Fostered {h.s}

Chapter 5.

It felt entirely too early to be awake and out and about as I strolled through the mall in the city south of where the house was. It had taken about twenty minutes to drive here and I'd been cramped in the back seat of the S.U.V between Kayla and Maddie the entire time. Christy was driving and Harry sat in the front passenger seat. Jon had decided to stay back at the house on claims that he'd hurt his leg at work and didn't feel like walking around.

We passed all the different stores and came to a stop in front of some huge office supplies store. I looked at Harry and then at Christy in confusion. Why would we come all the way to the mall to shop at an office supplies store?

"I'm going to buy Kayla and Maddie their school supplies. You and Harry can tag along with us if you like." Christy said.

"Sami isn't going to get school supplies?" Harry questioned.

A small smile tugged at my lips at the fact that Harry had called me 'Sami' and not 'Samantha' like he tended to do so often.

"I'm going to finish my schooling online since I only have a few more credits to get. I done most of my classes last year when I was in lock up." I explained.

Harry nodded.

"Can I go look around in some of the other stores while you buy the school supplies?" I asked.

"If Harry goes with you, you can. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just there's so many strangers walking around in here and you've never been to this mall before, I'm assuming. It's easy to get lost in and you don't have a phone."

"Right," I said, forcing myself to not roll my eyes. I was perfectly capable of maneuvering around a mall by myself.

I started down the wide isle that was lined with stores on both sides as Christy said something that I didn't catch. Heavy footsteps sounded close behind me and soon Harry was at my side. Neither of us acknowledged what we both had to be thinking about. What would have happened last night if Christy hadn't interrupted us?

Clearing my throat to push away those thoughts, I said, "So what did Christy say just a minute ago?"

"She said that she would call me when her and the girls are done because after the school supplies they're going to look around for new clothes."

I nodded and walked for a few more minutes, changing sides of the aisle every so often to avoid running into people. Harry stopped in front of the Nike store and grabbed my wrist, pulling through the wide entrance with him. Nike was one of my least favorite brands because all of their merchandise just seemed too sporty to fit my taste. I watched as Harry glanced at some boring grey tank tops and then at the shoes, staying a few steps behind him the entire time.

"I really hate this store, it's boring." I complained.

"Then which one do you want to go to?" Harry asked, sounding slightly irritated.

"Hot topic. Do they have one here?"

Harry chuckled lightly and pretend punched the top of my arm. "Sounds like you. I'll show you where it's at."

Harry and I walked through the mall aisles that were becoming more crowded as it grew later in the day. The atmosphere between us was playful and light, continuing that way as we weaved through the people. Harry's hands landed on my hips as he pulled me out of the way of a tall man who was talking on a phone and not paying attention to his surroundings. His hands left tingles where they touched me but left my hips as soon as I was out of the man's path.

"We've been walking for so long, Harry. Where is Hot Topic at?"

"You passed it up twice." Harry laughed. "It's right there in front of us. I was going to see how long it took you to realize." A grin stretched all the way across his face, showing off his straight, white teeth as he laughed.