Long Past Dawn

I was so caught up with all the surprise gifts Batman had thrown on us and the awaited shopping trip that I didn't even notice the three men that were tailing us from a distance.

The book store has a very cozy atmosphere, armchairs and piles of pillows are scattered around the shop and rows and rows of bookshelves line the walls and extend into the rest of the shop. In the back of the shop, I see a kid's corner with stuffed toys and games. It seems like a nice enough atmosphere, it kinda feels like a place you're very likely to lose track of time in.

We walk in and Stephen only spares me one glance before heading off in the direction of the section labeled coding and computers. Figures.

I wander around the shop, stopping every once in a while when a book catches my eye. By the time I've made a full circle of the shop I only have one book in hand that I want to buy compared to the two dozen I looked at while wandering around. It's a book called Long Past Dawn by someone called Charlie Jublood, it's about a girl who loses everything she has but can start over and try again.

I just grabbed it because the title looked interesting but when I saw the blurb I thought I would check out how well this Charlie Jublood can show the emotions you have when that happens. Since at this point I'm pretty much a pro at the subject.

I go over to where Stephen is, he has at least three books on coding. Strangely I'm not very surprised, then again this is Stephen we're talking about.

"Hey, done looking yet?" I ask, tilting my head a little to read some of the book titles on the shelf.

Stephen jumps a little like he didn't expect me to be behind him, "Ah! Y-yeah I am."

I nod and we walk over to the cashier together. After we're done paying for everything we walk out of the shop. Now only to decide where to go next.

"So where do you want to go next?" Somehow Stephen and I manage to say it in sync before breaking out in laughter after we realized what we did.

"You first," I say, trying to stop laughing. He laughs too before looking around and finally pointing Wallgreens, I nod again and we walk over and into the store. And just like at the bookshop we split up at the entrance, I don't need anything from Wallgreens but I can at least look around.

I aimlessly walk around the shop for a couple of minutes until I stop in front of the makeup section. I've never been a big fan of makeup and all that, mom never let me try any, but maybe I should try some.

I pick up a red lipstick that I kinda like, it's halfway between the peach color my lips are and a cherry red. I don't bother looking at the price or the color name I just take it and keep looking. I don't see any more makeup that I would like to try so I just move on to see if Stephen's found whatever he needs so we can get going.

I find Stephen down one of the aisles and sneak up on him, when I'm just behind him I lean forward and whisper in his ear, "Boo."

Stephen gives a small yelp and jumps before turning around to see me laughing hysterically behind him, "Aw man, that was priceless!"

Stephen's ears turn red as he pretends to be mad at me, he can be really cute sometimes. "Ready to go yet?"

Stephen glances behind him at a glasses case before turning back to me and nodding, "Let's go."

He heads down the aisle ahead of me but I stay back to look at the case he was looking at, it's a leather glasses case. It looks normal but the way that Stephen looked at it was as if it was the only one in the world.

I pick it up and see that it's only eight dollars, I don't know if that's expensive for a glasses case but I think I'll give him it as a surprise present.

I walk over to the cashier and see that Stephen's already finished buying his stuff. I hand my lipstick and the glasses case over to the cashier, a woman probably in her early twenties.

Once she's done scanning the items and putting them in a plastic bag she leans over the counter to whisper something to me, "The glasses case is a good idea for your boyfriend, I saw him looking at it for about ten minutes on the tape."

I blush slightly when she calls him my boyfriend. I hand her two tens and she hands me the bag with a wink, I turn around and walk out of the store after Stephen.

He must have seen my red face because he turns and asks me with a troubled face, "Are you ok? Your face is red."

I just nod, "Y-yeah I'm fine... L-let's just move on..."

Stephen nods but I can tell he's still worried about me. "Alright then."

This time we just walk around for a bit, until a jewelry shop window catches my eye. Well, not so much the shop as a choker in the shop. I stop walking so I can get a better look at it.

It's a choker made of copper wire that has been shaped into a rose stem with small crystals for the thorns and what looks like diamonds for the flower buds. It's so beautiful.

I touch my neck imagining the spot it where it would rest on my neck. Stephen comes over to see what I'm looking at, he follows my eyes to see the choker sitting in the display. "Want to take a closer look?"

I absentmindedly nod because I'm still in my own world and don't realize what's happening until he's dragged me into the shop, he turns to one of the shop attendants, "Hello, can we see that copper choker you have in your store window?"

The shopkeeper nods and smiles before going behind the desk. She comes back a minute later with a black velvet case, she opens it and inside of it is the choker. It's just as beautiful up close.

The shop attendant helps me put it on and once it's one both she and Stephen have nothing but high praise for how it looks on me.

In the corner of my eye, I see the price tag on the box $150.99. Damn. As nice as it is I really don't need anything so expensive... I take the choker off and put it back in the black box.

Stephen must have realized my dislike for the price, "How about I get it as a thank you gift for coming with me today?"

I'm about to say no but Stephen is already one step ahead of me, he's already at the counter with the same shopkeeper paying for the choker. She hands him a gift bag with the box inside after he's done paying, Stephen turns to leave and I'm about to meekly follow him thinking about the 150 we just spent when the shopkeeper stops me, "Your boyfriend is so nice to get that for you. I didn't tell him this but that line is very popular with couples right now."

Here it is again, do we really look that much like a couple? I nod and blush a little before heading out of the store. Stephen is standing outside the shop waiting for me, the lights from the mall make his silky hair shine. Maybe...

Wait, what the hell am I thinking? I'm not about to admit that this kinda does feel like a date. We're just friends... Just friends.

***

A/N:

I'm really sorry to do this to you guys since you have been so awesome in supporting me while writing this not only in the competition but as I continue it but I yet again need to change my update schedule. Due to family matters that I don't really want to go into but need my 110% attention, I'm only going to upload a chapter every two days until I figure things out. I'm really sorry guys, trust me when I say I really wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't the only option.

So I'm sorry but only one chapter every two days until I can sort things in my personal life out. But I still promise that I will be continuing on with this project so please still be as supportive as you have been up until now.

It may take a bit of time but I do plan to eventually get back to my one a day schedule so please keep reading a supporting Dawn (and me lol)!