The mall. Why does he have to go to the mall? Guys don’t even like the mall—do they?
I dreaded it, and I hated that I cared he was going at all. I didn’t like Chay. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. He was irritating and commanding, and I wasn’t into guys like him.
So why is he all I can think about? Jake hasn’t even crossed my mind all day, but he’s the kind of guy I’m into. Right? I think.
The final bell rang. I grabbed my stuff and cursed.
How can I have retail therapy with Chay there? This was supposed to be Muriel and me. Girls’ day. Trying on ridiculously expensive clothes and every pair of shoes in the store. Stuff no guy, especially Chay, wants to do. I want to stomp my feet and scream. No wonder little kids have tantrums. I think one would actually feel good right now. Huh.
I walked slowly to my locker, wondering who was following me. The second I turned, I spotted his eyes and watched as a slow grin slid across his face. I sighed.
I got to my locker and threw my crap inside, slamming the door. He stood on the other side, his hip leaning against the lockers. He looked completely relaxed, while I had butterflies the size of softballs bouncing around in the pit of my belly.
“Let’s go.” He pushed off the lockers.
“Wait. Where’s Muriel?”
“Outside.”
I followed Chay to the parking lot and stared in disgust at what I found. Muriel’s car was full. Drew was sitting in the front seat next to her. Jen and Shayla were crunched in the backseat with Jeff. Steven and Jake were at football practice and Lily was working, so I couldn’t hitch a ride with any of them.
I looked slowly to my left. Chay held his car door open for me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you going to stand there all day or are we gonna get the torture over with?”
“Which particular torture are you referring to?” I walked slowly to his car.
“The mall. What else?”
Uh, how ‘bout having to ride with you?
I slipped in the passenger’s seat. He shut the car door and walked around the front end toward the driver’s side, twirling his keys around his finger. I looked for an escape route, but Muriel had already pulled out of the parking lot. I was stuck with Chay.
You are so gonna pay for this, Muriel.
He was quiet on the way to the mall. The only sound was the hum of his car’s engine and the frantic beating of my heart. We’d just pulled into the parking lot when he looked at me.
“Your name’s really pretty.”
“Oh… um, thanks.” I looked at him for the first time since leaving the school and gave him a small smile. He had an odd look on his face. “Your name is… different.”
“Yeah.”
“I mean it’s unique,” I said quickly.
“I know what you meant, Milayna.” One side of his mouth lifted in an amused grin. He reached out and gently tugged on a piece of my hair before sliding it behind my ear. It sent shivers down to my toes.
Whoa. What the hell was that?
He dropped his hand and flung open his door. “Let’s get this over with.”
Having Chay spend the afternoon at the mall with us wasn’t the catastrophe I thought it’d be. He was actually fun to be with when he wasn’t in a mood. The group had a great time laughing with and teasing each other.
We sat in the food court in the middle of the mall and watched the people pass by. Potted palm trees hung over us, strung up with paper lanterns. Afternoon light shined down on us from the skylights high in the second-story ceiling, making Chay’s dark hair glossy. I tried not to notice. I hated that I kept looking.
“No, no, look at this one,” Drew said behind the napkin he held in front of his mouth. He laughed so hard it was hard to understand him. “But, Mom, I don’t want to get a haircut. The frizzy perm look is in this year.” He pointed at a mother pulling her teenaged son into a barbershop by the collar of his plaid button-down. His hair sprung in all directions and could definitely use a good conditioning.
“Wait, check out the red-headed guy’s T-shirt,” Jen squealed.
“Feed a starving artist… buy my book,” I read and laughed.
“Yeah, he doesn’t look like he’s missed too many dinners, and he has an ice cream cone. I want ice cream,” Jen said wistfully, smiling.
Chay pointed to a little girl crying; her mom pulled her behind her. The little girl held a Barbie doll in one hand and every so many steps she took, she’d look at it and start crying harder. The screams filled the food court, and I wanted to plug my ears.
“But Mom, I didn’t want the Barbie. I wanted the Spiderman doll.” Chay shook his head and chuckled.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “That’s so sexist. I have a Spiderman action figure. He stands watch on my bedside table.” He stared at me, looking as though he was at a complete loss for words. I started laughing, and his lips twitched to hide a grin.
We sat at the table, eating nachos and making up stories for the people who walked by, laughing like kids.
Drew stood and brushed tortilla chip crumbs off his shirt. “I’m going to GameStop. Anyone up for it?”