Page 5 of Broken Rules
The mall isn’t far from her place, but the silence makes the drive feel longer than it is. I glance at Sadie every so often as she stares out into the distance, her eyes getting teary, constricting my chest.
“Hey, get out of your head, Sadie,” I say, parking the car in the lot.
She blinks a few times, stopping her tears from falling, and I place my hand over hers, giving a gentle squeeze before flipping down the visor to reapply my makeup. “You alright?”
With a meek smile, she lies, “I’m just sleepy. Nothing to worry about.”
I side-eye her, pursing my bright pink lips. “I’m going to pretend that’s the truth, or we’ll never get inside. Come on. I’m treating you today.”
“No way.”
Slipping into my purse, I smirk, withdrawing three thick stacks of tens, fives, and ones. “I got more than I need.”
“That’s great, but you’re still not spending your hard-earned money on me.”
“Listen, lady, when will you understand I like to spoil my main bitches? And when I say bitches I mean bitch, because you’re the only one.”
“Evie—”
“Ah! I don’t want to hear it. Think of it as an investment for both of us since we wear the same size. Minus the lingerie, of course. That’s not lasting through the night anyway.” I wink at her, step out of the car, and Sadie follows me.
We browse through several stores, trying and buying a few items, sensing Sadie’s ready to go home.
“There’s no way,” she says, waiting for me outside the dressing stall as I try on a royal blue mini dress.
“You’re taking that one. End of discussion.”
“This will barely cover my crack. Might as well wear nothing.”
“That’s the point.”
I laugh, then walk toward the tall tri-fold mirror. Sometimes it’s hard to look at me, seeing beauty yet having to speak daily affirmations that I’m more than my body, and lately, in doing so, I only come out feeling drained because those words are becoming harder to believe. Fixing one of the skinny straps that dip along my arm, I turn to look at Sadie, taking my mind away from this subject.
“What do you think?”
“Looks great on you.”
I glance over my shoulder. “Looked even better on you,” I say, and she stays quiet.
Sadie’s gorgeous with her long honey-blonde hair, freckles along her cheeks and nose, and deep brown eyes. She doesn’t see how beautiful she is and tends to hide her slim figure, which has everything to do with her dick of an ex. Before she met Declan, she was more confident, outgoing, and less timid. I miss her spunk.
Heading back to the stall, I change into my skinny jeans and knit sweater, then pluck the pink lingerie from her fingers a minute later. “Wait, where’s your pile?” Looking at the put-away rack beside us, I roll my eyes, grabbing everything. “You’re getting them.”
“Evie, you don’t have to….”
“Come on, sexy lady. We still have one more store left before the mall closes.”
She smiles, shaking her head, and I love to see her perk up, even if she’s annoyed with me while heading to our next destination.
* * *
I take my time driving to her apartment, exhausted and ready to knock out once I get home. Her phone rings, and she quickly silences the call.
“Was it him?” I ask while parking in front of the complex.
She glances at me and nods. “Nothing new.”
“What a creep. How is he finding your new numbers, and don’t you have a restraining order on him? Why not call your lawyer and see what you should do?”
