05 | empty pockets

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CHAPTER 5

"Not happening." I said firmly.

"Please." Lucy pouted. "Do it for me."

She had been spending the last half hour trying to convince me to get out of the house and go to a nightclub with her.

Currently, I only left the warmth of my apartment to work at the cafe or stock up on various art supplies.

Although I didn't see anything wrong with it, Lucy was growing concerned.

But I couldn't figure out what it was that appealed to people about grinding on random strangers and drinking solely for the purpose of getting drunk.

Why would I do that when I could stay here and have a hot date with a slice of chocolate cake?

"If you stay in this apartment any longer you'll turn into a hermit crab." Lucy stated, meeting my eyes.

That actually sounds pretty cool.

"But I'm comfy here." I said defensively.

"Come on Cora, you know it's gotten bad when you have more easels than friends," she said with a straight face.

Our eyes met and we burst out laughing.

It was the kind of laughter that kept growing whenever we looked at each other, shaking my whole body until it almost hurt.

"Fine." I huffed, wiping a tear of laughter from the corner of my eye. I knew by now that it was always best to just entertain Lucy whenever she got like this, for the sake of my sanity.

"I knew you would come around," she squealed excitedly.

Reality muscled its way into my thoughts as I realised that there was one big problem with Lucy's plan.

"I have nothing to wear."

And no money to buy something new with.

- - - -

Westfield shopping centre was one of my places to be in London, when it wasn't ridiculously busy and crowded.

As we passed through the automatically operated doors, it became apparent that today was part of that lucky few.

The centre was as empty as it ever gets, with only the occasional customer scurrying past.

My hands were engulfed by Lucy's as she dragged me into a sophisticated looking store with overhead lighting and well-dressed mannequins.

I could already tell that I wouldn't be able to afford a thing from here.

Deciding to just browse the shop and offer Lucy my opinion on the items she tried on, I headed towards the nearest rack.

My fingers grazed the satin material and I marvelled at the variety of dresses that they offered.

My breath caught as I reached the one at the end.

It was the same dark blue as the sky at night when it called for the stars and felt soft within my fingertips.

"Try it on!" I heard Lucy shout from somewhere behind me.

I shouldn't.

I'd just get attached which would make it even more painful to hang it back in its rightful spot.

But when I glanced down at it again, noticing the the way it was bundled in my arms, I found my restraint unravelling in same thin loops that held it together.

The last loop was tugged on when it brushed against me and tickled my skin, and I found myself carrying the smooth material into a changing room before I could think better of it.

- - - -

Looking at the mirror was a mistake.

The dress moulded to my curves as if it was made for me and dipped down into my chest without being too revealing.

Even the slit was the ideal length.

It was perfect.

And now I had to put it back.

"Don't even think about it." Lucy warned after seeing me drop my head in resignation, somehow knowing just when to come in.

"Putting a dress that looks that good on you back on the rack is a literal crime."

"You're overreacting." I laughed. "I'll just pick out something from my wardrobe."

"You are not going to the club in your painting smock," she remarked, earning a scowl from me.

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Then why are you refusing to buy this one?" She countered.

"Because I can't afford it, okay?" I snapped.

Her eyes widened momentarily.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to flare up like that," I said, immediately regretting the way I had spoken to her.

Lucy nodded slowly, having known that I was struggling with money but not understanding until now how bad it was.

Almost all of my salary from the cafe was used to pay rent since living in London was ridiculously expensive.

As one of the most influential cities in the world everyone wanted to be here, and the price of a simple apartment reflected that.

I had no money to spare. Even on a dress as beautiful as this one.

"I get it." She said.

"Now I'm gonna say something, but you have to promise to hear me out before you shut me down."

"Okay." I replied, my eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Let me buy you the dress."

"Absolutely not-" I began to say.

"You said you would hear me out." Lucy reminded me.

I had to force the words that sat on the tip of my tongue back in, figuring that she deserved to at least be able to explain.

"Ever since you started working at the Stone four months ago, we've been inseparable. You've put up with me bugging you on the daily and never once complained about it. Even this nightclub! You're literally only going to it because I asked.

Let me help you Cora. Please." She begged.

I had always been picky with the people I let get too close to me, basically developing a screening process over the years.

If you managed to pass it with flying colours just as Lucy had, then it was a testament to your character.

Generosity. Steely determination. Loyalty.

All the things I saw in her the moment we first met, and hadn't stopped seeing since then.

And as much as I hated to rely on anybody for anything, I could tell that helping me meant a lot to her.

"Will you even listen to me if I say no?" I asked half heartedly.

"Nope." Lucy grinned, picking up a similar style of dress in silver and strutting away before I could change my mind.