AllFreeNovel
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“Chocolate.”
“Favorite ice cream? Toppings?”
“Chocolate chips. And cookies and cream.”
Nicole nodded decisively. “She’ll have a tall cookies and cream frappuccino. Cream base.” Nicole pulled a shining credit card out of her jeans pocket and handed it over.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Raina protested. “I can pay for my own drink.”
Nicole waved it off. “Don’t go thinking this is a date or something. I like pissing off my parents by spending as much money as possible.”
Raina hid a grin. “Alright, Nicole.”
“What’s the name?” the bored barista asked.
Nicole spoke up before Raina could even open her mouth, “Gertrude.”
* * *
“You look like a grandmother headed for bingo night,” Nicole said bluntly, her fourth outfit insult of the afternoon. Her eyes scanned Raina once more. “Where did you pick out that outfit, OldLady?”
“Old Navy isn’t even in this mall,” Raina said crossly. She glanced around the store they were standing in, sure her exasperation was clear. This was the fourth store Nicole had dragged her into, and so far they’d had zero luck finding anything. The only thing Raina had even remotely liked was a knotted pearl headband, and she’d promptly dropped it back on the shelf when she’d spotted the $49 price tag. “And for your information, this came from the clearance rack.”
Nicole snorted. “I can guess why.”
“Fine, you find something better,” Raina challenged, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Look, this store sucks. Everything is either too tight or not appropriate, and if it’s neither of those two, it’s out of my price range.”
“You’re right,” Nicole said after a minute.
“And—wait, what?”
“Don't make me say it again, Cohen.” Nicole stood and began walking out of the changing rooms. “Now, are you coming or not?”
Raina hurried back into her little stall, exchanging the sweater she’d tried on for her own t-shirt and tossing her cardigan over her arm. She found Nicole standing at the store entrance.
“So where are we going now?”
“We’re going tomyfavorite store,” Nicole replied. “I’ll admit...perhaps I should have taken you to a more...modern store first.”
Raina smiled, knowing that was the closest to an apology she was going to get. “All’s forgiven.”
“I didn’t apologize.”
“Of course not.”
Nicole kept up the fast pace, not stopping until they reached a small store tucked in a corner. The wordsGoing Out Tonightwere scrawled across the store’s clear windows, with mannequins posing underneath. Raina gulped, staring at the various leather outfits they wore, her eyes lingering on one that was essentially a few scraps of fabric.
“Um, is that a skirt or a shirt?”
“It’s a dress,” Nicole replied, striding inside.
Contrary to the window’s offerings, the inside of the store was decorated tastefully. Raina’s eyes widened as she took in the deep golden walls. She followed Nicole to the counter, her head swiveling to take the whole store in. Bright colors popped and shiny accessories gleamed as Raina made her way through the racks, unable to tear her eyes away from all the gorgeous creations.
“Hello,” Nicole greeted the woman behind the counter. “Is Maia in?”
“She’s in back. Your name?” the woman asked, not looking up from her laptop.
“Nicole Lawrence.”
