Paper Love (Book 2)

3. Gift Buying and Tired Legs

Chapter 3: Gift Buying and Tired Legs.

It was about ten o'clock on a gloomy Thursday. The windows were covered with rain droplets and the air outside was still cold, the wind made it even worse. Lola came over around nine o'clock and then Jo and I started getting ready for the day. We were going shopping for last minute Christmas presents like we usually did. It was sort of a tradition, we would get lazy as soon as December and not realize that Christmas this month until two days before the actual holiday.

My getting routine hasn't really changed since I was in high school. I basically wear sports leggings and a volleyball t-shirt. Since today was pretty cold I put on a really fuzzy hoodie over my long sleeve tee and put on some fake uggs with thick socks instead of my nike shoes. I also decided to wear a simple beanie to keep my sensitive ears warm. Once Jo and I were ready we left the apartment building and then went underneath the street to get on the train. We slid our cards through the card swiping thing and walked through the metal bars. After that we looked for the train we were suppose to take. We got onto it when it came. When it finally stopped at our destination we got out and walked out of the underground area. As we stepped through the tunnel the wind hit us like a truck. It blew so hard my eyes started getting dry. My beanie was ready to come off and almost fell off my head. I grabbed onto it before it could though and I just kept it in my hand. We walked into the building with all the shops and started at JcPenney. I wanted to get Ansleigh some clothes since she was growing really fast and didn't have a lot of clothes left that fit her. I started looking a shirts and tops and then went to bottoms and pants. I picked out a cute top that had white and mint green stripes and some medium washed stretchy jeggings. I didn't get myself anything though. I needed to save the money I had for everyone elses presents. The next store we went to was Belk. I found a really nice tie there for Coen, he didn't have any and I thought it would be good for him to have one when we went to an event or something. After we all found what we were looking for and paid we walked out of Belk and went onto the next store on our lists. We all agreed on Barnes and Nobles. We walked to Barnes and Nobles and when we stepped into the store all you could smell was books. Jo started walking around immediately looking for this book she's been dying to read. I casually walked around the cookbook section looking for a good cookbook but not for me, it was for Lola. I had to be really sly and sneaky about it because she was a few aisles away from me. Once I found the book that I thought she'll like I grabbed it and ran to the cash register to pay. I texted Jo saying that I was done and then texted my sister the same thing. They responded to me short after I sent them the text.

They paid for their things a few minutes after I texted them. "Ready to go to the next store?" Jo piped.

"I'm hungry.." I groaned. "Could we get something to eat before we get back to shopping?"

Jo and Lola glanced at each other before saying, "Sure, where should we eat?"

"I don't care. I just need food..." I moaned.

"Okay. Let's go to the food court then." Jo suggested.

We showed her the way to the food court and then we split up to get the food that we wanted to eat. I decided to have subway so I made my way to the subway counter. "Hello, how may I help you?" The bubbly lady asked me behind the counter.

"Umm.. Could I have a six in Italian bread with cheese, ham, lettuce and cucumbers please?" I asked her as I pointed to the items through the glass. I decided to stop being a peskitarian in my senior year in highschool. It's not like I supported killing animals or anything I was just not getting enough protein so i had to go back to eating meat.

The lady finished making my sandwich before wrapping it up nicely. "Would you like a drink with your sandwich?" She asked me.

"No thank you."

"You could also have a cookie or some chips." She reccomended me.

"I'm good, thank you." I replied.

"Okay then, that will be seven forty nine." I handed her a five dollar bill, two ones and two quarters. "Here's your receipt and change, have a good day!" She smiled at me and then pushed my wrapped sandwich in front of the cash register.

"You too." I said cheerfully back at her before I picked up my sandwich, change and receipt. After I had all my things I looked for Jo and Lola. It took a while of searching before I spotted their faces a few feet away. I quickly walked towards them and sat down at the empty seat in between them

"Subway. I'm so shocked!" Lola teased me as I plopped my sandwich on the table and started unwrapping the wrap around it.

"Chick fil a. I'm so shocked!" I teased Lola back.

"Hey! You can't steal my catch phrases!" She shrieked.

"Just did." I grinned before I took my sandwich in my hand and bit into it.

"Once we finish eating we should go to Macy's I want to get my dad and mom something." Lola said after there was a bit of silence.

"Oh, yah. I do too." I seconded her request.

"Kay." Jo replied.

We finished our lunch a few minutes later but just sat talking for a while before we decided we needed to finish all our shopping. We walked to Macy's which was a pretty long walk away from the food court but that was okay because it was worth it. When we got into the store it looked like christmas threw up on the signs and counters. I walked over to the mug's because my dad has been using the same mug for a few years now so I thought It was time for him to have a new one. I chose a regular mug and then a travel mug so that he could bring his coffee with him when he went to work. As for my mom I got her a really pretty patterned circle scarf with pom poms at the end a couple of makeup products that she's been wanting. I went to go and pay for the items while Jo and Lola still looked around. After I finished paying Lola and Jo came to pay for their things.

The next stores we went to were Bath and Body Works and Lush. I picked out a few things for Jo and Lena, my friend a work secretly.

Finally we were all tired and felt as if out legs were going to fall off so we got onto a train to go back to the apartment. Once we got inside we dropped our bags and all headed for the couch to rest our legs. "That is enough cardio for me for the rest of my life." Lola complained.

"I know!" Jo exclaimed.

"I used not be sore when I did these types of things but ever since I stopped playing volleyball a lot everything made me tired and sore." I sighed. I took the remote off the coffee table and turned on the t.v. "I'll make some dinner while you guys rest." I told them.

"I should be getting back." Lola said as she looked at the clock that was hung on the wall. "Thank though." She got up, picked up her bags and coat before saying her goodbyes and then leaving.

"Well I guess that's just dinner for two then." I smiled at Jo before I grabbed to pot from a cabinet to make pasta.

After we ate we went to our separate rooms to get ready for bed.

After I showered and was in my pajamas I pulled the gifts that I got every one out of the designated bags and as I started to wrap the gifts I realized, Christmas was a stressful time of year.