Tell Me With Flowers

41. Trust factor

MEGAN

I was walking with an air of confidence and never once did my smile fade even when I was looking at those glittery shops beckoning me to head there. There was a sense of satisfaction at my every sigh, like I had finally belonged to someplace where I was protected and cared for.

I pulled my over jacket together as I walked, putting on a pair of shades over my eyes. The sunlight was not out, but Miles had told me that it looked good on me. Hoping that he was right, I had pulled it along when I had left home.

"I think we should go in there." Laura said, rubbing her protruding tummy, as she pointed her chin to one of the stores. "That one looks fancy."

"Okay." I nodded my head and went ahead of them, swinging a plastic bag I already had. When I didn't hear their footsteps behind me, I turned around. Confused, I pulled out my shades and looked at them, raising my hand. "What happened?"

"Are you still the Megan we knew?" Amber asked, walking slowly towards me. She looked at Laura for support for which she only gave a concerned look towards me. "Because, I'm not sure about it anymore."

"Why?" I rolled my eyes at them for making it seem so dramatic.

Laura tucked her dark hair behind her ears, placing a hand on my shoulder. Under her concerned gaze, there was a teasing glance that said that they were only messing up with me.

"You are never the one to shop." Laura said, bumping her shoulder to mine. "You always made it a big deal when I went out."

"It is still a big deal." I defended, knitting my brows together. "I'm shopping because I need a few clothes. You shop because you want to get rid of your stress."

Laura rolled her eyes at me, too tired to argue. She walked further, taking slow steps. She was already seven months pregnant now and even when I told her not to come, she didn't want to reject the idea of shopping.

"It does!" Amber pipped in. "Shopping is the only thing that makes you feel good about yourself. You get to dress up and then, boom! You feel confident to strike that damned society again."

"Language, sweetheart." Laura reminded her, not turning at us.

Amber seemed to ignore her for the time being. "Shopping takes your mind off things at least for a certain time."

"And all the stress comes back in seconds when you see the bill." I reminded her, walking into the store.

The store was new and I had never seen it before in the mall. They were all kinds of dresses there, ranging from jeans to party dresses. I had already bought a cheap tee shirt, after bargaining at the vendor for fifteen minutes. Amber and Laura were too pissed at me for the scene I had created just to buy one faded shirt.

They had thrown tantrums at me, saying that they would never be able to go to that store again because of me. They further went ahead to tell me that they would not shop with me again, if I was having that mentality throughout the day.

"Hi, what are you looking for?" One of the sales girls came forward, smiling warmly at us. "Jeans are in this section and dresses are around that corner."

"Thank you." I smiled back. "We are just looking. But if we find anything we will call you."

"Hey, aren't you Megan Taylor, Miles Jackson's girlfriend?" She asked, her eyes bulging out from her sockets. This was the first time that someone from outside had recognized me as someone's girlfriend rather than a florist. "Oh, my God!"

Before I could answer her anything, she was freaking out and I felt like a celebrity. I shifted my weight from left to right leg, awkwardly smiling at her as she talked, telling me how she knew I was the one for Miles rather than Shelly.