Scattered Pieces

Chapter Twenty

"Hello Miss, can I help you?"

Jake watched as Kayleigh stiffened. "Maybe by minding your own business?" She sniped at the worker.

Jake sighed. "Kayleigh." He reprimanded.

Kayleigh gave him a stubborn look before relaxing even slightly. "Sorry." She muttered to the worker looking at the man's red shirt rather than in his eyes.

"No problem, Miss." He replied, but honestly he looked a little terrified of the glare that remained on Kayleigh's face, and he made sure he quickly got away as fast as he pissibly could without actually running.

Kayleigh scowled after him.

"I hate it when they do that."

Jake rolled his eyes. "It's part of their job Kayleigh."

"Yeah, but why is it always me they ask?" She huffed.

"Maybe it's becuase you look so shifty?" Jake suggested, earning a glower.

"I don't look shifty."

"Yeah, you kinda do." It was probably something to do with the fact that she always tried to make herself invisible as possible, despite the fact she had bright red hair.

"Well it sucks. I hate shopping."

"I know, but you're the one who suggested it."

Kayleigh looked even more annoyed if that was possible. "It's almost Christmas."

Jake glanced through the heavily decorated shop, out towards the even more heavily decked out shooping centre. "I hadn't noticed." He said wryly. "But don't you always just get everyone chocolate?"

Kayleigh shuffled her feet. "Yes." She said awkwardly.

"So why are we here?" Jake asked, not liking the crowds much better than Kayleigh by this point. He'd already been shoved into more than seven times in the hour they'd been here.

"Becuase I thought I'd give it a real try for once, I didnt realise it would be this..."

"Annoying?" Jake supplied.

"Difficult." Kayleigh finished her own sentence with a stressed sigh. "How do people do this every year? It's hell."

Jake shrugged his shoulders.

Kayleigh wasn't paying much attention anyway. She'd reached beeath her shirt and pulled out the small flower shaped necklace she always wore since she'd gotten it four years ago.

She rubbed her thumb along the ruby coloured jewel, the deep frown line along her forehead only deepening as she lost herself in thought.

"Come on," Jake knew better than to try touching her shoulder to bring her out of her thoughts.

Kayleigh nodded her head.

After another of tortu- shopping, they'd finally found something for everyone that Kayleigh needed to buy for.

"Remind me if I ever suggest something so stupid again, that it's not worth it." Kayleigh moaned. They'd ducked inside the first shop they could find that printed out photos, which happened to be Boots.

They'd already stopped in the town library to borrow computers to put some pictures on an SD card, that they'd had to buy.

This was their final stop.

"You go pick out a frame you like, I'll go print off the disgustingly cute picture of you two." Jake said taking the SD card off of Kayleigh, who was gripping it tightly.

"Right." She agreed. "Frames are...?"

"That way I think." Jake pointed.

"Thanks." The word breezed out of Kayleigh as she walked past him, clearly wanting to get this all over and done with.

Jake found the machine at the back of the shop, next to an isle of sale items and toys.

He was half way through printing out the picture when something made him pause.

"Conner, stop being a dick and help me." An all too familiar voice complained from the isle over.

"I'm not being a dick. You're being stupid."

"I'm not being stupid, I just want to get the most perfect gift ever." The first person argued.

"I'm not lending you thirty quid. To buy a gift for someone you barely know."

Jake turned his head, seeing two guys roughly his height talking to one another. One was wearing an employee's shirt and was stacking the shelves, whilst the other was standing next to him, his hands clasped together in a plea.

"Come on I'll pay you back, plus I'll take two of your shifts."

Their back was turned so Jake couldn't see the face of the person who was talking, but that didn't stop him from looking with wide eyes.

He hadn't realised it had gotten to the point of staring until the second person glanced over his way, eyebrows wrinkling together.

"Dude, five o'clock." The second person said not quite quietly enough that Jake couldn't hear him.

Jake snapped his eyes away quickly, realising that the pictures had already printed. Scooping them up Jake was about to walk away, when something made him stop.

There was a crashing noise.

Jake turned in time to see the first guy on the floor somehow he'd tripped over a basket, and taken a few products down with him.

Jake froze where he was, staring at the scene.

And then he laughed. Loudly. Until he was practically doubled up and wheezing with the effort to breathe.

"Holy fuck." Jake rasped out, realising he'd garnered a lot of unwanted attention.

The guy on the floor was staring at him like he...like he was a perfect stranger laughing at him for falling over.

For some reason that just made Jake laugh more.

And when Jake finally had enough breath to pull himself together enough that he could get out two more words he did.

Still grinning widely he turned to face the guy that had already gotten himself up now, and was staring incredulously at Jake.

"Classic Ronald."