Secrets: Page 3

It took a minute to convince them that I was ok. Truth be told, I wasn't sure I was. But I wasn't about to let that ruin my day off.

As we entered the large air conditioned building, we all let out a sigh of relief. Immediately, Mika and Emma wanted to go to the potion supply shop, Exotiqué, so the rest of us followed after them.

The whole store had dim purple lighting, which felt cool for about 30 seconds and annoying for the rest of the time. Mika and Emma loaded a basket with small pieces of horn, small stones, various dried bugs, and roughly a trillion different herbs. None of the rest of us bought anything, save for Lexi, who bought a small pendant necklace that could apparently hold a spell.

All total, it came out to a few hundred, which I insisted I pay for. Honestly, I could probably have bought most of the store without my parents batting an eye. Ironically, goofing around with friends and spending way too much money is probably what they expected me to be doing.

"Evan, come on. You don't have to that."

"I know, but this is my treat."

Mika just shrugged, letting me pay.

While we did that, Jake had ran off to some other shop and bought a bag of holding, so we wouldn't be carrying our bags everywhere.

Next we agreed to hit up some hipster-focused fashion store called Efreet. There we finally got clothes that didn't suck.

It was there that I discovered Lexi's true love. Fashion. I wouldn't have considered myself a fashionista, but I had absorbed a little from my sister. But I couldn't even keep up with what he was saying. After about 30 minutes in there, it was clear the others wanted to leave.

I handed Durak a wad of fifties.

"Take Emma, Jake, and Mika to lunch."

He looked at me curiously, then glanced over at Lexi.

"No fucking way, You and Lexi?"

I winked at him.

"No idea what you mean."

He nodded, herding the others towards to the food court. I walked with Lexi through the aisles, and I helped her carry the stuff she picked out. She plucked a few of them from my hands, dashing away into the dressing room. She poked her head out, though, just for a moment.

"Now, don't you do any peaking."

I feigned shock, covering my mouth as I gasped.

"I would never."

She stuck her tongue out at me, then ducked back into the changing room.

I sat on a bench, twiddling my thumbs while she changed. After much longer than it should have taken to change clothes, she stepped out. She was wearing a light green shirt, a jean jacket, a dark green skirt, and white thigh high leggings. Standing there, blushing, face wreathed in fiery red hair (you're welcome, J), and those lovely green eyes sparkling, I wondered if I deserved such a perfect creature.

"So, how does it look?"

"You look... perfect."

Her face lit up, and she wrapped me in a hug.

"Thank you, Evan."

Samara's voice rang out in my head, a not so subtle reminder that privacy wasn't an option for me anymore.

"Tell her the truth, Lucas."

"I will, soon."

Lexi looked at me in confusion.

"Will what soon?"

I really needed to start thinking before I spoke.

"Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud. Don't worry about it."

Her head tilted, like I was some puzzle she was attempting to solve.

"What secrets are you hiding, Evan?"

"I could say the same to you."

She stuck her tongue out at me, which made both of us laugh. After she changed out of her new clothes and everything was paid for, we joined the others in the food court.