Friends vs. Family

by C. L. Stone

  It was easy for him to say. I thought about how Kota was out with the others right now at the diner. I could easily picture him relaying orders and the others falling into line. Silas and North were probably trading swings with sledgehammers, with Luke busting in to give them a break for a minute with his antics. Would they have done all that last weekend if I hadn’t gotten into trouble? I felt like I was the weak link in this otherwise very put together Academy troop.

  Nathan stared at me while I was thinking and I blushed. He parted his lips as if he wanted to say something but before he could, Gabriel returned, a handful of clothes tucked under his arm.

  “Last load,” he said. “Then we’ll go somewhere else. I think I’ve looked at everything here.”

  I sucked in a breath. “Round two,” I whispered to Nathan under my breath.

  “Go get ‘em, tiger,” Nathan said, nudging me in the back as I stood.

  After Gabriel had seen everything on me, he chased me off to go find Victor. He and Nathan carried the approved set of clothes toward the registers.

  I took a walk around the store, grateful for the breather and glancing in the different sections for Victor. I headed toward the men’s section, thinking maybe he was getting things for himself. Something caught my eye as I crossed the walkway.

  Victor hovered over a glass case. He was signing a credit card receipt. The attendant slipped a black box across the glass. She leaned on her elbows as she watched Victor’s penmanship. She was pretty, with black hair and dark eyes. She batted her eyelashes at him and said something.

  My feet were moving of their own accord. I stepped closer just in time to hear Victor say as he put his credit card back in his wallet, “...just some crazy beautiful girl I met at school.”

  The words gave me pause. The attendant continued to smile sweetly at him. His eyes drifted to her, an eyebrow arcing in confusion. She slipped away from the counter to take care of another customer asking for help.

  Victor turned, and spotted me. “Sang?” His hand went to the counter and the tiny black box disappeared into his pocket. “Is Gabe finished?”

  I was struck with a wash of trepidation. He didn’t want me to see what he bought. Had he met another girl at school? Why was he buying jewelry? Was it for her? Was he going to try to win her over with a gift? The thought of it made my heart burn. Why should it concern me, though? We’re friends. He could like whoever he wanted.

  In response to his question, I simply nodded. I was surprised to find my finger at my lip, pushing it to my teeth.

  His head tilted and he came closer to me. “Why do you look like that? Are you okay?”

  I blinked, trying to draw up a smile. “It’s um... Gabriel,” I said. “I think I’ve put on everything in the store.”

  He laughed, and shook his head. The fire in his eyes smoldered. “I’m sorry I left. I was just browsing. I’ll stick nearby so he’s not driving you crazy.”

  He found my hand and held it. The move confused me. Would the girl he likes think it was okay we were holding hands? Was the real reason he didn’t hold me in his lap this morning because he was conscious of how the other girl would feel? What would she think of him sleeping in the bed with me?

  My heart fluttered as his thumb traced between my thumb and forefinger. I was so conscious of every fiery look he gave me, the way he drifted as he walked beside me, and the way his lips curled gently up in the corner as he lead me toward the registers.

  Gabriel and Nathan stood in line as the attendant was ringing up items. She eyeballed them curiously. When Victor and I stepped up beside them, she seemed even more confused.

  Victor surveyed everything on the counter and nodded in approval to Gabriel. He let go of me so he could take care of the purchase. I stood behind him, my cheek pressed to his shoulder, smelling his smooth berry and moss fragrance.

  “Say it,” he said over his shoulder to me.

  “Thank you, Victor.”

  “You’re welcome, Sang.”

  Nervous

  At the fifth store, Victor bellowed at Gabriel for wanting me to try on yet another skirt in a different color when I had already tried on twenty. I was slumping against Nathan as we sat on a bench together. My stomach growled.

  “You’re speaking my language,” Nathan said. He stood up with the handful of items Gabriel put into the yes pile. “We need food.”

  “I agree,” Victor said, looking pleased with this distraction. “Let’s go.”

  “Aw,” Gabriel said, but he relented. I wondered if he was hungry, too.

  My arms were overloaded with bags as we left the store. Shoes were now included with everything. I had boots that were meant for skirts and sandals meant for jeans. Gabriel rattled fashion off his tongue so quickly that I was dizzy with what I was supposed to do with it all. Nathan took half of the bags from me but insisted I keep the pink Victoria’s Secret bags. “People are going to think I’m a pervert,” he said.

  We were trailing back down the walkway toward the entrance we had come from when Gabriel stopped short in front of a sporting goods store. His eyes squinted as he scanned the racks.

  “No,” Victor said to him.

  “But I just realized she doesn’t have a bathing suit,” he said. “She’s got to have one. Just one. I swear.”

  Victor’s eyebrows rose together and his fire gaze fell on me. “Do you have one?”

  I really wanted to lie in that moment. For one thing, I didn’t want to spend another hour trying on bathing suits in front of the boys. Another reason was I was already unsure how much Victor had spent and I didn’t want to spend another dime. With the way his eyes were so intense on mine, I couldn’t think and lying was impossible. I’d done enough lying that morning and didn’t dare say another. I simply shook my head, my finger at my lower lip. “But I don’t need it,” I insisted. “I mean it’s September. There can’t be too many opportunities to swim before winter.”

  They laughed together. Victor reluctantly nodded at Gabe. “One swimming suit. And she’s not trying on all of them.”

  This time Gabriel insisted that Victor and Nathan wait toward the front part of the store. I didn’t want to be left alone with Gabriel and I pleaded silently with Victor for him to come with us.

  “If you’re not back in a half hour, I’m taking Sang back but I’m leaving you here, Gabe,” Victor said.

  “Don’t worry,” Gabriel said. He hooked an arm around my neck. “I’m getting the hang of her style.”

  I dropped the bags at Victor’s feet with a sigh. Nathan merely grinned, looking somewhat smug about the idea of me getting another round with Gabriel.

  I followed Gabriel to the section of women’s bathing suits. Despite what the guys seemed to imply, swimming was out of season. There were only a couple of racks.

  Gabriel thumbed through different bathing suits. He completely skipped over the one piece suits and mumbled something about the possibility of mixing and matching tops and bottoms.

  “What do you think?” he asked me, holding up a blue halter type and a skimpy bikini bottom.

  My cheeks radiated heat. “It’s... um... pretty.” There wasn’t an easy way to reject his selection without saying that I thought it wasn’t to my taste.

  “Hm,” he said, taking another look at it. “The color isn’t good.”

  Gabriel selected a variation of suits of different types and we headed further into the back of the store so I could try them on. “Pick your favorites first,” he said. “We’re limited on colors and sizes so we’ll just go down the line.”

  This time there was only a crinkly curtain separating me from the rest of the store. I realized at that moment that I would have to get completely naked to try on the bathing suit. My eyes drifted to the corners of the curtain next to the walls. Could there be cracks where people could look in?

  I shoved the thought to the back of my head. I removed my clothing and I tossed them carefully to the floor. I hooked Kota’s shirt on the wall, wanting to keep it
clean and also wanting something nearby so I could shield myself if I needed.

  I started with the most modest two-piece Gabriel had picked out. It was a black pair of shorts and matching halter type that barely left any skin revealed along my midsection. If I pulled the hem of the halter down, it completely covered the area.

  When I was finished, I wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to open the curtain. I didn’t want to step out and be seen. “Gabriel?” I called softly.

  The curtain slid to the side and Gabriel appeared. His eyes swept over me. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s just ugly. I thought I said pick your favorite.”

  I blushed. “I was just...”

  “Nervous?”

  I nodded.

  He sighed, reaching out and tugging at a lock of my hair. “Your next choice better be a pink one.” He closed the curtain again.

  I went through the choices carefully. There was a black, white and hot pink plaid suit. It had a moderate bra top and the bottoms were plain black suit but there was some pink plaid material designed to look like a miniskirt. While it wouldn’t cover my mid-section, it was flirty without being too much like a string bikini I had worried Gabriel would insist on. I thought maybe it would be a little too bold but I really liked the color, and if I was completely honest with myself, I thought it would surprise Gabriel.

  After I put on the pink suit, I checked myself out in the mirror. It fit perfectly. The miniskirt hem covered my butt just enough but when I swung my hips, I could see the black suit part underneath covering me. It sat a little lower on my hips than I thought I wanted but I couldn’t deny how it made my hips looked nicer.

  The top felt just like one of the bras I had just bought and curved around my breasts snuggly. I picked at the cups and the straps, trying to see if I could swim in it without it falling apart. It seemed to be solid.

  I called for Gabriel again. I folded my arms around my stomach, waiting for him to appear.

  He opened the curtain quickly as if he’d been standing by for this. His critical eyes started to sweep over me. His face changed, his eyes started shining, his lips parted slowly and his cheeks tinted red. He blinked, stumbled through the opening and closed the curtain behind himself.

  I stepped back a little to allow him room. He whirled on me. I bit back a shiver, feeling intimidated that he was seeing me in this.

  His eyes drank me in, his head tilting back and forth. “Move your arms?” His tone was gentle, the softest I’ve ever heard it.

  I dropped my hands to push my palms against my thighs. My eyes sank to the dingy utility carpet below his Converse shoes.

  “Turn around.”

  I turned in a slow circle.

  “Now do it once more and bend over.”

  My head shot up, my mouth parting as I looked into his intense blue eyes. “Gabriel...” I felt myself tremble again, surprised by his request.

  He jerked his head back, looking as shocked at me as I felt. He tripped forward, closing the gap between us. His palms found my cheeks and he held my face up until I was looking into his eyes. “Sang,” he said. “Will you please trust me?”

  I parted my lips to say something but the words escaped me.

  His eyes darkened. “I would never hurt you,” he said with an intensity that matched his eyes. “I handle the clothes. Okay? I know every inch of the guys’ bodies because I’ve dressed them all since I was little. If you stick with us, if you let me, I’ll know yours, too. Not in a perverted way. It’s just what happens.”

  I still couldn’t answer him. I felt my cheeks were on fire. It wasn’t me being embarrassed anymore; it was his words and those crystal eyes.

  He leaned his forehead against mine. “Please, god,” he breathed. “Don’t look so scared. I swear it on my dead momma’s grave that I’ll never lay a hand on you. Never.”

  “Gabriel,” I whispered, surprised. “You... your mother...”

  His ears turned red. He lifted his forehead away from mine and nodded. “Yeah. When I was little.” He pushed a palm again at my cheek. “But I’m talking about you, now. If I’m asking you to do something, there’s a reason, okay? I just wanted to make sure it doesn’t slip around when you move. That’s all.”

  I sucked in a deep breath, trying to swallow back the emotion in my throat.

  He backed away from me. I turned around. I bent over at the hips until my fingers were touching the floor. I couldn’t see behind me but I sensed his eyes.

  “Remain bent over and lift one foot at the knee.”

  I did.

  “Other one.”

  I put my leg down and lifted the other one.

  “Now put your leg down but just kind of... shake or something.”

  I blushed again but I put my leg down and I wriggled my hips at him.

  “Oh god, okay. Yes. It’s fine,” he said quickly. I stood up. He turned partially away from me and his ears were still red. “Okay, we’re good.”

  “This is the one?” I asked, curious as to why he had turned around.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled. “You’re perfect.” He shoved the curtain out of the way without looking at me again, walking out.

  The moment he did, a loud voice sounded right outside the curtain. “Sir,” said a burly male voice, “you can’t do that. There can’t be two people in the dressing room.”

  “Who says?” Gabriel asked. “There’s no sign.”

  “I’m the manager,” the man said.

  My heart jumped and I lunged for my clothes to pull them back on.

  “Don’t you know who that girl is?” Gabriel said in a low tone.

  “I don’t care who she is,” the voice said, though softer.

  “This girl has a shoot tomorrow and we’re here to get her a bathing suit because that’s what they want her in and I need to make sure it doesn’t look like shit.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m her photographer.”

  I smothered a giggle as I put Kota’s shirt back on.

  The manager huffed. “You still can’t just...”

  “Get over it,” Gabriel said. “This isn’t the pervert show, okay? I was just giving her my opinion. Besides, you need to let boyfriends have opinions about their girls’ in their suits. Girls get it all wrong.”

  I wanted to toss my shoe at him. Instead I finished up, opening the curtain with the pink bathing suit hanging over my arm.

  The manager was a husky man in a blue dress shirt and khakis. He took one look at me and started to mumble. “I, just... um...”

  Gabriel smirked haughtily and grabbed the bathing suit from me, tossing it at the guy. “Will you ring this up for us?” Gabriel turned to me. “Can you go fetch your agent, please? Let him pay for it if he wants it so bad.”

  I dashed off to fetch Victor. By the time he followed me back into the store to the registers, the manager had already bagged the bathing suit and was waiting for the payment.

  “Don’t I get to see it?” Victor asked.

  Gabriel leaned against the counter with his arms folded against his chest. He looked distracted, distant. “Later.”

  When we got back to Victor’s car, Gabriel opened the front passenger side door for me.

  “You can sit up front if you’d like,” I said to him. “I really don’t mind.” I was trying to be nicer since I spent a good part of that morning complaining about him. I felt badly about it now. He’d worked hard today to do all this stuff for me and I wanted to let him know I appreciated it.

  He seemed confused by my response and tilted his head at me. He glanced at the others but they had already gotten into the car. He tucked his head closer to me. “Okay, but only because I hate Victor’s music and I can’t switch the stereo on him from the back.”

  I shared a conspiratorial smile with him and he opened the back passenger door for me. I slid in next to Nathan, who beamed. Victor flicked a confused glance at us.

  “Where do we want to go?” Victor asked. He readjusted his rearview mirr
or until he could catch my eye. “What are you hungry for?”

  My eyes flashed to Nathan. He mouthed: Italian.

  “Italian,” I said out loud for him, pleased that someone else made this choice.

  Victor rolled his eyes. “What’s your favorite food, Sang?”

  “Pancakes.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, we’ll get Italian. Only because Erica makes the best pancakes and we’re not asking her right now.”

  Victor drove to a nearby Italian place. Victor said something to the hostess, and she guided us to a table.

  Victor held a hand toward the booth and gazed back at me. I slid in on one side and he slid in next to me. Gabriel sat across from me and Nathan sat next to him.

  “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” a tall waiter with slicked back, dark hair and a nametag that read “Cody” stood near our table and handed us menus. His eyes caught mine and he grinned. “And lady. Can I interest you in our specials or in the wine menu?” The last part sounded more like a joke. He had to know we were underage to drink.

  “No, thank you,” Victor said.

  “May I get you something to drink?”

  “Coke,” said Gabriel.

  “I want one of those strawberry smoothies,” Nathan said.

  “Sprite,” Victor said.

  Cody looked at me, an eyebrow raising. “And for you, sweetie?”

  Victor flinched but he said nothing.

  “Water, please,” I said.

  “You can get more than water,” Victor said to me.

  I blushed. I wasn’t sure what else to get. “Um, a strawberry smoothie, too, please?” I checked with Victor who nodded.

  Cody’s shot glances between Victor and I. He gave us a small smile that was oddly curious. When he left, we opened our menus. The prices were more than I expected for spaghetti and other pasta dishes. I tried to calm my heart. After all, Victor just spent several thousand dollars on clothes. Thinking of it made my stomach twist and I started to rattle again.

  “What are you getting?” Gabriel asked. His foot nudged mine under the table and it pulled me from my thoughts.