| torn up

~ chapter 8 ☁️

It's been nearly 2 hours since we arrived at the mall and we've just barely managed to get everything on Asha's shopping list and have hardly even made a dent in Piper's.

Luckily we managed to get the main thing we had come for, Asha's lingerie, or as Piper had kept referring to it throughout the day, 'Jasper's birthday surprise 2.0'. She had eventually settled on a gorgeous silky one in a deep purple colour after going back and fourth between various others for a long time. To be honest, they had all looked the same to me but her and Piper were insistent that each had its own individual charm that I just couldn't see.

Its safe to say I'm not nearly a big enough fan of shopping like the other two are. Usually I get bored of a store after about 10 minutes whereas I can remember times when Piper has spent nearly a whole hour alone in just one shop.

Right now we're on a snack break, sitting at at a table in the food court and munching on doughnuts. I'm mostly fine with being dragged around the mall the whole day with my friends but only if we stop for snacks every hour. That's my only condition and they're more than happy enough to amuse me. It's the only way to keep me going and awake enough to be able to give my opinions on various items of clothing that they both pick up to be quite honest.

'She's looking at it again.' Piper comments in the background, sighing and giving Asha a pointed look as she absentmindedly chews the last bite of her cream doughnut.

I look in the latter's direction and heave a sigh too when I spot her with a guilty smile on her face and the item of topic in her hand.

The first thing we did when we got to the mall was pick up Jasper's birthday gift. Asha had ordered it about a week ago and she had been so excited when she heard it was ready to be picked up. It was a personalised silver dog tag,
with both Asha's and his initials engraved into the back of it alongside the day of their first date. I thought it was really cool, and that it looked quite sleek, knowing the second I saw it that he would love it. She couldn't have got gotten a better gift for him considering he always had one hanging around his neck.

But Asha, despite also falling in love with it at first sight, had been fretting throughout our trip. She was anxious that he wouldn't like it, despite mine and Piper's reassurances that it totally suited him and of course he would like it because it would be a gift from her. Of course, that didn't stop Asha from continuing to worry, there was a reason why one of her nicknames was Miss worry-pants after all.

'You need to stop now, that's like the fifth time you've opened it up again.' I lecture her, tutting at the black jewellery case in her hand.

'I'm sorry, you know what I'm like, I can't help it.' She pouts, shrugging her shoulders as she clasps the case tight in her hand.

'Yes and that's exactly why you're going to give me it for the rest of the day. C'mon, hand it over.' I sternly demand, raising my eyebrow at her surprised expression when I hold my palm out to her.

She hesitates for a second before eventually giving in and handing it to me, giving it one last longing look as I put it in one of my many shopping bags.

'That also means you can't mention it again, girl. I don't want to hear any more obsessing while we look for my dress, okay?' Piper points out, flashing Asha a victorious little grin as she jumps to her feet, seemingly already ready to get back at it.

I prepare myself for another hour, silently wishing I had taken longer to eat my doughnut instead of wolfing it down like I had the moment I had laid eyes on it.

Forcing myself up, I begin to trudge behind Piper hoping she won't take too long alongside a surprisingly now silent Asha and I can only hope she's not thinking about what I think she is.