Oh. My. God. It's another update.
Oh. My. Smurfs. It's over 2,500 words long.
Hey! Look at that! A long update! I bet you were wondering when one of these was going to happen again. Well, now you know. It needed to be long to cover everything I wanted to cover in this chapter , as well as a little drama and the meeting to two girls who would probably rather their lines never crossed. Anyway, here it is, and it has a break point in there somewhere, so it shouldnt just be a wall of text/
Enjoy. Please R&R with carrot cake. It makes the bunnies happy. :3
Meetings at the Mall
That close to Christmas, the mall was heaving with people desperately trying to finish their shopping before the day crept up on them. None wanted to be forced to panic-buy their presents in the last few days before they were due to be under the tree. This made Max nervous about sending the kids off on their own to get things, but Iggy promised to take good care of them.
Just to put her mind at ease, Fang handed Iggy his mobile phone, inputting Max's number beforehand. He showed both of the younger kids how to find her number in the address book before letting them leave to find Max something. They agreed a time and place to meet and, once they were into the nearest store, Max unfolded the present lists the three kids had handed her and scanned them.
She sighed, pulling Fang's attention to her. "Angel wants a pony," she said softly, scanning the rest of the little girl's list. Glancing over Max's shoulder, he read over the list too, picking out a doll, a few plushies and a few games she could easily afford.
"Every little girl wants a pony," he rationalised as Max circled some of the things he'd picked out mentally with the pen in her purse. Max turned and gave him her best 'I never wanted a pony' look. He smirked and wrapped his arms around her, adding: "My step-sister wants a pony too. It seems to be a common desire for little girls."
Max took a deep breath. "Well," she said as she released it, slipping her list behind Gasman's and reading through that one. Gasman's list was much simpler, with science kits and dinosaur models dominating the list. "She'll have to deal with another toy or plush horse," she said as she circled a few kits. "I hope that'll keep her happy."
Resting his chin on her shoulder, Fang pressed his cheek to hers, scanning Gasman's list as she circled a few items. "What about you?" he asked as she flipped to Iggy's list and began scanning over it. "Did you make a list?"
She barely seemed to flinch. "I never make a list," she said simply, circling a new braille book on Iggy's list. His list was sparse compared to the others, as it always was, not just because there wasn't much that took his interest but because he knew they had a tight budget. She circled a couple of other things, including a speaking watch he'd asked for a few years straight they could now afford, before finishing with: "They just get me whatever."
Gazing over Max's lists at the rest of the people in the shopping centre, Fang silently wondered how Christmas in the Mustofa household would go. With Mike in charge of the finances, his Mother would be unable to go out and get him anything. All he gave her money for was groceries, and took back any change the second he got home.
He even checked the receipts. Tight bastard.
Snapping back to the present, he looked down and noted she was checking the lists again. She'd crossed out a few things and circled some others, trying to equal out the amount she would spend on each child. "There must be something you want," he interrupted her thoughts as she folded the paper and slipped them back in her purse, tightening his grip around her waist and rocking her gently from side to side. "Something I can get you?"
Placing her hands over his, Max closed her eyes and let him sway her body, forgetting for a second she was in a bustling mall, breathing in his scent. He was a little bit ripe, since he'd slept on the couch, and she made a mental note to offer him the use of their shower when they returned home. "Surprise me," she said finally, tilting her head back to towards him to catch his eyes. "Go find me something while I shop for the kids."
Fang smirked. "How about I take a list and do it for you as well," he suggested, pecking her on the cheek before taking his hands from her waist. Turning to face him, Max shook her head, a smile still plastered on her face.
"You've already done too much today," she said, slipping onto her tiptoes to peck his lips. She took a few steps backwards, reaching into her bag to remove one of the lists again. "Meet you back here in three hours?" She asked, waiting for him to nod before turning on her heels and heading into the sea of shoppers.
He lost sight of her pretty quickly, yet he tucked his hands into his pockets and smiled stupidly at the crowd for a few seconds afterwards, a happy flutter disrupting his brain function. He'd never felt this happy with Brigid, yet he thought he'd found the girl for him when they were together.
Was this love?
oOoOo
After much mental debate and a lot of window-shopping, Fang came to the conclusion the best thing he could get her was a necklace. He'd only ever gotten one present for Brigid when they were together, and she'd worn it for just a day before admitting she hated it. She swapped the necklace he bought her for a belly ring, one she would not be able to wear now she was pregnant. The fact she couldn't made him smile a little, even if it did make him feel a little evil.
He spent an hour searching the windows of the jewellery shops he finally settled on the one right at the back of the mall. Unlike the others, which were all specialised in expensive stones and crystal, this one sold everything from high class to cheap but elegant. With a final look in the window he stepped inside to look at the wider range of necklaces they had.
Another hour later and he was sure he had found the perfect pendant. It was a simple silver heart, the chain coming off the left side so it hung lightly to the right rather than dead centre. The heart itself was thin silver and just an outline, the centre clear except for just three inset silver circles that joined together at the top-right corner. Inset in each circle was a tiny diamond, glistening when they caught the light.
The sales assistant turned to get a non-display model, leaving Fang to flick through his wallet and find the money he needed. It would cost him most of the money he had saved from his lunch money, along with the funds he had left from his allowance, when he still had one back with his real Dad.
About the only thing he ever did right.
Upon his return, the assistant flashed Fang the necklace in its box. It looked even more prefect on the blue satin cushion, surrounded by a black box, and he nodded in approval. The assistant flashed him a bright smile and closed the box, slipping it into a small bag and holding it out to him. Fang took it as he handed over almost all the money he had, $300, thanked the man and turned to leave.
He was stopped in his tracks by someone he didn't expect to see. Her arms were folded over her slight bump, blindingly obvious in the tight dress she was wearing. Raising an eyebrow, Fang noted with distaste it barely covered anything, cutting quite high on her thighs, and wondered what she was wearing.
She'd dressed much more modestly when they were dating.
"That's an expensive present," Brigid observed. "I saw you staring at it in the window for a good fifteen minutes. Put a lot of thought into it." The jealousy in her eyes and stature was plain to see, and Nickolas was uncomfortable with the attention she was pulling them in the small store. Maybe she'd expected him not to move on that fast, but he wasn't one to get caught up on someone as fickle as her.
Brigid dropped her arms to her sides. "Is she pretty?" She asked, her voice slightly spiteful. She rolled her eyes and bit her lip anxiously, unconsciously placing a hand on her bump. "She must be, to be worth that much debilitation. Did you put that much thou-"
"I did," he interrupted her, and she stopped with her mouth still slightly open. He took a step towards the door, pausing within earshot, but not giving her the decency of his eye contact. "Two hours," he said simply, sighing softly on the end. "But you don't appreciate sentiment, only value."
And with that, he walked out, leaving her alone in the jewellery store.
As he walked towards the nearest toy store, hoping to run into Max early, he wondered how long his Father and Brigid planned to stay before returning home. Now he thought about it, he didn't know how long they planned to stay, or where they were staying, but he hoped they would leave soon.
When he couldn't find any of the Martinez family, Fang settled on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the complex with a cup of coffee and waited. It wasn't long til Max found him, loaded down with so many bags he was surprised she could walk at all.
With a little foresight he'd folded the jeweller's bag and slipped both that and the necklace into his inside pocket, only carrying a bag from the coffee shop. Though she raised an eyebrow at him she didn't ask if her present had come from Cafe Nero and instead joined him in sipping coffee, waiting for the kids and Iggy to return.
While they sat there, he couldn't stop thinking about his ex-girlfriend turning up at the mall. He had expected them to leave town once they had rubbed their relationship in his and his Mother's face, but here she was in the shopping centre, bleeding jealousy all over the floor, and making his life more difficult yet again.
After about twenty minutes, he let out a sigh. "My Father and Brigid finally made it," he said suddenly, his voice lost in the general hubbub of the mall. She glanced over at him as she sipped her coffee, expecting a rant about them.
"She's pregnant, and it might be mine." Without warning, she chocked in shock on the coffee, some of the warm liquid shooting out of her nose and into the fountain. Embarrassed, she pressed her sleeve to her face to cover the liquid dripping from her nose and mouth, wiping it quickly away, glad Fang hadn't looked around when he said it. He was still staring off into the distance at the sea of shoppers, seemingly lost in thought.
When he did look around, she had managed to compose herself again. "Only might?" She asked curiously, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer. Fang shrugged offhandedly, his eyes not leaving hers. "It might be my Father's," he added a little quieter. "She was…sleeping with us both at the date the doctor had suggested."
Without meaning to, Max's mouth fell open a little in surprise. She sat there for a good ten seconds with her mouth catching flies, not breaking Fang's gaze, before she had to consciously close her mouth again, shaking her head slightly. "She…I'm sorry, she was what?"
"Yeah," he replied, turning his attention back to the crowd. "Its compli- shit. She's coming over."
Max looked up, surprised. "They're still here?" She asked, following his gaze even though she didn't know what his ex-girlfriend looked like. "I thought they would have gone home once they'd told you that little nugget of joy."
"Apparently not," he commented, tucking his coffee into the empty paper bag they had given him and standing. He offered to take Max's cup for her, and she slipped it into the bag after downing the last of the warm coffee. "And she's pissed I have a girlfriend."
It was plainly obvious she was pissed. Brigid's pretty face was created in anger as she stormed towards Fang. Max finally placed which girl he was referring to when she noticed the obvious baby bulge under her too-tight white dress. That and she grabbed Fang's shoulder when she reached him and pulled him around to face her rather forcefully.
Since he was rather handsome, it was no surprise to Max that he had dated a pretty girl in his last school. In her slutty white dress and long, red locks she had a lot of resemblance to Lissa. She wondered if that's why Fang had refused the popular girl's affections.
"That's your rebound girl?" She shouted, pulling the attention of nearby shoppers. Fang pulled her hand from his shoulder in one easy motion, but it didn't faze her. "She's not even fucking pretty! Is that the best you can do now?"
Still seated at the fountain, Max found herself flinching away from the criticism. She had never thought of herself as pretty, or even felt the need to look pretty before now, but hearing it from another's mouth was harsher than noticing her flaws in the mirror.
Though he usually kept his cool, Fang snapped. "You," he shouted, basically silencing the immediate area of conversation and pulling yet more attention to their argument. "You," he repeated a little softer, his anger simmering. "Are the one who decided I wasn't good enough and slept with my Father, so don't you fucking dare talk to me like that.
"I'm done with you," he finished, leaning over to pick up some of Max's bags. "Your opinion means shit to me." Max had grabbed the rest of the bags and started for their meeting place already, leaving him behind. He turned to leave himself, but paused, looking over his shoulder.
"Do me a favour and fuck off, and take your husband with you." He added, spreading the bags he grabbed between both hands. With that he followed Max, not once looking back.
The kids arrived back at the meeting point bang on time. Iggy was holding a few bags more than usual, but Max had given him more money than the other years, now they had extra dollars to spare. They ordered a taxi and headed back home to drop it all off and have a quick rest before going food shopping, yet another chore for the day over.
While they packed the presents into a hiding place, neither teen discussed what had happened at the fountain that afternoon. When we went to the bathroom, Max found herself staring into the mirror, searching her face for flaws, running her hands over her jaw and cheekbones. She had her mother's face, almost square with high cheekbones and a wide jawline. Coupled with her lank, straight dull blonde hair, she was nothing compared to Brigid, with heart-shaped face and long red curls.
Though she didn't cry about such a trivial matter, an emptiness settled in the bottom of Max's stomach. She leant in and studied her dark brown eyes, hoping to find a swirl of a lighter colour in them, but they remained dull and pure brown under her scrutiny. Then she pulled back and shook her head, walking out of the bathroom without a second glance.
Why do I care? She thought to herself. She walked back into her bedroom to see Fang stacking boxes in the bottom of her wardrobe, where she hid the presents, and a flutter spread through her chest. Do I care because of him? She wondered as she knelt down to help him. She handed him the last box and he took it from her with a smile, one she couldn't help but mirror. Another flutter spread through her stomach, and she felt a blush touch her cheeks.
Is this what love feels like?
