Page 10 of Burning Embers
Our conversation ceases when we finally reach Lissa and Hale, who are standing by the entrance, waiting for us to arrive. Lissa beams as soon as she sees me and reaches for my hand.
“Hale said we could go clothes shopping first!” she practically squeals, tugging me forward. “This is going to be so much fun! We can see all of my favorite stores and meet all of my favorite clerks and try on all of my favorite styles?—”
“Yay,” I deadpan as she drags me inside.
Hale and Jake both chuckle from behind me, the latter’s voice reaching my ears a second later.
“At least this time it’s not me she’s trying to dress in pink skirts.”
Two hours later—and fifteen stores later—I heave my tired body down on the nearest chair in the food court. My stomach rumbles as the enticing smells of greasy burgers, pizza, and pasta bombard me from every direction. I can’t even remember when I last ate, but I know shopping with Lissa was the equivalent of running five miles in a marathon.
I. Am. Exhausted.
Whatever expression Hale sees on my face makes him chuckle, that traitor.
My new foster dad simply stood by while Hurricane Lissa cocooned me in her whirlwind of energy and then spit me back out in a pink, dazed heap.
Jake nudges my shoulder with his. “You still alive there, new girl?”
“Is it possible to die from too much pink? Is that a thing?” I lament dramatically, eliciting chuckles from both Hale and Jake and a pout from Lissa.
“You only bought, like, two pink articles of clothing,” my new roommate protests, sounding slightly indignant. “You didn’t even get the sparkly pink dress that lookedamazingon you.”
“It was transparent,” I reply in a deadened voice, ignoring the way Jake attempts to smother his laughter with the back of his hand. “And, technically, lingerie.”
“I’m so happy I wasn’t there to seethat,” Hale mumbles, causing me to instinctively smile.
“And I’m bummed I wasn’t there to see that,” Jake counters.
I playfully hit at his shoulder as he smirks at me. While Jake has spent our time at the mall half-heartedly flirting with me, I know he doesn’t mean anything by it. He’s handsome, sure, but the attraction I should feel for him just…isn’t there.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. You’re a regular comedian, aren’t you?”
Jake winks. “If I say yes, will you try back on that pink, translucent underwear set?”
This time, it’s Hale who hits Jake across the back of the head.
“Ow!” Jake clutches his scalp dramatically. “Are you trying to get me concussed?”
“If it stops you from being a shameless flirt, then yes.” Hale doesn’t even blink at Jake’s exaggerated pout.
“That’s child abuse.”
“You’re eighteen.”
“That’s adult abuse.”
Hale rolls his eyes and then moves to stand, turning his piercing gaze onto me. I immediately wince and begin to shake my head.
I know that look.
It’s the same one Lissa speared me with as she dragged me from store to store despite my protests, filling my arms with more clothing than I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Shopping. Done. No. Shopping. No more,” I whine, clunking my head against the table as if I can’t keep it up a second longer.
“You’re just like Jake.” Hale chuckles.
“Oh my god. There’s two of them now?” Lissa says in a mock whisper.