Behind the mask

Chapter 7

A deep breathe was what she needed and that was what she did. She took a deep breathe before opening the door. It was day one or day two. Anyone really. All she knew was that it was still the beginning. She didn't know what the holiday would be like. Was it always going to be shopping? Or staying in the house all day? What was she going to do with Jack in the house? Well, Rose would always be there to talk to. That would be on days she wouldn't take off. But on days like this, what was she supposed to do?

"Good morning." Jack said.

She snapped out of her thought. "Oh.... uhm.... good morning." She didn't even realise she had walked to the kitchen. 

"Did you sleep well?" He smiled. He looked cute. Was wearing a black baggy shirt and black pants. 

"Yeah. I did. Thank  you." She felt so awkward. Standing there. In Jack's house. Having conversations like this with him. Urgh.... Jack. Why did life have to place her in this situation? What had she done wrong to deserve this?

"I made toast." He said. "That's all I can do." He smiled. "If you don't want to eat that, we have cereals."

"It's fine. I'll have the toast." She gave him a half smile.

"Okay. Juice? Milk?..... Tea?"

"Juice is fine."

"I figured you wouldn't want to use the dining. The table is quite long. Would you-"

"Yeah. I'll stay here. It's fine here actually." She walked to the island and sat on a stool. Jack placed a plate piled up with toast on the slab. 

"You don't have to finish it." He said reading her do-you-want-to-feed-me-to-death? expression. He placed an empty plate in front of her. "You'll just take as much as you can eat." He placed a glass beside her plate and filled it with juice. 

"Thank you." She said in a low tone.

He walked to the other side and sat facing her. They ate in silence.  It was awkward for them both. He didn't stop staring at her and she didn't stop staring at her plate.

"Do you like the toast?" He broke the silence. 

"Yeah. It's nice."

"You know, I've never been in this situation where there's no one to cook for me. We have three cooks and now that my parents are abroad, Nancy travelled, the other is at hospital and Rose can't always be around. She lives far away."

"Oh... okay." She took another bite of her toast.

After a few seconds, he continued. "You know, the tracksuit doesn't look too bad."

"Oh." she said taking a look at it again. It was obviously tight but not too tight. It took every bit of dignity in her not to ask him for a clothe to wear that day. She looked at him. "Thank you."

He didn't like that they weren't interacting well. He understood that she didn't want to talk to him but whether she liked it or not, for the rest of the holiday they were going to be together. So she had to loosen up. 

The rest of the meal was silent and when they were done, she helped him load the dishwasher. An hour later, they were on their way to the store.

"Emily." Jack called during the drive. She was looking out the window.

"Yeah?" She faced him.

"I know you're not very comfortable with this setting but whether you believe it or not, you and I are going to be together for the rest of the holiday. So I feel you have to loosen up and talk to me. We have a lot of bonding to do."

She turned and looked out of the window again without replying.  He knew that was what she would do. He didn't want to push it, so he let it die. She wondered how she would find herself living with one of the people she didn't like. It just didn't make any sense. And the the phrase "you and I" sounded so odd. It made her stomach turn. Emily and Jack. Gross. The rest of the drive was silent.

At the store, they were welcomed by an assistant. She was quite surprised Jack took her to a high end store but was she supposed to expect anything less?The assistant was nice and polite. She showed them around making a few recommendations on each clothe. Jack also made a few suggestions. She remained quiet and listened to both of them. After what seemed like 30 minutes, she told Jack she was done. She only picked 5 pair of jeans, a few tops and 3 gowns. They were quite expensive. 

"What?"

"I said I'm done."

"With what?"

She looked a bit confused. "Shopping of course."

"Oh no. You're not. Those can't be enough." He said pointing to the clothes the assistant was carrying. "Or do you wanna come back some other time? "

"No.They are okay. I could always alternate them."

"I.... don't think it'll be nice for you to repeat clothes especially too often." He paused. "So just keep shopping. Choose as many as you want. 30,50,100."

She didn't like that he had to spend that much money on her. Each clothe cost a lot. But since he asked her to choose as many as she wanted, she did so with a glad heart. Of course, she liked good clothes too. He obviously had a lot of money and she would gladly spend it for him, since he gave her a go-ahead. She also picked shoes. After a while, they came across some girls who kept winking at Jack. Emily couldn't care less. She continued shopping and after what seemed like hours, she was done shopping. The assistant hanged the clothes in the changing room for her.

"I'll be waiting right here." Jack said as Emily was about to go into the changing room. He sat on the chair.

"I know." With that she walked in. When she got she saw one of the girls that were winking at Jack, examining herself in the mirror. She turned to Emily.

"Hi." She smiled and turned back to the mirror.

"Hi." Emily said.

"You can use this room miss." The assistant pointed to a closed door.

"Okay." With that she picked a hanged dress and walked into the fancy changing room. When she walked out, she went to the mirror. The room was filled with mirrors everywhere like some gyms. 

"Oh my." The lady she met in the changing room exclaimed. "You look great."

"Thank you."

"Wow. It looks like it was made just for you."

Emily laughed. She turned checking her back. 

"Your brother's cute." She said after a few seconds.

"What? Who?"

"Your brother. The one you're here with. He's cute and hot."

"No.. oh no. He's not m-"

"Oh god. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it that way." She hit her forehead with her palm. "I really need to watch it. I've been corrected 3 times in a row now. I really need to stop calling people's boyfriends there brothers."

"No... he's-"

"I understand and I'm sorry. He'll be expecting you by now. Go show him.  You look so good." She opened the door  for her.

"No. I don't-"

"C'mon, you look so good. I'm sure he'll be drooling all over you once he sets his eyes on you." She didn't even let her finish a sentence. She was walking her out as she was talking and when she was done talking Emily was already out of the room and she closed the door. Jack was keeping himself busy with his phone and when he heard the door close, he looked up and his jaw dropped.