You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

42

I lifted a dark blue snapback cap from the hook it was hung on and examined it. It would go well with Nolan's eyes and his usual outfits. Maybe I should just buy this one.

I was having a hard time deciding what to get for him. Although he had said that he didn't want a birthday present, the thought of him being alone on his birthdays without a single present made my heart hurt a little. I could just give it to him on another day.

I didn't have to give it to him as a birthday present.

"Are you buying that?"

At the sound of Melissa's curious voice, I looked up from the cap. "Maybe. Why?"

The four of us—Derek, Melissa, Ashley, and I—were in a clothing retail store at the mall, just browsing through the stuff they had on display. We had just finished our lunch and had nothing else to do before heading back to school.

Ashley, who was next to me, tapped me on the shoulder. "I'm going to the toilet. I'll be right back."

"Okay," I said to her.

Shrugging, Melissa squinted at the cap I was holding as if she expected it to turn into something else. "I thought you hated wearing caps?"

"I do," I said, running my hand over the cap brim. "They mess up my hair. Anyway, this isn't for me. I'm getting it for Nolan."

"Nolan?" she said, looking surprised again. "Why? Is his birthday coming up?"

Oops. I doubted he wanted anyone else to know when it was.

"I just felt like getting him something," I said, using the explanation I was going to give Nolan if he questioned the reason behind my sudden gift. "I mean, I feel like he'd like something like this."

"Uh huh," she said skeptically, "and you saw this cap and just thought of buying it for him?"

Derek, who was standing beside her, snorted and looked up at me from the two different caps he was deciding between. I could see the mischief dancing in his eyes as the corners of his lips pulled up into a large smile.

I did not like the look on his face right now.

"Very thoughtful of you, Chelsea," he said, cocking an eyebrow.

With narrowed eyes, I said, "Of course I'm thoughtful. Did you only just realize that?"

"Why don't I recall you ever buying me a cap just because, though?" he continued, as if I hadn't spoken.

Melissa promptly added, "Or me a cap? You know we love those."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I placed my hands on my hips.

Melissa snatched one of the caps Derek was holding out of his hand. "It just seems funny to me that you're randomly getting him something. It's not even his birthday present or anything like that."

"Oh, I don't know," Derek said, still with that sly smile on his face. "I was just wondering if we don't cross your mind when you're shopping like he apparently does."

My jaw dropped at his insinuation. "Excuse me? Of course I think about you guys!"

"Not enough to buy us random presents, evidently," he said, twirling around the cap that was still on his other hand with a finger.

He wasn't wrong, but we just didn't have a habit of buying gifts for no reason in our group. He was making it sound like I liked Nolan or something!

After some close examination, Melissa hung up the cap she was holding. "Derek, this cap is hideous. Buy the other one."

Derek hummed as he studied the cap Melissa had declared as unwearable. "But I like the color gradient."