NINE

A Chapter by Maddox

~Adrian~

“I don’t hate you,” he said.

“Right. ‘I still think it’s a stupid idea,’” she repeated. The look on her face was one of pure anger. And confusion, he noticed. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at her. Her bright green eyes were staring at him, daring him to contradict her.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “It honestly isn’t you personally. It’s the fact that you’re new.” He said. The disbelief grew in her eyes. He told her about Cameron. How badly it hurt Richelle. Jake’s face softened as he finished. He looked down and finished cleaning her leg. He couldn’t help notice that she was nicely tanned and freshly shaved. Where had she shaved? Interesting. He would have to remember to ask Richelle to ask her. Concealing a small smile, he dropped the blood covered washcloth and looked up.

“Wait here,” he said. Standing up, he turned around and walked towards where he saw the medicine aisle. He walked up and down the aisles until he found the gauze. He grabbed three roles of gauze, hydrogen peroxide, medical tape, and Neosporin. He searched the aisle for anything else he might need. He had learned everything he needed about cleaning and dressing wounds from when he had to clean up after his father’s anger fits.

Grabbing a bottle of painkillers, Adrian walked back to the aisle where Jake waited. Smiling he sat back down next to her. Turning the bottle so she couldn’t see the label, Adrian grabbed a clean washcloth and poured hydrogen peroxide on it. Lightly he started dabbing at her wound.

“OW!” she cried. She jerked away. “Why’d you do that?!”

“It’s peroxide. It’ll help.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that? It hurt!”

“Because I figured that you knew it hurt and would protest. But it was necessary and I couldn’t let you stop me,” He said. She glared at him and relaxed, putting her legs back. Adrian chuckled and continued cleaning the wound with peroxide. Finished, he thinly covered it in Neosporin and wrapped it tightly in gauze, tapping it down with medical tape.

“I think that should do it,” he said. Jake looked down at her leg and laughed.

“Yeah and my pants look fantastic.” Adrian looked at her, curious if she was actually mad or not. She wasn’t. Her wide smile filled her face as she stood up and looked down at him. Standing up he followed her back down the aisles. She led him around the store until she found what she was looking for. The clothes section loomed in front of them.

“Ugh!” he groaned. He hated clothes shopping. She dragged him through the dresses, sweaters, and shirts. “You can do this by yourself, can’t you?” Spinning around she shot him a look.

“Yes but two is better than one. You can go.” She smiled. Faced with a decision, he looked around.

Sensing his hesitation, she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the women’s section. He watched as she started pulling hangers out and throwing them across her arm. A few different colored tank tops, a pair of faded blue jeans, a bright yellow pair of skinny jeans, and several different shirts. Shaking his head, he was dragged over to the changing rooms. She sat him down on one of the old wooden benches outside a changing room.

Adrian waited sitting on the bench wasn’t very comfortable. The wood creaked beneath him as he moved. He could hear Jake moving around inside the stall. Faster than he would have thought possible, the door was thrown open and Jake stepped out theatrically twirling. She had on the pair of faded jeans and a pink tank top.

“Nice,” he laughed.

“You know what?” she said turning around. “This is boring. Let’s do something fun. Everything has been so serious sense the return; I haven’t had fun since I was in Colorado. Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him out of the changing rooms. They wandered back through the clothes and stopped at the prom clothes.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Not an option.” She started pulling things off the rack and throwing them at him. A tuxedo with a large red carnation in the lapel was on the top. They kept going, adding things to their pile. Jake ended with an arm full of floor length dresses, while Adrian had several suits and outfits she had thrown at him. They made their way back to the changing rooms. He waited until she disappeared inside her changing room before Adrian stepped inside his own. The tuxedo was confusing. He pulled away different parts and pieces, holding them up to himself, trying to figure out where they go. Finally he figured it out and slipped the outfit on. He unlocked the door and stepped out. Jake stood there in an emerald green strapless dress. It hugged her, the front dipping down in a small V. The hem touched the floor but the slice up her leg stopped half way up her thigh. The color of the dress made her eyes seem even brighter. Her long hair was hanging in rippling layers down her back. She looked up as he walked towards her.

“Hey. You look nice,” she smiled. Stunned, he felt nailed to the spot. Smiling, she spun around and looked in the mirror. “I like it. It’s nice.” She pulled her hair over her shoulder, smiling at him in the mirror. He felt his heart skip a beat.

Moving forward he took her hand, spinning her around. Her free hand rested on his shoulder. Awkwardly he put his free hand on her hip, looking over her shoulder. Quietly he spun her around the small room. Jake smiled and looked up at him.

“Wow. You guys look nice,” laughed Richelle. She smiled and walked into the changing room area. Pulling away, Jake smiled. She walked back into the changing room.

“What’s going on?” whispered Richelle. Adrian shook his head and grabbed her shoulders. Moving her out of earshot of Jake, he let go.

“Go find bags that we can fill for camping. Keep your eyes open. You still have your gun?” he questioned. She nodded and walked away, a small smile playing at her lips. Shaking his head he turned around and stepped into the changing room. Changing back into his clothes, he slipped his Swiss Army knife into his shoe and put them on. Shutting the door behind him he waited again on the old wooden bench. Jake came out of her changing room clutching the extra pair of pants and tank tops.

“I should probably get a few more of each of these,” she murmured. Walking past him, she grabbed several more pairs of pants, tank tops, and shirts. She didn’t talk as she walked out of the clothes section, leaving him standing there by himself.

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