Monsters

Chapter Ten

We've been getting closer to the coast, to our destination, after another week of journeying. It was only about two weeks' worth of traveling away by now if I had to guess. However, I've been unknowingly trying to stall such. And it wasn't just because I was worried about what answers I'd find; if my family was alive and safe or not. I was worried about what came next as Luz's distant words replayed in my memory.

How she'd mentioned returning home once she helped me get to where I was going. The thought had crossed my mind if those words still held for her or if she would choose to stay with me. We had grown close as friends and I wasn't prepared to fall back into a world where she wasn't a part of it. A world where my daily routine did not have her planned within it.

At this current moment, I was dragging her throughout an old clothing store as she tried to resist me. "Oh come on Luz! You could use a change." I tried to convince her to try on something from within the store.

"Use; a change of pace, a change of scenery, and anything else, not a change in clothes." She grouched, continuing to bicker with me. The disdain she held for our current situation was clear on her face and in her constant attempts to flee from my grasp. I knew for a fact that she could easily release herself from my grip anytime she wanted but she was choosing not to.

"Don't be like that Luz. I mean, you never know what you'll find. Like how about this?" I said, letting her go to grab a white and purple striped shirt from a rack and hold it up for her to see. Her face showed disgust.

"No thanks. I don't do stripes or anything out of the ordinary for that matter. I wear plain clothes because I like them. Do you think in the apocalypse a 'pop of color' or a 'show of personality' is something I should go for?" She said this with disbelief and I realized she'd made a reasonable argument.

"Well, okay, you've made a fair point I'll admit." I let my shoulders fall relaxed. "But Luz, I'm not asking you to wear something you'd hate. Maybe try looking around for something more suited to your style. It couldn't hurt to at least try could it?" I asked her before placing the shirt back on the rack.

I saw her mulling it over in her mind letting me know I almost have her convinced. "Please, for me? If you don't find something you like then we can leave no harm done." I tried one last attempt at convincing her.

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine." She mumbled before starting to move around some clothes on the racks. The old metal hangers scraped while she did so.

"Yes!" I threw my hands up in celebration and she chuckled whilst shaking her head at me. Her movements paused and I took a step closer, going on my tip toes to look over her shoulder to see what she had been looking at. She took the green jacket off the rack and held it in front of her. I watched her eyes look it over and I smiled.

"Well go on," I began shaking her shoulder softly, "try it on!" I spoke encouragingly. She rolled her eyes with a smile yet listened as she took it off the hanger and slipped it on. It was a good fit for her.

"So?" She asked. "How do I look?" She finished before taking a step back and spreading her arms out. After getting a better look at her I thought she looked good in it. The thought made nerves settle in my stomach.

"You look..." I swallowed as I tried to find my words. "I think you look perfect." I settled for. This caused her to drop her arms before using one of them to rub at the back of her neck as she looked off to the side.

"Thanks." I heard her mumble and saw the small yet shy smile grow on her lips. "Let's go huh?" She stated before heading for the door to the store and it took me a second before I followed behind her.