Better Not Be Love

CHAPTER 19 - JEALOUSY

The shopping center wasn't really crowded since it was late, and I grabbed a cart before strolling around the aisles searching for what I wanted. Eugene continued to follow me around while I fetched a few toiletries and snacks. We discussed the various products and the fact that some of them shouldn't even be marketed owing to the toxic substances in them. Strangely, we were having a pretty friendly chat. I didn't have to discipline myself around him; the conversation simply flowed effortlessly. There was never a scarcity of subjects, and I felt at ease.

Sure, there have been some sparks whenever we accidentally touched, or I got this hormonal wrath when he came too close, but apart from that, we were okay. I didn't even feel the need to be skeptical around him, and this ease and comfort were alarming me more than my sexual appetite for him. I have seldom felt so relaxed around my previous boyfriends.

"Ah, Oreos."

I gasped as my eyes landed on the stacks of blue boxes adorning the shelves. It was perfection in disguise, and it happened to be on promotion. Can it get any better?

"It's just my lucky day today."

I declared while I heaped one-fourth of the trolley with Oreo cookies. The older man next to me was throwing me some unimpressed glances, but I avoided him like I would avoid a wingless cockroach.

"Why do you require so many cookies?"

Eugene inquired, his dark eyes drawn to the mound.

"Half will go to my cabinet. I can share the rest with you, Carla, Nathaniel, and the others. Trust me, you will not get another promotion like this."

And it wasn't even an exaggeration. I moved on, inspecting the contents of the remaining counters.

"You pretend as though you don't give a shite about others, but you really do."

I whirled around, tiptoed towards him, and started waving my forefinger sideways against his nose.

"Nah ah. It's not that I pretend like I don't care. I just don't combine my private and professional lives."

I watched him smile as I turned back again and resumed shopping. We wandered inside the store for over an hour, snacking, buying groceries, then snacking again.

"Wait a minute, I forgot the milk."

Eugene muttered as we waited in the queue, and I urged him to return fast. Having to wait in front of the cashier, especially if another customer is standing behind me, tends to give me a lot of anxiety, regardless of how grown up I get. Perhaps I could pay for the current items and purchase the milk separately.

Just when only three more products were left, Eugene reappeared with some doughnuts and a bottle of milk, and I beamed at him as relief washed over my stiff body. For Christ's sake, I am twenty-seven. He insisted on paying for the goods, but I was quick enough since I already had my debit card in hand.

"Come on, you should at least let me pay for my things."

He whined while I went through the invoice twice, just to make sure that nothing was billed twice or wrongly. I folded the paper into a plastic bag and smirked at him as he wheeled the cart outside.

"You want to pay? Fine. Buy me some food."

"You are hungry?"

He asked, evidently surprised, and I simply shrugged.

I wasn't particularly starving, and there was plenty of food back in my room; however, I was keen on spending more time with him. I understood I was potentially exposing myself here; nevertheless, he consented. Since there was a Subway store just adjacent to the mall, we loaded our stuff into the vehicle and walked over to the restaurant.