I hated turtleneck sweaters. I'd only ever worn one once, and that was on a skiing trip in high school. I hated it. It was scratchy and all the seams stuck into my skin. I swore to myself I'd never wear one again.
And here I was, buying several.
Thankfully Cassidy was with me and she'd thought I just came out to buy regular clothes. She was too busy picking out shirts and shoes to notice what I was buying, and all she did was talk about her day with her beloved boyfriend, Alex.
She flicked through a rack of black shirts all in different sizes and popped her pink lips, making me cringe in memory of how the Joker smacked his lips. "I mean, he got me flowers. It wasn't even anybody's birthday or any holiday and he just gave me white roses. Isn't that nice?"
I picked out a cream baggy knitted jumper with a wide fold over neck and I actually thought perhaps these sweaters weren't so bad. They looked nice. I tried to ignore the mention of white roses and cracked a small smile, brushing my hair over the side of my marred neck. "That's so great of him, Cass."
She giggled, tossing her brunette hair in content and picking out a black tee that seemed to fit. "I know. He's such a sweetheart," She hummed happily, stepping to move out the way of a passing person. She admired a dark plum crop top and wondered if it'd go with the long skirt she chose. She was going on holiday to Spain soon over Easter break and she always picked out the prettiest clothes. "Do you think this'll go with my skirt?" She asked me, holding it up.
I chose out a long sleeved top and swung it over my arm before looking at what she was trying to show me. I nodded and smiled. "Yeah, it looks great."
She sighed and chuckled. "'Great'. Why is everything just 'great', Stell? You okay?" She asked.
I nodded.
A moment passed and she furrowed her eyebrows. "I heard from somebody in your psych class that you threw up a few days ago. How you feeling?"
I swallowed nervously and awkwardly shifted my gaze around, pretending as though everything were fine. "Oh, I didn't throw up. I nearly did, but I just... I went home," I admitted quietly, harsh memories giving me a throbbing headache. I pulled my hair over my neck, the hickey feeling sensitive and still even a little sore. He really had left a pretty swell mark. "I'm okay now. I guess it was the stress, maybe." I shrugged, putting a sweater back to swap it with a nicer one.
Cassidy raised an eyebrow and squinted her eyes. "Why are you buying so many sweaters?"
I shuffled my tongue in my mouth and awkwardly stammered. I was buying the sweaters for the ugly hickey on my neck. And I was buying several in case he came back and gave me another one. "Oh. Um, I've been feeling cold lately. Maybe I'm starting to feel sick." I passed off, chuckling.
Cassidy didn't buy it. "Stella, if anything, the weather's getting warmer. Why would you need six different sweaters?"
I didn't reply, just continued walking over to another rack of thick knit jumpers. She followed me and gazed at my arms. "And you've been wearing long sleeves..." She hummed, and I looked at her with worry. Was she going to pull them up and see the bruises? "Have you been...?" She dragged her finger across her wrist in a cutting motion, looking around suspiciously.
I raised my eyebrows and gasped. "Are you kidding? No!" I whisper yelled, hissing in shock.
"Woah, okay, I had to check," She said, holding her hands up in defence. "I get worried, y'know."
"I'd never do that. I'm fine. Honestly." I mumbled sternly, picking up my last sweater, which was grey.
Cassidy followed me to the checkout and I put my clothes down for the woman working at the till to scan. I gave my money and shoved my clothes in a bag, and waited for Cass to be done doing the same.
