Side Story 10.1: Shopping mall – part 1.1

Mia noticed his surprised look and asked, "What? Too much? I thought that without my hat and purse, this would be suited for a visit to the shopping mall."

"You just caught me by surprise. The last time we went out, you were wearing simpler clothes."

"Well, these are the kind of clothes I usually wear, and since things are not as dangerous as they were these last few days, I guess it won't matter if I am recognised or if some of my acquaintances see me. Not that I think I would ever meet any of them in a shopping mall!"

While opening his apartment door for them to get out, Jack asked, "Why is that? None of them ever went to one?"

"Actually, no, they don't go. Me neither, so this will be my first time. I have been doing a lot of things for the first time since you saved me, and it has been quite interesting. Not that I am saying I think being in danger is by any means fun, but everything that happened granted me a few new opportunities to try other things."

"I am glad you think that way. I was thinking that all these changes were too much of an ordeal for you, even with you doing your best to endure."

"I won't say it wasn't hard, but it was not as bad as I thought at first."

Jack gave her such a gentle smile that Mia could swear she felt her heart stopping. She disguised her surprise and shock, mostly because, for her, it was very unexpected. She looked at the nearest shop window while they were walking, trying to understand why Jack's smile made her feel like that.

It couldn't be love, passion, or even the faintest interest in him as a man, because he was merely a security man who worked for her father, and she was the heir of a vast fortune, composed not only by her family's main company but by the several small companies and other businesses her father had or controlled.

There were a lot of suitors after her, and she was always receiving gifts from them or invitations for a voyage in their yachts or to travel in their private planes or helicopters. She already had a few adventures with some of them, but nothing that lasted very long.

Now that she was thinking about that, as Jack and she were walking to the subway station, she realised that in most of her relationships, it was she who ended them. Either because she got bored with them or because they did something that annoyed her.

Surprisingly, with Jack, it was completely the opposite. For as much as he scolded her or made her angry, she always found herself trying to act differently so that he didn't scold her or frown at her. Sometimes, his look of disappointment, whenever she said something without even thinking, made her understand she had made a massive blunder, and she would immediately apologise and try not to repeat the same error. And that was strange because she had the habit of never apologising for anything, not even to her father.

When they arrived at the subway station, Mia saw the same old lady with whom she talked on her previous voyage, and she kindly asked how the old woman was doing and what the doctor said, because that was their last conversation subject about the appointment the old lady was going to have with her doctor.

Jack Cross greeted the old woman with a smile and a nod, and while Mia was talking with her, he was disguisedly looking around, checking if everything was safe and if there was no one looking at Mia, besides the several men who were glancing at her occasionally, undoubtedly because of how she looked in that sexy dress or how she was giving such a beautiful smile to the old woman.

The subway arrived, and Mia helped the old woman enter and continued the talk until she left after a few stops.

It didn't take long for Jack and Mia to arrive at the entrance of the shopping mall, and while they were both looking up at the immense building, Mia said, "That old lady said that this shopping mall has a lot of clothes and shoe shops, so I guess we could start from there."

"What about that arcade place? The one with the games?"

"We could look at some shops, and then we can go play. Maybe we will find a shop with men's clothes, and I will buy something as a gift for you. Perhaps even something for Sophia."

Jack shook his head and said, "You don't need to spend money with me. Besides, if you continue to buy stuff and give me gifts, I will become spoiled. Buy something for you, and perhaps some sweets for Sophia. By the way, shouldn't you make a phone call to your father to see how things are?"

"You are right, but first, clothes, then sweets, then games! I don't want to interrupt my father's work so early. I can call him after lunch. That old lady told me that we could get something to eat here because there are a lot of restaurants."

Mia suddenly grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him to the nearest escalator, and it was only when they arrived at the upper floor that she realised she was still holding his arm.

She let him go and said with an awkward smile, "I am sorry. I wasn't thinking. I just..." She looked around and said, "There are a few shops that I want to check out. Can we go to that one?"

Jack looked to where she was pointing and saw two mannequins in the window displaying underwear. He scratched his head and said, "We can, as long as you don't ask me to go see how something looks on you. I don't believe it would be appropriate. Besides, we don't know each other that well, and you are not that comfortable near me."

Mia nodded while turning bright red and answered, "No, I... can choose for myself." She then recovered her composure and said with a serious look, "I wouldn't ever ask you to go to the changing room to see me in underwear, not even in a nightgown. What happened this morning was just an accident."

"What about yesterday morning? Was it also an accident?"

"Yes, totally! Let's go because there are a lot more shops for us to see!"

Jack accompanied the still-red-faced Mia to the underwear shop and patiently waited inside while she picked up a few articles. He saw her glancing at him a few times while she was putting a bra over her chest to check the size, but he pretended not to notice.

He waited in the shop while looking through the window at the people who were walking in the shopping mall, and when Mia returned with a bag with her new clothes, he asked, "All done in here? You found something you liked?"

"Yes, I did. I usually buy things I see in magazines, and some sales ladies go to my house for me to try them, but going to a shop is a nice experience. I should do this more often. Probably I won't ever go to a shopping mall again, because, in my social group, it is not good to go to these kinds of shops." She then looked around and spoke in a low voice, "Actually, if some of my friends saw me here or found out I bought clothes here, they would mock me a lot!"

"So, you are supposed to only buy and use expensive things, and for that, you can only go to specific shops? Is that it?"

Mia answered as they were walking out, "Yes, that is about right. It is even better if I only use exclusive clothes made by famous designers." Seeing him frowning, she said, "I know, it is kind of dumb, because I already noticed that the clothes I bought from the cheaper shops we went to until now are quite good. But then again, I can never use any of that at certain events or if some of my acquaintances are present. It would ruin my reputation forever."

"That is very limiting. Why can't you use whatever you like? And why should you care about what other people think?"

"I shouldn't, but I have to. As I said, with my social status, it is expected that I use some things, only go to some places, or act in a certain way. I could never talk about this with my friends or be so casual with my opinions. It wouldn't be good for me."

Jack thought that was even weirder, and seeing how he was so dumbfounded, she explained, "You might not know this, but because of my family's money and influence, I am often in magazines and newspapers. There are always paparazzi following me around, and I don't even know how the news of my kidnapping attempt didn't leak. Maybe I got lucky and none of those paparazzi were near my father's company when that happened, or he shut them up to make sure he could catch the perpetrators behind it."

"I... didn't know you were that famous."

With a shrug, Mia said, "Now you know. Most of the time, it is a drag, but I got used to it, and over the years, I started to like to see my photos in magazines, and newspapers, being invited for talks on television channels, going to red carpet events, and such. Being with you and your daughter over these last few days was a kind of holiday for me. Sometimes a weird holiday, because I am not used to living so simply, eating homemade food, or even using the subway." She then saw a men's shop and immediately grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him inside.

…

When Jack finished eating his burger, he watched as Mia licked her fingers to clean them of the sauce from the burger she ate. He tried to disguise a smile, but she noticed it and immediately stopped and used a paper napkin to finish.

He looked at all the bags on the empty chair near him and said, "You sure bought a lot of clothes and shoes! Even for me and Sophia, despite my begging for you not to do that!"

"Hey, I won the bowling game! You agreed that the loser would have to obey the winner! And my order was for you to accept my gifts! No complaining now! Besides, the clothes I chose for you look good on you! Don't you want to go home and show Sophia how much of a hunk you are?"

"So, you think I look like a hunk with the new clothes?" He asked while looking at the new sweater he was wearing, making Mia turn bright red as she said, "You... look good... I guess..."

Jack pretended to be shocked and said, "You guess? Miss Mia, was I so disgustingly looking that you had to buy me new clothes to make me more pleasant to the eye?"

She looked at her empty plate, and while squeezing a paper napkin, she answered, "I never said you were... I see, you are mocking me..." She then lifted her head and made a slight smile while saying, "What about if we go see if I can call my father? I want to know if I can go home with you or not."

While getting up and collecting both food trays, Jack asked, "Are you enjoying your holiday at my house that much? Well, well, Miss Mia, I didn't know living with common people was so fun for you!"

"I didn't know it as well, but it actually is, and I have told you already! I see, you are mocking me again... And like always, I took the hint too late. Alright, let's try to find a phone!"

They walked out of the food court, and after a while, they found paid phones in a corner near the bathroom entrance.

After a few minutes, Mia went to Jack, who was in a corner watching the people walking while glancing at Mia occasionally, and she said, "My father told me I can go home, and that your friend, the one who helped me, is still in the hospital, but he is alright. I have the hospital's name, and I was thinking that before going to your house to get my things, we could go visit him so that I could thank him for his help."

"That is very nice of you, Miss Mia. I also want to check on him. I was worried, but I couldn't go visit him and leave you alone. Hearing you say you want to thank him is surprising. You actually sound like a kind and wonderful person!"

"Hey! I am not that mean, you know? Oh, you are mocking me again... Darn it..."