Wanted

Written in the Stars

~ Chapter 9 ~

Mallie

I rifled through my bottom drawer in absolute despair. Normally, I considered myself to be a reasonably decisive person, but on this particular evening, nearly forty-five minutes had passed and I still hadn't picked out a single article of clothing for my date with Fox.

I thought about my best friend back home. She would've magically pieced together an outfit in seconds. An up-and-coming fashion model, Brenn earned a living based on how she presented herself. When we were little, she loved to set up her room like a runway, dressing herself only after she had styled me to her exact liking. Her parents would pretend to be in the audience; they always applauded whenever Brenn and I struck some sort of fancy pose at the end of our makeshift catwalk.

My eyes shifted from the pile of discarded clothing on the floor to my cell phone beside a now empty suitcase. I wanted to call Brenn so badly, not really for advice, although I could've used it, but just to talk, to ask her how she was doing, and to hear her voice again. But, I was afraid if I dialed that number, it would undo all the hard work everyone had put into creating as safe a place as the Out. I could trust Brenn, but not her cell phone. I flopped down onto the bed in frustration. It looked like I was on my own figuring out what to wear.

Taking a deep breath, I stood back up to scrutinize the few options I'd thrown together. Staring down at them, nothing seemed to really be my style. I wasn't in the mood to wear something inauthentic to me, so I forced myself to stop being picky and grabbed my favorite pair of blue jeans. They were worn at the knees and the denim was soft from so many tumbles in the washing machine. I shimmied them on, twisting to look at myself in the full length mirror. The jeans did wonders for my figure, so I stuck with them.

Bending down, I picked up a shirt I'd borrowed from Brenn a while back. It was off-white, with thin grey stripes and long sleeves. She'd insisted on me keeping it as soon as I tried it on, and there was no point in trying to argue with her. Luckily, the sweater complemented the jeans perfectly. The only other thing I needed was something to keep me warm, and I already had a vest in mind. It would go well with my pair of brown leather booties, which I tugged on before making my way downstairs to search for it.

After I emerged from the coat closet victorious - gray vest on - my phone screen illuminated with a text from Fox telling me where I should meet him. Excitement and nervousness both simmered inside me when I noticed it was about time for me to leave.

I fiddled anxiously with the silver zipper of my vest for the entirety of my walk to our meeting spot underneath the tower. Fox was waiting for me when I arrived. He was leaning against his Bike, arms crossed casually.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw him, but I refused to let myself get too flustered.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi to you, too," Fox smiled one of his smiles that could distract the world from spinning. He reached out his hand for me with over-exaggerated chivalry as I approached him.

"So," I asked, playing along with him by wrapping my fingers around his, though gingerly, "where are we off to?"

"This time, it is a surprise. Close your eyes."

I shot him a look to see if he was being serious before I reluctantly obeyed. Fox covered my face with his free hand for added effect, which made me crack a smile, then began to lead me forward. I wasn't familiar enough with the terrain to really guess where we were going. I stuck closer to Fox in order to keep my balance without vision. Soon, I felt him stop behind me.