Day off

Having another day off wasn't too much of a problem considering the number of orders at work. Zayd was right that I could expand the business a bit, but now I had more time off. Although making more money didn´t sound bad either.

Chris and Hideaki were excited to have the day off to spend time with their families. On the other hand, I was not so enthusiastic. I sat at the kitchen counter with a glass of water and wondered why I had ever agreed to go to a social event with Damien, of all the people.

I was just reading messages in the group chat with Mali, Arno, Jasper, and Yuki, that we had recently created, when the bell rang, causing me to sigh in annoyance. It was clear to me who was standing behind the front door, so I wanted to open even less when I finally made it there.

Once I opened the door I gave Damien a distressed look. He just chuckled and looked at my clothes, which I had been wearing since the morning. I wasn't ready for anything yet because I was thinking about how to get out of my situation.

"Can I park it inside for now?" Damien asked, nodding at the black hoverbike standing a short distance behind him.

I nodded and felt the button on the wall to open the garage door. As the metal began to rise, some light came into the garage as it was dawn outside. But I still reached for the switch and turned on the lights.

Damien drove his hoverbike in and parked it in the free space. Then I pulled the garage door back down and closed the front door. I looked at the figure who at the same time turned away from his vehicle.

"What are you gonna wear?"

"Just a shirt and pants," I answered to which Damien gave me not so happy look. I shrugged: "Well, I don't have much to choose from." A look crossed Damien's face that I didn't like one bit. I shook my head: "Is that why you came earlier?"

Damien gave me a smile, to which I rolled my eyes and left for the stairs. If I was going to go out now, I needed to take a shower and not only that. I haven't done it yet, because I was kind of hoping to avoid tonight. Unfortunately, that probably wasn't possible.

In my room, I took a towel from the chair, and then left the room with a clear goal. Bathroom. In the hallway, I looked back at the brunette guy and raised my hand with the towel: "I´ll just take a shower, okay?"

Damien nodded to which I slammed the door behind me to a small room with a modest shower, toilet and sink. I had to chuckle at the thought of how that rich guy in the next room must have reacted when he saw this here before.

After a while, I went out while drying my wet hair with a towel. I left the door slightly open to let it air out and headed to my room. However, before I could enter, I was stopped by the sight of Damien. He was doing pull-ups on a metal bar that I added to the top of the door lining a few years ago so I could work out a little.

I threw the towel over my shoulder and crossed my arms over my chest, looking at the male figure in front of me, while I couldn't help but ask: "Havin' fun?"

At my words, Damien lowered himself down and rested his hands on the door lining so that he was still in my way. However, that obviously didn't bother him, because he just gave me a smile and said: "Thought you would take a while."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't have money to splurge on for an hour spent in the shower. And I didn't even enjoy showering. After all, I couldn't understand why people were able to spend so much time there. Themselves. However, it is more understandable with someone more.

A few tens of minutes later, I was sitting behind Damien on his hoverbike, with my hands around his waist so that I wouldn't fly somewhere I didn't want to go. I watched the buildings pass by and thought about Damien's stupid idea to get me a dress for tonight.

The last time I wore a dress was probably when I was a little nine-year-old girl. Maybe even before than that. I don't even remember what it was like to wear them, so I couldn't say I didn't want them because it's uncomfortable. It's just that I've never been attracted to dresses. But maybe it was worth a try.

Damien parked in the center of the parking lot among the other hovercars. I climbed down and took off the helmet, which I then handed to Damien. I found it quite comical how often I've been here lately, whereas a few years ago I thought I'd never get back.

I silently waited in which direction Damien would go, since I still didn't know it up there. Especially when it came to shops. In other aspects, I might have been able to get my bearings, but the buildings where the locals went to shop didn't really belong among that.

I shoved my hands into my jacket pockets and followed Damien, who was walking towards one of the two high buildings (that looked like hotels or maybe residential builds) between which the parking lot was located. The building in front of us had nothing but a luxurious entrance, which was 'unexpectedly' guarded by two security guards. They let us in while they both eyed me unkindly. I also glanced at them, but with raised eyebrows to which I immediately entered the building through the glass door, where the information center could be seen right away.

Damien stopped, turning to look at me and I raised a questioning eyebrow at him: "What now?"

My company seemed to be debating himself where to go first. In the end, he must have thought of it, because he went to the opposite shiny white wall and called an elevator behind the information center, which we then boarded together with a couple with a child. We went to the next floor, where we got off. Just the two of us. The lady, who looked as if she had seen something terrible, remained in the elevator with her husband and child while we parted ways to one of the shops with apparently only women's clothing.

Damien stopped in front of the entrance and let me go first with a small nod, to which I gave him a questioning look, but I still walked in, where two girls were standing right outside the entrance, obviously waiting for someone who could need their advice.

I bypassed them and headed deeper into the establishment, where mostly only very expensive-looking dresses were on display. With a sigh, I looked around and immediately knew that I would not go among those that were uncomfortably light in color and strangely cut. And too short and exposing.

My attention was drawn to dresses of darker shades, which I could rather imagine on other people than on myself. I would probably start flirting with a girl in such a dress. But the idea of me being in them seemed strange to me.

"Do you like anything?" came a voice next to me and I shrugged my shoulders in a quiet response.

My gaze jumped from the dark blue dress to the black one, which had a rather long slit on the right side of the skirt and a partially see-through top. I was sure it was called something, but I wasn't good at... these things.

I walked closer to them and grabbed the fabric in my hand. It was nice to feel, but I still couldn't imagine myself wearing them. So far I've only taken it as a tour with no idea if I'd even like anything, but these were really pretty.

"Wanna try them on?" Damien asked curiously, to which I shrugged. However, I later regretted it, as he reached for them and took them off with the hanger, telling me to follow him.