The Disparate One

Chapter 52 - Clothes

While Oxford was waiting for the salesman to return, Ray got bored so he stood up, walked up to Oxford, and told him that he will be looking around and Oxford nodded back at him. Fier remained standing near Oxford, keeping the pushcart close to them. Just after a few seconds, Ray left their sight not even saying where he is going. Ray went to the other end of the area, where suits and polos are. He found a polo that caught his attention, so he approached it and grabbed it and moved it closer to him when he went and looked for a mirror. Ray tilted his head slightly to his right when he was staring at himself. He kept the polo in his left hand and started to look for another one, and he did. Just a few meters away from the mirror, he found another polo. Its color is white and has black strips running across it. He returned to the mirror with the white polo already placed in front of him. He remained standing there for a few minutes when suddenly he got startled by a person who just approached him with both of his hands placed behind his back. Ray looked up at the man whose both irides has a color of indigo, a few shades near indigo. The male asked Ray if he needs any help for picking clothes.

"I need something that...", Ray paused for a moment as he continued to stare at the person's eye, he is also surprised that the man is speaking in English. "... defines me.", he continued when he blinked.

"Ah... just by looking at you, you work for the military, am I correct?", questioned the man and Ray nodded right after.

"Follow me, sir.", said the man who started to walk.

Ray followed the man for a few minutes and then they came to a stop. The salesman first suggested a suit for him. Ray stared at the suit that the man is holding for a few seconds until he shook his head gently, telling the man that he does not like the design of the suit. The man then picked another suit that has a simple design but has an expensive appearance.

"Hmmm...", Ray moved closer. "I'll take it.", said Ray to the man.

"Good choice, sir.", commented the man before he returned the suit back to its original place, he then called another employee and requested the employee to bring that kind of suit to them.

They continued to move on as they waited for the employee to come back. The salesman led Ray to another section of the area, which is where the pants and shorts are located. They kept on walking around the area, getting ahead of Oxford. Another employee joined Ray and the salesman, he didn't suggest anything, he only brought a pushcart since Ray's hands are already full. After spending a few hours, Ray returned to Oxford and Fier who didn't move an inch away from the area.

"These better be worth it.", said Oxford to Ray when Ray approached him with a half-filled push cart behind him.

Fier transferred all of the stuff that are in their current pushcart to the other one. Ray turned around and thanked the salesman before they head to the cashier. Fier yawned when they arrived at the cashier, which is completely empty. Ray and Oxford started to unload the cart and place them on the flat steel platform so that the cashier can scan their price tags. When the cart became empty, Fier moved it away and stood next to Ray who walked to the other side, retrieving the products that they bought. When Fier was watching the man, he looked around the area and he noticed that one of the salesmen is staring at them, so he quickly looked away and told Ray quietly, not making it too obvious. Ray moved his head up and searched for the man that Fier caught. Ray found the salesman standing in the distance, it is the same man that helped him, the one with the indigo-colored eyes. Ray smiled at him and did a wave before looking back at Fier who remained standing there next to him. Oxford approached the two after he handed the money to the cashier.

"I thought I was the only one.", said Ray to Oxford when he and Fire grabbed the bags.

"What do you mean?", questioned Oxford with curiosity in his eyes.

Ray pointed at the specific salesman in the distance who is still staring at them, showing no emotions. Oxford turned his head found what Ray is talking about, he turned back around and told Ray that he thought so too. Ray jerked his head in front of Oxford with an eyebrow raised.

"Maybe those just contact lenses.", Fier talked all of sudden.

"Huh.", uttered Ray before turning around and followed the two to the exits.

They returned to the hotel, not exhausted, but bored. Fier and Ray placed the bags on Ray's bed while Oxford went to check his family for a minute. Ray plopped down on his bed, next to the bags. Fier sat down on the sofa, back to staring at the opened window. Ray sat up just to check Fier, after spending just a few seconds to staring, Ray started to bring the clothes out from the paper bag and placed it neatly on the bed. He then removed the empty bags, moving them to the floor, and decided to put them on. He stood in front of a mirror and one by one he tried the brand new clothes.