Fifty Shades of Average

Chapter 8

He waves me off quickly. "Anything for a beautiful lady."

I blush fiercely. I mutter, "Thank you," and look up at him and smile.

I hold my hand out expectantly for the receipt. The female cashier glances at my outstretched hand and quickly looks away, pretending as if she didn't see it there. She leans forward in an effort to expose more of her already deep cleavage line before saying to Axel, "Sir? Here you go." She gives Axel the receipt, making sure that her and his hands brush against each other.

"Thank you," he says politely.

She smiles at me triumphantly before innocently wishing us a good night. I glare at her before following my friends out the store.

"Can I have the receipt so I know how much I have to pay you?" I ask Axel as we walk through the mall to wherever Talie leads us.

He rubs his clean shaven chin, and then says simply, "No, don't think I will."

"Axellllll," I whine. "Give it." We stop in the front of the food court.

I place my hands on my hips and stare him down. When he doesn't budge, I throw my hands up in the air. "Then how the hell am I supposed to pay you back?"

"You don't." He states, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I try to be be slick and quickly reach out my hand to try and snatch the receipt from his grip. Axel, of course, sees it coming and lifts his hand high into the air, to a point that even my 5'10'' frame can't reach it. I look up at his face, and he looks like he's desperately trying to stop himself from exploding with laughter any second.

"Give it!" I stupidly jump and swipe my hands at his, which evidently does not get me anywhere - Axel only lifts his hands higher.

I give up. "I can't just take money from you like that!"

"You're not taking it, princess. I'm giving it to you out of the goodness of my heart."

"No. I can't do that, I'm very independent thank you very much. I refuse to take money from you without compensation."

"But you still haven't caught me up on American life since I got back, like you promised," he reminds me, "We can go to dinner or something and you'll be the one paying. How's that?"

I consider his suggestion and cross my arms across my chest. "Okay, fine. Have it your way. But I'm so getting you back for this."

Axel only laughs and shakes his head at me.

Talie is too absorbed in gazing at the stores throughout the mall and window shopping to even observe what's going on right next to her.

"Esme, ohmygod just look! That boutique has so much jewelry! Let's go, I need to buy hoops for my dresses anyway." She tugs my shirt to grasp my attention.

I follow her gaze and see that she's looking at a store called Jewels for Her. She pulls me toward the store and I have no choice but to follow her. I will admit, the earrings and necklaces are to die for, but they're certainly not in my price range. Particularly because I carelessly left my debit card in my dorm.

I look around and help Talie choose these hoops with pearls that are embedded into gold trimmings. Her family is pretty well-to-do if you ask me, they just don't like to show it.

A pretty silver necklace catches my eye, so I walk up to it and examine it further. This particular piece of jewelry is extravagantly beautiful. I flip the price tag over and my heart does a little backflip. Okay, definitely out of the question - way too expensive.

After about two more hours of window shopping and buying little things here and there, we decide to call it a night. Shopping really is an exhausting hobby, especially if it's with someone like Talie.

They drop me off in front of my dorm. I'm highly satisfied with the shopping I've done today. Probably not spending that much all at once anytime soon... not like it was my money anyway.

"I'll text you tomorrow!" Talie tells me as I exit Axel's car.

"Kay," I wave my hand goodbye, "Thanks for the girls' night out Axel!"

"Sure, anything for my princesses," he says in his British accent.

I smile while shutting the car door and begin the walk up to my dorm.

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