The Grand Mall’s upper floor was a vibrant maze of lights and sounds, the polished floors reflecting the glow of storefronts, the air thick with the scent of leather, perfume, and the faint sweetness.
We were in a men’s shoe store now, its sleek displays lined with polished sneakers, loafers, and boots, the air scented with new leather and faint cologne. Sara had insisted on buying me something, her rare generosity catching me off guard, and now she was bouncing around like a kid, grabbing shoes off the racks and thrusting them toward me, her boots clicking on the hardwood floor.
"So, Ezra, which shoes do you want? This? This? Or this?" she asked, her voice loud, her grin wide, holding up a pair of black sneakers, then a flashy red pair, then some white ones with neon accents, her red nails glinting as she juggled them, barely giving me time to look.
"You’ll just confuse him like that," Aeri said, giggling, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she stood beside Sara.
Sara rolled her eyes, tossing her hair, her jacket creaking as she shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, he’s your kid in the end," she said, her tone bored but teasing, dropping the red sneakers back on the rack with a dramatic Sigh. "Obviously, you know everything." She crossed her arms, her stockings catching the light, her pout half-serious.
I stood off to the side, near a glass display of sneakers, my eyes scanning the rows of shoes, ignoring their chatter. The glass reflected the store’s warm lights, the sneakers lined up like art pieces, and I focused on them, igroning Sara’s theatrics, thinking about which pair would actually work with my wardrobe.
A simple white pair caught my eye, clean and versatile, perfect for Sara’s upcoming wedding.
Behind me, Aeri’s voice softened, her tone turning nostalgic as she leaned against a display, her eyes on me, though I didn’t turn.
"Since he was just a small child, he’s been ," she said, her smile audible, her words heavy with memory. "I took him to buy clothes, and he’d just stand there, staring at different shirts and shoes, never throwing loud cries like other kids. Even when I asked what he wanted, he’d just point at one quietly, like he already knew." Her voice warmed, her sneakers scuffing as she shifted.
Sara’s boots clicked as she stepped closer, her hand patting Aeri’s back, her tone light but dismissive. "Yes, yes, I get it, don’t get all emotional now," she said as she gave Aeri a playful nudge, her attempt to keep things light and not serious for Aeri, cutting through her sentimentality.
Aeri laughed, her voice bright, her blush fading as she swatted Sara’s arm. "Why would I be, idiot?" she said, exhaling sharply, her smile wide, her eyes flicking to me, watching me study the shoes, her warmth a calm.
I turned, holding up the simple white sneakers I’d chosen, their clean lines exactly what I wanted.
"I’ll take this one," I said, walking toward them, my voice steady, my latte in one hand, the shoes in the other, heading for the counter.
Sara’s eyes widened, her lips twisting in mock disappointment. "Ehhh... you can buy something fancy too, you know," she said, her boots clicking as she followed me, her hands on her hips. "Those are so plain!" She clearly thought I’d picked something cheap to save her money, her tone annoyed.
I glanced at her, my smirk faint but sharp. "No, this is good," I said, my voice straight, setting the shoes on the counter, the clerk already ringing them up. "It’ll go with the color combo I’m thinking of for your wedding." I leaned against the counter, my eyes meeting hers, knowing my thoughtfulness would catch her off guard.
Sara’s jaw dropped, her eyes big, her lips twisting into a reluctant grin. "Ohhhh... someone’s being thoughtful," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, unable to fully admit I’d impressed her. "Didn’t know you had a brain in there, kid."
Aeri giggled beside me. "Told you, let him pick for himself," she said, her voice proud.
The clerk handed Sara the receipt, her card swiping through with a beep, and we left the store, the new shoe bag added to the three massive carts I was now pushing, their wheels rattling as we navigated the mall’s crowded walkway.
The air buzzed with chatter, passersby murmuring about the fireworks set to light up the sky nearby, their excitement matched Sara’s renewed energy. My hands gripped the cart handles, the weight of the bags was too much.
"So... we’re watching fireworks with these carts alongside?" I asked, my voice calm but astonished, my eyes scanning the overloaded trolleys, imagining us lugging them through a crowd.
Sara laughed, her boots clicking as she waved a hand. "Obviously not, you idiot," she said, her grin wide as she pulled out her phone, checking a message. "The car’s coming to pick them up and take them to my house. No worries. I already called." She smirked.
"Oh, I see," I said, my tone neutral, my hands tightening on the cart, my mind wandering.
*Such things happen in this day and age,* I thought, wondering which app she’d used to summon a car for a haul this size, the modern ease of it impressive, even if I’d never admit it to her.
And soon, a sleek black van pulled up near the mall’s exit, its side stamped with a company logo, and two men in crisp blue uniforms hopped out, their movements quick and practiced. They nodded politely, their caps tilted as they approached the carts, their hands already reaching for the bags.
Sara stepped forward, her phone in hand as she opened an app, scanning a QR code the second man presented on his tablet.
"All done," she said.
The men nodded, closing the trunk with a soft *thud*, and climbed back into the van, the engine humming as they pulled away.
"Come on, let’s go for the fireworks!" Sara called, her voice bright, her boots clicking as she started walking, whistling a carefree tune
I turned to Aeri, our eyes meeting, her blush deepening as a soft, knowing smile spread across her face, just like mine.