The Grand Mall was a glittering maze of lights and noise, the upper floor buzzing with shoppers weaving through stores, their bags rustling, their voices blending into a lively hum.
The escalator hummed beneath my boots as I rode up, my hands in my pockets, my long black shirt and t-shirt catching the cool air-conditioned breeze. The faint scent of my cologne lingered, drawing a few giggles and whispers from a group of girls nearby, but my focus was ahead, scanning for Aeri.
My heart lifted when I spotted Aeri near the railing, looking effortlessly cute in a soft cream sweater, snug jeans, and white sneakers, her hair loose and framing her face, her smile a quiet warmth in the crowd. Beside her stood Sara, loud and bold in a fitted jacket over a t-shirt, a short skirt, black stockings hugging her legs, and ankle boots. I hated her—her taunts, her smug grin—but even I couldn’t deny she looked stunning, her confidence practically radiating. Still, Aeri was the one who held my gaze.
I stepped off the escalator, my sneakers softly padding the polished floor as I walked toward them.
"Good evening, Ezra," Aeri said, her voice warm, her smile genuine, her eyes crinkling in that way that made my chest ache with how much I loved her.
"Good evening, Ae—Mom..." I stammered, catching myself mid-word, my face heating up as I forced a sweaty smile. *Shit,* I thought, my pulse spiking. I’d almost called her Aeri in front of Sara, a slip that could’ve unraveled everything.
Sara knew I loved Aeri—but Aeri didn’t know that Sara knows about it as they’ve never discussed it so in open it feels like a simple step mother and child relationship.
The secrecy was a tangled mess, and my near-mistake left me rattled, my hands tensing in my pockets.
Aeri’s smile faltered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she tilted her head, her eyes searching mine. "How are you? Did you eat lunch?" she asked, her voice soft but tinged with concern, like she could sense my unease.
"I’m good," I said, my voice a little too quick, my smile still tense. "Yeah, yeah, I ate. Don’t worry." I nodded, trying to play it off, my eyes flicking to the crowd to avoid her gaze, the weight of my almost-slip lingering.
"Pfft!" Sara burst out laughing, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes glinting with mischief as she doubled over, her jacket rustling. I narrowed my eyes at her, my jaw tightening, irritation flaring at her smug amusement.
"Sara, why are you laughing?" Aeri asked, her blush deepening, her voice a mix of embarrassment and curiosity as she nudged Sara’s arm, her sweater sleeve brushing against Sara’s jacket.
"No, no, it’s nothing," Sara said, wiping a tear from her eye, her grin wide and taunting. "Good evening, milk-sucker," she added, her voice dripping with mockery, her boots clicking as she straightened, clearly enjoying herself.
"Good evening," I said, my voice flat, my eyes avoiding hers as I walked past, my shoulder brushing the air near her. "Hmph." I kept my gaze forward, my hands still in my pockets, determined not to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
"So, where are we going?" I asked, glancing back at them both, my tone neutral, ready to get this over with, whatever it was.
Sara walked ahead, her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, her skirt swishing. "Little more shopping, and we need you to hold our bags, obviously," she said, her voice casual but sharp, like it was the most natural thing in the world to drag me into their errands.
I sighed, my shoulders slumping, not surprised *Typical Sara,* I thought, following them past a jewelry store, the mall’s music—a poppy beat—fading into the background.
But then I stopped dead, my sneakers squeaking on the floor, my face twisting with a mix of awkwardness and disbelief as I spotted a chair by a nearby seating area, piled high with thirteen shopping bags—brightly colored, stuffed to the brim, handles tangled together in a chaotic heap.
Aeri glanced at me, her smile turning tense, almost guilty, like a kid caught sneaking cookies. Sara, beside her, stood proud, her chin lifted, her grin unapologetic. I stared at the bags, then at them, my voice slow.
"And you guys want to...shop more.?"
"Yeah, it’s the great marriage of the great Sara, after all," Aeri said, her voice bright but teasing, stepping forward to grab Sara’s shoulders, giving them a playful shake. Her white sneakers scuffed the floor, her sweater soft against Sara’s jacket, her smile warm but laced with mock seriousness.
"Hehe, yes, that’s correct, Aeri," Sara said, her grin widening, her eyes sparkling with pride as she tossed her hair, her boots planted firmly, like she was basking in the spotlight of her upcoming wedding. "I am the greatest so I atleast need lots of great things for me."
I sighed again, longer this time, my gaze flicking between them—Aeri’s sheepish smile, Sara’s smug confidence, the ridiculous pile of bags.
"Some marriage," I muttered under my breath, my hands still in my pockets, my face settling into a resigned frown as I braced for the chaos of their shopping spree, Aeri’s presence the only thing keeping me from walking away.
"It feels like you guys are buying stuff and just dumping it here on the chair," I said, standing up, my hands in my pockets, a long sigh escaping me as I eyed the chaotic pile—bags from clothing stores, shoe boutiques, even a glittery one from a jewelry shop.
"So, what else do we need to buy?" I asked, glancing between them, my tone half-resigned, half-curious, ready to get moving.
Aeri’s eyes crinkled, her smile soft and reassuring as she held up her thumb and index finger, barely an inch apart. "Just a few more things," she said, her voice light, her white sneakers scuffing the floor as she tilted her head, her hair falling gently over one shoulder.
"Okay..." I said, a laugh slipping out, her warmth easing my irritation.
I fell into step beside them, the mall’s energy swirling around us, shoppers weaving past with rustling bags, a kid’s laughter echoing from a nearby arcade. Aeri’s presence was a comfort, her sweater brushing my arm as we walked, but Sara, as always, had to make it loud.
"Come here, Ezra!" Sara called, her voice booming over the crowd as she lunged forward, wrapping her arm around my neck, pulling me into her armpit in a mock headlock. "With us, you’ll learn a lot about women and their likings," she said, her grin wide, her jacket rustling, her boots clicking as she dragged me along, her confidence practically a spotlight and her boobs pressing on my face which she isn’t bothered about even a bit.
"Yeah, as if I’d ever be excited to know what you like," I shot back, my voice flat, my eyes narrowing as I squirmed under her grip, her arm annoyingly strong. "Hmph."
I tugged at her sleeve, trying to break free, my long hair falling into my eyes, irritation flaring at her theatrics.
"You motherfucker, never learn, do you?" Sara said, her grin turning sharp, a nerve twitching on her forehead as she rubbed her knuckles fiercely into my scalp, the rough noogie making my head sting.
"Arghh, that hurts!" I snapped, my voice edged with irritation, finally pulling myself free, my hands smoothing my hair, my glare locked on her.
The crowd around us barely noticed, too caught up in their shopping, but a few teens nearby glanced, probably thinking we were siblings bickering.
Aeri, walking a step behind, sighed, her hand resting on her forehead, her sweater sleeve slipping slightly.
"When will these two get along..." she said, her voice soft but exasperated, a small smile tugging at her lips as she shook her head, her white sneakers slowing as she watched us.
"NEVER!" Sara and I said in unison, our voices sharp, our words colliding in a perfect, unintended sync. We froze, turning to glare at each other, our eyes burning with mutual annoyance.
The fact that we’d matched, even by accident, was infuriating—neither of us wanted to be aligned in any way, our rivalry a constant spark ready to ignite.
Aeri burst out laughing, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
"Yeah, sure," she said, her voice warm, her laughter cutting through the tension like a breeze, her jeans shifting as she stepped between us, a gentle referee in our chaos. "Come on, you two, let’s keep moving. We’ve got stores to hit."
I huffed, shoving my hands deeper into my pockets, my sneakers scuffing the floor as I fell back into step, Sara striding ahead with her smug grin, walking along side with Aeri.
The mall’s lights glittered, the pile of bags waiting for me to carry, and I braced for more of Sara’s jabs, more shopping, more chaos—but Aeri’s smile, soft and steady beside me, made it bearable, her presence the only thing grounding me in the whirlwind of this pre-wedding madness.