𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃 {𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀}

chapter twenty two ❁

Small and quiet cheers fill our private vicinity and we all turn, giving each other high fives. Patiently, we wait half a minute before Erin leaves us. With confidence and maturity radiating from her soul, she struts down the small walk space and past the cashier. She nods her head at the man working behind the counter and ruffles her hair in her hands and elegantly walks out the door, joining James.

"Way to not make it obvious, Erin." Cliff says and the other boys laugh, but I don't partake in the joke. Instead, I take mental notes of Erin's scheme and find a way to force it into my private plan. We wait a little longer and it was then Cliff's turn. Cliff doesn't bother to even look up from the ground when he walked out of the store. Rather making himself seem like he obviously shoplifted, he covers up his motives with pulling out a cigarette from his breast pocket of his denim vest and lighting it before he left the store.

It wasn't a big deal that Cliff was smoking because the store was now starting to reek of weed. So seeing a guy smoking a cigarette didn't seem uncommon to the other shoppers.

I begin counting down from thirty in my head and begin to get into character. I smooth out my shirt, tuck my hair behind my ears and and adjust my necklace. Only fifteen more seconds left, only twelve more seconds left and I feel strong arms grab my waist from behind. Ignoring the distinct arms, holding me back, I start to stand up and feel the arms coming with me.

"Kirk, let go!" I whisper and shake my hips under his grip.

I feel a head lay on my back, "I'm coming with you."

"No, we have to stick to the plan! We could get caught!"

Turning around, Kirk let's go and drops back to the ground. By now the thirty seconds are up.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, no two people have walked out of the store at the same time yet. If we walk out looking casual, nobody will suspect anything."

Lars nudges my shoulder, "Lelia, go!"

Sharp whispers grab my attention and I lock eyes with my friends outside the door.

James is furiously pointing at his watch, meanwhile Erin is waving her arms, reading her lips she is saying, "your time is up!" Cliff stands behind them, back faced to the door as he is still working on his cigarette.

"Pleaseeee." Kirk says and his same arms are tightly gripped around me, "Please don't leave me alone with Lars."

"Fock you!" With a hard grunt, I feel Kirk's body weight crash hard against my back and I have to quickly balance myself from toppling over. I knew Lars had to have pushed Kirk.

"Fine, just don't make it obvious."

Kirk stands up quicker than I can and he lends a hand down to pull me to my feet. I smile once he locks fingers with mine and before I could comprehend it, Kirk had his arm around my neck and we were almost halfway out of the store.

"So dove, what do you say we catch some dinner after this?!" I can tell Kirk is putting on an obvious fake accent and it takes all my might not to laugh.

"I would love that, honeybuns!" I follow his scheme and I could tell he was holding back the laughter too.

Once the cool and refreshing nighttime air simmer my emotions, Kirk and I finally share our long awaited laugh.

"Really, honeybuns?!" Kirk wheezes and I grasp my chest.

"You're trying to say 'dove' was better than honeybuns?! I would say my nickname was better!"

"Fine, you win this one, but don't be surprised when I come up with cuter nicknames than you."

"Wanna bet, Hammett?" I surprise Kirk when I pull him to my side and swing my arm across his neck, just like he did to me.