CHAPTER 20: Shopping and more tingles

It took Allen an hour before he finally called and asked where I was. I was walking aimlessly around the mall, head muddled, heart clenching all the while. I thought he had gone back. But he's the type of guy who'd do as he'd promised, so, here we are.

All my thoughts are jumbled up. Not just because of the things between me and Allen, but also because I haven't got the slightest idea of what to give to a 13 years old girl going through a rebellious phase. And I've only so much money to spend on her I'm avoiding the electronic store like a plague.

I am glad I have this thing to worry about, though. I don't really have the time to think about what we did (kissing, twice). Not at this moment, anyway. And it seems that Allen also doesn't want to talk about it so I'm starting to relax again.

Allen still seems a little tense, though. But he tries his best to go back being my new best friend and help me pick things up for Bianca, my sister.

"I really don't get girls at that age," I complain to Allen as we search through a rack of clothes. "I mean, first she's all studying, being diligent and everything. Next she'll put on this hideous emo/gothic outfit and go out until late at night doing God knows what with God knows who. Wearing black make up is scary enough for me. If I ever find a piercing on her body that aren't her ears, I'm going to chop all of her hair off," I scoff while Allen laughs.

Good, he's starting to come back.

"Isn't that too much?" he asks between his laughter.

"Probably," I say, "But that'll definitely set her straight," I shrug. "Not that she needs straightening up, though," I continue telling him. "She still has good grades and helps my grandparents with the twins..." I trail off, feeling a question coming.

"Your parents..." Allen asks slowly, carefully.

"Died," I tell him. "Car accident a few years ago," I don't normally talk about my family, even when they're still alive, especially now that they're both gone. Even if I do, I'd only talk about them with Chuck and Marsha. But I want him to know more about me. I want Allen to know everything about me. And I about him.

"I'm sorry," He says softly. I turn to him and smile.

"Don't be," I smile at him, holding his hand, "It's been a while," I smile and he starts to smile again. I let go of his hand and scratch my head. "But seriously though, I really don't know what to get her," I tell him, pouting. He laughs.

"Just get her something every 13 years old needs," He says to me.

"What? Sex talk?" I joke and he lands a soft flick on my forehead.

"No, dumbass," He chuckles, "a tablet,"

"Whoah!" I throw my hands up. "No way Jose! I ain't got no money for that. Besides, she's too young for that," I say before he grabs my neck and drags me along with him. "Hey!" I protest.

"She's 13," Allen states matter-of-factly.

"Still. No money," I tell him, letting his arm fall on my shoulders as we walk to the electronic store.

I know he's right. A tablet is what a 13 years old needs. Boy or girl. I should just buy the cheapest, I thought as I'm calculating in my head. I was almost done counting when Allen shoves a blue shopping bag in my hands.

"What the?!" I say questioningly.

"Your sister's tablet," He raises his eyebrows at me like I'm a moron. I roll my eyes before punching his arm.

"The fuck did you do that for?" I ask him. "This is expensive!" I exclaim after inspecting the brand and model of the tablet, surprise but somehow delighted and slightly embarrassed.

"It's not," Allen says, still cringing. I guess I hit him too hard. "It's for your sister," He adds with a smile while I frown, though somehow feels good.

"But..." I'm about to refuse again but he cuts me.

"Levi," he says my name. Strongly yet gently. It's the first time he actually calls me by my name. I feel my cheeks warming up. "I want to do this. For your sister," He says calmly, casually. "For you," He adds.

"But..." I say again.

"Levi," He says it again. More sternly this time. My face feels hot. How come just by hearing him call my name makes me this excited? I mentally slap myself. I feel my face gets even hotter when Allen reaches out his hand to touch it, brushing it gently with his fingers. "Let me do this?" he asks, well, demanding is more like it. I slowly find myself nodding, agreeing, obeying.

"Thank you," I say softly in embarrassment.

"My pleasure," He answers, smiling. "Now, how about lunch?" I agree immediately as he takes my hand and takes me to a restaurant for our lunch.

Allen's paying, of course. In fact, he pays for everything and I don't even get to spend even a cent. He even bought a train set for my eight year old twin and a bag of herbal drinks for my grandparents. I feel bad but he seems to be enjoying buying all of these things for my family so after losing yet another argument (he keeps calling me Levi in that very weird very hot very exciting way) I let him do what he wants.

We finished shopping at four and immediately rushed back to the car because Allen has practice and I have to make final editing for the calendar and booklet with Erica. We definitely had fun back at the mall but it's obvious that the both of us haven't forgotten about the occurrences that happened before because now, once again, we are sitting in his car with an awkward silence.

Thankfully, we arrived quickly back to campus and rushed to the basketball hall. Allen runs to the locker room while I rush to Erica who is sitting on the floor outside the line with a laptop on her lap. I slouch down beside her and we immediately get busy.

"Wow..." Erica says in amazement when I show her my works. She scans through it all, exclaiming words of praises every few frames. "These are amazing Lee!" I scratch my head in embarrassment.

"You like it?" I ask, making sure.

"Like it? I love it!" she says excitedly. "The layout is amazing. The pictures you took... wow..." she's speechless. So am I.

I know I'm good at what I do. But it's still embarrassing when I get praised. Or even acknowledge. Not that I don't like it. Heh heh heh.

"Those are really great, Levi," I shudder at the voice saying my name. I guess he now realizes that him saying my name in that way makes me shudder and I bet he likes it. That jerk. He keeps calling me Levi (not Lee, or Hey like he usually does) since we're at the mall. I evidently pout at him who returns it with a smirk and a strange glint in his eyes which makes me shudder.

"Thanks," I mumble to him and turn my attention back from his deliciously sweating figure to the laptop before my face burns.

Allen chuckles and sits behind me, legs sprawled on my sides, pressing his chest to my back and he wraps his hands around my waist.

I shudder. I can feel his heat. Hotter because he just did a round of practice. Hell, I can even almost taste his sweat as he touches his cheek against mine to peer over the laptop.

I shift. Not because I'm uncomfortable. But because I feel tingly all over and because it feels like my heart is going to burst any second now from this closeness. I feel like a damn virgin teenager, being all shy and excited and everything.

"Allen..." I whisper through gritted teeth at him. He buries his face in my neck and I, guess what, shudder again.

"Let me..." he says, almost pleading. My heart clenches. My stomach churns.

I sigh, giving up. It seems that I can never beat him. I don't want to either, to be honest. I admit that as I let him do whatever he wants and pull me closer to him even though we are practically sticking on each other. I can't help but smile but then immediately erase it and get back to my job.