“Get moving!” AJ shouted through the door, banging on it with his clenched fist. “At least let me in!” He followed.
Nick walked to the door and clicked it open before heading back to the mirror. AJ sighed exaggeratedly at him to show his impatience, before playfully looking at his watch and then stamping his foot. Nick just giggled at him, and he collected his room key, his wallet and his cell phone. Nick peered at the screen on his cell phone and wondered whether he should call or text Heather. He had not forgotten about her, but had been simply distracted the last few days. He decided he would think about it as AJ pushed him out the door.
“I’m never shopping with you again.” AJ whined as they headed down the corridor.
“Shut up!” Nick exclaimed hitting AJ on the back of his head in a friendly way.
“Watch it” AJ snarled at him. “..Because you’ll pay for that.” He promised giggling excitedly. “Stop looking at your phone and tell me what you think.” AJ said to a fed-up Nick three hours later, emerging from a changing room in a Ralph Lauren store. Nick had two bags, and he guarded a further six bags of AJ’s while AJ tried things on. Nick had text Heather in his boredom and was now both disappointed that she hadn’t text, and worried something had happened to her. He was concerned why he cared so much. Those feelings he found out about while he looked at her sleeping face, were alive in him and he felt them pulling on his heart strings, and dancing around in his mind. He embraced them, although they scared him, so he made a compromise-he would just keep them to himself until he was sure and ready to take the risk for her.
“It’s cool.” Nick mumbled. He should have known better to not go shopping with AJ.
”Thank you!” AJ said sarcastically. “Now did it hurt you for stuttering out two words?” AJ continued pulling a face and Nick stuck a middle finger up at him. AJ retreated back into the changing room- one jumper down, four to go.
Nick sighed, but tried to relax. At least he wasn’t in any kind of distress.
Nick thoughts were interrupted as his phone rumbled in his pocket. He pulled it out in haste and didn’t even check who it was. “Heather?” Nick asked hopefully.
“Yes.” AJ’s womanly voice was not convincing enough.
“AJ!” Nick screeched, hanging up on him. Nick heard AJ giggling in his cubicle, before coming out sporting another jumper and a new hat. Nick looked frustratingly at him.
“Oh don’t look at me like that.” AJ said temporarily sitting down next to Nick. ”Why are you so desperate for her to call?” He asked
”Cause I’m worried something has happened to her, you know, with her boyfriend or something” Nick said pulling at the handles of one of the many bags that surrounded him
“Listen” AJ began. “You asked her to call you if shit went down. She hasn’t called. Then she’s fine. I think you just want her to call you for no reason at all.” AJ grinned, as Nick tried to hide his feelings in his eyes, but blushed and AJ clocked on. “Oh so she’s an important one is she?” AJ teased, and Nick shrugged. “Like the other ten.” AJ teased further, retreating once again back into the cubicle.
“When are you doing to Brian’s?” AJ asked out of sight as he changed.
“Later on.” Nick said, feeling his phone rumbled again in his pocket. He took it out but checked this time, and was delighted that it read “Heather Mob.”
”Shut up for a minute.” Nick asked as he answered the phone.
”Hey Heather.” He said slowly. The world had just changed to suit his mood, or the mood he wanted to be in.
“Hey Stranger.” She whispered seductively down the phone to him. “How you doing?” She asked.
“I’m doing much better now that you’ve called.” Nick said, realising he sounded like a love-sick puppy. “How are you? You’re boyfriend given you any trouble?”
Aj’s head suddenly popped out, and he grinned similarly to Nick, and starting fooling around like he had done in the airport. Nick got up, and playfully pushed AJ back into the cubicle, trying to talk to Heather at the same time. Nick sighed in relief when Heather disclosed that her boyfriend had called off the relationship, and left her alone. He also smiled cheekily to himself, fantasising of all the wonderful possibilities for he and Heather now her boyfriend was out of the picture. He was once again reminded of how her lips tasted on his lips, and Nick felt pleasure press down through his body, shaking his rib cage on the way down as he thought of her lips on his skin. He thanked God Brian had agreed that she could come and visit while he was taking time away from L.A- time away from the stress. He reminded her she could come.
“Sure, I look forward to it” She said as equally seductive as her “hello’ had been. She was teasing him, but Nick loved it.
AJ emerged from the dressing room, and handed the things he didn’t want to a sales assistant who asked him if he had liked any of the items he tried on. She subsequently told AJ that she had liked the ripped jeans he had chosen. AJ thanked her, before heading over to Nick. “Typical” Nick thought. “Now you’re reading...” Nick gestured to him to pay and to come back for him. AJ tried to snatch the phone but when Nick flashed a look that could kill he backed off and went to pay for his clothes.
“Yeah I look forward to it too.” Nick confessed to Heather playfully. He licked his lips wanting to taste her, before saying his goodbye, truly looking forward to seeing his beautiful Heather.
