1985 (h.s.)

Chapter Twenty Two

I have never shopped at a mall. Ever. That's a lie. What I meant was that I've shopped at the mall fewer times than I have fingers. Not because I couldn't afford it or anything. I just didn't desire any of the things they had. Over ninety percent of my clothes were hand-me-downs. The other ten were given to me as gifts or bought at a thrift store. Things were just simpler that way.

Yesterday when I told Harry this, he was astonished. Why? Not really sure. I didn't think it was uncommon. Plenty of people enjoy repurposing clothes. I can't be the only one. Therefore, after much discussion, he insisted that I go. So, here I am, getting ready to go to the mall with my boyfriend.

It felt natural to say that. Boyfriend. The term eased the part of my brain that was still questioning what we were. I wasn't one to label things much unless it came to files. This, however, was different. It was exciting. After our run-in with Aunt Erin, we spent a couple of hours talking and kissing and talking a bit more. I still couldn't get over how damn good of a kisser he was. His cuddling skills were astronomically favorable too. He was good at everything.

Once Harry left, I got the whole spiel from my aunt and uncle. 'Don't let him pressure you' and 'If you're going to do it, use protection' was repeated throughout our little discussion. They also stood firm on the idea of having him over for dinner tonight. I was quite the nervous wreck for that. I was going to be embarrassed out of my mind.

The mall he had in mind was an hour away so he had to pick me up a bit earlier than usual. I straightened my jean skirt and situated the fishnet beneath it. It was a riskier outfit choice, but I like it. I wore a simple white sweater to balance the candor of the ensemble. You can say I was a secret fashion fiend, but I just wanted things to look nice. I added my dad's initial necklace and a shorter necklace that had a single diamond dropping from the end. My hair was tied half up half down and straightened. It had grown a little bit since I got it cut.

I heard the rocks of my driveways being rustled and a car horn honk. I peered out my window and saw Harry fixing his hair in the mirror of his car. I clutched my purse, which was more like a mini backpack, and met him in his car.

"Hey Lainey," Harry said sweetly. He leaned over the center console and kissed me gently. His hand was at the back of my head and tangled itself in my hair. I smiled against his lips and gave him a quick peck.

"Hi," I gushed while buckling my seatbelt. I read an article last night that was about seat belt usage. Apparently it increases your chances of surviving in a car crash. They had already made it illegal to ride without a seatbelt in New York last year. It mentioned Kansas was on its way, but nothing was finalized yet. Better be safe than sorry. I had shown Harry the article too so his belt was already buckled.

"How are you today? I brought some tea for you. I had to stop by the bakery earlier this morning to help Olive open," He gestured to the foam cup. I brought it to my lips and inhaled. It was my favorite. Chai tea. It wasn't very popular so we never had it in stock.

"I'm good now," I sighed and took a long sip, "Thanks for the tea."

"No problem. Just want to make sure you're happy," He smiled and pulled out from the driveway.

"Oh don't be sappy. I hate sappy. It makes me turn into a teenage schoolgirl," I groaned. Harry knew that stuff bugged me, but he did it anyway.

"Well technically you are a teenage schoolgirl," He stated with his eyes focused on the road.

"You know what I mean," My hand reached to turn the radio on. Van Halen's Jump came on. I bobbed my head to the beat and leaned back into my seat. This was going to be a long ride so I had to get comfortable.