Chapter Eight
GRACE
The town of Selenic didn’t have a shopping mall, but it had a strip mall with the necessary stores so that its inhabitants didn’t have to go to the big city to get supplies or buy clothing.
Grace drove to the parking lot and parked in front of a row of various stores and restaurants along the street. She and her friends often went there to unwind from the classes and missions. Her favorite place was Grills & Hamburger Restaurant, where she could order her preferred meal and drink her chocolate milkshake. She also loved the ice cream parlor Iced & Sweet, where her best friend worked part-time.
“Are we going to shop here?” Noah asked, squinting at the buildings.
“Isn’t it fancy enough for you?” Grace retorted, opening the door and exiting. Leaning inside, she urged, “Hurry up. We don’t have all day.”
Noah moved slowly and strolled behind her.
Grace stopped in front of Comfortable Sanabria Wear, a famous retail store. Noah put his hands in his pockets, proceeding to the entry.
“Where are you going?” Grace asked.
He halted and spun around. “In there. No?”
She shook her head and pointed at another store, almost invisible between the window displays of the big clothing store and the supermarket.
Noah frowned. “We are going to a tailor?”
“Of course. Where else do you buy your suits from?”
“I don’t buy suits. Isn’t that too expensive?”
“Mr. Sinclair is a good friend of the family. He’ll offer us a discount. His store sells high-end menswear and offers free custom altered clothing. He’ll take your measurements, and we’ll shop for immediate necessities. Since you mentioned it, maybe a pair of khaki pants are in order.”
Noah sneered and muttered, “Whatever.”
Smirking, Grace paced to the store, and the bell chimed when she opened the door.
Mr. Sinclair beamed and came around the counter to greet her.
For the next two hours, Noah played dress-up while Grace decided what type of clothes he should wear. Between socks, boxers, t-shirts, shirts, new fancy shoes, jackets, and sportswear, Noah left with a new wardrobe, and four new suits were commissioned.
“I have no idea when I’ll have the time to wear all this. I’m just a substitute teacher. Your grandfather will be back in one week. I needed one suit, nothing more.”
“Don’t worry. You live with us now. I’m sure grandfather has plans for you if he has invited you to stay.”
Noah sighed, placing all of the bags in the trunk while Grace kept the rest on the back seats.
“I’m hungry. Can we go back to the academy? I can’t see any more clothes in front of me,” Noah complained.
“We just have to make one last stop, and we can go home,” Grace assured. “Then, we can go over your classes for next week. I need to make sure you’ll follow the lesson plans and are aware of what my grandfather has been teaching this semester. The final year is harder since he demands a lot more of the future graduates. I do not doubt your fighting skills, but I need to make sure you understand what we do here.”
“You mean, you want to know if I’m qualified or not?”
Grace nodded.
“Where are we going next?” Noah questioned, opening the car’s door.
“I need to go to a pawn shop. I ordered a book from one of the world jumpers, and it should have arrived by now.”
“So you like earthling things?”
“Yes, don’t you?”