"Yeah! We can go to the Manchester, it's close and it'll have more options," I agree with my friend, but Charlie pulls away from her cousin to look at me with a scowl.
"With this face all puffy from crying, I'm definitely not going to any mall," she declares, making a pout of frustration that I find really cute, and I have to control a smile.
"You're still beautiful, Pinkie," I assure, and she blinks repeatedly, not knowing how to react to me, as always. "But it can be the little center right here, then. Put on some sunglasses and you'll be all set."
"Logan, she doesn't have sunglasses at the moment," Ethan points out, and Charlie agrees with a face that says, "yeah, exactly."
I give a sheepish smile, but I'm not fazed.
"The first stop, then, will be the optician," I decide, and I pull a little laugh out of Madison.
"I think they're right, Char. We need at least a few changes of clothes, panties, and a toothbrush. Oh, and hair stuff, because all Zac has in his bathroom is a 3-in-1 shampoo," the blonde says, shooting a judgmental look at my friend, who just shrugs.
"Works great for me, baby," he answers, earning back a scowl and a groan of disapproval from Madison.
"Shall we go, then?" It's Ethan who asks, and Charlie sighs, but agrees with a nod, copied by her cousin. "Great. Let's just go over there to find out what they're handing out at the tents, because I'm curious," he says, pointing to the spot right to our right.
Everyone goes along with the suggestion and we head over there.
In the end, the university had managed to put together a small emergency aid kit for all the displaced girls, with a toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb, a T-shirt with the Lexington Crown logo, and a pair of flip-flops. It wasn't much, but it already helped.
Once at the center, Zac, Ethan, and I served as bag carriers as they went through the stores and remembered "vital things."
At the lingerie store I chose to wait outside, reviewing statistics on our next opponent on my phone to avoid imagining Charlotte trying on bras.
In the final tally, besides the underwear and hair products, the girls bought pajamas, boots, coats, thermal clothes, and some everyday pieces. All of that took a lot longer than I imagined, and Zac and Maddie decided to head back to the fraternity. Ethan and I reinforced the invitation for her to stay at our place and share the room with Charlie, but the girl said she'd be fine at the Gamma. Which is why now it was just the three of us walking through the apartment door.
I hang my coat on the hook next to the door and go straight to Charlie's new room with her bags, Ethan on my heels.
"You can just leave that on the floor. I'll take a shower and then organize everything," she asks, and we obey.
I take a long shower too, and heading to the kitchen, I find Ethan already there, stirring something on the stove.
"Hey," I announce myself, and my friend turns to look at me. He's shirtless, with wet hair, and wearing the same Royals sweatpants as me. I avoid looking at his abs, because for a brief second my mind wondered if that's how he looked while he was eating Charlie out in that bathroom.
Hell. I thought this disturbance had passed. I shake my head and ignore the line of thought again.
"Hey," my friend greets back, "I'm going to make a carbonara, okay?"
I raise an eyebrow in his direction and cross my arms over my chest.
"So you mean when it's just me at home it's bread and water, the occasional pizza, but with Charlie it's carbonara pasta?" I tease in a fake bitter voice, and he cracks up.
"Quit being a crybaby. I've made this for you before," he shoots back, going back to focusing on the stove where the bacon is already frying and the delicious smell fills the kitchen. I sit on the island stool.
"I think that was just once and it's been over a year," I keep complaining, and Ethan laughs a little more. He holds a wooden spoon as he turns his body to me again and shrugs.
"She had a horrible day. She deserves home cooking," he justifies, and I shake my head.
"I've had horrible days too, like that time I dislocated my shoulder in a game," I shoot back, and my friend looks at me like he's saying, "God give me patience."
"I'm pretty sure I bought you soup that day and even kept reminding you about your medicine," he says, and it's true, but I ignore it. "And besides, Charlie is a lot prettier than you," he exclaims last, and I open my mouth, indignant.
"That's not fair! Of course she's prettier than ninety percent of people, but I thought you found me good-looking too," I say, getting to my feet and coming closer to him.
Ethan looks me up and down and shakes his head.
"You're just... not my type," he explains, and my eyes go wide.
