kisses

°48°

Completely natural. Sidharth convinced me I was the prettiest he'd ever seen me in that moment, and I believed him, trusting him enough to let him take that photo, nerves jangling deep inside me the entire time.

He studied the photo once it developed, an undecipherable look on his face. When he finally lifted his head, his gaze finding mine, I saw so much- emotion in his eyes.

It was almost scary.

Then he attacked me and I sort of forgot all about it. Until right now.

"Want to go to Chanel?" he asks, once the salesperson hands him his shopping bag.

"Do you want to go to Chanel?"

"I want to watch you walk around Chanel if it makes you happy," he says.

"Are you my dream man?" I rest my hand against my chest and bat my eyelashes, making him laugh.

"Fine. I'm partial to their lipsticks. And the girl who wears them." He kisses me and takes my hand, leading me out of Cartier.

We're entering the store minutes later, the imposing security guards standing at the entrance watching us as we walk by them.

"Do you own a Chanel bag?" Sidharth asks me.

"I have a black wallet on a chain I got for my sixteenth birthday. My mother owns a few and I want them, but she won't give them to me." I laugh. "I don't blame her."

"I'm surprised your father hasn't bought you a bag," he murmurs as we stop in front of the counter, staring at the various bags on display.

"If you could have one, what color would it be?"

"Pink," I say without hesitation. "A mini flap, I think. I don't want it to be too large."

"You've been thinking about this." Sidharth sounds amused, and I smile at him.

"Every girl at prep school dreams of a Chanel bag at one point or another, don't you think?" I make a face. "I sound like a rich snot."

"You are one," he teases, his expression turning serious when the salesperson approaches us.

"May I help you?" She's a tall, reed thin blonde with deep red lips and a French accent.

"Do you have any pink bags? Specifically, the mini flap?" Sidharth asks, like he shops for Chanel bags every day.

"Let me check." She turns her back to us as she slides open the compartment that holds an exorbitant amount of Chanel bags.

I wander around the store while Sidharth waits, stopping at the various displays.

The shoes and the jewelry and clothing. It's all so beautiful, like little pieces of art. But if I'm going to invest my money, it's going to be on items that are actual art, not designer clothing or accessories.

I can't lie though. I do love the occasional designer item.

When I come back to stand beside Sidharth, I see that there are three pink bags sitting in front of him on the counter, the saleswoman hovering nearby.

"Which one do you like best?" he asks me.

The mini flap size is a deeper pink than I would like so that's out. There's a medium Boy bag that's gorgeous, but it's more of a hot pink, and I'm not a fan of the heavy chain strap.

There's a medium flap bag in lambskin with silver hardware that is the most gorgeous pale pink. I pick it up, admiring it before I unlock it and peek inside.

"This is beautiful," I breathe, setting the bag onto the counter.

"It's a gorgeous color," the saleswoman agrees.