Sarah kept a hold of her determination and decided to really start the school hunt. She spent most of the time after school on doing different career test and researching about colleges and universities. She wanted to get a cleared picture about what she could do before Christmas break started, and some plans were already taking shape. She had a list of schools and majors she considered, accompanied by the cities the schools were in and the distance to home. She would have to move if she got to any of her options but going too far away wasn’t something Sarah wanted to do.

Sarah leaned back in her chair after closing three college homepages. They were all from schools that kept coming back to her mind, the strongest candidates. She had pretty much already decided that those schools were what she wanted to apply to, but she wanted to let the thought simmer for a while.

The Christmas break would start next week on Friday, and Sarah had set Wednesday as her deadline for decisions, at least for now. She didn’t want to spend her holiday worrying about school. She already had her hands full with other things. She had promised to help Castiel with the English essay. They had time until just before Christmas to return it which Castiel had decided to take full advantage of. Sarah was almost finished with her essay, but Castiel spent most of his evenings training for the band contest with Leon or by himself. The moment of truth was on Saturday, and the boys wanted to be ready. Sarah was looking forward to it as well. She hadn’t seen Castiel play with Leon yet, and she was excited to see what their band was like.

Sarah came home after school on Friday brimming with excitement. All she had talked about on breaks at school with her friends was what was the plan for tomorrow. They would arrive early so that there’d be time for a brief practice. Amanda would take pictures, and if Castiel and Leon won—no— when they won, they would go to celebrate somewhere. It all sounded so cool. Sarah had never been part of something like this. She was experiencing fun things with friends. Her high school life wouldn’t end completely eventless. However, there was one part of the plan that made Sarah slightly nervous. Not because she didn’t like it but because of what her mother would think.

Sarah’s mum was brewing a cup of coffee in the kitchen when Sarah came in. Sarah greeted her and stayed in the doorway, fiddling with her shirt sleeves.

Grace raised an eyebrow.

“Something on your mind?” she asked.

“Actually yes. I told you earlier that Castiel and Leon have the band contest tomorrow, right?”

Grace did remember hearing about it. Sarah had sounded so proud when she had told how much Castiel and his friend had worked on making a great performance. It warmed a mother’s heart see a child so happy.

“And, well, in case they win, we were thinking that we would go celebrate. Responsibly!” Sarah hurried to add when she saw the look on her mum’s face. “No alcohol or anything like that.”

“I sense there is something more to this,” Grace said.

Sarah’s cheeks flushed light pink.

“Yeah, well, we might be out late since the contest starts at nine and we don’t know how long it lasts. And then if we celebrate… So, I was wondering that if it would maybe be possible for me to stay over at Castiel’s place tomorrow night?”

Sarah tried to look as innocent and reliable as possible. There was a slight furrow in her mother’s brow.

“I haven’t been in a while,” Sarah began to reason, “And Castiel’s parents are home too. And we aren’t stupid. We wouldn’t do anything dumb.”

Grace pursed her lips and took a sip of her coffee without breaking the eye contact to her daughter. Sarah resisted the urge to squirm under her gaze.

“Well, it is the weekend,” Grace said finally.

Sarah held her breath.

“And I trust you. So, I’ll give you a permission. But no drinking and no questionable activities, okay?”

The blush on Sarah’s face deepened.

“Okay. And thanks.”

Her nervousness broke into a grin and she hurried to give a quick hug to her mother before rushing to her room. Her heart was thumping in her chest. The last time she had stayed over had been when Ares was sent to a hospital. The thought of staying with Castiel was exciting and nerve-wrecking. It made her giddy and she skipped a few steps on the way to her room.

Now that the first step on the plan was cleared, it was time to start preparing for tomorrow. Sarah opened her wardrobe and cast an assessing glance to the contents.

The band contest was a special occasion and while there wasn’t a special dress code, Sarah wanted to look nice. Something different than jeans and sweaters. But since she hadn’t bought any new clothes in a while, she was met with the same issue as before: there was nothing she wanted to wear. Other times she had let it slide but now it wouldn’t do. She’d have to take action.

Sarah grabbed her phone and messaged to Amanda.

Hey. Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you’d like to go shopping? If you aren’t busy.

The reply came after a few minutes when Sarah had almost managed to stuff the clothes she had pulled out back to the shelves.

I’d love to! Meet you in 20 at the mall?

Sounds good! Thanks <3

See you soon <3

Sarah picked up her bag and made sure her wallet was inside. She tossed her phone in the bag.

“Mum, I’m going shopping with a friend,” she announced after making her way back to the hallway.

Her mum poked her head out of her office.

“Why?”

“I want something nice to wear for tomorrow,” Sarah said, blushing again. “The contest is an important thing. I’ll be out of an hour or two.”

“Hmm, okay. Just be back before dinner.”

“I will. Thanks.”

Sarah put on her coat and made her way to the mall. It was bit of a walk but not too long. It was nice to live a decent walking and cycling distance away from the most important places.

The chilly air pinched Sarah’s face and her breath fogged, and by the time she was at the mall, her cheeks were red from the wintery air. Sarah was happy the weather had turned more wintery. Even though they didn’t have much snow, at least the cold made everything feel like it was time for Christmas soon.

The warmth of the shopping mall greeted her when she walked inside, and Sarah sighed blissfully. She rubbed her hands together to warm her fingers a bit before taking her gloves off. She fished her phone from her bag to see if Amanda had messaged her. And she had indeed.

I’m waiting at the circle bench thingy at the centre.

Ok. I just got here. I’ll be there in a sec.

Sarah walked while typing, and she had barely put her phone away when she already spotted Amanda sitting at the benches built around a fake tree.

Amanda was reading the messages she got from Sarah but raised her head when she heard approaching footsteps. A smile rose on her face.

“Hi,” she greeted and jumped on her feet, tucking her phone in her pocket.

The girls gave a quick hug to each other.

“Sorry for asking you out so suddenly,” Sarah said.

“No problems, no problems. I didn’t have anything planned for the day. I’m happy you messaged me. I’ve wanted to hang out with you for a while. I just never manage to ask.”

“Oh.”

Sarah blushed from happiness. Amanda wanted to hang out with her out of her own free will? Sarah wanted to pinch herself in case this was just a dream.

Amanda smiled at the reaction. Sarah was so adorable.

“So, was there something special you needed?”

“Actually yeah. I wanted to have something a bit nicer to wear tomorrow but I don’t really have anything cool. But I don’t even know what to wear! I’ve never been to an event like that. So, I thought you could help?”

“Of course. The gigs aren’t formal at all, it’s just a lot of musicians and fans basically. Casual clothes would work but it’s always nice to dress up a bit. I’ve worn dresses and skirts most of the time, sometimes shorts in the summer. It’s pretty much just what you like.”

“Cool. I think I would like to find a skirt,” Sarah said. She barely wore skirts, but this seemed like a good occasion.

“We can look around. I’m sure there’s some since the party season is in full swing with Christmas and New Year coming up. I know a few good shops where we can start.”

Amanda took Sarah’s hand and tugged her along.

Sarah trusted Amanda’s opinions and let her take the lead. Their styles were quite similar in the way that they both wore comfortable and casual clothes. Amanda wore clothes Sarah could see herself wearing but hadn’t had the confidence or interest to buy before.

They walked around the first stop skimming through racks of clothes. Sarah brushed her fingers on different fabrics, feeling the textures. She tried to look at something that’d catch her eye.

“What kind of skirt are you looking for?” Amanda asked and pulled a lace covered pencil skirt from the rack.

“Not that,” Sarah yelped. It was a pretty skirt but way too much.

Amanda shrugged and put it back.

“I’d like something simple and flowy.”

“Long or short?”

“Something on the shorter side. Nothing too short, like I don’t want people to see my underwear when I sit. So, knee-length or bit above.”

“Sounds nice. I’m sure there’s something here.”

Amanda dove back into shuffling through the clothes, and Sarah joined her. She both wanted and didn’t want the clerk to come to offer her help. They could help for sure, but it was always so awkward.

“How about this?”

Amanda pulled a black leather skater skirt from the rack.

“I don’t know…”

Sarah eyed the leather warily, but Amanda smiled encouragingly.

“I think you should try it,” she said. “Even if you don’t like the leather, we can see if the length and model are good.”

“True. It would help for sure.”

Sarah took the skirt and headed to the fitting room. She took off her shoes and coat and wiggled out of her jeans. She slipped into the skirt and looked at her reflection from the mirrors on the booth walls.

“What does it look like?” Amanda’s voice sounded from the other side of the curtain.

Sarah pulled the curtain aside.

“I don’t like the leather,” she said straight away. “It feels too stiff. But I do like the model. Like how it’s a bit tighter from the waist and then flares out a bit.”

Amanda nodded to her words.

“I think the model suits you well. And the length too. It’s not too short but is still a bit spicy. You have great legs; you need to show them off. I’ll go back to searching, so you can get changed.”

Sarah nodded and pulled the curtain back. She looked at her reflection from the mirror one more time before taking off the skirt. She switched back to her own clothes and slipped out of the fitting room.

Amanda was searching the skirt racks with the help of a store clerk. The clerk had an apologizing face, and she shook her head to something Amanda said.

Sarah put the skirt back on its place and walked to Amanda just as the clerk left.

“What’s up?” she asked.

“She said they only have leather skirts in this style,” Amanda sighed. “They had some pencil skirts, but you said you didn’t like them.”

“Yeah. I’d like something I can move in.”

“Should we switch to another shop then?”

“I guess. No use spending time here if there’s nothing to get. Unless there’s something you want?”

There was nothing for Amanda, so they walked out. Amanda led them to another shop where Sarah had also visited a few times before. This one didn’t sell skirts at all, but they had a broad selection of shirts that caught Sarah’s attention.

“What do you think would work well with a black skirt?” she asked.

“Black goes so well with almost anything. It’s kinda annoying to be honest. Too many options. So, it pretty much depends on what you’d like to wear.”

Sarah nodded to Amanda’s words while skimming the row of shirts. She stopped in front of a deep plum red turtleneck. She took it off the rack and modelled it against her coat.

“What do you say about this?” she asked. “I like the colour.”

“It looks nice. You should try it. It’s pretty simple, but we could get a nice necklace to go with it.”

Sarah headed to the fitting room once again. She undressed quickly. Excitement pinched her stomach. She had a good feeling about this shirt. Somehow, it felt like it called to her. She pulled the shirt over her head, and gasped when she saw her reflection.

She looked great. For a moment she only stared at the mirror. Her hair was slightly tousled, and the collar was a bit crooked, but the colour of the shirt was amazing. The shirt fit her like a glove. She twisted and turned to get a view from all sides.

“Sarah? Can I see?” Amanda asked from the other side.

Sarah opened the curtain again.

“What do you think?”

“It fits you super well. I love it!”

Sarah beamed with happiness.

“I love it too. It feels so soft. I love the colour. I’m gonna get this.”

She didn’t need to try on anything else. This was love at first sight. She could already picture herself wearing this shirt in the event. It’d be paired with a skirt and a nice necklace like Amanda had suggested. She’d only need to find the rest of the pieces to her outfit.

After changing back, Sarah headed to pay for her shirt. They walked out of the store with Sarah’s heart a bit lighter and excitement simmering in her chest. The clothes store’s bag swung on her side as she clutched on the handle.

“Aren’t you gonna buy anything?” she asked Amanda. “Don’t just focus on me, get some stuff for yourself.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t really need much. And the store I want to go is coming up.”

They visited a few stores without luck, but finally, in one of the last stores they found a black skirt. It was basically identical to the leather shirt Sarah had tried on in the first store, but it was made of fabric. It fit perfectly and flowed nicely around her when she did a little twirl.

When they left the shop, Sarah was happy and excited. It felt almost silly that finding a few pieces of clothes made her this excited.

“Is that all?” Amanda asked.

“I think so. The necklace would be nice, but I’ll probably have something at home.”

“I know a place where we can find the necklace. But I want to go to one shop before that. Will you tag along?”

“Sure. You came with me, so I don’t mind doing the same to you.”

Amanda smiled and led the way once again.

They stopped in front of an underwear shop Sarah had passed many times, but she had never spared more than a glance to it. A sign outside promised 60% off on all bras and underpants.

Sarah’s face warmed up when she saw the mannequins wearing different undergarments some more revealing than others. Amanda walked in, and Sarah followed behind. She had never been to a shop like this. She didn’t know underwear could look like this. There was so much lace everywhere.

Amanda was already browsing the selection with determination and knowledge when Sarah caught up to her.

Sarah stood stiff few steps behind her trying her best to not look at anything too long. However, curiosity slowly took her over. She glanced around. There was plenty of beautiful underwear. Sarah took a step closer to a bra with simple lace trimming.

“Those are so pretty.”

Amanda’s voice made Sarah jump.

“Are you interested in buying them?”

“N-no I don’t really… I don’t really buy a lot of underwear…”

“Ah, alright. But I’m sure Castiel would be happy to see those on you,” Amanda winked. Her tone was teasing and kind, but it struck Sarah with embarrassment.

“I don’t know. We don’t really…. I didn’t plan on…”, she mumbled.

Amanda smiled softly and touched Sarah’s shoulder.

“It was just a joke. Don’t take it too seriously. You don’t of course need to get it if you don’t want to. I’m gonna try it on though.”

Amanda snagged the bra and few others and headed to the fitting room. Sarah sat down on a nearby stool, praying that no one would come to talk to her.

After a few moments Amanda came back. She put most pieces back to the shelf but walked to the cashier with two bras in hand. Sarah followed few steps behind. She could only breathe properly after they left the shop.

“Do you want to grab something to drink?” Amanda asked. “The jewellery place is not here at the mall. We could grab hot chocolate or something before heading out.”

“Sounds nice.”

Sharing drinks with Amanda was a nice thought. It was something friends did together.

They took seats at the nearby café after ordering hot chocolates and croissants. The haul of their shopping trip rested at their feet. Delicious scents of coffee and pastries filled the air.

Amanda took a sip of her drink and licked the droplet of chocolate from her lip. She looked at Sarah, who stirred her drink. She seemed to be deep in thought so Amanda didn’t bother her.

“Sorry if this is too intrusive,” Sarah said after a while, without raising her eyes from the chocolate. Her cheeks were pink. “When did you and Leon, you know… Do it?”

Amanda’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She hadn’t expected Sarah to ask something like this. It took her a moment to find words, and Sarah got scared.

“Nevermind. You don’t need to answer. Just forget it. I shouldn’t have asked. It was too personal.”

Sarah tried to take her words back and wished she could be swallowed by the floor.

“No, no don’t worry. I was just surprised. I didn’t expect you to ask that,” Amanda said and tried to reassure Sarah with a smile. She took a sip of her chocolate before answering.

“I think it was a month or two after we started dating,” she said then.

“I see.”

“But don’t think that’s what happens with everyone,” Amanda hurried to add. “Everyone’s situation is different. That’s what you’re thinking about, right? You haven’t slept together yet, and you’re thinking if you should.”

“…Yeah. It’s… I really like Castiel. And I want to be with him. But I get nervous thinking about it. Castiel’s patient with me, but I know he’d want to do it. I feel like I’m letting him down.”

“Don’t think like that. It’s normal to be nervous. Your situation is different from mine. Leon and I were friends for a long time before we started dating. So, we knew each other well already. You and Castiel have only known each other for a bit longer than what you’ve been together. So, it’s normal you aren’t as comfortable with him yet. And this is your first relationship. It’s natural that it’s a bit scary. I’ve known Castiel for a long time now. I can see that he really likes you. He wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Have you talked about this with him?”

“No! Gods, I don’t know how I could.”

“Maybe you should. That way you’d be sure that Castiel knows your feelings. And you would know what Castiel thinks.”

Amanda reached over the table to touch Sarah’s hand.

“It’s okay to be nervous. I was nervous too. Being comfortable with yourself is what matters. You’re not gonna enjoy it at all if do it before you’re ready. From what I can see, Castiel isn’t going anywhere. If he loves you, he’ll wait when you’re ready.”

Sarah nodded and sniffed. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes. She didn’t know why. Maybe it was relief or happiness from hearing affirmation and support.

“Thanks,” she whispered and wiped the corners of her eyes even though no tear had rolled on her cheek. “I feel so dumb.”

“No, don’t feel dumb. A lot of people go through these same things. I’m happy you shared this with me. It’s always better to talk with people about your worries. You can always talk with me. I’ll do my best to help.”

Sarah was about to cry for real this time. She sniffed again and nodded, blinking her eyes.

Amanda chuckled softly and offered Sarah a napkin.

“Thanks,” Sarah said again, dapping the corners of her eyes with the paper.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“A bit, yeah.” The weight on her chest she had carried over from the underwear store had lightened.

“That’s good. Do you still want to go look at the necklaces?”

“I do. I need to finish my outfit.”

Sarah managed to pull a smile on her face, and Amanda smiled as well. They finished their food and headed outside.

The weather had turned colder with the wind that had kicked up. And the little sunlight from earlier had disappeared behind clouds. Sarah walked next to Amanda as they passed restaurants and other shops.

“Where are we going?” Sarah asked.

“To the best jeweller in town,” Amanda replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

Soon they stopped in front of a small store just a block away from the mall. Sarah had never noticed this place before even though she had passed it dozens of times. She really needed to pay more attention to her surroundings. Behind the window rows of necklaces and earrings were on display, but Sarah didn’t have time to observe them closer because Amanda pulled the door open and marched inside.

Sarah followed her and read the sign above the store before they walked in. Aston’s fine stones and jewellery.

“Isn’t Leon’s….” Sarah started but didn’t get to finish her sentence when they were already greeted by a tall, black-haired man.

“Amanda, what a surprise. And is this a friend?” the man said, smiling.

“Hi Morgan. I thought I’d bring you a new customer,” Amanda replied.

The two exchanged a quick hug before Amanda turned back to Sarah.

“Sarah, this is Morgan. Leon’s older brother.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Sarah. I’m Leon’s classmate,” Sarah replied and offered her hand.

At first glance, Morgan looked nothing like Leon. Perhaps it was the stark contrast of their hair. Leon’s hair was rather short and nearly white while Morgan’s black hair was pulled on a tiny ponytail. But with closer studying, Sarah could recognize similar features. Morgan’s smile as he took her hand was like Leon’s. There was some similarity in their noses and lips. Sarah turned her eyes away once Morgan pulled his hand away. She didn’t want to stare too long.

“What can I help you ladies with today?” Morgan asked, pulling on a more professional face.

“Sarah needs a necklace. We’re going to the band event tomorrow and need something nice to wear.”

“Oh right. Leon’s done basically nothing but practice for that. Let’s see. What do you have in mind? What kind of clothes you want to pair it with?”

“A black skirt and a plum turtleneck,” Sarah said, “so I think it needs to be something a bit bigger than a simple pendant. But nothing too flashy or expensive…”

Morgan smiled and moved towards a display case while Sarah was still talking.

“I think I have just the thing for you,” he said and waved his hand, calling Sarah closer.

“What do you think of that?

Morgan pointed at a multi-layered necklace that had four different chains adorned with tiny pearls with two bigger, teardrop shaped pearls in the two longest chains. It looked beautiful.

“It’s pretty,” Sarah said. She loved it. “But it must cost a ton.”

“Not really. It’s not full gold. Only the small pearls are real. I can throw in a discount too since you are my brother’s friend.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Do you want to try it on to make sure it’s good?”

He was already taking the necklace out of the case before Sarah could reply. She had no choice but to take off her coat.

Morgan put the necklace on her. His cool fingers brushed against Sarah’s neck and made her shiver.

“Sorry. Did I tickle you?” he hummed. “Now, take a look.”

Morgan turned Sarah towards a small mirror.

For a second time that day, Sarah was speechless with amazement.

“It looks very pretty,” she said and touched the necklace.

“Sarah you have to get it. It fits you so well,” Amanda sighed.

“How much would it be?” Sarah asked, looking at Morgan.

“It’s 25 normally but I’ll give it to you for 15.”

“That’s a big discount. Are you sure? You don’t even know me…”

“Well I trust Amanda’s judgement in people. Just remember to tell anyone who asks where you got the necklace,” he said with a wink.

Sarah looked in the mirror again.

“I’ll take it. Thank you, Morgan.”

The young man smiled and took off the necklace to put it in a small bag. Sarah paid her purchase with excitement thrumming in her chest.

After Sarah was finished, Amanda put a pair of earrings on the counter.

“I’d take these.”

After a few more words with Morgan, they waved a good bye and left.

They walked a moment in silence. Snow crunched under their shoes and more fell from the sky as big flakes. The streetlights made them shine golden before they settled on the ground. After a while, Amanda broke the quietness.

“What did you think of Morgan?”

“He seems really different from Leon. More social? Like, Leon is calm and quiet, and Morgan is very…bubbly? He smiles a lot. But I like him. He seems nice.”

Amanda smiled. “Morgan has a good customer service persona. He is quieter and calmer at home. He’s more similar to Leon than you’d expect from the first glance. But it’s true he is bit more energetic than Leon.”

“How old is he?”

“He’s three years older than Leon. So, 21.”

“Twenty one and he has a business? Or is that their parents’ shop?”

“It’s his own. He has done a lot of work for it. He dropped out of high school when he was seventeen because he knew there was something else, he wanted to do. He trained as a goldsmith and studied jewel design. He has had the shop for about a year and a half now.”

“That’s really cool. If he designed the necklace I bought, he’s really good at his job. Dropping out high school is a scary thought though.”

Amanda smiled. Morgan was talented. He had been right in pursuing his vision. All the work had paid off for him even if almost everyone around him had told him he was making a mistake with dropping out of school.

“He and Lucy are dating, right? I think she mentioned it,” Sarah asked then.

“Yeah. She met Morgan through Leon. They’ve been together two years now.”

“Ah, okay.”

“I know what you’re thinking but it has been a healthy relationship from the start. Morgan was hesitant about dating Lucy because she is younger. But they had known each other for years before they started dating, so it was natural and normal for them.”

“I did wonder that a bit. Sorry.”

“It’s what a lot of people think. Her parents were against it at first. Her mother is a psychologist so she was worried about a lot of things. But they accepted it after they got to know Morgan better. Morgan was ready to wait until Lucy was eighteen, but she didn’t want to. Obviously, I don’t know the details of their relationship, but from what I can see, they’re happy together.”

“I believe that. And I’m not gonna judge.”

Lucy’s and Morgan’s relationship wasn’t her business. Lucy was surrounded by people who cared about her. She would surely get help if she needed it. And Lucy was a strong-willed person who wouldn’t take crap from anyone.

Finally, it was time to part ways when they reached the crossroads where they would have to head to different directions. Sarah looked at Amanda with a smile.

“Thanks for coming along. You were a big help, and it was nice to spend time with you.”

“Thanks to you for asking. It was nice to hang out. We should do this more often.”

“We should. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see ya.”

They walked to their own directions. Sarah smiled all the way home. She was so happy she had a friend.

At home, Sarah barely got inside when she was ambushed by her little sister. She had waited for Sarah to come like a predator waiting for prey.

“What did you buy?”

“Clothes.”

“Can I see?”

“Maybe. But not yet. I need to lie down. I’m tired.”

Steffie crossed her arms.

“You’re boring. The dinner’s ready soon.”

After saying that, she marched to her room. Sarah rolled her eyes. She took off her coat and shoes and headed to her room. There she carefully pulled the clothes from the bags. She had to try the outfit to see what it looked like on her. Hopefully, it all matched as well as she had imagined. She got dressed, and it was hard to supress the smile on her face when she saw her reflection from the mirror on her wardrobe door. She spun around and the skirt flared around her. The necklace balanced the simplicity of her clothes. Maybe the style was more formal than needed for a rock concert, but Sarah was happy. She had done the right thing picking these clothes. This was the kind of style she liked and wanted to pursue more. She had never looked this good in any clothes. She looked forward to the next with new energy. It’d be such an amazing day.