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If window shopping and mindlessly walking around was your one and only goal for the day, the mall would be the place to go. There was nothing that added to a weekend more than dropping a few bucks at the food court and buying a T-shirt you thought was cool at first glance but never wore again. While these things served as entertainment for most teenagers, Kevin had other plans in mind.
Strolling past the long row of shops and avoiding the occasional sea of people, one thought stood out amongst the rest, putting the voices in his head to shame; He wanted to get you a gift. It was a strange thing to want to do. The concept of going out of his way to do something nice for someone else without being asked was a foreign one. It had rarely crossed his mind, but the idea plagued him in the middle of the night as he put out his last cigarette. A conversation the two of you had resurfaced, throwing him off by a few miles. Your birthday was coming up soon, and an odd sense of pressure had begun to weigh on him for the rest of the week. For the first time in a while, he didn’t want to be a let down and disappoint you.
You were always doing nice things for him, sacrificing your time and energy to try and make him happy. You confused him more than any scramble of words on a page, and made his heart start doing laps until he was sure he’d finally die of a stroke. A large part of him wanted to call it off, say ‘to hell with you’ and go back home, but the image of your soft smile kicked him right in the ass, forcing him to push on and continue his pursuit.
Before he had left the house, he had not the slightest clue on what to get you. He had never done anything like this before, so he decided that maybe it was best to ask his parents on the matter. That morning as he ate his cereal, he asked his mom what kind of gifts girls like. It didn’t take long for the conversation to hit the fan as his mother suggested things he’d rather not think about. Before she could finish telling him her foolproof advice, he was gone.
Roaming the streets like a dunce, Kevin found himself in a rut. What was he going to get you? With growing annoyance and pessimism, he began to make his way back home when he spotted a girl out on a walk across the street. Around her neck hung a stunning silver necklace along with what appeared to be diamond earrings. Kevin paused in his tracks, his eyes panning, tracking her slowly as she walked. That was it. Jewelry! Girls liked jewelry! The voices in his head suggested he robbed her right then and there, but he took note of the police cruiser parked at the end of the block and thought otherwise as to not be arrested for battery.
Slipping into a jewelry shop, Kevin tried his best to blend in with the crowd, eyes darting around every now and then to keep tabs on employees. He was as broke as any poor man could be, but that had never stopped him from snagging what he wanted before. Surveying the selections on display, he insisted on only settling for the best looking one. The gears in his mind were at an all time high, and he could feel the headache coming on. He wasn’t used to using his brain to this extent, and it was beginning to piss him off. Patience wearing thin, Kevin thought to simply reach out and grab whatever his hand landed on first like he would at a bargain bin, until his worst nightmare came from behind in the form of a sales associate.
“Hello there young man, is there anything I can help you with today?” The blonde woman asked in the standard customer service voice, forcing her smile a little more than necessary. There was a certain hint of distaste prominent behind her false eyelashes and bright blue iris’s, and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Kevin. He deadpanned at her, hooded eyes showcasing mild irritation. Shaking his head, he assured her he was fine on his own. Much to his dismay, this lady refused to back down.
“Are you positive? You seem to be having a bit of trouble deciding there. Who’s the lucky lady?” She pressed on, going as far as adding in the most performative of polite laughs, waving her hand to try and dismiss the comment. If Kevin had to describe his internal turmoil, aggravated would be an understatement. He was seconds away from snatching the nearest necklace and booking it when something caught his eye. A long but thin silver chain bearing one single heart-shaped locket. It stood out to him like a needle in a haystack, and something inside his mind knew that he had to have it if it was the last thing he ever stole.
With the sales woman awkwardly eyeing him like a freak, Kevin knew he had to think quickly. He obviously wasn’t going to pay for this thing, and there wasn’t a clear opportunity in sight. All hope for getting you something nice had begun to sink down the drain when Allen the magic goose —Kevin’s imaginary friend— finally made himself useful for the first time in what felt like ages.
“What are ya doin’ standing there like a dumbass? Distract this crazy chick! See that display table with the linen sheet? Pull out that lighter and light this place up! That’ll teach these sons of b*tches a thing or two, and give you a chance to run like hell!”
Allen’s plan didn’t sound all that bad, in fact, it was probably his only way out of there. Pretending to scratch his back, Kevin carefully pulled out his lighter, holding it to the table cloth as sneakily as possible, using his body to hide his actions. Before anyone knew what was going on, the display had caught on fire, bursting into flames and sending everyone in the vicinity into a panic. Once the sprinklers busted from the ceiling, Kevin made his move. Yanking the locket from the racket it once hung off, he made a run for it, sprinting out of the store as fast as his irreversibly damaged lungs could take him.
“Hey!” The sales woman shouted, shielding her face with an arm, “Security!”
Kevin scurried past the alarmed onlookers, his strained heart muffling the sounds of their frightened screams as it beat in his ears. Thanks to his quick thinking, it didn’t take long for a swarm of people to start running along with him. He blended right in with everyone else attempting to escape the mall, the only problem was the constant pushing and shoving. Luckily for him, he wasn’t afraid to push back at twice the capacity, sharing not a drop of sympathy for those left to be trampled over.
Upon taking a detour through a back door, Kevin made it out at last. looking down at the necklace in his hand, he smirked a casual yet satisfied smile, shoving the gift into his shirt pocket for safe keeping. Now all that was left to do was wait for your special day. Taking out a cigarette from the box he usually carried, He placed the stick between his lips, triggering the flame on the lighter with an idle thumb before proceeding to make his way home.
When your birthday finally rolled around, Kevin had accidentally missed the party since he woke up at around 4pm that afternoon. Thankfully, you expected as much from him and weren’t too surprised. As you swept up leftover confetti and decoration from the floor, you couldn’t help but be startled by a few frantic knocks at the front door. At first you raised a brow, wondering who it could be, but you soon conjured up a likely suspect, a smile growing on your lips as you dropped the broom and headed for the door.
Turning the knob and pulling the handle, you were greeted by a very disorderly Kevin, heaving as though he had ran over there. His usual black cap appeared to have been put on without much thought, and the same could be said about his shirt. Shaking your head, you nitpicked at his collar, straightening it out until you were satisfied with the look.
“You running from the cops again? You can’t keep coming to my house, y’know. They’re gonna find you.” You joked, a smirk escaping you. Kevin shook his head vigorously, still trying to catch his breath. You studied him a while, patiently waiting for him to collect himself. Huffing one last heavy breath of air, his hand went straight for his shirt pocket, digging around for something before pulling it out. Holding a fist to you, he slowly opened his palm, revealing a precious silver locket, it’s long but thin chain slipping through the in-betweens of his fingers.
Your eyes widened in surprise, a light gasp echoing out before the both of you. A certain warmth spread all throughout your body, your eyes softening with tender ease as your hands carefully came to collect his gift. Your lips parted to attempt to speak, yet nothing came out. He had rendered you speechless for a while until you at last were able to manage something.
“Kev…You got this for me?” You murmured, cupping the necklace with utmost care, staring down at it like it had become amongst the most precious of heirlooms. Kevin nodded a few times, observing you intently, trying to catch everything you felt. Your eyes met for a moment, sharing a glance of affection. Before Kevin registered what was going on, your arms wrapped around his torso, your nose burying itself in the crook of his neck.
Kevin froze in place, his muscles going tense at the sudden contact. He wasn’t used to hugs in the slightest, so it took quite some time for him to adjust. It felt so warm, genuine, safe. His heart began to pound against the wall of his chest, blood rushing to his cheeks promptly after. Your hair smelled like the sweetest of shampoos, invading his senses like the worlds greatest high. He could feel his insides growing nauseous, but he restrained himself as best he could. Reluctant arms made their slow and treacherous journeys around your waist, pulling you in at an awkwardly hesitant rate. Luckily, once the gesture was reciprocated, Kevin seemed to calm down. Relaxing into your hold, he took the time to fully embrace you, going as far as pulling you inhumanly close to him.
Although he most likely had a warrant out for his arrest because of what he did at the mall, it was worth it to know he had done a good job and made you smile. Sure, it was still an odd sentiment to be feeling for his standards, but it was something he could get used to. Smiling to himself, he allowed himself to take in your soft scent one last time before his mind began to drift away like it normally did. Though instead of daydreaming about cigarettes and cough syrup, he was trying to think up a plan on escaping the cops.
That night as you lay in bed, you fidgeted with the heart-shaped locket around your neck. Holding it up to the light of the moon that peeked through the cracks in the curtains, you opened it up, admiring the photo you chose to stick in. Staring back at you was a picture of you and Kevin taken at a photobooth you convinced him to go in the one day the two of you hung out at the mall. A tender smile etched itself onto your face, a rush of immense contentment blossoming throughout your being. You never expected much from Kevin, not even today, but you were glad he came through for you and showed you that he cared. Holding the locket close to your heart, you began to close your eyes, dreaming on only the most tender of dreams for the rest of night.