Celestial: Fallen

Chapter 3- Everywhere and Nowhere

"Oh my gosh! I can't feel my legs. Can we go home now, please?" I whine, looking at Josh with my best puppy-dog eyes. My arms are aching from the mountain of shopping bags I'm lugging around, and the gleaming lights of the mall make my head spin.

"Nah-ah! We still need to buy shoes," Josh says, snapping a small pocket mirror shut after checking his lips.

I groan. "But I already have shoes." My voice is pitched in the kind of exasperation only hours of relentless shopping can summon.

"Yeah, you have shoes, but I hate them! With a passion!" Josh declares dramatically, his voice carrying across the crowded hallway.

I blink at him, stunned by his intensity. "Woah, what's wrong with the shoes?"

"They don't suit my taste, darling," he says, eyes narrowing in faux disapproval, like a high-fashion critic scorned by my existence.

Before I can argue further, Josh is already pulling me toward another store. I sigh in resignation, my feet aching more with each step.

"Come on, babe, I think I saw something over there."

"Oh my gosh..." I sigh, following him reluctantly.

We spend the entire morning roaming around the mall, and by the time Josh finally realizes we haven't eaten lunch, it's well past 2 p.m. My feet are throbbing, my patience is wearing thin, and I can't help but silently curse my love for this maniacal fashionista.

As we sit down to eat, Leroy arrives, just as casual as ever, just in time to miss the hours of shopping torture. Lucky bastard.

"Wow... just wow, Leroy..." I glare at him.

"What? What did I do, babe?" Leroy asks, blinking at me innocently.

I continue glaring as Joshua chuckles, pointing at me with his drink straw.

"Stop that, girl. You don't want big sister to spank you in here," Joshua teases, making Leroy snort with laughter.

"What's going on?" Leroy asks, confused by the banter.

"Don't mind him, sweetie. She's just practicing her bitchiness," Josh quips.

"Shut your trap! You tortured me! My two pretty feet are murdered! How could you? And Leroy, you abandoned me!" I whine, throwing a mock tantrum.

Leroy bursts into laughter, and Joshua rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner. After our lunch, I beg Leroy to drop me off at our apartment. I need sleep if I want to survive the party tonight. Josh and Leroy will be back in an hour to help me get ready, but first, I need to soak my aching legs.

I strip off my clothes and slip into the hot bath, the steam rising around me like a soft veil. The water hugs my tired muscles, easing the dull ache in my legs from hours of relentless shopping. I sink deeper into the warmth, letting out a slow breath, feeling the tension slowly ebb away.

With my head resting against the cool edge of the tub, I lazily reach for my phone on the counter. As I scroll through social media, the endless parade of smiling faces and curated lives passes by in a blur. It's mindless, almost mechanical—something to occupy my hands while my mind floats elsewhere.

Then I stumble across a photo Josh took earlier today—one of me standing in front of some trendy shop, half-smiling, weighed down by shopping bags. At first, I cringe at how exhausted I look, but then my eyes settle on my hair. Just four months ago, it was long, flowing down past my shoulders. Now, it barely grazes my chin, short and sharp, almost severe.