Chapter 9: 9: The Shopping Trip


    Olivia


    When we got back to Noel''s apartment, I hurried back into my new room. I was still embarrassed


    beyond belief, and I had wished that I didn''t have to face him. I didn''t want to have to look at him


    everyday knowing this is how he feels about me. I''m just a poor broad that would do anything for


    money. That''s what he thought.


    I finally unpacked my things, trying to befortable. It seems I was stuck here for a while. I may as


    well settle in. I was pretty unsure of what to do all day, so I pulled out a book I wanted to read. I never


    really had much freedom at home. I was always on one errand or another. So, I wasn''t really sure of


    what to do in my spare time; what I liked.


    I was about to turn neen in a few days, and all I knew was how to seed in school and flip dough


    bread through and through. I heaved a heavy sigh, and decided that it couldn''t hurt to do some yoga.


    This room had plenty of space, it even had its own balcony! I didn''t have a yoga mat, but I didn''t mind


    the wooden floor.


    I put on some rxing wave sounds, and continued on with stretching, and breathing. I hadn''t done


    yoga in so long that I forgot how rxing it is.


    I hadn''t even realized that I fell asleep until there was an abrupt knock at the door. I opened my eyes


    quickly, waking up in the sleeping dog position. I took a nce at the clock on the nightstand, and


    noticed that almost two hours had gone by.


    Since the knocking continued I assumed that Nn wasn''t going to open it, so I slowly peaked my


    head out of my room to make sure that he wasn''t around.


    I ran to the front door, swinging it open. "Hi?" I said, but it came out as more of a question.


    "Hi!" There was a beautiful brte girl, about an inch taller than me. "Nn said you would be here."


    "Who are you?" I asked, raising a questioning brow.


    "I''m his sister. Nova. Can Ie in?" She asked.


    "Sure." I sighed, holding the door open for her.


    "Nn didn''t tell me he had a sister." I said, shaking my head at the sight of her.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "I''m sure he hasn''t told you a lot of things." Sheughed. "He''s like that with women." She shrugged


    nonchntly. "Our parents got married, and then divorced after eleven years, so we still consider each


    other siblings." She smiled, and I sighed in relief.


    I wasn''t hoping there was another woman around, but I didn''t want to be alone in another country with


    three men alone. I don''t even know these people! I know nothing about him aside from basics because


    he doesn''t tell me anything. Some marriage.


    "Now I came here to take you shopping." She grinned. "You want to be the wife of a rich man? You


    have to act like it."


    "How would you know what a rich mans wife does?" I asked her in all seriousness.


    "Because I am the wife of a rich man!" She beamed, holding her hands out proudly. "I''ve been married


    for a year. Even though I''m twenty-three, I felt ready for some reason. Spent so long watching


    marriages fail, I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it work." She shrugged, and I nodded.


    "Okay," I sighed. "I''ll get dressed."


    ~*~


    Nova and I had spent almost all day going into stores that I didn''t even know existed. It was one thing


    to go shopping for clothes at the local Walmart, and another to be shopping in ces where everything


    isn''t even priced it''s so expensive.


    I could have gotten anything I wanted, but I remembered to dress a little more mature than I would


    have liked. Since Nova was the age I was aiming for, she helped me pick some stuff out. She even


    introduced me to some restaurants that I''ve never heard of. It''s clear that I don''te on this side of


    town often.


    I may live in Santa Monica, but I am in no way important enough to be on this side of town. "So you


    guys are just letting him concoct this scheme?" I asked her, as we sat down and ate.


    She just shrugged, biting down into her tbread. "Nn has been like this since we were young. He''s


    always concocting one scheme or another. Everyone has roles as children, he was always the one to


    get in the most trouble." Sheughed. "Don''t you have siblings?" She asked.


    "Yes." I nodded. "But I usually wasn''t the one to get into trouble."


    "I see." She sighed, sitting back in her seat. "This is your first time doing something bad?" She smiled


    softly, and I nodded.


    "Well, at least it''s for a good cause." She shrugged. "What''re you going to college for anyways?" Nova


    asked.


    "I want to be a marine biologist." I answered simply, figuring it was the best thing to study.


    "An animal girl?" She asked, raising her thick eyebrow. "Interesting." She said quietly, and I gave her a


    confused look. "We should head back." She started, leaving cash for the bill. "You probably want to


    head back and pack. It''s going to be a long weekend."


    "You''re going on the trip too?" I asked her as we walked back to the car.


    "Yes, I do like to go." She exined. "I like sailing on the yacht and remembering theirte mother."


    "Who''s alling?" I asked her, curious.


    "Just us, and their grandma. She alwayses. Even if their father is seeing someone, he NEVER


    brings them to honor histe wife." She exined. "He only brought my mother because they were


    married. She''s the only woman that''s evere."


    Once Nova dropped me off at the apartment, she had the bellboy help me carry up all of my shopping


    bags. I hadn''t realized how much stuff we bought until I saw it all covering the whole living room floor. I


    sighed heavily, and couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed at how much my life has changed seemingly


    over night.


    If you told mest week I would be spending thousands of dors to prepare for a trip to Italy, I would


    honestlyugh in your face. I decided to leave the shopping bags alone, and sort out my Steve Madden


    luggage set that I picked out. It came with six pieces, and I didn''t even know all this luggage was


    necessary to go on a trip. I guess since I wasn''t really used to going anywhere, I wouldn''t need to have


    all this luggage.


    I decided to pack my new clothes first, then the shoes, then intimates, then personals. I didn''t usually


    like wearing makeup, but Nova got a bunch of stuff; she said I was definitely going to need it.


    When I was done packing, I sat all of my six bags at the front door, and smiled softly. I was actually


    really proud of myself. My happy moment was ruined by Nning home from work.


    I rolled my eyes slightly, and he nced at all of my luggage. "What is this?" He asked, clearly amused.


    "We''re going away for three days not three years." Heughed, and I side eyed him.


    "Hello, I''m a girl, I need a lot of stuff."


    "Definitely not a whole wardrobe." He sighed, going to the kitchen. The first thing he did was pull out a


    can of beer, and I all butughed at him.


    "You keep that up, you''re going to have the belly of a pregnant woman." I said observingly.


    He lifted up his dress shirt, then stared down at his abs. "I think I''m good." He shrugged, cracking it


    open despite myments. I scoffed at him, flopping down on his leather couch.


    "What am I supposed to do all day anyways?" I asked him, grabbing the tv remote off the coffee table.


    "Whatever you want." He shrugged, taking a swig of his beer, and sitting down next to me on the


    couch.


    "That''s boring." I stated, flicking on the television. He sighed heavily, running his hands through his


    already messy hair.


    "You should be happy. You''re getting paid to sit around and shop with my sister. Find a hobby or


    something, I don''t know." I rolled my eyes at his empathy, channel surfing. "By the way, that stuff is


    "No way, not fair!" I protested.


    "I saw what you two spent!" He scoffed. "I said to go shopping, not bankrupt me."


    "Hey!" I smiled. "Your sister picked those ces, not me." I held my hands up in defense, and settled


    on watching ''The Nanny'' on HBO. I always did like this show.


    "By the way, do you have a passport?" He asked me.


    "Yes, I do." I told him nonchntly. "I''ve been to Canada." I told him nonchntly. Remembering the


    I should have a good two years left before it needs to be updated.


    "Okay, well we''re leaving for Italy in the morning. I don''t have a private jet if that''s what you''re thinking,


    but we''ll be in first ss."


    "I wasn''t thinking that." I answered, squinting at him. "I don''t know how much money you have."


    "Enough to buy a private jet," he smirked teasingly, and I tried to hide the fact that I was actually


    blushing.


    Wait, I said to myself. Stop it, Olivia. He is the enemy. I blinked rapidly, turning my head back to the TV.


    "Anyways, I''m good." I continued, ignoring the fact that I felt the tiniest bit of attraction to him. God the


    things my Mother would say.


    "Okay." He shrugged. "We''re leaving in the morning. Got a long day ahead of us."