Finding The Way Back To You

Chapter 8: Double Date

We arrived to the mall and decided to jump right into shopping. Me and Dakota decided to go to Pac Sun first. We tried on bikinis and modeled for Kanin and Ashton. It honestly started to feel like a double date. I found myself loving the thought. I also noticed how Kanin couldn't keep his eyes off my body.

"Which one should I get? Yellow or mauve?" I asked my friends.

"I like yellow! But I like the mauve too.." Dakota started. "Whatever she thinks," Ash laughed.

"They both look amazing on you and compliment your body and skin tone well. You look beautiful in both." Kanin states.

I find Dakota and Ashton smirking at me. I clear my throat. Did it just get hot in here?

"Thank you K." I smile at him.
"Of course. I haven't heard that nickname in awhile." He grins.

"Oh enough love birds! Which ones should I get?" Dakota asks. I swat her arm. She laughs and sticks her tongue out at me.

"I love the red one on you!" I reply.

"Get all of them baby." Ashton tells Dakota.
"Really babe?" Dakota excitedly asks. She's holding a red, black, olive, and hot pink one.
"When you look like that, plus me being head over heels for you as is, you get whatever you want." Ashton winks.
"Aww. Thank you, thank you, thank you baby. I love you." Dakota repeatedly pecks Ashton's.
"I love you too gorgeous." He kisses her back.

"Gosh y'all are still in the honeymoon phase after how many years?" Kanin pretends to gag.

"Five. Jealous?" Ashton asks as we checkout.

"Nope. I have my girl." Kanin snatches my hand. My girl?

Kanin pulls me and leads me out of the store. Dakota and Ashton trail behind us holding hands too.

"Y'all are so cute," Dakota says. I give her a pointed look. "Shut up!"

Kanin puts his other hand on my face and swipes his thump on my bottom lip. "We are cute." He smiles.

I awkwardly laugh, "Are you guys hungry? Wanna head to the food court?"

"Clearly Kanin is hungry Danya." Ashton snickers. Kanin snort laughs. Dakota joins in, "Who wouldn't be? Look at her, she's hot!"

I know I'm beet red. "You guys are annoying." I roll my eyes, let go of Kanin's hand, and proceed to the food court.

"Aww come on beautiful, we're just kidding." Kanin catches up to me. With the other couple trailing behind us again.

"Yeah I know." I stop to wait for the couple to catch up.

"Where do you all want to eat?" I ask everyone.

"I don't know, Chick-fil-A?" Dakota addresses everyone and we all agree.

Ashton grabs Dakota from behind and they get in line.

"You don't want to hold my hand anymore?" Kanin asks staring deep into my eyes.
I'm hot again.

"Err.. Do you want to hold my hand?" I flicked my eyes anywhere but his.

He puts his hand under my chin to lift my eyes to his, "I very much do," he pauses to give me a small smile, "after all we're on a double date Babe."

Babe? This man is going to make me faint any minute. I roll my eyes and grab his hand and get in line behind Dakota and Ash.

We get our food. Kanin insisted paying for mine. Now it really does feel like a double date.

"Where to next?" I ask Dakota.
"Let's do American Eagle. They always have cute shorts and tops." She grabs Ashton's hand and he follows her.

I grab Kanin's hand again and follow behind them. I look over at him and find he already smiling down at me, "What?"

"You've always been beautiful. But the beautiful you are now is so much more." Kanin says. How he says it.. as if it was full of love. Does he still love me?

"Thank you. I could say the same about you." I say back.

"I'm beautiful?" Kanin laughs.

"Yes." I giggle back.

"Thank you babe." He kisses my hand. My heart jolts.

I direct eyes back in front of me to see a couple walking out as we enter. Who it was, was a bit disappointing.

Jake.

I drop Kanin's hand before he spots me. We lock eyes. He smiles. Or maybe he even smirked. He did just have me naked, and we nearly had sex. Now he is here on a date with another model looking girl. I break eye contact.

Kanin looks to where I had been staring, "Are you fucking serious.."

Kanin puts a hand on my shoulder as I stop at a rack, "Danya?"

"Yeah?" I pull a few shirts off the rack already and proceed to the shorts rack.

"I'm sorry.." Kanin says following me.

"Don't worry about it Kanin. It's not your fault. You did try to warn me." I smile. Kanin knows
me well enough to know it wasn't a genuine one.

"I know that. It doesn't mean I don't want to protect you from guys like that." He says.

I sigh, "You're always protecting me. Protect yourself, K. I'm fine."

"I care about you. I still l-" Kanin says but I interrupt.

"I'm gonna go grab Dakota and try this stuff on. I care about you just as much, maybe even more. I'm fine. Let's drop it." I peck his cheek and head to find Dakota.

Was he going to say he still loved me? Why didn't I let him finish saying whatever he was saying. I know why, I was scared to hear that.

We finished shopping after a few stores. Me and Dakota had maybe 30 bags between us. The boys carried the bags and loaded them in the car. Kanin was kinda quiet the rest of the time. He still walked with me, but he didn't try to hold my hand the rest of the time out. I wonder if he thinks I'm upset over Jake. I'm a little disappointed, but I'm not distraught over it. He wasn't my boyfriend, I barely knew the guy. We only had a little hookup, but not even that technically. Kanin is upset over something. I'm going to have to pry when we're home. He said he cares about me, and I do for him. I don't want him upset.

The drive home was quiet, we all just listened to music. Mostly quiet because Dakota was knocked out in the front seat.

Me and Kanin are talking when we get home. Somethings off.

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Is Kanin going to get something off his chest?

What's going to happen with Jake?