys are just messing with you. Azalea. Azalea. Azalea.

Well too bad Azalea, I'm getting them.

I held the sunflower crop top and bikini close as if someone were to snatch them away. While walking to the counter, I couldn't help but think about how familiar the voices in my head sounded. They sounded a lot like Arzaylea. But that was very stupid of me to think because we were twins, of course we kind of sounded the same.

But they sounded like the kind of things she would say to me. Before she was suddenly so nice.

I was so deep into my thoughts I almost ran into Luke. I definitely knew where I was going, just wasn't looking. "Are you okay?" He asked with two hands gripping mine to help me regain balance. "Fine," I convinced him with a lie.

I placed the two items on the counter and watched the cashier retrieve them. She ran the crop top through the scanner with no difficulties but when it came to the bikini, she asked, "This too miss?" She must've sensed my doubts from over the counter that separated us. Or maybe it was just a policy to ask customers if they were sure they wanted to buy a bikini.

I bit my lips, knowing me having second doubts was obvious. I pushed it away and dodged an awkward situation. "Yes," I only had one job which was to say that one word with all my confidence but only succeeding in making my voice crack.

I felt the heat rising coolly up the back of my neck as I waited for my cue to pass my roll of dollar bills to cover up the total. The brunette cashier stretched her hand and exposed her palm. I dropped the dollar bills and she went back to jabbing buttons on the cash register. "Have a nice day," she passed me my clothes in a plastic bag. I nodded and wished her the same.

I was ready to leave the store. The boys followed suit behind me. "Where to next?" I quickly said. "Ummm the beach?" Calum suggested. "Why?" I blinked, Why the beach?

"To catch Pokémons. Ugh, what do you think that bikini is for?" He pointed to the limp plastic bag I was holding. "Not today idiot," I glared. "My feelings," he gripped his chest. "You don't have any," I informed him. "Touché," he pointed finger guns at me. Not true actually, Calum has a lot of mixed up feelings for a guy. On a daily basis, he calls me at night to ask the most random things. I couldn't even tell what he was going to ask the following night.

Let's see, one night he asked me if he was fat, I told him yes, as a joke of course. He started panicking but I talked him out of the cruel joke. The other night, he asked if he was gay, honestly, I said yes again. He panicked again. I rescued again. Basically I became his personal therapist. Man, I should get paid for this. Maybe I'd suggest it to him.