After they left the storage facility, they headed directly to the mall. When they parked, Theia went running out of the car like a child, spinning in circles with her hands in the air. The warm summer breeze gently blowing through her hair as she twirled made a smile come to her face. She looked up at the gorgeous blue sky before turning to her brothers.
"Come on!!!! Let's go shopping!" She laughed happily.
They couldn't help but smile at how excited she was. She looked like a child going to an amusement park for the first time. As soon as they got out of the car, Theia grabbed them, pulling them in the direction of the entrance.
Of course, the three extremely good-looking teenagers walking through the mall, casually dressed in sportswear as if they were advertising for the brands, attracted attention as soon as they entered the mall.
It was known that Theia and Alex were very good looking, but so was Ezra. His blonde hair was a shade between gold and sandy-blonde. Coupled with his blue-green eyes and his tall frame that had yet to finish filling out, he was a sight to see. His face, which had yet to lose its youthfulness, was composed of breath-taking classical features. It was easy to see that as he grew, he'd be even more handsome.
Walking together, they drew gazes from everyone. However, the siblings didn't even notice the attention they received. They were far too busy arguing over where to go first.
"We should go to the electronic store first," Ezra insisted.
"No, clothes first. It's much more important, " Theia shot back.
Alex sighed. These kids, said the person, who was 1 and 2 years older, respectively. "Guys!"
They both turned to him.
"Why are you arguing like children over something so silly?"
They both looked down. Ezra felt embarrassed that they wer---
"It's obvious we should go to the book store first and then the Apple store for the phone."
They looked up, staring at him in disbelief. How could they feel embarrassed when he was doing the same? Did he say all of that just to insert his own opinion? Theia and Ezra looked at each other in tacit agreement and looked away from him to continue their debate.
"I still say electronic first," Ezra repeated.
"Urgh. Clothes first."
"Guys!"
They both turned to him. "No!"
Then they resumed their bickering. Eventually, Theia won by putting her puppy eyes and sad face on the unsuspecting Ezra, so they went off to the clothes store. What followed was a nightmare of clothes selection for Ezra. Theia made him try EVERYTHING. Alex laughed, seeing his expression, before he saw Theia looking at him with a glint that caused shivers to run down his spine.
No, he thought. He saw her smile at him sweetly and was even more hesitant. She wasn't really going to make hi----
"Excuse me, can you take him to try on these things please?"
Alex groaned. So she really did it. Ezra, who was just coming out to show what he was wearing, chuckled happily at the thought of someone else suffering along with him. He patted him on the shoulder, wearing an equally sunny smile as Theia did.
"Alex, I think these would look great on you. You wouldn't want to waste Theia's goodwill, would you?"
Alex groaned. Oh how quickly the wheels turn. He had just said that to Ezra with a smile on his face, and yet karma had already struck for him. Looking at the both of them, he knew there was no getting out of it today. He sighed resignedly, taking the clothes to the changing room. Ezra laughed happily for a moment. Until he heard the demoness in front of him say,
"Here, Ez. Take these and go as well."
He groaned, much like Alex did, before shuffling back to the hell of constantly changing clothes. Theia laughed at their behavior. They were so childish. Based on their attitude, someone would think she was sending them off to jail. As she grumbled about it, the sales clerk walked back to her.
"Are they your brothers?" She asked. "The three of you look alike. You and the oldest one resemble each other the most, but the three of you share a lot of features. The hair, facial structure, and eyes all match. Even though they are slightly different shades, you can really tell you guys are siblings."
Theia blinked, stunned for a moment, before smiling at the clerk. "Yes, they're my older brothers."
"I thought so. All three of you are so good-looking too. Are you the youngest?"
"Yes, I am. They're a year and two years older than me, respectively."
The clerk signed. "How lovely that you all get along so well. I wish my siblings and I got on as well as you three did." She turned to look at the dressing rooms before telling her, "If you need anything else, just call me."
Theia smiled in agreement, her mind still on what was said before. She was still lost in thought when she noticed them both staring at her. Startled, she looked at the clock on the wall, only to realize that she had been dazed for almost 15 minutes. She shook herself off, and started looking through the sizes and makes of everything they tried on that they liked. She called the sales clerk and gave her the information. Using that, she quickly picked out clothes relating to the things they liked.
They watched in slight amazement. They had thought they would be trying on clothes for much longer, but it turned out she was quite efficient. Simply by using what they liked and what fit to pick things. Ezra looked at her in admiration. Theia noticed and said,
"My mom and I used to shop like this. We would only go once in a while because we weren't rich, but I'd get great clothes that lasted a long time. She taught me once that it was the best way to find exactly what you like from what you don't, as well as what fits you best."
Ezra ruffled Theia's hair when he saw the sadness flash across her face.
"Your mom must be an amazing and thoughtful woman," he said.
She looked up at him, startled.
"After all, she raised you." He finished with a smile.
Theia felt her eyes water a little. It always made her happy when her mother was acknowledged. But why did that sound so familiar to her? She thought for a while before she remembered.
" "It's quite possible. In fact, it sounds like that is exactly what she did. Your mother seems like she was a really thoughtful person. "
"Yeah, she was," Theia admitted, her face sad.
"I can tell. She raised you, didn't she? " "
She had had this exact conversation with Alex when they met, and now she had almost the same one with Ezra. It seemed she was never wrong about the people she felt connected to. She looked up at him, at her new brother, and gave a genuine smile.
"Thank you, Ez."
Her phone chimed, interrupting the moment. When she looked at it, she was a bit taken aback.
"Alex, we're running out of time."
He checked his own phone and was startled by how much time had gone by.
"Let's quickly head to the electronic store and then Apple. Ezra needs to get a laptop he can take to school and a desktop computer for home. Plus, he needs a phone. If we hurry, we can finish in around an hour and get home by half past 2."
Theia nodded. "We already got him casual, semi-casual, and sportswear. Formal wear can come after. We'll just take measurements."
She turned to look for the clerk, while Alex went to pay. She gave instructions for the clothes to be delivered in an hour and a half, and made sure to tip the clerk.
Ezra looked at them a bit confused. What did they have to do today? Before he could ask, he was pulled from the store and hustled to the other stores.
Oh well, he thought. I'll ask when we get in the car.
******
"I don't see why we have to do this. In fact, I forbid it. I refuse. "
She smirked. "Well, it's not up to you to decide. If you don't, you know what will happen. Not just on my end, but on yours as well. This is going to happen. It was all I could do to get it not to go the other way. Is that what you would prefer?"
He gritted his teeth. Of course, it wasn't what he wanted. He knew this was the best option since his parents were serious, but how could he so easily adjust to it? She was right. It was solely because of her talking them out of it that the worst case didn't occur, so he shouldn't have an attitude towards her. He should be grateful.
It was just that that smug look of hers truly drove him mad. He hated seeing it, but she still had her uses. In fact, he couldn't do without her. He could admit it to himself. The fact that he couldn't made him resent her even more at this time.
He heaved a big sigh, wondering how it had come to this. "Alright. Call the press conference. I'll be there happy and smiling."
"I already did. It's at four, and yes you will be, or else, the consequences are not something you can gauge. "
With that, she turned on her heels, leaving him behind gritting his teeth in anger.
Today needed to go perfectly. She would accept nothing less. Her parents-in-law gave an order and she would fulfill it.