Can't Compete

fourteen

"WHAT SIZE PANTIES are you?" Cap asked, holding up a pair of lace thongs with his finger.

Ella stared at him for a couple of seconds before walking away. One would think as soon as she entered an underwear store, the male accompanying her would wait outside. Yet, Cap strolled nonchalantly right in beside Ella.

He gripped onto the back of her neck, stopping her walking away from him any further. Ella slapped his hand away, only for his grip to tighten and twist her around.

"You embarrassed of me?" he looked down at her.

"Yes."

"Why?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders and looked to her right where there were more panties sitting on the table for display.

He moved his hand that was around her neck to her jaw and turned her to face him. His tone lowered, speaking more gentler. "Aight, stop playing wit me. Why?"

"You're in here shopping with me for undergarments. You always speak loudly and aggressively, making people eavesdrop and assume I'm being held against my will." Ella spoke flatly but clearly, then removed his hand that was holding her jaw. "And you're always choking me."

"You think I have hearing aids or sum shit. Speak up, man."

She crossed her arms. "I don't repeat myself."

"Then don't say nothing if I still do me," he concluded, while his hands brushed her shirt down.

I didn't say anything to begin with, Ella remarked in her head. She picked two pair of white cotton underwear that was on the table beside her, knowing it was all she needed until she got home tomorrow afternoon and gave it to Cap to hold.

He mugged her but still held it for her as she walked off to the bra section. His tall figure shadowed behind her, making it hard for her to ignore his presence. She picked up a t-shirt bra in her cup size and headed towards the cashier register.

She placed the bra down and Cap mirrored her as he too put the two underwear down on the counter. The light-skinned female cashier looked at Ella's bra size as she scanned the item and pouted at Cap. He didn't catch it, too busy patting down his t-shirt Ella was wearing.

Ella wasn't sure why he kept brushing down the shirt. His shirt stopped right below her kneecaps.

The cashier then scanned the underwear and bagged it. She chirped, "That'll be ninety-seven dollars."

Cap took out a stack of hundreds from his front pocket and pulled out one note. Giving it over to the cashier, he put the rest of the stack back in his pocket.

"If you ever get tired with small cups, you can always give me a call, Cap," she battered her lashes, retrieving three dollars from the register.

Ella kept her impassive facade, although amazed that Cap was well-known around here. This was the fourth time someone spoke to him as if they knew him. The first time, two men dapped him at the breakfast diner they went to,  then a dark-skinned female asked him when he would call her back, and now this cashier.

She held out the three dollars for Cap to take.

"Ke—"