Eli

Four

"What's up?"

"Nothing much just browsing. Stocking up on some warmer clothes. Is it always this cold up here?"

"It's only October. This is child's play, you haven't felt nothing yet."

He smiled, which I almost mimicked but I caught myself. I turned my head and looked back down at the hoodies I was looking over.

"You have good taste," he complimented as I picked up one in red.

He started chuckling so I frowned missing the joke, "What's so funny?"

I watched as he went through his shopping bag and pulled out the same hoodie I had just picked up down to the color. Seeing that I dropped the hoodie I was holding back onto the display table.

"Why'd you put it back," he chuckled, "What's the probability of us being around each other and both rocking it at the same time?"

"To much of a probability for me. You hang around the boys so you know what they're like."

"So your worried about what they're going to say? I'm surprised."

"What are you surprised about?"

"Surprised that you care what anyone has to say about you."

I felt like he was challenging me and being one to never back down I picked up the hoodie and place it in my arms and moved on to see what else I could find noticing that he was following behind me.

"What you doing after this," he asked.

"Why," I frowned turning around to look at him causing him to chuckle likely at my facial expression.

"I wanted to see if you wanted to spend some time with me."

I shook my head shutting him down, "I'm good."

"I got a chance to hang out with Matt and the boys, talk to them and get to know them and now I'm trying to do the same with you."

I looked at him and I'm sure my face said it all. I don't know he thought this was but he was tripping. The boys all thought he was cool as hell, they hung out and that was great but I didn't see a point with hanging around him.

"There ain't nothing you need to know other than what I'm sure you already do."

"You act like I'm asking you out on a date. You can't just kick it with me for a little bit? Will it kill you to be friendly for a few hours?"

I've never been friendly and didn't know how to be. It wasn't in my nature to smile and be nice to people. I wasn't a people person. Let the boys tell it I wasn't even friendly to their goofy asses.

"I'm not friendly... so if you still want to kick it with me then do so at your own risk."

I was about to turn him down but it was like I could hear Tiffany and Missy in my head telling me to be nicer and pictured Trell shaking his head at me with that deep scowl on his face every time I did something he didn't approve of.

He looked surprised by my sudden turn around but didn't comment on it. I shopped and he did the same. We talked occasionally, well he was doing most of the talking.

Once I was done in the store we headed to the register together and I paid first and instead of waiting around for him to pay I stood by the front door and waited for him while I browsed my phone.

"I thought you would have dipped on me," he said once he caught up to me.

"I thought about it," I answered truthfully heading to the door but for whatever reason he sped up and held it open for me. The shit was awkward and made me feel weird but I mumbled a thanks. For the next thirty minutes we walked into random stores, not talking much but every time I turned around he wasn't far away.