I looked out through the window, as the cold breeze gently caressed my skin and as I looked up, the moon was out in the night sky, casting it's light on the the bustling city. The light illuminated from different tall buildings, a sign of people still working even this late. For a moment I closed my eyes, letting my mind wander off and seeking comfort under the night but the sound of cars honking behind snapped me back. I returned my gaze to Owen who sat behind the steering wheel, his eyes fixed to the road without uttering a word.
I had decided to accept his offer to take me home, it was getting late after all and we were still in our wet clothes since there was nothing to offer at the restaurant and Owen was for some reason in a hurry. It had been quiet for the past twenty minutes since we left which made me uncomfortable.
"I didn't know you could drive or own a car," I said lightly, hoping to start a conversation in this tense atmosphere.
"There's a whole lot you don't know about me," he replied in his usual low tune. He seemed uninterested in any conversation so I decided not to push it and just remain drowned in silence.
As we drove along the road between turns, he turned the steering wheel to the left and my direction meant the other way.
"It's the other way," I pointed out but my words fell on deaf ears as he continued driving, ignoring my protests.
"My home is that way." I repeated. now sitting up my eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Hey!" I raised my voice in frustration. "Can you hear me!" I waved my hands across his face trying to get his attention.
"I want to get something, it will be quick." He said taking a stop in front of what looks like a mall. He got off the car, my hand pressed dress as I watched he walk up to my side and and unlocked my door.
He stood, his hands streched forward like he was signaling me to get off. My eyes glanced through the mall and back at his hands, I didn't know why we stopped here but I had no choice but to get off.
It's not like he was going to drop me off here and ditch me, was he?
I honestly didn't know who to trust as this moment. Jake and him were friends so this could all be a part of a prank.
"What are we doing here?" I asked still on guard as I observed my surroundings.
"Getting you new clothes," he said briefly, walking towards the entrance of the mall. My mouth fell open and I fastened my pace to catch up with him.
"What do you mean get me new clothes?" I asked now standing by his side. For some reason he appeared to be walking normal pace but each step he took created a larger gap between us that I had to quicken my pace to be able to catch up with him.
He stopped abruptly and turned to me causing me to come to a sudden halt but I wasn't quick enough and ended up colliding with his chest. "Ouch," I groaned. I might have hit a rock cause that was too hard to belong to that of any human. if it did, it must mean he worked out a lot and that my good friend is what you would call hot.
His eyes glanced at me, scanning me from head to toe with his neutral facials, then he returned his gaze and continued walking towards the entrance. My hands clenched my wet clothes, the cold night breeze suddenly carseesed my skin causing me to shiver once more, I soon put two and two together, immediately realizing what he meant.
"You don't have to," I hurriedly said, hoping to avoid the situation. "Just take me home and I would be fine,"
"I am not asking," came his firm reply without looking back, "you are my responsibility, at least for today." He stopped at the entrance holding the door opened in place. "Now if you don't mind let's make this quick, I have some place else to be," he said in an arrogant yet commanding tone and I couldn't help but let out a scoff and roll my eyes. He really was no different from his twin brother, he was just a calmer version.
Reluctantly, I made my way through each aisle of perfectly arranged clothing, my hand's scanning the style of the clothes and feeling the soft fabric. Owen sat on a sofa opposite where I stood, his legs crossed and right hand gently placed on his chin as he examined the different clothes brought to his display by some of the employees like he was some kind of VIP guest. He felt the clothes for a few minutes and waved his hands when he didn't like it, while the employees brought more clothes for him to choose from. At this point I wouldn't even be surprised if one of his lost relatives owned this mall.
I quickly averted my gaze, ignoring the scene. I focused on the clothes, searching for something that suited my taste. My eyes lit up when I spotted a white dress adorned with delicate diamond stones, adding a touch of elegance to its soft fabric. The gown was long, gracefully sweeping the floor with gentle pleating, and featured a tasteful side cutout that allowed my leg to peek through. Its short sleeves and open back were adorned with delicate, thin straps.
I immediately fell in love with the dress at just first glance. I pulled it from where it was hanging on display and placed it by my side, examining how it would look on me. Luckily for me, there was a large mirror placed in front, giving me a clear view of the dress. A smile curved on my lips as I realized it was a perfect fit. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and imagined myself wearing this dress—oh, how beautiful it looked on me. Opening my eyes, my gaze shifted to the price tag of the dress placed beside it, and with one glance, my smile turned into a sad frown.
Five thousand dollars, that's too expensive for a dress like this. I mean, if I think about it, the dress was really high quality, so the price might be just fine for it, but it's definitely something high above my budget. It would be a huge risk spending that much money on a dress; even if I was handed the cash, I still wouldn't. Taking a deep breath, I gently placed the dress back on the rack.
Admiring the dress one last time, I shifted my gaze back to Owen, who now held a few clothes by his side. Realising that none of them suited my taste, I approached him to inform him of my decision. Just as I was about to speak, he handed me some clothes with a simple instruction, "Wear that," before grabbing what looked like his jacket and walking away.
Examining the clothes he had given me, I found a comfortable T-shirt and a pair of jeans—a casual outfit I knew I would wear more than once. I Glanced at the price tag and I was relieved to see it was within a reasonable range, meaning I could afford it to pay back without any worry.
After changing into the new outfit, an employee kindly packed my wet dress in a bag while I waited for Owen. When he emerged, he was dressed in loose pants and a big black T-shirt. We both headed back to his car, and the drive home was accompanied by a contemplative silence that hung in the air until he dropped me off at my doorstep.
I stood outside my house, clutching the bag containing my wet clothes. Without a second thought, I rushed to Owen's car before he started the engine. "Wait!" I called out, standing by the window.
His hands were gently rested on the steering wheel, and he turned his face towards me. "What?" he mumbled, his voice low and unfazed.
"Uhm... I wanted to say thank you for today. You saved my life, and I was kind of rude to you. I am sorry and extremely grateful," I spoke softly and nervously fidgeting with my hands with my gaze slightly lowered.
"Okay..." he responded, reserved yet clear he had acknowledged what I said.
"And..." I interrupted, "About today, please don't tell anyone. I don't want anyone to know about the incident. Please..." My voice trailed off as I bit my lower lip, desperate to keep this hidden. The thought of the news spreading, especially to Matilda, worried me. I feared how my parents would react especially when they find out I lied to them.
"Sure," he replied simply, and I looked up with a small smile on my lips. I was relieved that he agreed to keep it a secret.
"Thank you," I said once again. still standing in-front of my house, I watched as he started the car engine and drove off, leaving me to face the consequences of avoiding my parents once more.
Monday arrived slower than I had anticipated, and avoiding my parents proved to be very difficult task. I couldn't explain the missing phone and had to come up with excuses to cover my tracks. What's worse was I also couldn't contact Matilda for any help when I needed her the most leaving me feeling even more isolated. As I dashed out of the house that Monday morning, a surge of relief washed over me.
I couldn't believe I was saying this but I was excited about going to school to escape for a while.
But even at school, I couldn't entirely escape. As if on cue, Matilda confronted me in a loud and sudden manner that startled me. "Where the heck have you been!" she yelled, causing me to shriek and jump back in fright.
"Jeez, Matilda!" I said, trying to recover and picking up my books that I had dropped. "Don't scare me like that."
"Whatever, I should be extremely upset. You didn't even call nor text me, and why did your line keep saying switched off," she scolded, clearly upset and concerned for my well-being. I took a moment to collect myself before I opened my mouth to reply but her words trailed first. "And how was your date with Jake?" she smirked teasingly.
"I... I lost my phone and I don't want to talk about Jake. in-fact don't even mention his name." I said feeling a surge of anger, my voice tensed.
Matilda's anger softened, and she let out a sigh. "What happened? Did he do something to you? I was worried sick."
"He didn't even show up," I sighed in frustration walking over to my desk.
"What!" Matilda yelled. "How dare he ditch you like that, oh I am so sorry piper. I shouldn't have made you go," she said in a pleading tone.
"It's not your fault that Jake's a Jerk," I replied with a half-hearted smile, trying to ease the tense atmosphere and reassure Matilda that I was okay. "Look at that, even his name rhymes." I said, trying to find humor in the situation. Hopefully she felt less guilty about the situation even though she clearly did nothing wrong.
"I so want to punch that fool," Matilda said, clenching her fist in the air.
"Sure, we can do it together," i joined in her playful anger. We both laughed for a moment at the situation but then my eyes fell upon a neatly packaged box tied with a blue ribbon sitting on my desk.
"What's this?" Matilda asked eagerly. "Do you think it's an apologizing gift from Jake?"
I picked up the box and examined it curiously and carefully. "I doubt that. He doesn't seem like that type." I replied, unsure of what to to expect. I knew it couldn't be from Jake. That I was sure of but deep down I hoped it was from him.
My heart raced as I carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box.
To both our surprise, I found a brand new phone placed In.
"Wow! A brand new phone?" Matilda exclaimed, her eyes widening and filled with astonishment.
My heart skipped a beat, disbelief watching over me as I held the shinny Phone in my hand. "I can't believe this," I whispered, my voice was shaking. I was feeling a mix of confusion and surprise. It was an expensive phone, something I could never afford on my own.
"Who could it be from?" Matilda wondered. "Is Jake aware you lost your phone?"
"No,"
"So who could it be," Matilda said now in excitement.
"I have no idea," I admitted my mind wandered to Owen. It felt strange but he was the only one I could think of.
"Is there a note or a card?" Matilda asked, scanning the box.
I checked again, and sure enough, there was a small envelope tucked underneath the phone. With trembling hands, I opened it and pulled out a folded note.
The handwriting looked unfamiliar, and was neatly written.
As I read the words, my heart swelled with confusion. The note simply said, "A gift to replace the one you lost. From a friend." I read out loud.
"A friend?" Matilda repeated, puzzled.