The Enigmatic Outlander

21 - Huh? Illegal? Like underground? Huh?

Louis's Pov

"Nice sweater Shadi." Jess said looking at Shaden with an impressed look to which Shaden gave her a big smile.

"You look pretty in it." Mabel said leaning back into her boyfriend.

"I know right. I feel so pretty." Shaden replied with a huge grin. "Hey Mabel, did you get your brown lipstick today?" she asked bouncing on her heels.

"Yeah. You need it?" she asked looking at her in amusement. Yeah, Simba never looked this excited.

"Yes please. I want to keep looking pretty today." she said happily.

"Any particular reason?" Ashton asked smirking while Mabel gave Shaden her dark brown lipstick.

"I am just happy. Do I need any other reason to make myself look pretty?" she asked and applied the lipstick without the use of any mirror or compacts or anything. And surprisingly she applied it perfectly.

"How good are you at make-up girl?" Jess asked sitting on the desk and looking at Shaden with surprise and admiration.

"Pretty good. I just don't like using it every other day." She said and suddenly I felt someone hitting me on my head. I looked over at Sam with a glare.

"What is it?" I asked scowling at him.

"Are you done avoiding eye contact with me?" he asked and I looked at him sheepishly. He knew me too well. I didn't want to see his expression when he spotted his sister's gift on some other girl.

"I didn't want to see your reaction." I said and his face softened at this.

"Louis. You are my best friend. I wouldn't be angry at you, if that is what you were afraid of." He said in a small voice so that I would be the only person who could hear him.

"Really? Not even disappointed?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I am not gonna lie. I was surprised. But I am neither angry nor disappointed. I just didn't know that you were ready to give that sweater to anyone." He said in a sad voice.

"Yeah about that. I didn't want Char to hold me back. I realized that it isn't something Char would be happy about. And also I wanted to share the part of me which I reserved for Char with Shaden." I said looking at him in the eye hoping that he would understand my honesty.

"You are in Love?" he asked with a small smile. Not a smirk, just a smile. He was happy for me.

"I am not even gonna deny it anymore. I realized it just yesterday." I admitted scratching my neck and he laughed out aloud. But since everyone was more invested on listening to Shaden, we were gone unnoticed.

"Took you long enough to realize." He said patting my shoulders. After that we were quite for a while.

"So, are you fine? I mean, with me moving on from Char?" I asked nervously. I need my best friend. I don't want to lose him.

"Don't be stupid. Of course I am fine. If I am not now, I will be fine later at least. I always wanted you to move on from her. You've tortured yourself enough. I just want you to be happy now." He said gently. After a second or two of silence he spoke again. "Do you love her because she reminds you of Char?" he asked and I looked at him in confusion.

"Of Char? No! She doesn't remind me of her." I said looking at him perplexed to even think of it that way. Suddenly I realized something and widened my eyes. "Wait! She reminds you of her? Is that the reason you are so concerned about her?" I asked and he looked at me with discomfort. "Sam, tell me." I urged and he sighed.