3.1 | Complete Me ✔

Bamboo Forests With Ninja Totems

Just when they worried how they were all going to cram into Zain's minivan, Kaldur assured them the guys had a van of their own. They drove directly behind Zain the entire time as they headed into the city of Gotham. 

The whole trip, Desiree bickered on the phone with clients, assuring them that she would be back in her office as soon as next week. Meanwhile, Divya was in the back, face-timing her agent. He, too, was frantic about her absence, but she remained unperturbed.

"You do realize we're gonna have to confiscate their cellphones for the rest of the week?" Zane murmured to Scarlett in the passenger seat.

"Tell me about it," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "I thought they had that all situated before we got here."

"Listen. Just because your business isn't as demanding, doesn't mean you can put a halt on mine!" Divya snapped. Scarlett scoffed in amusement.

"Here's the first stop," Zain announced as they pulled up to Zane's Jewels.

"Thank you," Zane chirped as she climbed over Desiree to get out.

"Well come back to pick you up before we hit the mall," he informed. She gave a thumbs up before closing the door and heading inside.

"Next stop, Scarlet Stitches!" he announced as they pulled off.

"So, anyway. You're seriously not going to let me model the new look, Scarlett?" Divya asked.

"Not after that display," she laughed. "My business, not as demanding? How ludicrous. The liberties I'm allowed to take with my business has nothing to do with how high the demand is. At least I don't have anyone to answer to if I so decide to take a vacation."

"Ooooh," the car chorused. "Burn."

"Whatever," Divya replied, popping in her earphones and blasting her music, as usual.

"Here we are," Zain said, pulling up to her shop. "You're gonna just run inside and grab the mannequin, right?"

"Actually, I have some other sketches lying around that I want to work on, as well. And now that I think about it, I might not have to shop for fabric, if I have leftover." She unbuckled her seat belt and smiled at him. "I'll be a moment, so you can just come back for me, okay?"

"No problem. See you later," he smiled.

She closed the door and rounded the van to the storefront. She glanced back, noticing the men's van pulling  behind her, her ire rising as she watched Conner climb out the passenger seat.

"Nice shop," he remarked as he came to stand beside her, scrutinizing the building. She sized him up from head to toe in displeasure.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped, her heart sinking as she heard engines rumble. When she turned around, Zain was gone and Kaldur was taking off after him. "Where are they going without you?!"

"You trying to be funny?" he drawled as he gazed down at her with amusement. "Isn't it obvious that I'm staying behind with you?"

"Isn't it obvious that I don't want you here?" she growled. "If you need something to do, go somewhere else. I don't need you skulking around my shop."

Convinced that her dismissal had been effective, she headed to the door and unlocked it. The automatic lights hummed to life, a door chime tingled pleasantly. The shop was large and colorful. There were expertly positioned mannequins, drawing the eyes from one to another, dressed in marvelous designs of all shapes, colors and textures. The walls were lined with hooks, where other items of clothing were draped for perusal.