Denial Used to Feel So Good

"Hey Kyle, got any plans for today?"

"Oh, uh...nope. Not really."

"Well if you're interested, some of the guys are going shopping-"

"Shopping? Isn't that a little femme for rockstars?"

"Heh, well just because we're rockstars doesn't mean we aren't obligated to buy souvenirs for our mothers..."

"This is true."

"So, would you like to come? Might be good to get out?"

"Uh...sure."

And that, my friends is how I landed myself here: alone, shopping with William Beckett. Note the word 'alone' because it is just me and him. Now, when I agreed to this I was under the impression there would be a group of us going. The phrase 'some of the guys' usually means some of the guys. But apparently not in this case. And I didn't even want to go. He conned me into this awkward social situation by pulling out his freaking William Beckett Puppy Eyes. But I wasn't all that mad; this was an opportunity to take my mind of...things.

"Are you feeling alright?"

I was snapped out of my daze as William's voice hit my ears, "Oh, yeah." Yeah, Bill I'm real swell. I'm just tired as fuck, trying my hardest not to think at all, because whenever I do I can only think of one stupid boy who speaks incredibly sexy Spanish.

He regarded me a moment and then nodded. We continued walking, shops lined up on either side of the road we were on. The streets were relatively quiet, considering we were in the city. I sighed, feeling guilty that I was the halt in conversation.

"I'm sorry, Will. It's really hard for me to be my bubbly and vivacious self in the morning." I gave a weak smile, hoping he would catch on to my joke.

"Oh, no. Don't worry about, I don't mind the silence." He shrugged, "If that's what your worried about."

"You know..." I said playfully, "I might be a little more vivacious after a cup of coffee." I nudged his elbow with my own and he smiled brightly at me.

"A cup of coffee it is." He winked, leading us towards the nearest Starbucks.

"This is deliciously strong." I announced, taking a long sip of the coffee I had in hand.

"Do you feel your vivaciousness coming back?" William laughed, drinking his own cup.

"Oh, most definitely." We stepped outside the coffee shop, "So, which way captain?" I asked looking up and down the street.

"Whichever way you want to go." he shrugged.

"You're leaving the decision to me?" I asked skeptically, giving him an incredulous look.

"Yes?" he guessed, giving me a strange look.

"Bad idea." I snorted, bringing my paper cup filled with tastiness up to my lips.

"Really?" he chuckled. I nodded solemnly and he laughed, "Well, okay. How about left then?" he offered.

"Sounds good." I approved. He smiled and put a hand on the small of my back, guiding me down the sidewalk. I hardly noticed him subtly slip his arm around my waist as we walked.

The day carried on and we stopped in store after store, only finding a few things that we really wanted to buy. That is until we found a jewelry store. We had just had lunch and were talking away when we passed it. I had found it easier to converse after I had caffeine in my system and was actually having fun hanging out with William. All of my current problems weren't at the forefront of my thoughts anymore and I was grateful that William was able to take my mind off things. Of course, the shiny store caught my eye.

"Pretty." I mumbled as we passed by the display windows.

"Do you want to go in?" William offered, stopping and motioning to the store. I shrugged.

"Naw. It bums me out to go in expensive stores like this...makes me feel like a ruffian." he burst out laughing.

"A ruffian?" he questioned.

"What?" I laughed along, "I'm serious! It's way out of my league."

He rolled his eyes, "You're a liar. Girls love to look at jewelry, whether they can afford it or not."

"You're stereotyping." I frowned teasingly at him.

"No I'm not! It's true, don't even bother denying it. It's the shininess..." he tried to hide his smirk.

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous." But he had caught me. That was the first thing I noticed when we walked by. He cocked an eyebrow at me, calling me out on my lie.

"We're going in." He announced, grabbing my hand and pulling me in.

"William!" I protested, but lowered my voice once we were in the store. I always felt like I was in a library when I went into posh stores like this, "Come on, let go..." I half-heartedly muttered, getting distracted by all the display cases, "Ooh," I took notice of a smaller case off to the side, "Aw, I've always loved lockets." I explained to William, looking down at the lockets that adorned the cushions inside, "For really no reason...they always seemed like the only type of jewelry with a purpose rather than looking good. It's like some kind of secret inside." I shrugged at my babbling, "Huh."

"What?" William asked, staring at me as I examined the necklaces.

"My grandma had a locket exactly like that one." I pointed to a silver heart-shaped locket in the center of the display, one of the less extravagant ones.

"Really? Do you have it?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I was supposed to get it when she died, but it got lost when they were sorting through her stuff." I sighed, tearing my eyes away from the counter and locating the bathrooms, "I'll be right back." I told William, "Will you hold these?" He nodded and I offered him my shopping bags, before going to the restroom.