Bella:
It was the morning of the twenty-ninth, and after cleaning up from breakfast, I made my way up the spiraling stairs, marveling at how quickly the days had passed. It was already the fourth day, and I had until the evening of the first with Finn.
"Where are you off to?" I asked, walking towards him.
"We're going shopping," he said, placing the comb on the table. I raised an eyebrow. "Every year, the guys and I throw this awesome party, separately, and then we make clips to determine who partied the hardest during the break."
I crossed my arms, my brows shooting up. It sounded ridiculous, but the excitement on his face softened my expression. I had a lot to learn from them, and it wouldn't be easy dealing with three boys.
"You don't seem happy..."
"Sure," he said, and we walked to the store window.
I peered through the glass, searching for a price tag, but there wasn't one prompting us to enter the store. Finn opened the large glass door, and I stepped inside, overwhelmed by racks of clothes, shoes, bags, and other items.
Her smile lingered, and she didn't respond. I glanced back to see her staring at Finn, who wasn't even looking at her.
I waved my hand slightly, diverting her attention back to me.
"We saw a bag on display, and there's no price tag. I was wondering how much it costs," he said to her. She took a moment to gather herself before responding.
I put my right hand behind me, pinching Finn to draw him back to reality. When he greeted her, her face reddened, and she struggled to speak.
'She has a crush on you,' I mind-linked Finn, causing his brows to crease.
'No, she doesn't.'
"We saw a bag on display, and there's no price tag. I was wondering how much it costs," he said to her. She took a moment to gather herself before responding.
"It costs twenty thousand moon notes. It's a limited edition, so you better get it now," she said, leaving my mouth agape.
That was a lot, and although I could swipe my card, I didn't want to alarm my father or remind him I was enjoying myself in another region without returning home as he commanded.
"Thank you so much," I replied, inhaling sharply and turning to Finn with a forced smile. "It's too expensive. I shouldn't have bothered," I said, walking away ahead of him.
Outside, I gave the bag a quick glance and waited a few seconds before Finn joined me. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off.
"Let's find your party materials and get home. I'd like to have lunch and watch some movies to settle in," I said, and he nodded, grabbing my hand.
**
By the end of the day, we had everything Finn needed, plus a swim set I bought when he wasn't looking. I knew this might prompt my dad to call, but I wanted to hear his voice. I didn't want the bag because it was too much.
As soon as we set foot in the house, my phone rang. I pulled it from my pocket to see my dad's name on display. I increased my pace, leaving Finn by the door, and answered the call in the living room.
"Hey princess, Merry Christmas."
I paused, my throat tightening. By this time last year, we were shopping for school, and he followed me around, helping me pick out every outfit I wanted. At one point, he suggested I take everything in a store because I couldn't stop gushing over the dresses.