Chapter 5
2055 Words
Ambrose took a cart and we started walking inside the huge supermarket.
“What’s your favorite food?” he asked me while we were walking along the meat section. I can’t keep my eyes on one rack because everything seemed so delicious.
“Any,” I replied but my eyes are fixed on the sirloin in front of me.
Ambrose stopped and stood beside me. “We’ll take four kilos of this,” he told the crew in charge as I noticed him pointing at the sirloin in front of me.
I blinked and turned to him, confused. “Why are you getting four kilograms?”
He shrugged. “When I cooked steak before, I noticed that you liked it. So, I’m buying a lot,” he replied. “And besides, I don’t go to groceries often. I need to stock up.” He sounded so sure of himself so I let him.
I nodded and waited with him until the four kilograms of meat was ready. We continued to look for things needed. And I only have one thing to say, Ambrose buys whatever he sees. It was not a long time until we needed another cart because the first one was already full.
I was pushing the empty cart when I turned to Ambrose whose eyes are narrowed on the toiletries. “Do you want to buy tissues?” I asked.
He immediately removed his gaze on them and turned to me. “No,” he replied, shaking his head. “I was just wondering if you want to buy clothes?” he asked me before sighing. “Don’t get me wrong. I just think you’d like to buy some girl clothes because you’re always wearing mine.”
I stood there, trying to process what he’s saying. He wants me to buy clothes? Maybe I don’t look good when I’m wearing his clothes. Or maybe he wants his clothes back? Am I being a burden to him now?
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I just thought you would want to wear clothes for girls,” he told me. “It’s not that you don’t look good when you’re wearing my shirt, anyway.” He smiled. “How about we go shopping after this? We’ll just put the groceries home, eat lunch and then buy your clothes?”
I swear I can’t predict what he’s going to do. He’s always so random. And he doesn’t even me give me a chance to say no. Sometimes, he’s already doing his thing while I am still left processing what he meant.
After putting all the necessary stuff in the cart, Ambrose used his black card to pay. I was shocked when I saw the bill. I don’t know if it’s too much but that is the first time that I have seen a bill that huge for groceries alone. Maybe it’s the meat. He bought a lot of different kinds of meat.
“Do you ever go broke?” I asked him while we’re loading the groceries into his compartment.
He smirked and shrugged. “My family owns an advertising company, Crystal. It’s been in business for decades. We have stocked up a lot of money,” he replied. “But those are my family’s money. I grow my own by investing on stocks of different companies.”
I nodded. It must feel good to be a member of a rich family. They don’t have to think of anything. They can buy anything they want.
I remember freshmen year. Leinara has a new designer bag gifted by her mother and she flaunted it every single day. She would even use one chair just for her bag. She always buys her friends lunch. She always has monetary contributions in class.
That’s the reason why our teachers like her—because of her money.
“Hey, are you okay?”
I was taken back to reality when I heard Ambrose’s voice. I turned to him and gave out a small smile. “Yeah,” I replied, chuckling weakly. “I just thought something.”
He shook his head and closed the compartment. “Don’t worry too much about moving to the city,” he told me as he patted my shoulder. “Let’s go home.”
I sighed. Do I even have a home to begin with?
***
The shopping mall was everything I have imagined. The lights, the people, the smell of the shops, everything! I have been to one before but it’s not as big as this.
Ambrose smiled at me. “Let’s go,” he told me before leading me inside.
My eyes couldn’t stop roaming around. I don’t know where to look because there are a lot of stores. I wish I have the money to buy everything I want.
“Do you have a shop in mind?” Ambrose asked me as he walked beside me.
I shook my head. “But take me to the cheapest store,” I told him. I don’t have a lot of money to buy my clothes. I will just buy what I can afford.
I told him we can go to the nearest thrift shop but he told me that they don’t have those here. Are all people from Phoenix rich? People from Winslow aren’t. We have plenty of thrift shops. One can find it every block.
He shook his head. “No, silly. I’ll pay for you clothes,” he said.
My eyes widened and immediately shook my head in refusal. “No. You’ve already done a lot for me. I don’t want to burden you—”
“Ssh,” he hushed me by placing his index finger on top of my lips. “How many times do I have to tell you that you are not a burden?”
I frowned at him. “It’s not that. But I feel like I am,” I replied. I know that I am a burden. Ambrose was just extremely kind. Or maybe he doesn’t know where to spend his money anymore.
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he breathed. “When you have a job, you can pay me. I’ll put this on tab.” He didn’t sound sincere with it but I nodded and took it as a promise.
We went to an apparel shop. I was already in awe of everything inside the moment I stepped in there.
“Go and buy anything you want,” he ordered but I was already walking towards a pile of dresses that I only see on TV.
My hands immediately flew to a yellow lacy sundress. I checked the size and figured that it would fit me. I also checked the price tag but unfortunately, there’s none. I went on to check the other clothes and realized that everything in here doesn’t have a price tag.
I turned to Ambrose and saw him eyeing some T-shirts. I was supposed to ask him why he brought me to a place where there are no price tags but, in the end, I just sighed. A simple dress wouldn’t cost a lot, I guess? I can probably pay for it when I get a job, right?
I chose three dresses to try on.
“Where are you going?” Ambrose asked me when he saw me walking towards the fitting room.
I raised the dresses and he immediately understood it. Trying the dresses on was a great idea because I realized that I don’t fit well in blue, yellow and orange. Maybe it’s because of my tanned skin and my red hair.
In the end, I gave up on the dresses and just went on to the simple tops. Ambrose was already paying for something and I immediately realized that I am taking so much time on my own. So, I just grabbed three shirts and two pairs of shorts that would fit my size. I also grabbed undies randomly. I didn’t put much thought on it because I feel pressured. Ambrose was done. I need to be done as fast as I could, too. He’s already buying. I need to be sensitive.
With the clothes on my hands, I walked to where he is. He narrowed his eyes at me and looked at the clothes I randomly picked.
“What happened to the dresses?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t look good on them,” I replied and he raised his brow. I was expecting him to tell me something because of the look of amusement on his face but he didn’t. “I’m good with these,” I told him.
He sighed and nodded. “Okay,” he said as we walked to the cashier. “Let’s pay for them.”
The cashier was smiling widely at Ambrose and from the looks of it, I already know what she has in mind. Ambrose, on the other hand though, seemed oblivious and just took out his black card while waiting for the total amount to be paid.
I didn’t say anything. After all, Ambrose didn’t react to the woman’s smile.
“Eight hundred seventy-five dollars all in all, Sir,” the cashier said in her sweet voice.
I looked at Ambrose and saw his brows furrowed. He’s also probably weirded out by the woman’s voice. It’s disturbing. Her voice sounded so flirty. I didn’t know that trick was still used right now.
He handed her his card and her sly movement of touching his hand didn’t go unnoticed. I just looked away and shook my head in disbelief. What a brazen girl.
“Here’s your receipt, sir,” she said as she started placing my clothes in a paper bag. “Thank you for shopping with us.” That’s one hell of a flirty accent.
Ambrose cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he uttered in a low baritone before grabbing the paper bag and immediately turned to leave.
I gave one last look to the cashier and saw her disappointed face because she didn’t get the response she wanted. I smiled curtly at her before following Ambrose out.
I laughed at him. “The cashier is making a move on you,” I told him.
He just sighed gave me a look. “Didn’t you see how uncomfortable I was?” It was obvious that he’s pissed off but I just smiled. “I hate it when someone makes a move on me.”
I arched my brows and pursed my lips just to stop a grin from breaking out of my lips. I want to tease him but I don’t think I am in the position to do so. He just bought—more of loaned—me clothes. “I heard women from the cities are more liberated than the ones who aren’t.”
Ambrose shrugged. “I don’t know. The only woman I know that is not from the city is you,” he told me. “But yeah, based on what you heard, maybe you’re right.” He smirked at me.
I pouted and rolled my eyes. I was about to rebut when I heard someone calling Ambrose’s name.
In front of us is a woman who’s wearing a red body-hugging dress and pair of silver high heels. She’s blonde and her face is fully made up like she’s going to a party or something.
She was all smiles while she ran towards Ambrose who seemed to have frozen on his spot. “Baby!” she called him again before she jumped on him causing him to almost stumble.
“Aira,” he uttered in warning. “What are you doing here?”
The girl, who I think is named Aira because that’s what Ambrose called her, pouted at him cutely. “I am buying new clothes, of course!” She looked so sophisticated but I can already see that she’s clingy. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while!” She beamed before finally noticing me standing beside him. She raised her brow. “Who are you?” she asked, her tone sporting a hundred-eighty-degree change.
I smiled awkwardly. “I’m Crystal,” I told her. “Nice to meet you—”
“So, who are you? Are you responsible for this week?” she asked me rudely.
I narrowed my eyes at her, confused. “What?”
Aira smirked and took a step closer to me. “Well, I was asking you if you’re responsible to please the Al—”
“Aira, stop it.” Ambrose uttered in a firm voice, cutting whatever she was about to say.
Aira turned to him with a weirded look on her face. “But—”
“You may now leave,” Ambrose cut her off once again. “Leave now.” His words were filled with conviction. I am actually surprised to hear Ambrose this authoritative. He’s never been sounded like this to me before.
I can almost see Aira shiver in fear. She let out a deep sigh, conceding defeat. “Okay, Al—”
“Save it.” Ambrose held my hand. “Let’s go, Crystal,” he uttered before pulling me with him.
- Writer
