I Can Taste The Failure On Your Lips

I didn’t know what to get Curtis. I didn’t know what to get Anna, and I didn’t know what to get Tom.

We had all become good friends, quickly. Kaite hadn’t talked to me in a few weeks, she was avoiding me at the library, she wasn’t answering my texts or calls, and I had no idea why.

I didn’t let it bother me though, not today. I wasn’t letting anything bother me today. Not even Oli, who as much as he didn’t want go, was walking behind Tom, Anna and I as we walked through the shopping mall. Curtis had to work, but it was nice to be separated from him, at least for one day, while I went shopping with my other friends. Ever since we had started dating, we had been inseparable; everyone was getting sick of it, including Petunia.

We shopped at clothing stores, we shopped at music stores, and we shopped at electronic stores.

I still could not find anything to get him. It would’ve helped if he would’ve answered me when I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, but he didn’t. He only sighed and kissed my face, telling me that I didn’t have to get him anything, and that he already had what he wanted. He had already bought my gift though, and I felt bad that he knew what to get me, and I didn’t have slightest clue as to what he wanted.

After shopping with Anna for the past three hours, it was easily discovered that she wanted clothes. So, I would get her a gift card to her favorite store, so she could get whatever she wanted. She’d be happy with a gift card, even though it’s the crappiest gift to give, but I didn’t know her size, and if I asked her, I’d give it all away. Tom obviously wanted film. I figured this out after we spent more than thirty minutes in the camera store, and he kept saying ‘I need film for my camera’ every fifteen seconds. I made a mental reminder to buy him loads and loads of it. It then dawned on me what I could get Curtis. A Simple and free gift that he would like, hopefully.

As we were passing Hot Topic, I saw the cutest sweater in the window. I walked up to it, pressed my finger to the glass, and turned my head back to the group. “I want that.” I said, bluntly. “Whoever buys that for me will be loved, forever and ever and ever!”

Oliver scoffed, making me frown. “We’ll be sure to tell Curtis.” He said. “Can we get goin’ now?”

Anna pulled me away from the store. “Don’t yeh worry about ‘im. He’s just tired.” She whispered.

I doubted that very seriously, but I kept my mouth shut and continued walking in the direction of the parking lot.

===

It was December Nineteenth, and I desperately needed to get my shopping done with only six days till Christmas. I kept putting it off because I didn’t want to go alone. That was when Petunia offered, but I didn’t necessarily want to go with her either. I asked Lee, but he had to work, and I was too afraid to ask either Matt Nicholls or Matt Kean, seeing as they could never keep their mouths shut, and I didn’t want them to tell anyone what I was getting them. The only person left in the group whom I wasn’t buying for, was Oli, and I didn’t even bother to ask him.

“What yeh thinkin’ about, love?” Curtis asked.

I looked at him and he raised his eyebrows. “I have to get my Christmas shopping done. I think I am going to do it today.” I replied. “Tomorrow is a Friday, and I don’t want the mall to be packed, I want to get in and out.”

“Are yeh goin’ now?” It was not Curtis who asked me this. I turned my head to the other side of the garage, where Oli and Matt K. sat playing five card draw. “I need to pick up a few things myself. I’ll drive, if yeh want.”

I didn’t say anything. Oliver Sykes had yet again made me utterly speechless. I nodded my head and got up off of Curtis’ lap. I pulled my shirt down and slipped into my coat. He walked me out to Oli’s car, and kissed my cheek.

“Wear yeh seat belt, okay?” Curtis said, as I climbed into the passenger seat.

“Yes, dad.” I replied, and shut the door.

Oli started his car and pulled into the road. It was the second time I had been in the car with him. The first time we have been alone, since the evening in the library parking lot. It was mostly silent between us, until we hit our first red light. Oli sighed and leaned back in is seat, leaning his head back on the headrest, and closing his eyes. He then reached up to the radio and turned the volume down.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He looked at me and then closed his eyes again. “I ‘ave a headache.”

I would’ve asked if I could kiss it and make it better, but so far that only worked on Curtis and Danny, and I didn’t want things to be extremely awkward. If someone I barely knew asked to kiss my forehead, I would’ve thought they were weird, and threw them out of my car. I’m sure he probably thought the same thing.

I didn’t know what else to say, so I just turned my head and looked out the window, resting my chin in my hand. The light turned from red to green, and we were driving again.

It was Oli who broke the silence when we got into the parking lot at the mall. He simply just said that he wanted to get in here, get what we needed and go home. While I went to go get Tom’s film he went to pick up something for his mother. I got Anna’s gift card, and then proceeded to the food court where Oli said he’d meet me when he was done. When I got there however, he was nowhere to be in sight, so I just sat a random table, and waited.

“Took you long enough.” I said, when he finally came moping towards the table.

“I didn’t know what I should’ve gotten ‘er.” He said setting his bags on the table.

“You bought your mom something from Hot Topic?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “She must be a little edgy.”

He half smiled. “Yeh have no idea.” He said. “Are yeh ready?”

“Sure.” I replied, totally knowing that he was so bullshitting me right now.