Chapter Thirty-Nine: 'irresistible to la femme'
"Okay now I appreciate the fact that I saved up my money these past few months," I said placing various shopping bags down and sitting opposite Abby at a little café in the middle of the shopping centre we were in.
"I know right," agreed Abby stretching out her arms above her before resting them on the table. "I think I have enough new clothes to last me for the rest of the year."
I smirked in amusement before picking up the café menu and having a look.
"Shopping makes me hungry," commented Abby picking up another menu and following my lead.
"I think I need an iced coffee – with extra ice-cream."
"Yum. I think I'll need the large BLT with the lot," smirked Abby as a waitress came over to take our orders.
We both ordered and began waiting patiently for our food.
"So, got any other plans for the holidays?" I asked Abby.
She leaned her chin on her fist gently, thinking. "Uhm I think my mum was planning a trip to my grandmother's beach house..."
I opened my mouth to speak before Abby cut me off.
"But it's not as exciting as it seems and no we can't all hang out there and party, unfortunately," she continued. "It's more of a shack than a house, really. And it's been in the family for a long time so my grandmother's very protective of it." Abby imitated her grandmother's voice, "'No parties or bonfires Abby – you will not disrupt my peaceful home'."
I laughed before muttering a soft 'thank you' to the waitress giving us our drinks.
"Anyway, what about you?" asked Abby, "Any... Plans?" Abby raised her eyebrows suggestively and I tried to ignore the progressive blush rising in my cheeks.
"Um... I don't know. I think my Aunt Cat wanted to come over for dinner one night..."
"I meant with Hunter."
"Oh, yeah. Uhm, maybe."
"I'm sure he'll plan something," said Abby letting the steam from her warm mocha rise over her face gently. "He always did when we were together."
I placed my drink down on the table. "You know I never asked you how you feel about all this."
Abby directed her gaze from her drink to me, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, this isn't weird for you is it? Me and Hunter?"
She smiled gently. "What happened with me and Hunter was great while it lasted but it's over now. If I truly still loved him then I wouldn't have ended it. Being with him... Taught me more about myself than I could have ever imagined. He managed to break down all the walls I forced myself to hold up. But that doesn't make me wish I was still with him, it just makes me want to take all the lessons I learned to my next relationship. And you know I think I can say the same about him. I'm sure he's learned all his own lessons and that's why I believe he truly is serious about you. So, don't be afraid to go for it, okay?"
"Okay," I beamed. It felt good to hear that from Abby. I guess it was only now that I realised one of the main reasons I was so held back from Hunter was because I'd felt guilty – him being Abby's ex and all. But she'd kindly given me her blessing so, why hold back now, right?
Abby dropped me off at my house that afternoon. I walked upstairs and put down my many shopping bags before flopping down onto my bed, running a hand through my hair softly. Hunter came to mind again causing a smile to appear on my face. I sat up and decided to go downstairs and get myself a glass of water, feeling thirsty. I reached the kitchen to find my mother cooking some kind of a cake.
I dipped a finger into the chocolate mixture before tasting it. "Yum, tell me when it's ready," I beamed.
"Uh keep your mits out of it Naomi," said my mother playfully slapping my arm.
I grinned in response before going to the fridge to get out some cool water.
"So how's it going with you and your boyfriend?"
I half chocked on the mouthful of water I was in the process of swallowing and coughed, placing the near full cup down on the bench. I cleared my throat, "He's not my boyfriend mum."
"Yet," she interjected giving me a cheeky wink.
I rolled my eyes sitting down on one of the stools behind our bench top with my glass of water. My eyes slowly trailed up to her, busily continuing mixing ingredients into the bowl cheerily. "So, uhm... You like him then?"
"Hm?" she looked up to meet my eyes.
I cleared my throat once more. "Your first impression of him," I explained. "You think he's alright?"
A smile appeared across her cheeks forming little dimples – the trait I had received from her at birth. "He seems like a good guy."
"Good." My eyes immediately trailed back down to my glass and I unhesitatingly took another sip.
"But I know a rebellious kid when I see one."
I looked up. "Huh?"
"I got that vibe from him," she said. "He's polite but he's a bit of a charmer. You know, the type of guy who's used to getting attention from the ladies and sometimes may... take advantage of that."
I breathed out. "Well looks like you just spelled out Hunter in a nutshell," I grinned.
She put down her utensils and brushed off her floury hands before looking at me seriously. "Naomi, you're a smart girl. And I'm sure Hunter treats you well but I still want you to be careful, okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Sure."
"Naomi I'm not saying this because I'm your parent and I'm supposed to, I'm saying it because I genuinely care about you and I don't want to see you get hurt – not that I think that will happen, okay?"
"Yeah," I nodded gently. "I know, mum. Thank you."
She gave me a heartfelt smile and I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the screen, "Speaking of the devil..." I♥HUNTER calling.
"Go on, go talk to lover boy in your room so I can't eavesdrop on your conversation," joked my mother.
I smiled at her before prancing away upstairs to my room.
"Hey Naomi," his husky voice rang soothingly in my voice.
"Hey," I sang back leaning on the edge of the window in my room and staring outside.
"So, how've you been?"
"Great, you?"
"Yeah, good. Are you doing anything this Saturday night?"
"Uhm I'll have to check my roster..." I trailed my finger over the blank calendar on my wall, "Nope, what do you have in mind?"
"Okay you're coming with me."
I laughed, "I haven't exactly consented yet. I don't even know what you're planning."
"It's a surprise."
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm kidding," he continued.
"Good," I laughed. "Besides I would have found out before Saturday anyway."
"... True. Anyway, my cousin had tickets to a band this Saturday but she dumped her boyfriend today."
"Oh, okay." I frowned slightly to myself. "Well as long as she's happy." I moved to my bed and sat on the edge.
"Oh she is," he replied. "And so am I. I always told her that guy was an arsehole."
I smiled to myself at the protectiveness very present in Hunter's voice as he said that. "So I'm guessing she gave you the tickets then, right?"
"Yep. So you and me are going to The Neighbourhood this Saturday."
"... Wait, what?"
Silence.
"Oh... Crap," Hunter sighed on the other end of the phone. "You don't like the band, do you."
"What?! No – they're only like my favourite band ever! I can't believe you got tickets – they sold out so fast, before I even had the chance to - "
"Whoa okay slow down, don't go all 'fangirlish' on me now."
I crossed my arms, "Shut up."
I could hear Hunter laughing on the other end of the phone. Slightly annoyed, I decided to do the whole 'say one line to put them in their place then hang up'.
"Pick me up at eight," I stated but before I could hang up the phone he replied.
"It starts at eight."
I recomposed myself before replying again. "Pick me up at seven."
"Uh - "
I hung up the phone and smiled to myself.
And before I knew it, through many precious catch ups on sleep and missed TV episodes, Saturday arrived before my eyes, strong, and present and masked in excitement.
I looked at myself in my floor length mirror. I sported some skinny grey jeans, a white tank top, a black leather jacket (which was pretty hot if I do say so myself), woollen grey biker gloves and my new laced up ankle boots. I waved my hair and tussled it gently and applied some brown eyeliner and black mascara with a deep red lippy (also new). I smiled. I liked. I liked very much.
Seven pm arrived and so did Hunter, at the doorstep of my house dressed in dark grey jeans and a white shirt underneath his unbuttoned, tartan forest green over shirt pushed up at the sleeves – the green complimenting his eyes and hair perfectly. Honestly, could he look more like a male model right now?
"Hey," he smiled kissing me on the cheek.
And his cologne! Like seriously what scent is that – 'irresistible to la femme'?
I stepped into the passenger seat of his car and we began driving away to the concert of my dreams (literally). This would be fun...
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Hey guys, it's been a while...my apologies. I guess my life has been pretty hec-tic recently. My college hours are CRAAYZZy and don't worry - I'm not moments from a nervous breakdown because I've already had one! Yay, that was fun! ...I'm kidding.
Haha ANYWAY massive THANK YOU to all of those still sticking by this story and any new readers - you guys are awesome, thank you.
For anyone wondering, this story is reaching it's ending however when I say that I don't mean two chapters away, more than that. Yeah. Aha
Please do comment any questions/queries you may have on the story/about the story/about updates ect, it's been a while and I'm very eager to update all of you.
Once again thankyou!
Much loveeee (coz I'm so hippy)
-sangeetha