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Sunday afternoons were lovely things. Jada had headed back to Crystal Academy after church this morning. Yet there was nothing going on when she got back to the school. None of the girls she usually did anything with were around, and she didn't feel like bothering someone new. She didn't really feel like going by the central library, and she didn't feel like going to the movies.

That left even better places to go.

Armed in one of her favorite outfits, carrying her credit card, her ID, her cellphone and not burdened by anything that would detract from the carrying of her shopping bags, Jada left Crystal Academy.

Her first stop as always was the bookstore. Snuck into the bottom of the bag were a few additions that had gotten her an appraising look from the cashier. "Say," he'd started, "Do you wanna-"

"No."

"What about-"

"No."

Sugarcane Republic, New Navy, The Shoesafe. All the shops she knew and loved. But somewhere along the line, Jada Chamberlyn had become aware of something that made her quiver in displeasure.

She was being followed. She noticed it through about 4 different shops, being careful once she did notice it to not slip too far out of the public eye. Someone, at any given time, she wanted desperately to have an eye on her. This was creepy as <********>. And if she didn't miss her guess from the glimpse she'd gotten of the man behind her, it was that damn cashier.

Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!

Finally she saw a store that would be her savior. Elizabth's Secret.

And she could get some cute new undies. Was that a- ooooh! She moved for the shop with the 'that is a silk nightie' senses tingling. And she shopped. Bought lots of things, loaded herself down with more bags, and when she started out of the shop, she saw the cashier, his face pressed to the glass outside, staring into the shop with a puppy-dog expression on his face.

How was she going to get out of here? She was debating asking the clerk if she could go out the back, when a masculine voice that had the undertones of an anegl's chorus came to her ear. She turned around to see one important thing.

No ring.

"Baby!" she flung herself into the stranger's arms, dropping her bag, lingerie spilling all over the floor. "I didn't expect to see you here!" She pressed her lips to a masculine cheek, opposite where Creeper McCreep was looking in. "Play along and I will make this up to you. I will personally explain to your girlfriend or boyfriend or wife or whatever just for the love of all that is good, pretend to be my boyfriend." She pulled her lips away from Marlo's cheek, absolutely glowing with adoration as she looked up at him.

Stalky McStalkerson looked sad. But what was that red lacy thing on the floor?

Oh!

She shot to a beet red as the man bent down to lift up one of her racier purchases and she knelt next to him. "Sweetie, that was supposed to be a surprise." she chided gently. She nibbled on her lip, giving him a grateful look from the corner of her eye as she shoved the rest of her purchases into the bag. As she rose back up, she slid her arm through Marlo's.

No answer on the fashion show.

Stalker McStalker was moving away, dejected now.

Good. If she was Scylla, she'd shove a tentacle up his- no. no, that was mean. But he sure wouldn't be moving so slow, looking back at her like that. Fudge in a bucket, she was never buying books like she'd gotten today at that store ever again. Or with a male cashier.

"Thank you." was she going to cry? Her eyes were suspiciously liquid. Even with the freak's back to them, she stayed close to the stranger as she pulled him out of the store with her. "I'm Jada." she shifted her bags on her arm, smiled up to the man next to her.

She turned at the sound of another voice, biting her lip and giving the other man a smile. Oh, thank god. It didn't look like she'd have to be explaining herself (at least immediately) to an angry wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/mother. She gave Marlo a small smile as she pulled her arm from his. "No, I... I wasn't." the red flush was creeping up her cheeks again. "It's fine."

She turned to Elzo. Gave him a strange look, head tilting. "You look familiar." she held out her hand in an offering for a shake. Like Marlo, she felt that their interaction had gone far beyond a handshake being necessary. "He's not really stalking me. As far as I know, he's never followed me around before. I think he was... enthused by my taste in books."

It was all she said, but the way she shifted her bags to make sure the novels were to the inside and hidden from view may have drawn some suspicion, as well as the way her shoes were suddenly interesting. "Thank you, Marlo." she looked back up at him. "I meant it when I said I'd owe you one. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Maybe if she were lucky, the two guys would stay with her and play bodyguard. Just in case. She'd been taking kickboxing and self-defense courses, but outside of senshi form, she was a little...

And that Elzo... was so familiar!

Her head tilted at Marlo, and then she smiled again. "Yes, I actually did host the party there. I..." she'd apparently recognized the wrong brother, how embarrassing! "Thank you." she glanced down at the bags, otherwise taking the compliments as her due. "Not made a fool of yourself, I'm actually very flattered that you remembered me, Marlo."

She caught Marlo's scowl at something over her shoulder, turned to give his brother a curious look. "Yes, I could use some help, thank you. And the company would be..." Really appreciated. "Appreciated, given the circumstances." Elzo's eyes on the lingerie bag made her flush. "I can carry these." she said slowly, moving the Elizabeth's Secret bag to her other hand. "If you're doing a lot of shopping though, I really don't want to load you down." she told the younger Xanis.

Elzo, however, got a glance not dissimilar to the look one would give a workhorse. Appraising, slightly judging. Then the books and the shoes were passed off to him. "I'll thank you not to dig through my things, Mr. Xanis. I'm sure you can restrain yourself?" The lighter bags were shifted to her left hand, and she slid her right hand into Marlo's left boldly. Just in case stalker boy came back. "Thank you. Both of you."

It was fun, being able to make someone else blush for once. Jada looked far too pleased with herself as she pulled Marlo after her gently. "I can buy something anywhere." she said frankly. "I'm an unabashed shopaholic. Luckily I don't have a roommate, so I have two closets. Otherwise I don't know what I'd do with my wardrobe." She idly brushed at her black skirt as though she thought she'd seen something there.

Anyone watching could almost see Jada connecting the dots in regards to Marlo's sudden outburst for a split second before her eyes narrowed at the elder Xanis. Crude. She suddenly remembered why she'd wanted to carry her own books. "I know how you feel, Marlo." she tugged lightly on his arm, pulling him back towards the next shop.

Keep walking, and there wouldn't be too much time to get in trouble. "I have to have all the fun new gadgets. My father told me once that a lucky person gets to try everything once. Even if they don't like it they can at least know they gave it a try. So I can proudly say I stay on top of the newest technology."

Purple eyes were daring Elzo to make another comment.

Her face colored, not able to pretend she hadn't heard his comment about some things she may or may not have been on top of. Still, they walked forward, she studiously ignoring Marlo chastising his brother. Words wouldn't cut it, but she wasn't worried about it.

And then Elzo started laughing.

Marlo may have felt Jada's hand clench on his arm a moment before she acted. Instead of taking the step forward that he and Elzo were expecting, she only took a half-step, almost seeming to stumble. And as she did so, a booted foot slammed back, firmly connecting with Elzo's shin.

It took her a second to regain her composure after the stumble, a moment in which both brothers might see the gleam of amusement in her eyes before she pulled herself back up, as though it hadn't happened. And followed Marlo for the hardware, not speaking about the misstep. "No, I... didn't mind being on your arm." she liked the blush that crossed his face, but took a step away from him rather than push him. He'd been far too kind to this point.

She glanced over the flash drives with mild interest, turned to look over a few other things, letting the younger Xanis pick out what he needed. Ooo, cell phone charms. She slipped a little further away in the shop, glancing over the various options. Shiny little trinkets were a wicked little pleasure of hers.

Her eyes lit on one that almost sent her into a fit of giggles though. It was an angry pink octopus, and its 8 little arms were flexible enough to get moved around from one position to the next. And it struck her as oddly appropriate. She lifted the octopi from the shelf, moving back down the aisle to pause near Elzo. "Now why do you need to be looking at bags?"

She paid for the little pink octopus, signing the credit slip in curly script. Shame there wasn't an 'I' in her name, it was the king of handwriting that was begging for a smiley face, or some kind of girly touch. It was more like the scrawl of a doctor, or a CEO, someone who signed their name so many times a day they didn't care anymore.

Jada slid her cell phone out of her pocket and attached the charm to it, adjusting the arms of the octopi. Marlo said something, and it got her attention enough to follow his gaze.

Her lips curved into a smile, and she reached out, taking the bag from Elzo. She reached in, pulled out the first. "The Art of War, Sun Tzu. The Prince." She pulled out another book. "Niccolò Machiavelli. On War; Karl Von Clausewitz." There were obviously more books within. Her smile was sweet as she pulled out one more. "And one can't forget New Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook."

Elzo may notice the color in her cheeks that clearly said she'd hit more of a nerve than just the books she had pulled out. In fact, though Elzo would not know unless he actually peeked, there was a copy of that novel he'd so jokingly hit on the head. She would have bought it some time ago, but the last time she'd been at the bookstore, Cassius had caught her perusing the novel.

"I know it may be disappointing, Elzo, that my taste in books is not so exotic as my taste in the undergarments your brother so kindly helped me pick up. Sorry." And then her hands flew to her mouth, and she colored even further. It had just slipped out. She wanted to die.