The Academy - Friends vs. Family (21 page)

Nathan narrowed his eyes at him but said nothing.

I followed the guys into a Macy’s. Gabriel floated to the racks
with the newest clothes on display. “Stand still over here,” he said. He
directed me with a finger until I was beside him.

One by one, he held up blouses, skirts, shorts, pants and
everything else hanging on display. He would tuck the hanger into my neck or to
my waist and flatten the material over my stomach or thighs to get an idea of
how it would look. I think he pulled down nearly one of everything. When he
didn’t like something, he’d hang it backward on the rack. When he did like
something, he passed it off to Nathan to hold on to.

Victor had mysteriously disappeared.

“Nathan?” I asked while Gabriel had drifted away to pull jeans out
of shelves to check the sizes. “Where did Victor get that black credit card?”

Nathan juggled the collection of clothes in his arms. “Don’t you
know? Victor’s parents are loaded. They gave him that thing when he was still
in diapers.”

“Won’t they notice all this?” I held up my arms where the pink
underwear bags were still hanging.

“Probably not,” he said. His lips curved in the corners. “If they
did, they wouldn’t care. They only get interested in what he does when he’s
about to play the piano at one of his fancy concerts.”

My eyes widened. I knew he played piano but I hadn’t heard about
this. “He plays for other people?”

“Well, yeah. He’s really good. He hates the concerts though. His
parents are usually the ones that sign him up for that. They like showing him
off.”

I sighed, thinking about what it must be like to have parents that
were rich. It was very sweet of Victor to volunteer to buy clothes for me. I
didn’t know how to share my appreciation. A warm spot fluttered in my heart for
Victor. I reminded myself to try to thank him again for everything later. It
was important to me to let him know.

My insides rattled thinking of the eight hundred dollars he’d
already spent so far.

Gabriel snapped his fingers in the air at the two of us. “Are we
ready for fitting?”

I slid my eyes over to look at Nathan, pleading silently with him
to help me.

He shook his head, grinning. “Nu uh,” he said. “We’ve all gone
through this. It’s your turn to get poked and prodded by him.”

Gabriel led the way to where the fitting rooms were. They were
unattended and the fitting area was empty.

The boys joined me inside. Nathan dropped the clothes onto a bench
and collapsed into the seat next to the pile. Gabriel picked out a couple of
shirts and shorts and handed them to me. “Get in there and do it.”

I locked the latch on the door to the fitting room and froze
nervously in front of the mirror. My fingers traced over the buttons at the
neck of Kota’s shirt. Cotton fibers kissed my fingertips in return. His shirt
didn’t look terrible on me, even if it wasn’t the best fitting thing. It felt
far different than when I was wearing Derrick’s shirt. Just like when I was
wearing Victor’s shirt at school, I felt comfortable. It was like wearing a
piece of the boys with me, and I felt protected. My heart warmed at the thought
of all of them and I wondered what they thought when they saw me wearing
something that belonged to them. Did they feel this same connection with me
that I felt?

I undressed and slipped on the new clothes. I sucked down some
courage and opened the door again. My chin dipped to my neck and I shuffled
forward in my bare feet.

Gabriel and Nathan had been talking and they turned their eyes
toward me. Nathan’s eyes lit up. Gabriel, however, lifted his fist, thumb down.

“No,” he said. “It’s awful.”

I checked the pink cotton t-shirt and the jean shorts he had given
me. “What’s wrong with them?”

“They don’t fit.” He picked up another set of clothes from the
pile. “Try these.”

I slid my eyes to Nathan.

“Your turn,” he mouthed to me from behind Gabriel’s back.

I sighed, locking myself back into the room. According to the
mirror, the shirt appeared to fit just fine. The shorts looked a little weird
on me but they sat on my hips. What did he mean?

I tried on the next pair of black cotton shorts. They sat low on
my hips and were too short. They almost felt like underwear. I pulled on a
green t-shirt with quarter sleeves.

This time I just stood inside the doorway. I didn’t want to step
forward and let other people who might be around see these shorts on me.

When the boys turned to me, both of their mouths dropped.

My cheeks flashed with heat. “Too short,” I said.

Gabriel nodded. “I like that shirt, though. Keep that.” He picked
out a skirt from the pile and tossed it to me. “Keep the shirt on but put this
on with it.”

I spent an hour in Macy’s trying on several dozen items of clothes
and in different combinations. Gabriel nit picked his way through the
collection, discarding the unwanted clothes into a bin and created a separate
pile for anything that met his approval.

I hovered just inside the door of the dressing room. I got tired
of stepping out every time. Gabriel was relentless with his opinion. “Too
tight. Too short. Doesn’t fit.”

“What do you mean when you say it doesn’t fit?” I asked when he
rejected what seemed like a perfectly good shirt. “It’s the right size.”

“No,” he said. “It doesn’t fit you. Your personality. Your style.
It’s not what we want.”

“What do we want?”

“Clothes are telling everyone who you are in one glance. What do
you want to say?”

“What am I supposed to be saying?” It was confusing. How can
people know what you are like in your clothes?

He laughed, his bright blue eyes lighting up. “You know it when
you feel it. Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Just trust me.”

When I was back in Kota’s shirt and done, I slumped onto the bench
next to Nathan while Gabriel went out to find a smaller size in a pair of
shorts he liked. “I’m exhausted,” I said.

Nathan laughed. He dropped his palm onto my back. “Sweetie, you
just started.”

“Tell me that after we’re done here, they’ll be happy,” I said.

The corner of his mouth lifted and he shook his head at me.
“They’re busting their asses to make you happy.”

“I’m fine!” My voice strained as my tone rose. It probably sounded
like I was complaining but I was tired and stressed. “I keep telling them that.
I’m happy.”

“Your sister just gave all your clothes to the bratty girl next
door and your parents never let you out of the house and you’ve had all kinds
of crazy things going on.”

“But I’m not that bad,” I said. “I’m here with you.” I meant to
say you guys, but for some reason my voice stopped in my throat and by the time
I swallowed and could say it, it was just too late to say anything more.

He nodded slowly. His blue eyes appeared to glow. “What do you
want to do?”

“I... I want them to know they don’t have to do this for me. It’s
just a little overwhelming.”

“You’re not used to the attention,” he confirmed.

“Maybe.”

He chuckled again. “You’ve landed yourself in the wrong group of
friends. We’re always up in each other’s business.”

“Is this what it’s always like?” I asked. I turned my head to face
him. “Is this normal?”

His jaw set and that serious look returned. “It’s been different
with you here.”

I raised my eyebrow at him, confused by his comment. “In a bad
way?”

He flinched and it was like he was bringing himself out of his
deep thoughts. “No. I mean with us,” he said. “We’ve been together for so long.
I guess we just worked out this system. We do our part.”

“What’s your part?”

He half smiled again. “Right now I’m holding clothes while Vic’s
run off to play and Gabriel’s probably getting a one-over by the attendants as
he’s picking out girl clothes.”

I laughed at how silly and overly simple he put it. He seemed
pleased with this. “So what’s my part?” I asked. “I mean am I just throwing
everything out of whack or what?”

He shrugged, nudging me with his arm. “We’re figuring it out.
Don’t worry about it.”

It was easy for him to say. I thought about how Kota was out with
the others right now at the diner. I could easily picture him relaying orders
and the others falling into line. Silas and North were probably trading swings
with sledgehammers, with Luke busting in to give them a break for a minute with
his antics. Would they have done all that last weekend if I hadn’t gotten into
trouble? I felt like I was the weak link in this otherwise very put together
Academy troop.

Nathan stared at me while I was thinking and I blushed. He parted
his lips as if he wanted to say something but before he could, Gabriel
returned, a handful of clothes tucked under his arm.

“Last load,” he said. “Then we’ll go somewhere else. I think I’ve
looked at everything here.”

I sucked in a breath. “Round two,” I whispered to Nathan under my
breath.

“Go get ‘em, tiger,” Nathan said, nudging me in the back as I
stood.

After Gabriel had seen everything on me, he chased me off to go
find Victor. He and Nathan carried the approved set of clothes toward the
registers.

I took a walk around the store, grateful for the breather and
glancing in the different sections for Victor. I headed toward the men’s
section, thinking maybe he was getting things for himself. Something caught my
eye as I crossed the walkway.

Victor hovered over a glass case. He was signing a credit card
receipt. The attendant slipped a black box across the glass. She leaned on her
elbows as she watched Victor’s penmanship. She was pretty, with black hair and
dark eyes. She batted her eyelashes at him and said something.

My feet were moving of their own accord. I stepped closer just in
time to hear Victor say as he put his credit card back in his wallet, “...just
some crazy beautiful girl I met at school.”

The words gave me pause. The attendant continued to smile sweetly
at him. His eyes drifted to her, an eyebrow arcing in confusion. She slipped
away from the counter to take care of another customer asking for help.

Victor turned, and spotted me. “Sang?” His hand went to the
counter and the tiny black box disappeared into his pocket. “Is Gabe finished?”

I was struck with a wash of trepidation. He didn’t want me to see
what he bought. Had he met another girl at school? Why was he buying jewelry?
Was it for her? Was he going to try to win her over with a gift? The thought of
it made my heart burn. Why should it concern me, though? We’re friends. He
could like whoever he wanted.

In response to his question, I simply nodded. I was surprised to
find my finger at my lip, pushing it to my teeth.

His head tilted and he came closer to me. “Why do you look like
that? Are you okay?”

I blinked, trying to draw up a smile. “It’s um... Gabriel,” I
said. “I think I’ve put on everything in the store.”

He laughed, and shook his head. The fire in his eyes smoldered.
“I’m sorry I left. I was just browsing. I’ll stick nearby so he’s not driving
you crazy.”

He found my hand and held it. The move confused me. Would the girl
he likes think it was okay we were holding hands? Was the real reason he didn’t
hold me in his lap this morning because he was conscious of how the other girl
would feel? What would she think of him sleeping in the bed with me?

My heart fluttered as his thumb traced between my thumb and
forefinger. I was so conscious of every fiery look he gave me, the way he
drifted as he walked beside me, and the way his lips curled gently up in the
corner as he lead me toward the registers.

Gabriel and Nathan stood in line as the attendant was ringing up
items. She eyeballed them curiously. When Victor and I stepped up beside them,
she seemed even more confused.

Victor surveyed everything on the counter and nodded in approval
to Gabriel. He let go of me so he could take care of the purchase. I stood
behind him, my cheek pressed to his shoulder, smelling his smooth berry and
moss fragrance.

“Say it,” he said over his shoulder to me.

“Thank you, Victor.”

“You’re welcome, Sang.”

N
ervous

At the fifth store, Victor bellowed at Gabriel for wanting me to
try on yet another skirt in a different color when I had already tried on
twenty. I was slumping against Nathan as we sat on a bench together. My stomach
growled.

“You’re speaking my language,” Nathan said. He stood up with the
handful of items Gabriel put into the yes pile. “We need food.”

“I agree,” Victor said, looking pleased with this distraction.
“Let’s go.”

“Aw,” Gabriel said, but he relented. I wondered if he was hungry,
too.

My arms were overloaded with bags as we left the store. Shoes were
now included with everything. I had boots that were meant for skirts and
sandals meant for jeans. Gabriel rattled fashion off his tongue so quickly that
I was dizzy with what I was supposed to do with it all. Nathan took half of the
bags from me but insisted I keep the pink Victoria’s Secret bags. “People are
going to think I’m a pervert,” he said.

We were trailing back down the walkway toward the entrance we had
come from when Gabriel stopped short in front of a sporting goods store. His
eyes squinted as he scanned the racks.

“No,” Victor said to him.

“But I just realized she doesn’t have a bathing suit,” he said.
“She’s got to have one. Just one. I swear.”

Victor’s eyebrows rose together and his fire gaze fell on me. “Do
you have one?”

I really wanted to lie in that moment. For one thing, I didn’t
want to spend another hour trying on bathing suits in front of the boys.
Another reason was I was already unsure how much Victor had spent and I didn’t
want to spend another dime. With the way his eyes were so intense on mine, I
couldn’t think and lying was impossible. I’d done enough lying that morning and
didn’t dare say another. I simply shook my head, my finger at my lower lip.
“But I don’t need it,” I insisted. “I mean it’s September. There can’t be too
many opportunities to swim before winter.”

They laughed together. Victor reluctantly nodded at Gabe. “One
swimming suit. And she’s not trying on all of them.”

This time Gabriel insisted that Victor and Nathan wait toward the
front part of the store. I didn’t want to be left alone with Gabriel and I
pleaded silently with Victor for him to come with us.

“If you’re not back in a half hour, I’m taking Sang back but I’m
leaving you here, Gabe,” Victor said.

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel said. He hooked an arm around my neck. “I’m
getting the hang of her style.”

I dropped the bags at Victor’s feet with a sigh. Nathan merely
grinned, looking somewhat smug about the idea of me getting another round with
Gabriel.

I followed Gabriel to the section of women’s bathing suits.
Despite what the guys seemed to imply, swimming was out of season. There were
only a couple of racks.

Gabriel thumbed through different bathing suits. He completely
skipped over the one piece suits and mumbled something about the possibility of
mixing and matching tops and bottoms.

“What do you think?” he asked me, holding up a blue halter type
and a skimpy bikini bottom.

My cheeks radiated heat. “It’s... um... pretty.” There wasn’t an
easy way to reject his selection without saying that I thought it wasn’t to my
taste.

“Hm,” he said, taking another look at it. “The color isn’t good.”

Gabriel selected a variation of suits of different types and we headed
further into the back of the store so I could try them on. “Pick your favorites
first,” he said. “We’re limited on colors and sizes so we’ll just go down the
line.”

This time there was only a crinkly curtain separating me from the
rest of the store. I realized at that moment that I would have to get
completely naked to try on the bathing suit. My eyes drifted to the corners of
the curtain next to the walls. Could there be cracks where people could look
in?

I shoved the thought to the back of my head. I removed my clothing
and I tossed them carefully to the floor. I hooked Kota’s shirt on the wall,
wanting to keep it clean and also wanting something nearby so I could shield
myself if I needed.

I started with the most modest two-piece Gabriel had picked out.
It was a black pair of shorts and matching halter type that barely left any
skin revealed along my midsection. If I pulled the hem of the halter down, it
completely covered the area.

When I was finished, I wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to open the
curtain. I didn’t want to step out and be seen. “Gabriel?” I called softly.

The curtain slid to the side and Gabriel appeared. His eyes swept
over me. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s just ugly. I thought I said
pick your favorite.”

I blushed. “I was just...”

“Nervous?”

I nodded.

He sighed, reaching out and tugging at a lock of my hair. “Your
next choice better be a pink one.” He closed the curtain again.

I went through the choices carefully. There was a black, white and
hot pink plaid suit. It had a moderate bra top and the bottoms were plain black
suit but there was some pink plaid material designed to look like a miniskirt.
While it wouldn’t cover my mid-section, it was flirty without being too much
like a string bikini I had worried Gabriel would insist on. I thought maybe it
would be a little too bold but I really liked the color, and if I was
completely honest with myself, I thought it would surprise Gabriel.

After I put on the pink suit, I checked myself out in the mirror.
It fit perfectly. The miniskirt hem covered my butt just enough but when I
swung my hips, I could see the black suit part underneath covering me. It sat a
little lower on my hips than I thought I wanted but I couldn’t deny how it made
my hips looked nicer.

The top felt just like one of the bras I had just bought and
curved around my breasts snuggly. I picked at the cups and the straps, trying
to see if I could swim in it without it falling apart. It seemed to be solid.

I called for Gabriel again. I folded my arms around my stomach,
waiting for him to appear.

He opened the curtain quickly as if he’d been standing by for
this. His critical eyes started to sweep over me. His face changed, his eyes
started shining, his lips parted slowly and his cheeks tinted red. He blinked,
stumbled through the opening and closed the curtain behind himself.

I stepped back a little to allow him room. He whirled on me. I bit
back a shiver, feeling intimidated that he was seeing me in this.

His eyes drank me in, his head tilting back and forth. “Move your
arms?” His tone was gentle, the softest I’ve ever heard it.

I dropped my hands to push my palms against my thighs. My eyes
sank to the dingy utility carpet below his Converse shoes.

“Turn around.”

I turned in a slow circle.

“Now do it once more and bend over.”

My head shot up, my mouth parting as I looked into his intense
blue eyes. “Gabriel...” I felt myself tremble again, surprised by his request.

He jerked his head back, looking as shocked at me as I felt. He
tripped forward, closing the gap between us. His palms found my cheeks and he
held my face up until I was looking into his eyes. “Sang,” he said. “Will you
please trust me?”

I parted my lips to say something but the words escaped me.

His eyes darkened. “I would never hurt you,” he said with an
intensity that matched his eyes. “I handle the clothes. Okay? I know every inch
of the guys’ bodies because I’ve dressed them all since I was little. If you
stick with us, if you let me, I’ll know yours, too. Not in a perverted way.
It’s just what happens.”

I still couldn’t answer him. I felt my cheeks were on fire. It
wasn’t me being embarrassed anymore; it was his words and those crystal eyes.

He leaned his forehead against mine. “Please, god,” he breathed.
“Don’t look so scared. I swear it on my dead momma’s grave that I’ll never lay
a hand on you. Never.”

“Gabriel,” I whispered, surprised. “You... your mother...”

His ears turned red. He lifted his forehead away from mine and
nodded. “Yeah. When I was little.” He pushed a palm again at my cheek. “But I’m
talking about you, now. If I’m asking you to do something, there’s a reason,
okay? I just wanted to make sure it doesn’t slip around when you move. That’s
all.”

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to swallow back the emotion in
my throat.

He backed away from me. I turned around. I bent over at the hips
until my fingers were touching the floor. I couldn’t see behind me but I sensed
his eyes.

“Remain bent over and lift one foot at the knee.”

I did.

“Other one.”

I put my leg down and lifted the other one.

“Now put your leg down but just kind of... shake or something.”

I blushed again but I put my leg down and I wriggled my hips at
him.

“Oh god, okay. Yes. It’s fine,” he said quickly. I stood up. He
turned partially away from me and his ears were still red. “Okay, we’re good.”

“This is the one?” I asked, curious as to why he had turned
around.

“Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled. “You’re perfect.” He shoved the curtain
out of the way without looking at me again, walking out.

The moment he did, a loud voice sounded right outside the curtain.
“Sir,” said a burly male voice, “you can’t do that. There can’t be two people
in the dressing room.”

“Who says?” Gabriel asked. “There’s no sign.”

“I’m the manager,” the man said.

My heart jumped and I lunged for my clothes to pull them back on.

“Don’t you know who that girl is?” Gabriel said in a low tone.

“I don’t care who she is,” the voice said, though softer.

“This girl has a shoot tomorrow and we’re here to get her a
bathing suit because that’s what they want her in and I need to make sure it
doesn’t look like shit.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m her photographer.”

I smothered a giggle as I put Kota’s shirt back on.

The manager huffed. “You still can’t just...”

“Get over it,” Gabriel said. “This isn’t the pervert show, okay? I
was just giving her my opinion. Besides, you need to let boyfriends have
opinions about their girls’ in their suits. Girls get it all wrong.”

I wanted to toss my shoe at him. Instead I finished up, opening
the curtain with the pink bathing suit hanging over my arm.

The manager was a husky man in a blue dress shirt and khakis. He
took one look at me and started to mumble. “I, just... um...”

Gabriel smirked haughtily and grabbed the bathing suit from me,
tossing it at the guy. “Will you ring this up for us?” Gabriel turned to me.
“Can you go fetch your agent, please? Let him pay for it if he wants it so
bad.”

I dashed off to fetch Victor. By the time he followed me back into
the store to the registers, the manager had already bagged the bathing suit and
was waiting for the payment.

“Don’t I get to see it?” Victor asked.

Gabriel leaned against the counter with his arms folded against
his chest. He looked distracted, distant. “Later.”

When we got back to Victor’s car, Gabriel opened the front
passenger side door for me.

“You can sit up front if you’d like,” I said to him. “I really
don’t mind.” I was trying to be nicer since I spent a good part of that morning
complaining about him. I felt badly about it now. He’d worked hard today to do
all this stuff for me and I wanted to let him know I appreciated it.

He seemed confused by my response and tilted his head at me. He
glanced at the others but they had already gotten into the car. He tucked his
head closer to me. “Okay, but only because I hate Victor’s music and I can’t
switch the stereo on him from the back.”

I shared a conspiratorial smile with him and he opened the back
passenger door for me. I slid in next to Nathan, who beamed. Victor flicked a
confused glance at us.

“Where do we want to go?” Victor asked. He readjusted his rearview
mirror until he could catch my eye. “What are you hungry for?”

My eyes flashed to Nathan. He mouthed:
Italian
.

“Italian,” I said out loud for him, pleased that someone else made
this choice.

Victor rolled his eyes. “What’s your favorite food, Sang?”

“Pancakes.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, we’ll get Italian. Only
because Erica makes the best pancakes and we’re not asking her right now.”

Victor drove to a nearby Italian place. Victor said something to
the hostess, and she guided us to a table.

Victor held a hand toward the booth and gazed back at me. I slid
in on one side and he slid in next to me. Gabriel sat across from me and Nathan
sat next to him.