The beginning of forever

39 - Changed Status 😅

Irin's POV

Two days before classes were set to resume, the entire gang decided to throw a pool party at Friend's house to celebrate her confirmed admission to Juliard School of Music.

Getting ready for the pool party, I invited Becky to join me for a quick shopping spree to pick out swimsuits and other stuff. Our friends would also meet us at the shopping mall before we all head to Friend's house.

As we perused the store, Becky couldn't shake the feeling that a couple of guys were edging closer to us. Their presence made Becky slightly uneasy.

As we continued to shop, the guys' behavior became more noticeable. They were lingering nearby, making us feel increasingly uncomfortable. I exchanged a concerned look with Becky, and we decided to make their way to a more crowded section of the store, hoping to deter any unwanted attention.

The guys persisted in their efforts. One of them attempted to strike up a conversation with me. He asked, "Hey, are you girls here with someone? My friend and I couldn't help but notice you lovely ladies."

We exchanged a polite but cautious smile and replied, "We're here with our friends" Becky subtly signaled to me, and we began to move away, maintaining a safe distance from the persistent strangers.

Undeterred, the guys continued to follow us through the store. One of them asked, "Can we join you, then? We promise we're a fun bunch."

I then replied, "We've already made plans with our friends. Bye." With that, Becky and I decided to exit the shop make our way to our friends as soon as possible, putting some distance between themselves and the persistent strangers.

As Becky and I was about to exit, one of the guys took a step too far. He blocked our way and exclaimed, "It's not very polite to just walk away when someone's trying to strike up a conversation." with a blatant disregard for personal boundaries, attempted to touch Becky.

Becky immediately recoiled, her voice firm and assertive. "Back off," she demanded, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. I too, stood my ground, ready to intervene if necessary.

Just as the persistent stranger was about to touch me, a strong hand gripped his wrist, firmly preventing him from doing so. A voice, filled with authority and concern, spoke up, saying, "The ladies told you to back off, man."

Becky and I turned to see who had come to their aid, grateful for the support. It's my brother who had noticed the uncomfortable situation and intervened.

The persistent stranger, now reprimanded by Saint, quickly backtracked and defended himself, saying, "Woah, woah, I'm just being friendly, man."

As the stranger hesitated, Nop, chimed in from behind Saint. "That doesn't seem like friendliness, especially when they already have us as friends," Nop pointed out, supporting Saint's stance.

Freen, in a protective and assertive tone, warned, "Now back off you two or we'll make you."

Her words, coupled with the presence of Saint and Nop left no room for doubt that their boundaries were to be respected. The persistent strangers, realizing the gravity of the situation, finally chose to leave.

Saint quickly turned her attention to us asking, "Are you two okay?"

I nodded and replied, "Yeah, we were just a bit flustered. Thanks for stepping in to help."

Freen interrupted, concern in her voice, "Are you absolutely sure, princess?"

I reassured Freen, "Yes, we're fine," with a smile directed at my sister.

Freen shifted her attention to Becky and asked, "And how about you, baby... I mean, Becky?"

Amused by Freen's slip of the tongue, I couldn't resist chiming in with playful teasing. "Oh, come on, Freen. You definitely called her 'baby.' She's still your baby, huh?"