11 | the lush treatment

The two of us ran for the closest shelter and we found ourselves huddling together in front of a closed pet adoption store. If I weren't so cold, I would coo at the adorable kittens nuzzling together on one another.

John was wiping his face with his sleeves muttering angrily to himself. "It wasn't supposed to rain today." He groaned when the rain didn't seem to let up.

Glancing at the sky, and back at him, I gave him a shrug. "It'll let up soon. It's just a passing rain."

And sure enough, it did. I only gave John a wink when he stared at me wide-eyed, confused, and curious.

With the rain gone, the chills came, and since I was already dripping wet, I went through quick short burst of sneezes.

"Sorry." I was slightly embarrassed at the fact that I had sneezed continuously. In front of possibly one of the hottest man, I have ever met.

And a rare one too.

But John wasn't the slightest bothered by my sneezes, he was more anxious about them and begin looking around before his eyes landed on a store.

Taking hold of my wrist, he begins pulling me behind him. Into what seemed like a high-end clothing store. I didn't exactly have a problem buying items from a luxury store when I know what I wanted and have the money for it.

Now though, I cringed as I remembered the balance I had in my bank account. Maybe enough for a simple dress on sale?

There was also the fact that we were both wet, and I highly doubt a store would allow us in, looking like this.

But when John pushed the door open, letting my hand go, pushing the wet strands out of his hair and walked forward, his eyes cool and sharp, three employees rushed to our aid.

It was like he was someone else entirely.

Instead of the casual and boyish aura he had during the moments I've seen him, this time he was giving off manly, with his heads up observing cooly, and the way he stands for himself.

It almost seemed like he belonged in stores like these.

"Would you like me to bring you the dressing room?" One of the female employees asks me after she had a short conversation with John.

I looked back at John and he only gave me a brief smile before nodding.

"I guess so."

»»---------------------►

Apparently John had instructed the employees to get ourselves dry clothing that was new, despite my insistence on getting myself any dress on sale.

Finally giving in, I put on the little outfit the employee had chosen for me. It was a knee-length red boat neck dress with roses as the pattern. She had also given me a white long lace cardigan to complete the look and help keep me warm.

"You look... Stunning."

I heard him from behind me. Swiveling around, I faced him and noticed he had a different fresh set of clothes too.

He had a maroon sweater with dark blue pants and a thick grey coat on him. We kind of almost match. I thought to myself

"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself."

He only smiled at that before turning around and walking away. Packing away my items, I walked out of the dressing room.

"Our wet clothes are upfront. I gave the employee my card. They should be ringing our clothes." John said as he took a seat at one of the couch before taking out his phone.

I wasn't sure if it was just me, but he seemed distant. Almost as if he was trying to keep his distance from me.

But I only pushed that thought away when he looked up and smiled. Smiling back, I took a seat across from him and waited.

I hadn't realized that John was really a quiet person.

And that there might be more sides of him that I still hadn't figured out.

»»---------------------►

With an umbrella in hand, John and I walked side by side as we head to his car. It wasn't raining anymore, but we kept the umbrella just in case.

"So. We were given quite a special treatment just now. Are you sure you're not some celebrity or something?" I jokingly asked, trying to break the awkward silence between us.

John let out a forced laugh before averting his eyes to anywhere but me. "No. I'm sure they were just doing their job."

Raising an eyebrow at his obvious forced laughter and his refusal to look at me, I decided to drop the subject. I really was just teasing.

"Maybe they mistook you for someone else then," I said, more to ease his worries when I noticed how tense he became.

»»---------------------►

Driving up to the parking lot, he turned off the engine. John hadn't really expected the night to go the way it did. Gulping to himself, he really hoped Aria believed what he said earlier about who he is.

"I'll walk you to the lobby." He said quietly.

Aria only nodded before taking her wet clothes with her and opened the door. He noticed she had taken his as well.

"Let me wash yours too. As a thank you for tonight." Aria states as she bit her lips. He was tempted to do something about her tendency to bite her lips but he only stepped back. "That's honestly okay. You don't have to."

She gave him a short smile and pleading eyes. "But I want to. As a favor."

John couldn't really say anything. Her honeyed eyes seducing him to say yes but his mind wondering if it was really alright.

"Please." She added.

Giving in, he agreed.

"Okay."

Aria gave him a wide smile before walking forward. "Do you like tea?" She asks out of nowhere.

He looked at her quizzically. "I guess. I prefer coffee."

She hums in response before taking her keys out and scanned her card on the scanner. He waited for her to shut the door before leaving but she only left the door open with one of her hands.

Tilting her head, she asks if he was coming along.

John only blinked back. And without really thinking, he stepped forward into the lobby and followed her to her apartment.

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a short filler chapter I guess.

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