Chapter 25: Shopping.

When they woke up late on Tuesday morning, Emma had a reminder notification pop up on her phone. She was due to meet Aiyla in town at 11 to buy new school uniforms for the first time, to replace the second-hand ones they always had before. To Mark’s amazements, she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, where she had a quick shower before getting dressed in her clean panties, shorts and t-shirts. She dashed into the kitchen to get some breakfast where Mark was now slowly sipping a coffee and trying to wake up.

“What’s the rush, pretty one?” Mark asked.

“Meeting Aiyla to get new school uniform” Emma replied.

“It can’t be worth all this rushing about” he said.

“It is if you’ve never been able to afford new uniform before” she explained.

“Sorry, that was thoughtless, forgive me?” Mark asked.

“It’s not your fault you don’t know how it is to be poor, just like it’s not my fault I was, so you’re forgiven” Emma said, between mouthfuls of toast.

“Can you come shopping with me tomorrow?” he asked.

“Sure, what do you need?” she replied.

“A car” he told her.

“You just go shopping for a car like I go for new uniform!” Emma laughed.

“Well, I’ve been doing intensive driver training lessons and I’ve got one a day booked for the next 2 weeks, actually on public roads now I’m 17. I’ve got my test booked after that, so your boyfriend will be able to chauffeur you around soon!” Mark explained.

“My boyfriend is going to get a car!” Emma shrieked. “Of course I’ll come to make sure you get the colour right!”

“Come on, don’t be so girly!” he laughed.

“Actually, you should get a Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder in red” Emma said, surprising him.

“Do you know how much those things cost?” he asked, amazed.

“No, but if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it!” Emma laughed.

She got up and gave him a marmalade kiss as she left and rushed out of the house with her bike, to meet her friend. Aiyla was waiting outside the old fashioned looking, school clothes outfitters shop.

They went inside and told the young assistant, who introduced herself as Tina, that they needed complete new winter uniforms. They started with their schools pleated skirts and went into the changing rooms to try on the ones the assistant got for them. The shop was empty, so they did not bother to close the curtains as they removed their shorts and tried the skirts on. The girls looked in the mirror and frowned.

“Do you have any shorter ones?” Emma asked.

“Yes, you could probably get away with a size smaller as you have a tiny waist” Tina said, fetching another skirt. Emma tried it on. It was quite a way above her knee, but she thought it was not too short for school policy and decided she would just about get away with it.

“This fits perfectly. I need 2 please” Emma said.

Tina looked at Aiyla. “I’m afraid your curvier figure wouldn’t fit a smaller size.”

“Can you just have it made shorter?” Aiyla asked.

“It’s very difficult to shorten a pleated skirt and the school don’t like us doing it” Tina replied.

“But you could?” Aiyla asked.

“Yes, we could” Tina accepted, “but it will be expensive.”

“OK I need two please, 5 centimetres shorter by Friday” Aiyla asked.