BRIANN P.O.V
AT THE MALL
If there was an Olympic sport for carrying people's nonsense, I'd be walking away with a gold medal today. Miss Zady was unstoppable.She didn't walk,she glided through mall like a fashion tornado,leaving shopping bags in her wake.Every few seconds,she'd pick a new dress,purse,or pair of heels and turn to me with that sweet smile.
"Briann,be a darling and hold this" She said for maybe the twentieth time, handing me a silky red gown.
"Yes,ma'am" I muttered,adjusting the leaning tower of fabric in my arms before it could bury me alive.Every direction I turned her voice followed. "Oh,and these stilettos too.Oh,and that clutch...no,the gold one"
I barely managed to nod,biting back a groan.My arms were shaking,my fingers were screaming for mercy.Somewhere beneath all these clothes i was sure my dignity had suffocated quietly.I'd been carrying so many shopping bags that I was beginning to believe gravity was personally offended by me.
Miss Zady's shopping spree had turned into a full-blown marathon of madness. Every time I thought she was done,she'd gasp dramatically and swerve toward another glistening display.
Meanwhile,Massilo,the reason I was even here,was walking beside us without a single bag in his hand.Just strolling along in his expensive black jacket,pretending to browse like some rich guy in a perfume commercial.He leaned casually against a clothing rack, his shirt was slightly unbuttoned, his smirk doing terrible things to my heartbeat. He held up a green sweater and tilted his head. "This would look perfect on Michelle"
I raised a brow. "Michelle?"
He gave a small,guilty smile. "Yeah,Michelle" His tone was so convincing it could have fooled a toddler maybe,but definitely not me.
"Mhm.I didn't know Michelle and I wear the exact same size" I muttered. "Coincidence" He said,lips twitching.
Miss Zady was too busy twirling in front of a mirror to notice any of this.She was humming to herself,comparing two dresses like they held the fate of the universe.I adjusted the heap of bags in my arms again,struggling to breathe through the perfume cloud around us. "You could at least carry something,you know" I whispered to Massilo.
"I could" he said,inching closer. "But I'd rather carry you"
I shot him a glare. "Don't start"
"Oh come on" He teased softly. "You're cute when you pretend to be angry" I took one small step back,but it was a rookie mistake.He followed.
"Massilo,not here...." Too late.He slipped behind me,his hands wrapping gently around my waist.My heart practically short-circuited. "What are ypu doing?" I hissed,my voice was barely a whisper.He leaned closer,his breath tickled the back of my neck. "Can I kiss you?"
I froze my eyes widened.Every rational thought in my brain scattered.But before I could even process,Miss Zady called out, "Oh,Briann,does this dress make me look taller or just...expensive?"
I jumped away like I'd been electrocuted and spun around so fast in order to get away from him without leaving any suspicions.
"You're...you're crazy!"
He grinned. "For you,maybe"
My face was burning hotter than the mall's chandelier lights.He only chuckled quietly,brushing imaginary dust off his jacket.His eyes glinted with mischief. A few moments later,while Miss Zady was busy admiring the wall of handbags,he leaned in again. "Do you like that blue dress?
"Yes,It's..." Before I could finish,he pecked
me right on the lips.My mind went blank.Did that just happen? In the middle of the mall? While I was buried under shopping bags?
I blinked,speechless,then realizing Miss Zady was about to turn around,I shoved him away so fast that he stumbled backward right into the full-length mirror behind him.
CRACK!
The sound echoed through the store.Miss Zady gasped. "Oh my goodness! Are you alright?"
Massilo winced,clutching his head dramatically.I bit my lip,trying not to laugh or cry.Maybe both.
"I'm fine" He said stiffly,glaring at me with the expression of a man who'd just lost both his pride and a few brain cells.Miss Zady patted his arm. "Be careful,dear.These malls are dangerous"
She fussed over him for a second,then went back to comparing handbags like nothing had happened.I crouched slightly beside him and whispered, "You need to be more careful! What if she saw us?"
He smirked, lowering his voice. "Then make it up to me.Kiss me back"
My jaw dropped. "Now?"
"Maybe" He said,leaning closer again,his grin was lazy and dangerous!
"Miss Zady's right there"
"So?" He murmured with a warm and low voice.
"Massilo..." I sighed,muttering under my breath. "You're impossible" And then,because some part of me clearly lacked self-control.I leaned in and gave him the quietest peck.Barely a second.And that was the exact moment Miss Zady turned around. "Briann!" She said cheerfully,waving a red stiletto in the air. "Do you think this goes with my dress?"
My heart stopped.In panic,I stomped on Massilo's foot so hard.He let out a muffled grunt with his teeth clenched in agony.
Miss Zady blinked. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes!" Massilo said through a tight,strained smile. "Everything's....fine" His voice was about octaves higher than usual.I tried to look calm while he stood there,half-smiling and half limping like a malfunctioning robot.
Miss Zady thankfully just nodded and turned back to another virtrine ahead.The moment she walked away,Massilo leaned closer still wincing. "You know,you're violent for someone so small"
"You're reckless for someone so stubborn" I shot back,lowering my voice. "And if she finds out"
"She won't" He said with a grin. "Unless you want her to"
"Massilo!" He laughed softly,limping along beside me. "Keep talking,and I'll step on the other foot!" I quickly stepped forward to help Miss Zady,avoiding Massilo's death glare.As she strutted ahead toward another clothing section,i caught a glimpse of him limping slightly,his expression was somewhere between pain and amusement.
"You'll pay for that" He murmured when he caught up beside me.
"I already am" I muttered,adjusting the mountain of shopping bags again. "In emotional trauma"
He chuckled softly. "You look adorable when you're pretending to be mad"
"I look tired" I corrected. "And you look like a man who just got his foot flattened"
He laughed quietly,slapping one hand behind his back as if he was tempted to touch me again.
"Don't" I warned without looking at him.
"I didn't say anything" He replied innocently.
"Your smirk said everything"
He chuckled again,low and teasing,and despite myself,a small smile crept onto my face.Miss Zady's voice floated back to us. "Briann hurry up,we're trying on the next batch!"
"Coming ma'am" I called out,hurrying after her,half because I had to and half because if I stayed near Massilo any longer,my heart might actually stop working.Behind me,he whispered, "You still owe me a kiss,you know"
I pretended not to hear.But from the corner of my eye,I caught in the reflection of a nearby mirror,he knew that I had.