The Heart System

Chapter 938: Chapter 938

Well, this was weird. I’d never imagined Penelope joining with the others. Me, the designated bag carrier, had turned into the sole purpose of carrying the girls’ backs while I walked behind them. I think they’d even forgotten I was there. Jasmine, Tessa, Kim, Nala, Kayla, Minne and Penelope. They were walking ahead of me, pointing at shops in the mall.

Kayla slowed her steps until she matched my pace. I was holding two bags of clothing in my left hand; the other was still empty... for now. Normally the girls would be tired after work, but shopping seemed to fire them up. Also, there hadn’t been any gym workout today. It was their break day, so they still had energy.

”Having fun?” Kayla chuckled.

”So much.” I smiled. ”How do you like Penelope?”

”She has... fake tits.” She noted. ”And an attitude that could race with Tessa.”

”I know.” I shrugged. ”But she is a good one... I think. Yeah, she is a good one.”

”Oh,” she said. ”I was also fired today.”

”What?”

”Yeah. The owner hired his own son, replacing me.” She exhaled. ”Sucks... sucks a lot.”

”Damn. I’d sue him if I were you.”

”I can’t deal with that.” She exhaled. ”I’ll just find a new job.”

”And what about a new place?” I asked. ”I heard there’s this guy in a penthouse. I think you should stay with him.”

”That guy’s name starts with E?”

”I think so, yeah.”

We both chuckled and kept walking until Penelope stopped and pointed at a nearby shop. She said something, but I was too far back to catch it. Minne glanced at me shyly, like she was asking permission to follow the others inside. I just smiled and nodded toward the entrance. She gave a warm little smile and disappeared into the shop with them.

”Minne is such a cutie,” Kayla said. ”I just wanna eat her.”

”You and me both,” I said. ”She is the cutest.”

”I just wish her mother gets better.” She said. ”And... her cat becomes more bearable.”

”What did Mik do?”

”Woke me up when I was sleeping.” Kayla said. ”And for no reason at all. Just lay down on my face. I woke up breathing fur.”

”Yeah... she is kind of leaching off people,” I said as we walked into the shop as well. ”Wait, why are we in another clothing shop? Didn’t you guys just buy these super expensive stuff from Nuppia?”

”Fashion, Mr. Marlowe.” Kayla slapped my... ugh, slapped my ass out of nowhere and quickened her steps. ”Men. I swear.”

”Hey...”

She stuck her tongue out playfully, then caught up with the others. I looked around to make sure no one had seen the slap, then slumped my shoulders. Alright... fashion, huh? Might as well buy myself something. When was the last time I’d bought anything nice that wasn’t a mandatory suit for work?

I carried the bags over to the men’s section and started browsing. After a minute I found a jacket that looked decent... dark, structured, kind of sharp. I held it up and examined the fabric, then nodded to myself.

Then I heard Tessa. ”Bucko, drop that abysmal fucking jacket.”

I glanced back. Tessa was walking toward me with Penelope right beside her.

”Huh?”

”That is so fucking 2000s, Evan. Are you retarded?” Penelope asked, already looking disgusted.

”I think it looks cool.”

Tessa snatched the hanger out of my hand like it had personally offended her. ”Cool? This thing has shoulder pads that belong in a museum. And the collar is trying way too hard. You put this on and you’ll look like you’re about to ask someone if they’ve accepted the lord as their personal savior.”

Penelope nodded in complete agreement. ”It’s giving ’divorce lawyer who still thinks he’s young.’ Absolute trash. We’re not letting you walk out of here in that.”

Before I could argue, the rest of the group found us.

”Oh, there you guys were,” Jasmine said. ”We were looking for you.”

Nala raised an eyebrow at the jacket still in Tessa’s hand. ”Please tell me he wasn’t about to buy that.”

”He was,” Penelope confirmed. ”We intervened just in time.”

Kayla laughed. ”Evan and fashion decisions. Name a more iconic duo.”

Kim was already scanning the nearby racks. ”Okay, so what’s the actual goal here? Something he can wear that doesn’t make us want to disown him in public?”

”Something clean,” Tessa said, already pulling jackets off hangers. ”Not trying too hard. Not looking like he raided his dad’s closet from 2008.”

Minne hovered near the edge of the group, quietly watching while the others started arguing over cuts and colors. Penelope held one up against my chest without asking. Nala vetoed it immediately. Jasmine found another and got shouted down by both Tessa and Penelope at the same time.

I just stood there with the shopping bags, watching them talk over each other, completely in their element. The whole thing felt weirdly comfortable. Cozy as hell, actually.

The girls kept talking over each other about what kind of jacket I should get like cut, color, whether it needed a hoodie underneath, whether the shoulders were too sharp. I quietly backed off and sat down on one of the low display benches near the fitting area, still holding the bags.

A few seconds later I glanced toward the open store entrance and saw the shop directly across the mall corridor.

Julia.

My ex.

She was working at Nuppia. How the hell had I not noticed her earlier? She was talking to a customer, smiling that polite work smile she used to practice in the mirror. I immediately looked straight ahead and swallowed.

Fuck. Julia’s there.

Working for Nuppia. I bet she was earning more than me.

Nala walked over with a jacket draped over her arm. Penelope followed right behind her with a dark sweater.

”Here. Try these two together,” Nala said. ”We’ll get you some pants.”

”Alright... I still think the first jacket was looking better.”

”Dude, shut up,” Tessa said from somewhere behind the racks. ”Just wear these.”

I stood up, took the clothes, and walked toward the dressing rooms. I found an empty one, stepped inside, closed the door, and hung the shopping bags on the hook. I pulled off my t-shirt, put on the sweater first, then shrugged into the jacket.

I checked myself in the mirror.

The sweater sat clean against my chest. The jacket was darker, more structured than what I’d picked earlier, but it didn’t look like it was trying too hard. The shoulders actually fit. It looked... good. Better than the first one, if I was being honest with myself.