Second Chances

Chapter 16

The midday sun was beaming down on us, coupled with an intense heat. There was barely any wind, and so it was like we were wading through an invisible sea of humidity. It was only early June and already the summer heat was unbearable. It had been forecast that this would be the hottest June in well over a decade, courtesy of good old global warming.

After having a day of lounging around the day that mum had arrived, we had decided on a girly outing for the next day. With Fi in tow, we took to the shopping district, which was absolutely bustling with holiday makers and locals alike. Since it was a Saturday, the streets were abuzz more than usual. Usually, I loved seeing how busy it was, I loved the fast pace. But today, in this heat, I didn't have the patience.

All kinds of shops lined the streets like a maze as we walked through the crowded district. They were mostly clothing shops, offering a wide variety of brands and styles. None of us had expensive tastes so we didn't buy anything from the high-end brands, but that didn't stop us from looking. The was the odd food cart, the smells that usually had my stomach grumbling only turning foul as it mixed with the heat.

I was in dire need of a new summer wardrobe. I hadn't updated my clothing since I had finished Uni and I was getting bored of seeing and wearing the same clothes. We had already been into a number of stores and our arms were becoming heavy as they were laden with a number of bags; we had literally shopped till we dropped.

We came across a jewellery store and I stopped to look in the window. There were all types of jewellery on display, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and when the sunlight hit them, they shone and sparkled like tiny disco balls. I was a huge fan of jewellery, gold what my metal of choice, if I wasn't wearing anything, I felt naked. My ears were adorned in earrings, my middle fingers on each hand decorated with a ring, one of which and heirloom from my mums side. Only my neck laid bare. My eyes fell on an incredibly lavish necklace. It was a bit on the simplistic side, but that was my style. Hanging off the thin gold chain was a small, clear gem droplet that had a slight hint of blue to the colouring. It was beautiful. Fi and mum had spotted the necklace I was eyeing up and they both gasped at its dainty beauty.

"Oh wow, that is gorgeous A! I could definitely imagine that on you." Fi's voice, full of wonder, came from the left of me, whilst my mum's hum of approval came from my right, the three of us plastered to the window, gazing like magpies at the necklace.

I looked at the price and just about choked on air, pointing to the small label that was attached to its side. "It's truly beautiful and I really do love it. But I don't love it that much." I started to walk away with mum and Fi following behind whispering between themselves.

We were heading towards the park for a well-earned rest when we came across a lingerie store. The outside of the building was cladded in a sleek black material, and the name of the store was in big, red LED lettering. The windows of the store were huge and wide on either side of the double doors, allowing for four mannequins to be on display in each with a circular sticker on the window that had only the number eighteen and a plus sign. An adults only store.

Fi had spotted it first and she dragged us to one of the windows. The mannequins were dressed in incredibly sexy and lacy garments, all of different colours and styles. I was all for a good thong, but the ones these mannequins had on were literally a thin bit of fabric that would barely cover me, and would no doubt have my lips hanging out at the sides.

"Come on, let's have a look!" Fi shrieked excitedly. She had never been interested in clothing or accessories like this, but since being with Everett, she had become more adventurous and daring. I liked that she was becoming more confident in herself within the bedroom and how she dressed. In truth, it couldn't hurt to take a leaf out of her book.