9 Chapter Nine
N i n e
"No way! You girls go ahead, I'm better off here, reading The Maze Runner and eating pretzels." Anna bundled herself on the couch, hiding her hands that held the book in between her knees, shaking her head vigorously.
"We can do this all day long, you know?" Samantha tugged at her oversized Mickey mouse sweater, trying to get her off the couch. But, no, the girl just won't give in without a fight. One might think she'd been asked to do something outrageous like stabbing Ian Somerhalder, or spitting on Harry Styles, or worse... Okay, nothing was worse than that, and not asked to go shopping.
"Why are you being this way, Anna?" Rose whined, "I thought we made it clear that we're going out to shop this weekend, and today happens to be Saturday in case you're too lost in your fantasy world of mazes and trials to know that!"
"But I never said yes!" She cried out, yanking off her bag of pretzels when Samantha tried to get her hands on it. Anna gave her the hands-off-my-snack look.
"Who cares? Get your butt off that couch, we've wasted no less than 20 minutes trying to let you come with, and I'm growing impatient here." Sarah flipped her gorgeous brown hair.
"More reason to leave without me, don't you think so?"
"No!" The three girls yelled at the same time.
"Do you not want to be our friend, Anna?" Rose put on the most heart shattering puppy dogs eyes. Emotional blackmail, huh?
"What? Of course I do. Why would you think that?"
"This! Your reluctance on going shopping with us. "Rose feigned a hurt look.
"Can't it be any other time? I mean, I don't even have the money for that."
"Doesn't matter, just go out a little, Riley told me you hadn't gone anywhere since you came here. So today is finally the day to do so. Besides, it's my birthday tomorrow, I need this."
"Fine! Lemme go change." She groaned helplessly, muttering something about persistent girls and whatnot.
"That's my girl." Sarah smacked Anna's butt, as she walked passed them. "And don't keep us waiting any longer!" She yelled behind her.
She raised up her hand and did a peace sign with her fingers, "Aye aye, Mademoiselle!"
***
From the moment Anna started stripping off her clothes to the moment she changed them to her green cargo pants and a grey tank top, her lips never ceased mumbling a few words of complaint. She checked her self in the mirror, tying her hair in a messy bun so that some strands fell down her neck and the sides of her face, making the blue highlights more visible.
She put on a winged eyeliner and some blackberry lip gloss. Finally, she secured a pair of old converse in her feet, but not before she adorned both her wrists with different types of bracelets, on her ear were a pair of earrings the shape of moon, and somehow, she was thrilled by her very own handiwork. Maybe it was a little too much, but she doesn't care, she loved colours, and flaunting with colourful accessories is her 'must do' affair.
She turned her body sideways, placing both her palms on her butt, she wiggled them a bit, impressed by the sight even in the cargo pants: Round and firm. She wasn't bad in the chest area either, not that they were much to show or anything." Why the fuçkery fuçk are you examining your body, Anna?" She asked her reflection. "You like what you see?" She winked, then laughed at her weirdness before moving away from the full-length mirror. She froze at the sight before her. Oh shit!
A full-on smirking Dimitri had both his hands stuffed his solid acid wash black denim pants pockets, he was wearing a hoodie with polka dots, half of his dark blond hair was covered and half was exposed, and some strands covered his forehead messily, he made lazy strides toward her, his grey eyes never leaving her hazel ones. He seemed like he was enjoying the sight of a very much flushed Anna.
"I find it so entertaining to see you admiring yourself, but you should let the boys decide the pulchritude examination results and not you." He drawled, walking around her, surveying every inch of her, before finally standing in front of her, no, not just in front of her, but inches away from her. She struggled to breath in a slow pace.
"What are you talking about?" She balled her hands in fists, trying to calm the reaction she was having by being this close to this tall, dark and mysterious, because let's face it, she was mad at him.
He brought his hands to her face, caressing her jaw and cheeks. "God! you're sinfully sexy, if only..." He trailed off, blinking rapidly, as if out of a trance, "Er, the girls are waiting for you, you should probably go."
She turned to leave, but stopped when he said, "I'm sorry about yesterday and the day before. I acted without thinking, and opened my mouth without editting my words."
She rolled her eyes, pretending as though he never said a word, but when he snatched off her pretzels, her plans on ignoring him went down the drain. "Hey! Give that back!"
"Nope, not when you're ignoring my earnest apology." He pouted, placing a hand to his chest, feigning hurt.
She ignored her stupid subconscious for sighing at how cute he just looked. "Don't mess with me right now, Hunter." Raising her arms up, she jumped to get a grip on his streched arm, but damn his tallness! She didn't have a chance. So she settled for kicking him hard on the knee, and his smirk turned into a grunt.
"Grr, what did you do that for?"
It was her opportunity of getting her snack back, and she did, "And now, you're forgiven, next time you mess with me, Imma knee you where the sun doesn't shine." With that, she swagged her way out of the room, blowing him an air kiss before shutting the door. "Adios, roomie!"
"What the hell, Anna! What part of 'don't keep us waiting don't you understand?'" Sarah stood up from the couch, her legs in full display, her purple cap sleeve dress hugged her like it was made specifically for her, how she managed to walk with those insane black high heels was beyond Anna's imagination.
"Sorry, I got carried away."
"Of course, I would expect no less with the way Dimitri sashayed into the room. So what took you so long, giving him a head, weren't you? You naughty girl." Samantha bumped her hips with her, and Anna almost lost her balance, merely because she was in utter shock about the things the girls always find so easy to blurt out.
"I wasn't―"
"It's fine, Anna. New couples are always the most humping bunnies, especially when the beau is someone as hot as Dimitri Hunter."
She groaned internally, "Let's just go."
"I love your accessories by the way, I'm getting some from you when we get back, to buy of course."
"No."
"Say no again and I'll scream to the neighbourhood that your hormones-plagued self was giving your boyfriend head instead of sticking to your friends. Go on, say it, I dare yah."
"I'd rather not."
"Thought so," Sarah smirked, driving off as soon as they entered her red convertible and in the next moment music came blasting on the speakers. The girls, except Anna, started miming to the song 'Black Magic'. And somehow she finds herself car dancing and miming along with them. Samantha took out her iPhone raising up her arm, filming them. And they all laughed when Anna started making hilarious faces.
"This is so Insta-worthy guys!" Samantha laughed, jumping up and down in her seat.
"Hell, yeah! And you'd better tag us."
Till they reached the shopping mall, their crazy yet fun behaviour never faltered. And Anna already felt like she was part of the clique, like she was a part of something she'd had so little of all her life.
***
Anna sat down opposite the dressing room, accessing each of the outfit they'd tried out. She basically helped out choose the certain outfits she thought will look good on them, not that she knew much about fashion, her picky sense mostly guided her. Samantha was busy making selfies when Sarah practically shoved Anna into the room while Rose handed her the dress they'd pick out for her.
"Must I really try this really pretty dress I can't buy anytime soon?" She glanced down the name tag, and it reads: $1,500. "I might like the dress too much to not have it. I'm not doing this guys, just buy what you need and let's head out, yeah?"
Rose rolled her eyes skyward, "Just try the dress on already, don't worry about the price," she held up her hand carrying a card, "because I've got this baby with me."
"Hell, no! You're not paying for this dress."
"I'm not. But your rich boyfriend is, so worry not and get your sexy self in that dress, go!"
"What―"
"Anna!" The girls yelled in unison, giving her pointed looks. And what more could she do, but acquiesce? She entered the squared room stripping off her clothes, and cladded herself with the scoop back Jacquard dress. The fabric fitted her body and felt so nice on her, she sighed, thinking of the unfortunate thing that she'll never get to own it. Only then, did she gave Rose's words a deep thought:
Rich Boyfriend?
Credit card?
Okay, definitely Rose's funny idea of getting her try the dress, so she laughed it off and head back to the girls. She stood in front of them, striking a dramatic pose. "What do you think?"
"If not for that converse girl, I'd say you're ready for the runway." Sarah commented, her voice laced with French accented English.
"You look absolutely gorgeous, Anna." Samantha squealed.
"My thought exactly, girls." Rose chimed in, "Wait till Dimitri sees her in it on my birthday party tomorrow, he won't be able to take his eyes off of her."
"Thanks girl, and stop talking nonsense Rose, I'm not getting the dress."
"The hell you are, your boyfriend already gave me the go-ahead. FYI, he didn't tell me to make you shop for just a dress, but dresses and bags and shoes, which I know you'd never agree to that, so yeah, we can work with the dress."
Wait a damn minute! What was this nonsense about Dimitri giving out his credit card so she could shop? It may have made sense to them since they're with the impression that she's his girlfriend, but it absolutely made no sense to her. The guy was the quintessential a-hole to her, most of the time, so such a generous gesture and he doesn't quite strike a balance.
"I'm serious. That is so not happening."
"What are you doing?" Samantha asked Rose who was typing, furiously, on her phone.
"Nothing at all, lets head out girls."
"What about the dress?" Sarah reminded them.
"Forget the dress, she doesn't want it and she'll get her wish."
She sighed in relief, the dress might be her love at first sight, but no way is she letting her roommate spend so much on her. Nope, not happening! Sarah, Samantha and Rose payed up for their dresses and together, they head out.
"Finally done with shopping, now what?" Samantha wondered out loud, making a reverse, and driving out of the parking lot. The girls decided that whoever made it to the car last got to be the driver. So, yeah, Samantha had to drive this time around.
"I dunno, maybe grab some lunch at the D-theory?" Sarah offered.
"Just tell us you're looking for an excuse to see Mister Wentworth."
"Quoi? J'aime le café. You know that!" The girls laughed out loud, by the tone of her accented voice and the blush on her face it was clear that Samantha's suspicion was right.
"She always blabbers in French when she's in a tight position like forced admit her mad love for Rafael." Samantha was telling Anna. "Hang in there Juliet, you shall see your Romeo soon enough." She sighed dramatically, "Good thing my Ken's got a shift today, 'cause this Barbie can't wait to see him."
Anna giggled, "What about you Rose, what fictional characters are you and Riley?" Since that's like, a thing now, right?
"I guess we'll be Cindrella and Prince charming." She fluttered her long eyelashes in a pseudo-shy way, "And you?"
Several pair of eyes stared at her waiting for her to respond, and she found herself saying, "Harry Potter and Hermoine."
"What? They never even got together!"
Exactly! Just like she won't ever get together with Dimitri... Or so, she thought.
***
