Into You

Chapter 13

Lauren hates shopping, has she perhaps mentioned that? Well, it's true. What's probably worse than shopping is walking behind someone that is shopping, trying to be unobtrusive.

What's even more difficult than that, is trying to walk behind someone, trying to be unobtrusive when that person insists on discussing every fucking potential purchase with you as if you're some kind of a personal shopper.

"What do you think of these?" Miss Cabello asked her, holding up a pair of purple high heels. "I kind of like them, but I just get the feeling that they'd make me look like a teenager who's trying too hard!"

She shrugged in reply. It's five after ten. She has been awake for just over five hours and it feels like she has been in every flaming shop. She hasn't really. Miss Cabello seems to be very organized when it comes to shopping, but it certainly feels that way.

"Lauren, could you be a little bit more enthusiastic please?"

She ignored her, more interested in keeping a more than a casual eye on a pair of young men who were glancing at her companion in a slightly less than casual manner as they walked around the store. It's the third time she has seen them on the last two floors and they don't seem particularly interested in women's shoes and bridal wear. Deciding that enough was enough, she stared over at them, making it very obvious what she was doing; her eyes following them around the store as they flitted in and out of displays.

Eventually, they noticed her glaring at them and they spoke quickly to each other, laughed and walked away.

"Lauren?"

"Sorry?" she asked absently watching them as they walked down the stairs to the lower floor and out of sight.

"Have you been listening to anything I've been saying to you?"

"If it was something to do with purple shoes, Miss Cabello, then no, not really. I was slightly more interested in doing my job."

"God, you're impossible. Remind me why I brought you shopping? You haven't been interested in anything since we got here."

"Uhm, I'm sorry to point this out but you haven't brought me shopping, Miss Cabello. I'm here because I'm supposed to be watching your back, remember?"

"Yeah, well while you're here, you can help me shop, you can multi-task can't you, Lauren?"

"Well, I can chew gum and shoot people at the same time, if that's what you mean." She said flippantly hoping she'd take the hint.

"No, not really," Miss Cabello replied, taking the hint. "I just thought another woman's opinion might help, that's all."

"I'm not a woman Miss Cabello. I'm a soldier, GI Jane if you like. I'm not really qualified to help you with shoes and dresses and the like. Perhaps, you should have invited your sister."

The woman's face dropped at her barbed comment and she felt a little guilty; she had, after all, simply been making an effort to be nice. She had been making an effort to be nice ever since Lauren made a fool of herself in their offices yesterday and the latter had been pushing her away. 

But she's just a package, that's all she can be. She's not her shopping buddy, she's not her bestest friend in all the world; it's like what she told her, she is her CPO and that's all she can be.

"I think you're a lot more than a 'GI Jane', Lauren, you do yourself an injustice. You're the sort of person who risks her life for a total stranger and then takes the time to offer them a bit of comfort when they're terrified; even though they've been nothing but a bitch to you. I can see through you, Lauren, you're actually a very nice person."