Romancing the Rebound

20

୨𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚢୧

I always hated dressing up. Especially as a kid, I hated it. I think every kid hates it, but I just never grew out of it. Which means that—yeah, sometimes I can't figure out when an occasion is special enough to dress up for. And if it is, then I don't know what I should put myself in.

Tonight, the decision is made for me.

I make the mistake of asking Skylar if she wants to try a restaurant I saw a pamphlet on in the lobby for dinner. She smiles as she agrees, but her mood quickly changes when we part ways into our own rooms to get ready for the restaurant. She shoves shoves one of her many shopping bags into my chest after taking them all from me. She tells me to wear the outfit she just bought for me today.

It's not exactly my style, and she knows it. But I still put it back on, aware that if I show up in anything else but this, she'll be pissed.

I try not to be too upset over it. From what pictures I could see on the restaurant, it's fancy looking. I guess I shouldn't show up to a fancy restaurant in jeans and a t-shirt. I could but I'd look more out of place beside Skylar than I already do.

Before I make my way out into the hall, I pause and glance at my glasses sitting on the little table beside the bed. I stare for a few seconds before I groan and walk over to snatch them up. I scowl at them the entire way to to the bathroom.

__________

"Aww, come on, Daniel. Don't look so sad."

I glare at her while I drop my chin in the palm of my hand. Skylar keeps murmuring stupid things to me in a voice that she'd probably use for a baby or a dog.

"You look so cute though." Skylar hums with a smile. I scoff and shake my head as I straighten in my seat and look away from her. "Really, you do." She giggles. I ignore her.

I hate cute.

"Smile,"

I groan as I reluctantly look back at her. She's grinning as she holds her phone up, but only facing me. She won't be in the picture this time. I don't bother smiling at it, aware she probably won't post this one anywhere. Hopefully, anyway.

I stare dryly at the camera until she giggles to herself and set it down. She doesn't have flash on, so there's no way for me to tell if she took the picture or not. I don't care either way, so I dismiss it. "Anyway," Skylar murmurs as she sets her phone off to the side. "I haven't seen you take one picture this entire time." She raises a curious brow.

I frown. "What about the picture for my mom?"

"That was just us. It doesn't count." She waves me off. "What about the pretty sights and stuff?" She questions.

I shrug. "I don't take as many pictures as you do." I offer weakly. It doesn't interest me as much—posing for a quick picture.

"I don't understand why." Skylar admits on a hum as she lifts up her menu curiously.

I follow her lead and open it up even though I already decided on what I wanted from a picture on the pamphlet I saw. "I don't understand why you take so many pictures." I return, glancing at her over my menu. I look up in time to make brief eye contact with her before her eyes drop too. "Explain it to me." I request.