never ever had I thought

Chapter 22

While emptying my suitcase for every piece of clothes I've brought on this trip, Ali calls to wish me happy birthday. I put her on speaker while searching for something else than jeans and basic t-shirts.

''What are you doing? It's hurting my ears'' Ali complains.

I put her off the speaker and sit down on top of all my clothes on my bed.

''Sorry, I just don't know what to wear tonight''. Ali whistles on the other end and says ''Excited for your date huh?''

I shake my head ''What date?''

''With Mr. right. At the carnival right?'' she asks me.

''That's not a date. We don't date. We're friends. Just friends. You know in that zone. Friendzone it's called, where you just hang out and none of those weird but nice, complicated and heartwarming feelings are involved. Cause they're not there. At all'' I stop myself.

''What about that cute grey dress you have?'' Ali says, thankfully ignoring my outburst.

''Don't think I got it in here'' I sigh, on the point to giving up.

''You're in a big city, go shopping!''. Why didn't I think about that!?

''And just so you know Jess. I ship you two and so does Maddie she just won't admit it''

We hang up.

I'm the only one who wants to go shopping, so dad feeling bad for me going by myself hands me a hundred bucks. I take a bus to the nearest center. I walk around for an hour, in and out of clothing stores, not finding anything. I end up trying Kings&Queens another time, really looking in every corner of the store. It's not that the clothes isn't nice. It's really nice and good quality, but it's just not enough.

''Can I help you?'' a sweet blonde employee asks me. At this point I'm done and not thinking straight as I blur out the truth.

''I don't know. I'm going to the carnival with my friend Shawn and I just don't know what to wear'' She stops me and takes her phone out of her back pocket. I feel myself starting to get anxious and my heart stops when she shows me the picture on her phone.

''I knew I've seen you before!''. It's a picture of me and Shawn getting coffee at our usual, apparently not so secret coffee spot in the park. He's wearing his hood and sunglasses as always, and I'm handing him his latte, both of us with a big smile on our faces. Excited, like it wasn't me but Shawn the employee had just met, she asks if I'd want to take a picture with her. I ignore her request.

''Sorry, how did you get this? Where?''. She stops the jumping and shows me a website called 'WeKnowYouKnow'. How come I've never heard of this!? She then search Shawns name and multiple pictures show. Lots with his family, but also a couple of us.

''It's a free page. Everyone can upload pictures and then if the web owner approves it, you get a reward. Pretty cool huh?'' she says.

''I don't think invading other people's personal space for prices is cool. If that's cool to you, you must have a really terrible life'' I say walking out of the store and out that mall.

Still with anger boiling inside me, I almost knock my head into a sign. It says that a new store has opened around the corner. I give it one last try and if I don't find anything I'll just go with my usual black jeans and a shirt.

The store looks promising, as I enter the double doors and a tad expensive. I realize 'There's Nothing Holding Me Back' is playing on the speakers, that must be a sign and that is when I see a mannequin wearing the most cute outfit I've seen in a very long time.