Freak (Troyler AU)

Chapter Fourty-One

*Troye's POV*

Surprisingly, the store was still in-tact when we arrived in front of it. It was also still booming with people, if not even more than before. I sighed heavily, watching a particularly bad child running around and waving a costume above his head while his mother yelled at him to put it back. This was not going to be a fun endeavor at all, was it? Tyler shifted next to me, and I tensed a moment later when I felt his hand on the small of my back, traveling lower and grabbing my keys out of my pocket. 

"They don't allow food in the store. I'm going to drop these off in your car, I'll be right back. Locate the nuisances." He promised me, smiling broadly before taking off at a quick pace toward the doors we'd came in from. Well great, now I get to face it all on my own. I could wait for him to go back, or go after him, but imagine how pathetic that would be. I'm eighteen, not ten, I'm fully capable of going into a store on my own and not getting lost or overwhelmed.

That was the train of thought I had as I determinedly walked into the store, though it vanished when I was suddenly surrounded by people, encased in a crowd of them. I kept my limbs tucked tightly against my body, only looking up from my feet to make sure I wasn't going to run into anyone. No one looked particularly happy about their last-minute shopping in the small and busy store, and I really didn't want a near-repeat of the Jenna incident. I gnawed on the inside of my bottom lip, glancing over my shoulder like I expected Tyler to rush up behind me. When I didn't see him I let out a quiet sigh, continuing through the destroyed aisles and maneuvering my way through people. I was doing pretty well too, until I tripped over a stray pitchfork and had to catch myself on a woman standing in front of me. 

What the fuck. Is someone really trying to cop a feel here of all places?

My eyes went wide realizing where my hands had landed, one on her hip and the other on her butt. Oh god, leave it to me, accident prone Troye strikes yet again. She turned around with a glare in her eyes, before actually taking time to take in my appearance. I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disgusted that that had her expression changing to a welcoming one, but I was one-hundred percent sure I was getting out of there.

"Sorry!" I blurted, darting around her and into the next aisle in a jog. I let out a breath of relief when I realized this one was nearly empty, before taking in the contents and realizing it was all scanty lingerie and sexual costumes of things that should never be sexual. Well, on the upside, things could have been worse, I could have run into Sage in this aisle. I turned on my heel, eyes going wide when they fell on the approaching group of people. Why the hell Caspar, his goons, and Jenna were headed toward the sexual aisle suddenly didn't matter, my only thought to get the hell out of there before they saw me. Oh god, I could just imagine the things they'd imply about Shane and I now. I rushed in the opposite direction, running out and catching myself before I ran into anyone. Which was a pretty huge accomplishment, considering I'd just ran into the bulk of the crowd; the discount section. 

I gasped, swallowing the lump in my throat and looking around at them wide-eyed. I was also aware of the fact Caspar's gang was getting closer, considering I could hear them chatting and Jenna giggling femininely. But the people were literally everywhere, making a quick escape next to impossible unless I actually wanted to shove my way through. Imagine all the thoughts I'd hear if I did that, I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk turning around either though, Caspar's cruel laugh ringing in my ears. I actually felt like I was going to cry, before my eyes fell on what seemed to be my only escape; a girl walking out of the changing room. It wasn't the girl herself, obviously, but more-so the closed-off private space that was the tiny changing cubicle. I lurched forward, running faster than I thought possible. I reached it just as someone else did, our eyes locking before I gave her the cold shoulder and ducked into the room. I heard an annoyed grunt as the door clicked shut, but I also didn't care, locking it and walking to the wall furthest from the door.