Two Weeks With Chelsea

Chapter 10

Two buses left the school for the mall after classes let out. Stacy laid out her plans and expected Chelsea to follow along. Her first priority was a trip to the pharmacy to pick up birth control then on to the lingerie department at JC Penny.

"I have to go to the bank. I have an appointment with my account manager," Chelsea said to Stacy. "The bank is at the far end, so maybe I'll just meet you—"

"Fine, I'm going across the street to the pharmacy at Shaw's. Wait for me at the bank," Stacy demanded.

Chelsea was relieved to avoid the stop at the pharmacy with Stacy. Lingerie shopping with her was enough of a stretch but waiting with her while she bought birth control was far beyond her comfort zone.

Chelsea headed for the mall entrance with unusual excitement while Stacy reluctantly crossed the parking lot towards the pharmacy. A while later, she noticed Stacy pacing in the hall outside of the bank, occasionally peeking in to locate her. Chelsea flashed her hand with her fingers fanned out to indicate that she needed five more minutes, prompting Stacy to returning to the mall and wait. She tucked the stack of Euros she had purchased into the bottom of her purse, making sure Stacy hadn't noticed.

"What did you need to go into the bank for?" Stacy asked when Chelsea finally joined her.

"Oh, just some stuff about my accounts," Chelsea replied.

"You wouldn't believe the shit they put you through getting birth control. Like, do they want me to say forget it, I'd rather just get prego?" Stacy complained aloud as they walked through the mall. "What's with you? You've been acting weird all day."

"What? Weird how?"

"I don't know, just... weird," Stacy said.

Chelsea stopped at the camera department of JC Penny armed with a list of models recommended by her art teacher. She tried a few out before settling on one. Stacy lingered nearby, waiting for Chelsea to pay for her purchase.

"What's with the camera?" Stacy asked.

"I thought it might be nice to do some photography," Chelsea replied.

"What are you going to take pictures of? It's not like you are going anywhere. Two weeks in a hotel in Lewiston; how exciting, like, 'here's a picture of the lobby, and oh, this is a picture of the ice machine near my room and...' Seriously, you could have at least been a little more adventurous and stayed in Portland."

Chelsea tried to formulate a response but decided to let it go. She didn't want to say something and accidentally reveal any hint of her true plans. She hadn't planned on telling Stacy about her trip to Spain, and certainly not the part about following Trevor. She knew she would go on some rant and come up with a dozen reasons she should avoid him. But more troubling than voicing her opinion, Stacy would tell anyone and everyone about it and eventually he would find out. There were two people she didn't want to know about her plans, Stacy was one and Trevor was the other. She could add headmaster Chambers to that list, but surely, not being permitted to assist in making travel arrangements also meant he also wouldn't be permitted to interfere. She couldn't take any chances and would let everyone continue to believe she was checking into a local hotel until Stacy was gone. Afterwards she would come up with some other story that would justify the ride on the shuttle bus to Portland. She couldn't risk any alternate story with Stacy around because she would insist on details Chelsea couldn't provide. The story of staying in Lewiston was boring enough to warrant zero attention but she might have to rein in her excitement to avoid suspicion.

"Okay, are you finally done now? We have to go to the lingerie department," Stacy said. "I think I should get some sexy nighties too. I doubt I'll be wearing them for long, maybe I should just stick with some sexy underwear. What do you think?"