Categories > Original > Romance > Just You and Me
Chapter 7 Shopping
"It was nice meeting you too," Joe said when they finally parted. He leaned in slightly, his lips inching closer to hers.
"AAAAIIIIIIINNNNNNAAAAAA!!!" Jenna said jumping on Aina's sleeping form waking her from her dream.
A week later and he's still on my mind. Get out, get out, get out, Aina mentally complained. "Ugg. That hurt you cow," She said without much enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to wake you," Jenna said a bit too cheerily at 7:30 in the morning. "Come on, Larissa's downstairs talking to your mom, the three of us are gonna get coffee, then go shopping so that you have warm clothes for London."
"Fine, just get off me and let me get ready," Aina said only willing to get up for some Starbucks.
Jenna headed downstairs to the kitchen where Lydia, Aina's mom, was finishing up her homemade coffee.
"Is she up?" Lydia asked Jenna.
"Yes Auntie." The girls always called each other's parents auntie and uncle.
"Wow, that's a record. It only took you 2 minutes. Well, I'm off to work," Lydia walked over to the staircase. "Aina I'm going to work now!" She yelled to Aina.
"Okay! Bye!" Aina yelled back.
"Bye girls have fun shopping," Lydia said.
"We will don't worry," Jenna said.
"Yeah we'll even have enough fun for you too," Larissa said with a light smile before Lydia left the house.
Ten minutes later the girls found themselves in a nearby Starbucks sitting at one of the tables.
"I don't know what I want," Aina said to herself out loud as Larissa sat there making one of her lists.
"Do you really need to make a list for shopping?" Jenna asked. "I mean I know you make lists for just about everything, but shopping? We'll just get whatever looks good... for Aina of course."
"We do need a list. Isn't the weather different in London, like doesn't it get really cold during the winter? So we need a list to make sure she has different types of jackets and shoes and... you know what just let me make my list," Larissa said semi-disgruntled.
"I guess I'm not the only one that needs some coffee," Aina said jokingly.
But I'll be there forever, you will see that it's better, Jenna's phone sang indicating an incoming call.
"Hello," Jenna greeted.
"Hi Kevin!" Aina yelled from the other side of the table.
"How do you know it's Kevin?" Larissa asked.
"Well, that wasn't her ring tone before," Aina started, "and I know she wouldn't put that song for anyone else."
* * * *
"Hey I just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out today," Kevin said into his phone.
"Hi Kevin," Nick, Joe, and Kevin heard a soft female voice say from their corner table in Starbucks. They looked around before Joe spotted Aina sitting at a table talking to someone he couldn't see. He tapped Kevin on the arm and pointed her way.
"Hold on Jenna," Kevin said into his phone as all three boys walked over to the table with their drinks.
"What, no 'Hey Joe, you lookin pretty fly today,' I see how it is," Joe said when they were right by their table.
Putting his phone in his pocket Kevin asked, "Mind if we join you girls?"
"Sure," Larissa said as the girls made room for them to sit. "That looks good, Joe. What is it?" Larissa asked referring to his drink.
"Ummm… it's a… strawberries and crème," he said almost forgetting what it was called.
"Ooo, I think I’ll get that," Larissa said getting up and going to the line.
"And I'll get something else. Want anything Jenna?" Aina asked before getting Jenna's order and going to the line too.
"So what are you guys doing up so early on a Saturday?" Nick asked.
"Well we wanted to get an early start before a full day of shopping," Jenna said.
"Girls and shopping, of course," Joe said.
"Don’t let Aina hear you say that, she hates shopping, but since we're going shopping because of her she has to come."
"Why do you have to go shopping?" Nick asked.
"Cause Aina's going to London and she's going to need a few coats and stuff," Larissa said a little more awake than she was a few minutes before.
"Really? For summer vacation?" Joe asked a little upset that she might not be around for the rest of the summer.
"Umm... no, actually I have an internship over there for this fall semester."
"Really?!" Joe said almost choking on his drink
"Well, this morning is filled with quite a few coincidences now isn't it," Kevin said.
"What are you talking about?" Jenna inquired.
"Well, the 6 of us being in the same Starbucks at the same time for one," Kevin started
"And I have an internship this fall in London too," Joe added after. This is too good to be true, Joe thought. "Did they tell you where your interning at?"
"I think it's a record company. I can't remember what it's called though," Aina said trying to think of the name. "I think it's something like Fat fish..."
"You mean Tight Tiger Records?" Joe interrupted.
"Yeah that's it! How did I get Fat Fish?" Aina laughed along with the others.
"That's where I'm interning too!" Joe said as he and Aina got absorbed into their own conversation about the time they were going to have in London.
Jenna motioned the other three to move in closer so that Joe and Aina couldn't hear what she had to say, "You know it could get pretty cold in London in the winter. I guess they don't have to worry when they get too cold, if you know what I mean."
* * * *
All six of them went to the mall after finishing their coffee. When they got there Nick saw some of his friends from school and ended up hanging out with them in the arcade.
"Teenage boys in the arcade," Larissa said pensively.
"That's where we always went to look for guys in high school," Jenna said in a joking manner, but held a lot of truth.
"And that's where we were hoping girls would come looking for us in high school," Kevin added on in jokingly, but also holding a lot of truth, causing all five of them to laugh.
"Oh lets go into that store!" Jenna said excitedly pulling Aina into Forever 21.
"You guys can just sit out here if you want," Larissa said to the two guys feeling bad for them.
"We don't mind really," Kevin said pulling Joe as he grudgingly went into the store.
When they got into the store Jenna was looking through a rack of clothes in front of the dressing rooms.
"I sent her in there with some clothes. No jackets though. I don't think there are a lot of jackets since it's the summer and we're in California," Jenna said as they walked towards her.
"Jenna these clothes are way too tight," Aina said from behind the closed door.
“That’s only because you always get clothes one size too big,” Jenna and Larissa said at the same time.
“And I have no problem with that.”
“Just come out here and let us see,” Jenna ordered before they heard some grumbling and the door opened.
“Wow,” Joe unintentionally said loud and clear for the other 4 to hear causing Aina to blush a little bit.
“You should get that baby doll top. Joe seems to like it,” Larissa said slightly teasing the two.
“Yeah and look at what it does to accentuate your B-cup breasts,” Jenna added to Aina’s torment.
Aina folded her arms across said B-cup breasts as Kevin turned to Joe and said, “You know maybe we should just wait outside,” and proceeded to pull a still mesmerized Joe to the benches.
“I hate you guys,” Aina hissed so that Kevin and Joe couldn’t hear her.
“What? It’s not like he was looking at your breasts anyway,” Larissa said. “Trust me, I was watching his reaction. He seems to really like you.”
“Ugg! Whatever I’m gonna try on the other stuff, but you guys don’t get to see or decide which one I’m going to buy, so ha!” Aina said in a lame retaliation to the torture they just put her through.
“Fine. I’m gonna go look at other stores to look for jackets. I’ll call you guys if and when I find one,” Larissa said.
“What’s the fun in that?” Jenna asked Larissa’s retreating back.
“Well the fun will happen when the shopping is done with,” Larissa said. “You may be having fun, but the guys and Aina aren’t. The faster we get this done, the sooner we can all have a good time TOGETHER,” she emphasized the word together as she left the store.
“So do you like him?” Jenna asked through the door.
“What are you talking about?” Aina played dumb.
“Oh don’t give me that. I’m talking about Joe,” Jenna said while looking through the store doorway at the two boys talking on the other side.
“I don’t know,” Aina said honestly. “I mean he’s really cute and he seems fun to hang out with… I just, don’t know.”
“Maybe you should think about it. You know maybe even give him a chance. You guys will be spending a whole semester in London after all. Things could happen.”
“Jenna, we’re gonna be working together. Kind of like co-workers. You don’t dip your pen in the company ink,” Aina said as she came out with two clusters of clothes handing one off to Jenna saying, “I don’t like those.”
“Oh so you do like him,” Jenna said as she stuck the clothes in some random rack.
“Why would you say that?” Aina put the clothes on the counter for the girl to ring up.
“Because you kept that baby doll shirt that caused him to say, ‘Wow,’” Jenna said with a dreamy look on her face causing both Aina and the cashier to laugh.
“Okay… maybe I do,” Aina said while rolling her eyes. “But the pen rule still applies.”
Aina‘s phone beeped a few times indicating a new text message. She flipped her phone open while walking out of the store and read Larissa‘s text that said, I found jackets! Come to Macy’s.
“Next stop Macy’s guys. Hopefully it’ll be our last and we can hang out and do something actually fun,” Aina said directing them towards Macy’s.
Kevin and Jenna walked behind Joe and Aina. While walking to Macy’s, which was on the other side of the mall, Kevin chanced a side glance to Jenna. She noticed, but tried to hide the smile that was threatening to come out. Kevin noticed and walked a little closer to Jenna eventually getting enough courage to hold her hand. Right at that moment Aina turned to look at the two walking behind.
“I believe they’re holding hands for the first time,” she said to Joe. He turned around to look and saw them holding hands with small smiles on their faces sneaking little glances toward each other.
“They look like middle school kids on their first date or something,” he commented.
“Well it’s cute,” she said as they walked into Macy’s. “Hey don’t you need a new jacket or something for London?”
I do, but we can’t afford it right now, Joe thought to himself. “Oh umm… well before we moved here we lived in Jersey. You know cold weather and stuff... and I still have a few really good jackets laying around the house.”
“Oh that’s good, you’re lucky you don’t have to go through this torture.”
“Let me hold those bags for you while you go looking for jackets,” Joe offered to ensure that they get off topic.
“Are you sure? You don’t have to.”
“No really I don’t mind, go ahead.”
“Okay thanks,” Aina said before handing her bags off to Joe and walked over to Larissa to look for jackets.
“You sure do like him,” Larissa stated matter of factly.
“Can we talk about this when we’re not within 100 yards of him and his brothers?” Aina pleaded.
“Fine. Sleep over at my house then. We‘ll tell Jenna later.”
"It was nice meeting you too," Joe said when they finally parted. He leaned in slightly, his lips inching closer to hers.
"AAAAIIIIIIINNNNNNAAAAAA!!!" Jenna said jumping on Aina's sleeping form waking her from her dream.
A week later and he's still on my mind. Get out, get out, get out, Aina mentally complained. "Ugg. That hurt you cow," She said without much enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to wake you," Jenna said a bit too cheerily at 7:30 in the morning. "Come on, Larissa's downstairs talking to your mom, the three of us are gonna get coffee, then go shopping so that you have warm clothes for London."
"Fine, just get off me and let me get ready," Aina said only willing to get up for some Starbucks.
Jenna headed downstairs to the kitchen where Lydia, Aina's mom, was finishing up her homemade coffee.
"Is she up?" Lydia asked Jenna.
"Yes Auntie." The girls always called each other's parents auntie and uncle.
"Wow, that's a record. It only took you 2 minutes. Well, I'm off to work," Lydia walked over to the staircase. "Aina I'm going to work now!" She yelled to Aina.
"Okay! Bye!" Aina yelled back.
"Bye girls have fun shopping," Lydia said.
"We will don't worry," Jenna said.
"Yeah we'll even have enough fun for you too," Larissa said with a light smile before Lydia left the house.
Ten minutes later the girls found themselves in a nearby Starbucks sitting at one of the tables.
"I don't know what I want," Aina said to herself out loud as Larissa sat there making one of her lists.
"Do you really need to make a list for shopping?" Jenna asked. "I mean I know you make lists for just about everything, but shopping? We'll just get whatever looks good... for Aina of course."
"We do need a list. Isn't the weather different in London, like doesn't it get really cold during the winter? So we need a list to make sure she has different types of jackets and shoes and... you know what just let me make my list," Larissa said semi-disgruntled.
"I guess I'm not the only one that needs some coffee," Aina said jokingly.
But I'll be there forever, you will see that it's better, Jenna's phone sang indicating an incoming call.
"Hello," Jenna greeted.
"Hi Kevin!" Aina yelled from the other side of the table.
"How do you know it's Kevin?" Larissa asked.
"Well, that wasn't her ring tone before," Aina started, "and I know she wouldn't put that song for anyone else."
* * * *
"Hey I just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out today," Kevin said into his phone.
"Hi Kevin," Nick, Joe, and Kevin heard a soft female voice say from their corner table in Starbucks. They looked around before Joe spotted Aina sitting at a table talking to someone he couldn't see. He tapped Kevin on the arm and pointed her way.
"Hold on Jenna," Kevin said into his phone as all three boys walked over to the table with their drinks.
"What, no 'Hey Joe, you lookin pretty fly today,' I see how it is," Joe said when they were right by their table.
Putting his phone in his pocket Kevin asked, "Mind if we join you girls?"
"Sure," Larissa said as the girls made room for them to sit. "That looks good, Joe. What is it?" Larissa asked referring to his drink.
"Ummm… it's a… strawberries and crème," he said almost forgetting what it was called.
"Ooo, I think I’ll get that," Larissa said getting up and going to the line.
"And I'll get something else. Want anything Jenna?" Aina asked before getting Jenna's order and going to the line too.
"So what are you guys doing up so early on a Saturday?" Nick asked.
"Well we wanted to get an early start before a full day of shopping," Jenna said.
"Girls and shopping, of course," Joe said.
"Don’t let Aina hear you say that, she hates shopping, but since we're going shopping because of her she has to come."
"Why do you have to go shopping?" Nick asked.
"Cause Aina's going to London and she's going to need a few coats and stuff," Larissa said a little more awake than she was a few minutes before.
"Really? For summer vacation?" Joe asked a little upset that she might not be around for the rest of the summer.
"Umm... no, actually I have an internship over there for this fall semester."
"Really?!" Joe said almost choking on his drink
"Well, this morning is filled with quite a few coincidences now isn't it," Kevin said.
"What are you talking about?" Jenna inquired.
"Well, the 6 of us being in the same Starbucks at the same time for one," Kevin started
"And I have an internship this fall in London too," Joe added after. This is too good to be true, Joe thought. "Did they tell you where your interning at?"
"I think it's a record company. I can't remember what it's called though," Aina said trying to think of the name. "I think it's something like Fat fish..."
"You mean Tight Tiger Records?" Joe interrupted.
"Yeah that's it! How did I get Fat Fish?" Aina laughed along with the others.
"That's where I'm interning too!" Joe said as he and Aina got absorbed into their own conversation about the time they were going to have in London.
Jenna motioned the other three to move in closer so that Joe and Aina couldn't hear what she had to say, "You know it could get pretty cold in London in the winter. I guess they don't have to worry when they get too cold, if you know what I mean."
* * * *
All six of them went to the mall after finishing their coffee. When they got there Nick saw some of his friends from school and ended up hanging out with them in the arcade.
"Teenage boys in the arcade," Larissa said pensively.
"That's where we always went to look for guys in high school," Jenna said in a joking manner, but held a lot of truth.
"And that's where we were hoping girls would come looking for us in high school," Kevin added on in jokingly, but also holding a lot of truth, causing all five of them to laugh.
"Oh lets go into that store!" Jenna said excitedly pulling Aina into Forever 21.
"You guys can just sit out here if you want," Larissa said to the two guys feeling bad for them.
"We don't mind really," Kevin said pulling Joe as he grudgingly went into the store.
When they got into the store Jenna was looking through a rack of clothes in front of the dressing rooms.
"I sent her in there with some clothes. No jackets though. I don't think there are a lot of jackets since it's the summer and we're in California," Jenna said as they walked towards her.
"Jenna these clothes are way too tight," Aina said from behind the closed door.
“That’s only because you always get clothes one size too big,” Jenna and Larissa said at the same time.
“And I have no problem with that.”
“Just come out here and let us see,” Jenna ordered before they heard some grumbling and the door opened.
“Wow,” Joe unintentionally said loud and clear for the other 4 to hear causing Aina to blush a little bit.
“You should get that baby doll top. Joe seems to like it,” Larissa said slightly teasing the two.
“Yeah and look at what it does to accentuate your B-cup breasts,” Jenna added to Aina’s torment.
Aina folded her arms across said B-cup breasts as Kevin turned to Joe and said, “You know maybe we should just wait outside,” and proceeded to pull a still mesmerized Joe to the benches.
“I hate you guys,” Aina hissed so that Kevin and Joe couldn’t hear her.
“What? It’s not like he was looking at your breasts anyway,” Larissa said. “Trust me, I was watching his reaction. He seems to really like you.”
“Ugg! Whatever I’m gonna try on the other stuff, but you guys don’t get to see or decide which one I’m going to buy, so ha!” Aina said in a lame retaliation to the torture they just put her through.
“Fine. I’m gonna go look at other stores to look for jackets. I’ll call you guys if and when I find one,” Larissa said.
“What’s the fun in that?” Jenna asked Larissa’s retreating back.
“Well the fun will happen when the shopping is done with,” Larissa said. “You may be having fun, but the guys and Aina aren’t. The faster we get this done, the sooner we can all have a good time TOGETHER,” she emphasized the word together as she left the store.
“So do you like him?” Jenna asked through the door.
“What are you talking about?” Aina played dumb.
“Oh don’t give me that. I’m talking about Joe,” Jenna said while looking through the store doorway at the two boys talking on the other side.
“I don’t know,” Aina said honestly. “I mean he’s really cute and he seems fun to hang out with… I just, don’t know.”
“Maybe you should think about it. You know maybe even give him a chance. You guys will be spending a whole semester in London after all. Things could happen.”
“Jenna, we’re gonna be working together. Kind of like co-workers. You don’t dip your pen in the company ink,” Aina said as she came out with two clusters of clothes handing one off to Jenna saying, “I don’t like those.”
“Oh so you do like him,” Jenna said as she stuck the clothes in some random rack.
“Why would you say that?” Aina put the clothes on the counter for the girl to ring up.
“Because you kept that baby doll shirt that caused him to say, ‘Wow,’” Jenna said with a dreamy look on her face causing both Aina and the cashier to laugh.
“Okay… maybe I do,” Aina said while rolling her eyes. “But the pen rule still applies.”
Aina‘s phone beeped a few times indicating a new text message. She flipped her phone open while walking out of the store and read Larissa‘s text that said, I found jackets! Come to Macy’s.
“Next stop Macy’s guys. Hopefully it’ll be our last and we can hang out and do something actually fun,” Aina said directing them towards Macy’s.
Kevin and Jenna walked behind Joe and Aina. While walking to Macy’s, which was on the other side of the mall, Kevin chanced a side glance to Jenna. She noticed, but tried to hide the smile that was threatening to come out. Kevin noticed and walked a little closer to Jenna eventually getting enough courage to hold her hand. Right at that moment Aina turned to look at the two walking behind.
“I believe they’re holding hands for the first time,” she said to Joe. He turned around to look and saw them holding hands with small smiles on their faces sneaking little glances toward each other.
“They look like middle school kids on their first date or something,” he commented.
“Well it’s cute,” she said as they walked into Macy’s. “Hey don’t you need a new jacket or something for London?”
I do, but we can’t afford it right now, Joe thought to himself. “Oh umm… well before we moved here we lived in Jersey. You know cold weather and stuff... and I still have a few really good jackets laying around the house.”
“Oh that’s good, you’re lucky you don’t have to go through this torture.”
“Let me hold those bags for you while you go looking for jackets,” Joe offered to ensure that they get off topic.
“Are you sure? You don’t have to.”
“No really I don’t mind, go ahead.”
“Okay thanks,” Aina said before handing her bags off to Joe and walked over to Larissa to look for jackets.
“You sure do like him,” Larissa stated matter of factly.
“Can we talk about this when we’re not within 100 yards of him and his brothers?” Aina pleaded.
“Fine. Sleep over at my house then. We‘ll tell Jenna later.”
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