"Eliza, what on earth is that on your neck?" Angelica points to Eliza's exposed collarbone, where a small but noticeable bruise stands stark against her skin. Eliza feels herself blush, waving off her sister's warding eyes. "It's nothing." She says with a scoff, looking for something, anything, to put over her neck. God, why did Angelica have to have such prying eyes?
Angelica's lips quirk up into a grin as she takes in Eliza's shady response, and it looks like she's visibly restraining herself from laughing out loud. She decides to play along with the fact that her sister's going to try to bullshit her way out of this. "Oh? Come on, just tell me what happened. Looks like a pretty nasty bruise there."
Eliza flushes all the way down to her neck, which is absolutely adorable. "I had fallen down the stairs yesterday." She mumbled, chin held up high to compensate for her lack of confidence. Angelica was about to comment when Peggy piped up from behind them, seeming more than a little frustrated that they had accidentally walked off without her while she was tying her shoe. "More like you'd fallen right into bed with Maria-" she says in a sing-song voice. Eliza nearly trips over her own feet.
"Don't be ridiculous--" She's already laughing it off, but Angelica cuts her off with a look as she pokes at the bruise on her sister's neck. Eliza really wishes she was anywhere else. "Well, Eliza, I think we've established the origins of this.. ahem, bruise.." Eliza glares at her. Angelica just grins. "...and the fact you're pretty embarrassed about it. Poor Eliza, hickeys all over her neck and she only has sleeveless sundresses to wear."
Eliza raises a suspicious eyebrow, hunching in a little at Angelica and Peggy's shared, knowing, look. She never liked when they looked at each other like that.
"What are you suggesting...?" Eliza asks, managing the best pout she can. It feels childish, but she wasn't above it.
"I'm suggesting we go to the mall and get you something to cover it up, silly. Besides, we're all due for some new clothes." Peggy cuts in, rolling her eyes as if this was obvious information.
Eliza didn't know what she was expecting, but she was content to go along with it.
**
First things first, the mall is literally freezing. Eliza catches herself shivering in her thin dress more than once, which earns herself a worried glance from Angelica or Peggy as they take her hand and practically drag her through the mall, going through the store to store until all their arms are covered in bags. Eliza can't remember the last time she's had this much fun with her sisters, it makes her feel so much younger.
Soon they end up in another store, a very pristine and fancy one, and Eliza thinks she could faint just by glancing at these price tags. Seriously, she thinks to herself as she holds a vibrant pink shirt in her hands, who would pay twenty dollars for a t-shirt?
Just as she's tutting to herself about the oddest prices for silly things, she smacks right into an employee who's holding a whole pile of rumpled clothes in their arms. Both of them, as well as the clothes, drop to the floor, and Eliza already feels her face flushing, already feels the apology spilling out of her mouth as she scrambles to pick up the clothes until-
"Eliza?"
Eliza reluctantly looks up to meet Maria's eyes. She's looking at her like she's utterly amused, and Eliza feels her face grow hotter. Of course, the employee she so carelessly slammed into was Maria, god, she still looked so perfect, even when caught off guard, who allowed this, looking that perfect should be illegal. She's still picking up the clothes, yet with trembling, uncertain hands. She knows her palms are slick with sweat, she knows she probably looks like a mess, knows she just probably ruined Maria's day and now she hates her so much, oh god oh god--
"Eliza?" Maria says again, louder this time. She's still sitting there, unmoving as if transfixed. "You alright there, baby?"
Eliza nearly melts at that. She and Maria have been with each other for a considerable amount of time and Maria's called her names that like more than possibly necessary, but she can't help the way it sends a wave of warmth through her whole body each time, the way her blood buzzes a little in her veins.
"Yes!" Eliza blurts out, belatedly. She picks up the last of the clothes and begins to fold them, her hands moving naturally. Maria raises an eyebrow at this.
"Well, alright. If you say so. My break's soon, so, if you maybe want to grab something to eat..." Maria trails off, pursing her full, red lips and shrugging. God, she's so beautiful, it makes Eliza's heart hurt.
"I-I mean--" Eliza clears her throat when her voice nearly cracks. Pull yourself together, 'Liza. "Yes. I'd love to." Good thing she sounds confident because she certainly doesn't feel confident.
"Let's meet in the food court in five minutes, then." Eliza's just handing the folded clothes over when she looks up at sees Maria grinning at her, her beautiful teeth flashing, and Maria's looking at Eliza like she's the best thing in the whole world. Eliza's grateful that she's already on her knees or else she would've definitely fallen to the floor. Maria leans in and kisses Eliza's cheek before taking the clothes and standing up, leaving Eliza dazed and rubbing at the very light lipstick mark on her pink cheek as Maria walks off into a back room.
When Eliza finally gets up and walks out of the store, she's greeted with Angelica and Peggy beaming at her with their arms full of more bags and matching knowing smirks. Eliza can't help the blush that creeps down her neck.
