Chapter 15: 15.

(Photo of Ally Edison)

• • •

The next few weeks passes by in a blink of an eye. By now, all of us have a routine planned for our daily lunches. On Tuesdays, Cass and I both have lessons that end at 2PM while our usual lunch hour for the rest of the days is set at 12-1PM. Hence, every Tuesday is a reserved lunch date for the girls only.

During my first English writing lecture, I met Ally, who's a freshman just like I am. I found her really familiar at first, but couldn't point out where we've met; until she came over and said she recognized me from the Pizzeria.

Yes, she was the waitress who served us that night after Bianca's party.

I remember her being shy around Wayne that night, but little did I know she's a real bubbly character when you get to know her. That's why I introduced her to Cass too —who's also another gregarious one, and they instantly clicked with each other. Unfortunately, Ally has all her classes scheduled in the mornings as she works the afternoon shifts in the Pizzeria, while the rest of us mostly arranged for our lessons to start slightly later in the day. So, Ally only joins us for lunch on Tuesdays with Cass and I, when we'll end our classes at 2PM and Ally stays behind to spend an hour with us before she shows up for work.

Because of that, Ally hasn't really got the chance to meet the guys for real other than the occasional times they walk pass each other on campus grounds.

"Hey, Ally," I call out to her while she's halfway slurping down her bowl of noodles. "You don't happen to have a shift this weekend, do you?"

She puts up her index finger, signalling me to wait as she chews her food. "I do. It's Halloween, we get double pay for shifts like that!"

"Really?" This time it's Cass speaking, sitting next to Ally while I'm across them. She secretly winks at me in assurance. "What do you think will tempt you to skip it?"

"Are you kidding me? That's like $20/hour, $100 a day! Not even including the tips yet. Why would I want to miss that?"

"Oh c'mon, it's not like you don't work enough on normal days already. You clock in like six days a week, on top of your college schedule! Don't you think you should relax a bit?"

"No, no, no- this is a once in a year-"

I quickly interrupt her before she gets to reject us. "Don't you want to hang out with my brother?" I shoot her a knowing grin. "C'mon, just one party! Besides, this one is gonna be big. Please?"

Ally furrows her brows, placing her chopsticks down to rest. "He's obviously not going to spare someone like me another glance. Have you seen him? He's always with a different girl by his side every time I chance upon him." She sighs, and I feel a strong urge to smack my brother if he was here.

Ally had developed a tiny crush on Wayne since she saw him at her workplace. When she first found out he's my brother, she freaked out. Cass and I couldn't help but tease her about the sneaky glances we noticed, and that's when she admitted she finds him attractive.

I unlock my phone and tap on the camera icon, switching it to front camera mode before sliding it to Ally. "Look, look at yourself. You're fucking pretty, okay? And if he doesn't sees it, then fuck him! He's not the only tree in the whole damn forest."

"I don't know... that's hundred bucks," Ally trails off, fixing loose strands of her hair with the help of my phone camera.

"Okay, how about in exchange, I can get the guys to eat in on your next shift and leave you a huge ass tip?" I suggest, practically putting my thinking caps on to convince her. She's one tough brick to break when it comes to working. "You know they eat like pigs. It's definitely going to be over hundred!"

Ally sighs, and I can see her giving in soon. The previous time we dined at the Pizzeria, the bill came up to a whopping two hundred bucks for six of us. A chime sounded from my phone and Ally announces, "you have a text."

"It can wait, don't change the s-"

"Meet me by my car in fifteen, I'm gonna take a shower before I get there." Ally ignores and reads out my text, in which I swiftly grab the phone away from her hands. "From Zac," She smirks.

"Wait, what? Zacson?" Cass perks up at the mention of the name. "What are you not telling me, Owens?"

"That sounds frickin' awful." I grimace.

"You call me by my last name all the time, bitch." Cass rolls her eyes. "Spill! What do I not know about you and big Gray?"

"Big Gray?" I chuckle at the nickname. "It's not what you're thinking. We're heading to the mall to get some party supplies for the weekend, that's it. You are free to join us if you wish."

"Oh, no, no. Enjoy your date! I'm just going to Google my costume. What are you planning to wear, Ally?"

"Yeah, what are you- it's not a date!" I exclaim.

Ally giggles at the side, watching our interaction amusedly. "You two, I can't even-"

"Quit changing the topic! You're not getting out of this one!"

"Abso-fucking-lutely, Edison. I'm getting you an outfit and you're not saying no!" I declare, quickly packing my backpack and standing up to leave.

———

I lean against the hood of his matte black R8, one hand holding my cigeratte while the other aimlessly scrolling through my phone. The guys have been regularly staying over at Wayne's for awhile now, but most days all of us are usually busy with our own stuff and barely hang out until the weekends.

"Catch!" I hear someone shout in the parking lot and I glance up, only to see something thrown towards my direction. Instinctively, I lift up both my hands above my head to try and catch the flying object, only to end up dropping my cigeratte instead.

"Oops," Zac apologizes when he casually approaches me. He's wearing a cream-coloured hoodie with a white t-shirt underneath, matched with grey sweatpants and his usual Yeezys.

I open up my clenched fists to see his car keys in my hands.

"I'm deadbeat. Will you drive?" He asks, his Givenchy backpack slung over one of his shoulders.

"Why don't we just take mine instead?" I glance across the parking lot to see my red standing out among all the other dull-coloured cars. "There'll be more space for the bags, isn't it?"

"Don't worry 'bout that," he reassures me. "And you won't crash the car, so stop overthinking. Come on." He reaches the passenger side, staring at me with his tired eyes. "Unlock it, my dear."

I hurriedly press the button on the key, then follow him as he gets into the car. Its interior decked in full-on black on black, other than red lights coming from the bottom rims. This is the first time I ever step foot into such a luxurious car, moreover drive it. Nerves begin settling inside me when I let my hands trail down the sides of the steering wheel, inhaling the smell of leather and a mild woodsy, masculine scent from the presence of the slumped body next to me.

Zac has his seat reclined, his backpack down on the floor of the car —between his foot, and his head tilted to observe me as I inspect his prized asset.

"I can stare at you all day," he mumbles it so softly, probably to himself but I clearly caught every word of it since we're practically surrounded by silence.

I decide to ignore it, he can't possibly be referring to me, can he? Things have been slightly awkward between us ever since the weird staring we had during the showcase weeks ago. We don't text nor talk much, no. But whenever we're together in a room, I always end up catching him staring at me or he'd turn to look at me and catch me staring instead.

Although let me just clarify that, the only reason why I stare at him is because, well; he's good-looking. I'm certainly not denying the fact that sometimes I imagine having a whiff of his hair that's dying to be tugged at. But, that's that. I don't date, and I definitely do not sleep with friends.

Rules, Kelsey, rules.

———

Being in the driver's seat of a machine that literally roars to life is beyond thrilling. To be zooming down the streets knowing the car you're in is turning heads really does feel good, even if the car isn't even yours to begin with. The man next to me, however, seems used to the attention. He nonchalantly hums to the Shawn Mendes song playing on the radio, his eyes closed as the wind blows harshly against our skin while he lets me speed.

"That was incredible," I conclude cheerfully when I pull up in the multi-storey carpark. Thankfully, I had my hair tied up in a ponytail before deciding to let the roof down while I drive, so that I wouldn't look like a chicken with feathers sticking up in all direction.

"I'm glad you enjoyed that." He chuckles, sitting up in his seat to stretch his arms. "Keep the roof up, leave your bag in the car if you want. This is going to take awhile."

Three days ago, Zac and Carson had an impromptu idea of hosting a Halloween party. Naturally, Wayne declined thinking they were planning for it to happen at his house, but Zac surprised us all by saying it'll be at his family mansion.

By now, it shouldn't come as a shock that the Grays come from money. But the idea of having a college party at their parent's home had the few of us questioning them.

"Are you crazy, bro?" Drew asked in disbelief. "I don't think it's smart to invite hundreds of random motherfuckers dressed in weird ass costumes to your house. We wouldn't even find out who the vampire is when he steals the paintings there or something."

Wayne nodded in agreement. "Your dad would be beyond pissed, man. Just the other time we chilled there with those chicks from-" he trailed off abruptly when he remembered Cass and I were sitting there. "I mean, he certainly wouldn't be pleased with strangers crashing his home."

"I don't really care." Zac replied, lazily sprawled across the loveseat. "It's our graduating year, already. It's most likely going to be the last stupid college party we'll be attending anyway. Besides, I wanna show the idiots how to throw a real party."

"Ooooh yeah, talk about zombie shooting games." Carson clapped his hands in excitement. "And a whole fucking buffet table. I already have an entire list of things I can imagine."

"So all you have to do," Zac added on, "is spread the word. Mostly the seniors, I guess. But I wouldn't mind a few of your friends of friends as long as they're decent people."

Hence, here we are at one of the bigger malls in the city, about to go shopping for party supplies. Last night, Zac asked if I'd be free today to accompany him, and I agreed seeing as I didn't have any plans anyway. It's not like I ever have things to do since all the time I have are usually spent with the guys or Cass.

We exit his R8 and walk to the elevator side by side. I try not to focus on the fact that this is our first time out alone, instead channelling all my thoughts on all the shopping we have to do. Who doesn't likes shopping? Especially shopping when you're not the one footing the bills.

When we step out of the lift, it's as if a whole different dimension. There are four levels of various shops, each floor with a specific category. Glancing ahead, you'll see a huge coin fountain in the middle of the first-storey atrium. All the floors are covered in marble, reflecting the bright white lights from up the ceiling. I've never been to this particular mall, although I've heard good things; since this is supposed to be one of the biggest shopping complex in the city with over three hundred shops packed in one ginormous building.

"Where do you want to go to first?" I ask as I take in the atmosphere.

"Um," Zac rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I was hoping you'd have an idea. I mean-"

"Oh my god, did you just asked me out to shop without even knowing what you need?" He nods. Idiot, I curse mentally, so he only wanted me to lend a hand. What was I even thinking? "Okay, take a deep a breath." I inhale as per my own order. "Let's go to Spotlight then. We'll pick it up from there."

Shopping with rich people is an entire different experience. For commoners like me, we'd probably have to take awhile at each aisle, comparing the prices between regular balloons and premium balloons —although by first glance, they pretty much look the same other than the hefty twenty bucks difference. But for wealthy people who simply lives by a single black card, they could care less about the price difference.

Just like that, our Spotlight cart is quickly filled with miscellaneous stuff that Zac can't help but grab. There are little bags of confetti, plain banners, designed banners, lots of balloons, random freaky masks that he insists to try and selfie every single one of it, and even party poppers.

"Are you sure you need that? It's Halloween, I'd imagine you want pumpkins instead of... party hats." I raise an eyebrow as he tries on a tiny cone-shaped hat.

"No, no pumpkins." He shoves another similar hat on my head. "Make it like death, zombies, blood, tombstones whatever. But no pumpkins. We are fucking twenty-two."

Yes, twenty-two and he's forcing me to take a selfie with him while practically wearing children's hat.

"Then half of the cart is useless if you're going for that look." I inform him as I dig around with my hand. "What in the hell will you need a packet of glitter for?" I hold up the small plastic bag of glitter that he had dumped in the cart earlier.

He grins and snatches it away from my hands, throwing it back in the trolley. "You don't know when it'll come in handy. C'mon, we'll need candles and scary lamps."

Twenty minutes later, we are checking out at the cashier with a mountain of stuff in our cart. It doesn't fazes him at all when the bill comes up to four-hundred dollars entirely on decorations itself.

I know better to shut my mouth up though. You don't teach a rich person how to spend their money.

"Have you thought about what you're dressing up as?" He questions while carrying three large shopping bags. We continue window-shopping after settling at McDonalds for his lunch while I had a McFlurry.

"I do, and I already have the clothes prepared. You? Do you need to look for it?"

The Grays' only rule for their party is that every single guest has to come dressed up in costume. Strictly no dressing up as 'yourself' is allowed.

"I guess. I have something in mind. Let's go," he leads me to a large clothing store, him heading for the men's section while I browse the ladies'.

Then it struck me that I am supposed to find an outfit for Ally in order to get her to come. With that mission etched in mind, I proceed to scavenge through the store.

"Woah," Zac breathes out, his brown eyes widen when he sees the amount of clothes I'm holding on my arm. "I was barely gone for twenty minutes and you already have half the store in your hands."

I giggle at his exaggeration. I may have went a little over the top with the shopping. It didn't help that I managed to complete Ally's outfit within the first five minutes, so the next fifteen were spent just picking whatever I like.

I look down at his hands only to find the three shopping bags from Spotlight. "You didn't find anything you like?"

"I did. It's at the cashier, I wasn't going to risk letting you see it first." He gives me a lop-sided smile. "You done yet?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Hand it over," he requests and stretches out one hand. My brows instantly furrow at his suggestion. Not that I wouldn't like if someone bought me free clothes, but it is in nowhere appropriate for him to pay for my things.

"I'm paying for my own stuff, Zac." I clarify as we head to the cashier.

"Are you sure? I'm already paying for mine, might as well." He suggests.

"You're spending money like water, Zac." I say with a laugh. "Don't worry about me."

———

"I told you we should've taken my car," I roll my eyes as the blond tries hard to keep all the bags in the trunk. Other than the three big bags of decor, we have a combined eight bags of clothes and shoes, coupled with a whole luggage-sized amount of expensive snacks meant for the party.

"Hey, pass me some of the food bags. I'll just hold them on my lap," I offer.

"Shall we have dinner before we go back?" He asks when he gets into the driver's seat.

"I'm tired, and you are too. You've been sleepy since after your training," I point out. I could see his exhaustion ever since we first met up at noon. And now after five hours of shopping, it's a miracle he hasn't doze off yet.

"I'm a lot more refreshed now, it was just a tiring routine today." He describes in detail what he've done earlier today. "Let's just go back and I'll see what I can find in the fridge for us then."

"Wait. I left my car in school!" I suddenly recall.

"I know, I'll drop you off tomorrow for your class. Be ready at 10:30."