Outlaws // Taron Egerton

Thirteen

TARON

     I sense Idris' anxiousness through her tugging on my sleeve, enough to have the collar of my jean jacket pressing a bit harshly against my neck. "What's wrong?"

     "I don't know. I need to be in character, Taron." She slips her hand and interlaces it with mine and presses her cheek on my arm. "I'm genuinely scared."

     "Of course you are. This is going to be the first time you are out as your actual self. But you'll be okay."

     It's like she's wanting me to notice her deep breaths and heavy sighs as we stroll past the stores of expensive clothing and jewellery. She is supposed to drag me in front of one of them like last week's plan, but we agreed to blow it off.

     And the flashes begin to approach.

     "W-what are we going to do?" She hisses, pinching on my arm and I wince.

     "Stay calm, Idris Blythe."

     "No, fuck this." She pulls my arm roughly and lead me to a clothing store raging with pastel colours on the front.

     With clenched teeth, I lean close to her and whisper "what are you doing?"

     "I," Idris begins, in a manifestly fake declaring voice, but it sounds like me when I was asked to act a scene from the books on the platform when I was in high school because everyone knew there how I loved to act, so they had to point fingers.

     "I want this, babe!"

     "What are you doing?" I repeat, but she grasps my wrists with the intense look that says 'work with me.'

     "Babe, I don't have any money!"

     Did I just somehow manage to turn into my sixteen year old self with the unprofessional, clear-as-day terrible acting? I have a fucking degree and for a second it made me feel like I just ripped it into pieces. I have no idea how to play out with Idris since she's backing out on the rebellious plan and sticking with the original one.

     "Babe!" She yells and her expression changes all throughout. She's Margaux now, even if she isn't supposed to be. "I need this now!" She is pointing at a string heart-shaped holographic purse as I've observed because currently, I'm dumbfounded, staring at it whilst I'm being shaken and it changes colours like the back of a disk.

     I get back to my senses, lick my lips and press my hands together. "I don't know if I can afford that, Margaux." I say, finally hopping on the stunt track I wasn't supposed to get to.

     "Oh my god, it's only a hundred pounds how can you not afford that?"

      I open my mouth, but before I even get to retort, she hauls me inside the store and the paparazzi are still waiting outside.

     We head over to a stall with an abundance of the same item she was pointing at six seconds ago in display. This is where I confront her. "What were you thinking?"

     Idris says nothing but she just presses the bag on my chest like a shove. Then, she runs off to a clothing rod with the words 'New Arrivals!' taped on its side that's facing me. Of course it's going to be pricey and I'm already scared because I think she is really going to make me buy all of that.

     I just look at what she does. I'm holding on the purse as she drags her clothing of choice and enters the fitting room area without even looking at me. I turn to my left and see a girl watching her too and she leans in.

     "Are you seriously dating her?" She takes off her beret and adjust her glasses then shoots back at me in disbelief. "Margaux Ellis, right?" Her American accent gives me the hint that she's not from around here, but hell, she recognises her. "I've seen you guys on the gossip sites. Taron Egerton, right?"

     "Yeah. And she is pretty, isn't she?"

     "She seems like a handful, man."

     "But I love her."

     She awkwardly taps my hand that is rested on the folded shirt I didn't know I was fiddling with. "You are strong," she says before walking away. She looked unsure what to say next so she decided to just leave it. I lift my face up to look back at the fitting room area and see that Idris is already approaching. Idris-Margaux must have scared her off.

     "Who was that?"

     "Probably someone who is familiar with Margaux Ellis and her reputation. She just told me I was 'strong' for dating you."

     She leans closer to me. "Shh, don't say it like that. People might hear." She presses her fist on my palm and let go a bill. "And you don't have to spend for me. Plus, I genuinely want these so I'm buying it."

      I take the bill and slip it in my pocket. "Are you done?"

     "Yeah." She pulls me to the register and I have to keep up with her speed. She's too fast and everything that's happened is too fast. Even though I can act with her, I still don't understand why she's currently doing this and still letting herself be enslaved by her damn character.

     Margaux glances at me when the till girl is already asking for the cash. I reach for the money she gave me and hand it over to to her.

     We get out of the place and there's only few paps waiting for us now. They snap photos but Margaux gives them a death glare to have them sprinting off our way.

     Idris looks at me with puppy eyes. "Am I in trouble?"

     "Yeah. Yeah you are." 

     Pouting, she goes ahead of me towards where the black van is parked. "Margaux," I call, but she doesn't reply. "Idris!"

     We enter the vehicle silently. She's just looking at the back of the driver's seat, motionless. I push her gently and she is still staring and looking sad. "Hey."

     All of a sudden, her tears start to stream down, and I can't help but think that I'm at fault.

     I pull her close and hug her. "I'm sorry."

     "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I fucked up, didn't I?"

     I give her a pat on the head. "You're fine. I don't blame you. But you have to trust me."

     "I'm sorry."

     She pulls away from the hug and cranes her head to look at me. She's like guilt tripping me.

     "I trusted you, right? Don't you think it's a bit unfair that you don't trust me back?"

     Idris goes back to press her head on my chest, still not saying a word.

      "I've got you. I promise."