Chapter 23

The drive to the mall was loud.

The twins kept bickering in the backseat, arguing over whether Miles had actually cheated in their race.

"I barely pushed you!" Miles insisted.

"Barely is still pushing!" Alex shot back.

"You pushed me too," Henry muttered.

"That was an accident."

"Sure it was," I mumbled, resting my forehead against the window.

Elijah sighed from the driver's seat. "Can you two not start a fistfight before we even get there?"

"No promises," Alex muttered.

Henry, beside me, sipped his coffee like he had already checked out of the chaos.

I didn't say much on the drive, already dreading the moment we'd have to step into the crowded mall.

When we finally arrived, the parking lot was packed. Elijah managed to find a spot near the entrance, but just looking at all the people walking in and out made my stomach twist.

"Alright, everyone out," Elijah said, shutting off the car.

The twins immediately shoved past each other to get out first, nearly tripping in the process.

"You seriously can't walk like normal people?" Easton asked as he climbed out.

"Where's the fun in that?" Miles grinned.

I was the last one out.

As soon as I stepped onto the pavement, a rush of noise hit me—cars honking, people chatting, the distant echo of music from inside the mall. The entrance doors slid open and closed nonstop as waves of people moved in and out.

I swallowed hard.

I hated crowded places.

Before I could even think about it, I reached out and grabbed Elijah's hand.

He blinked, glancing down at me. "You okay?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "Just... don't want to get lost."

Elijah squeezed my hand reassuringly. "You're not gonna get lost, Adrian. But you can hold on as long as you need."

I felt a little embarrassed, but I didn't let go.

Easton gave me a knowing look but didn't say anything.

Henry noticed, raising an eyebrow. "You do know we're not five anymore, right?"

I shot him a glare. "Shut up, Henry."

He just smirked.

Elijah ignored him and looked at the others. "Alright, you guys know the plan. We'll meet at the restaurant for lunch."

"Yeah, yeah," Alex waved him off. "Let's go, before Henry starts whining about shopping again."

"Too late," Henry muttered.

The twins took off toward their favorite store, Henry trailing behind.

Easton nudged me. "You ready?"

I glanced toward the crowded entrance, took a deep breath, and nodded.

Elijah squeezed my hand one more time before leading me inside.

The second we stepped into the formal wear store, I sighed dramatically. "This already looks uncomfortable."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "You haven't even tried anything on yet."

"I don't need to try anything on," I muttered, running my fingers over one of the stiff-looking shirts. "I can already tell I'm going to hate this."

Easton handed me a pair of dress pants. "Come on, just try something."

I sighed but took them and went into the fitting room.

The pants were awful.

Too stiff, too tight, too not my usual oversized hoodies and sweatpants.

When I stepped out, Easton snorted.

Elijah smirked. "Look at you, all fancy."

"I hate this," I announced. "I feel like a stiff businessman."

Elijah shook his head. "Try the shirt with it."

I groaned but grabbed the white button-up he handed me and went back inside.

Putting it on felt like putting on a straightjacket.

When I stepped out again, Easton barely held back a laugh. "You look miserable."

"I am miserable." I tugged at the collar, already itching to rip the thing off. "Why do we have to dress fancy anyway?"

"Because it's a nice restaurant," Elijah said patiently.

"Well, I think he looks adorable," a voice piped up.

I turned to see Alex, Miles, and Henry walking toward us.

"Why are you guys here?" I muttered.

"We finished shopping," Henry said, looking smug. "Unlike you."

"You look so fancy," Miles teased.

"Shut up," I grumbled, pulling at the sleeves.

Alex smirked. "That outfit really suits you, Adrian. You should wear stuff like this all the time."

I gave him a deadpan stare. "I will fight you."

Elijah clapped his hands. "Alright, since someone is taking forever, let's go grab lunch."

I was already heading toward the fitting room. "Good, I'm not buying this—"

Elijah grabbed my hood before I could escape. "You're buying something. Pick one outfit."

I groaned.

Once I finally picked something less awful, we headed toward the food court.

"What are we eating?" Henry asked.

"Something good," Miles said.

"Helpful," I muttered.

"I vote burgers," Alex said.

"No, we had burgers last time," Henry groaned.

"Pizza?" Easton suggested.

Elijah shook his head. "No, something decent since we're already eating junk at dinner."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Fine. What about that place over there?" He pointed to a casual restaurant.

"Looks good to me," Easton said.

I stayed quiet, already feeling nervous about ordering.

The moment we stepped inside the restaurant, my stomach twisted.

Menus.

Choices.

People waiting behind me.

My hands started feeling clammy.

Elijah must have noticed because when we got to the front, he leaned down and said, "I'll order for you, okay?"

I nodded quickly.

"Hi," Elijah said to the cashier. "We'll have three cheeseburgers with fries, one grilled chicken plate, and a kids' meal with—"

My head snapped up. "Kids' meal?"

"You like the smaller portions," Elijah said smoothly. "And I know you'll actually eat it."

I wanted to protest, but he was right.

The others snickered behind me, but I ignored them.

After ordering, we grabbed a table.

When our food arrived, I immediately ate the salad on my plate.

"That's it?" Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm full," I lied.

"Adrian," he said warningly. "Eat your chicken too."

I shifted uncomfortably. "I ate something."

Elijah gave me a look. "You always eat salad first so you can say you're full."

I crossed my arms. "It's not a crime."

"You need more than just lettuce," Elijah said, pushing my plate closer. "At least eat half the chicken."

I groaned, but under his stare, I picked up my fork and took a small bite.

Miles whispered to Alex, "He eats like a scared rabbit."

"Shut up," I muttered.

Elijah watched until I had eaten a reasonable amount, then nodded. "Good."

After finishing, we threw away our trays and headed outside.

The sun had gotten hotter, and the parking lot was even more crowded than before.

I immediately grabbed Elijah's sleeve.

"Still nervous?" he asked quietly.

I just nodded.

He sighed but didn't pull away.

As we reached the car, Henry groaned. "Shotgun!"

"No!" Alex shoved him. "I called it first!"

"You did not!"

"Guys, just get in the car," Easton sighed.

Elijah unlocked the doors, and the usual fight for seats began.

I, of course, took my usual spot by the window and rested my forehead against the glass.

This whole day had been exhausting.

At least I had a few hours before I had to deal with dinner.

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Word count: 1107

Hey Guys Thanks for reading this story so please be nice and kind. I am sorry if there are any spelling mistakes or bad grammar.

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*EMMA HETHRON*