👥: "Wait but you published a chapter two days ago"

I know, and I'm doing it today too! My motivation is at an all-time high.

This is another fluffy chapter. I am making sure that you guys are well-fed before future chapters.

👥: "Wait what do you mean????"

Uh, uhhhhh

Bon appétit! :D *hops in a pink car and skedaddles off*

"No, no, no, no, no!" Giselle opened her closet doors.

She brushed her hands through her jackets, jumpers, trousers, jeans and dresses. She picked a green jumper. "Maybe this?"

She held the jumper to her torso before she shook her head and put it back. "Nooo. Not that." Giselle slumped her shoulders. "Ughhh I need help. LIZZY! AIKA!"

"Hey Ellie," Lizzy peeked in from the doorframe. Aika also peeked in as well. "What's up?"

"Help me find a good outfit." Giselle turned to her housemates. "I am going on a cinema date with Arlen but I can't find an outfit to wear!"

"I'm sure you can find something." Lizzy stepped into the room and sat down on Giselle's comfortable queen-sized bed. "You got the best wardrobe out of all of us."

"And also the most expensive." Aika stood near Giselle's vanity and looked into her round mirror with pink LED lighting around its rims.

"Aika, that's not helping."

"Well, your comment isn't helping either."

"Girls." Giselle sighed dramatically. "I desperately need your help! Right now I got these pyjamas!" She gestured to what she was wearing: a silk pale pink pyjama set. "I can't wear these to a cinema! That's why I called you."

Aika exchanged a look with Lizzy. "It doesn't hurt to help out." She pointed a finger at Giselle. "Spill."

"If you were on a cinema date, what would you wear?"

"Giselle, you do realise that everyone here has different styles, right? I mean I rock up in jeans, shirts and jumpers. Lizzy's is simple but elegant. You on the other hand. Your style is more complicated."

"I still want to have a gist of what you would wear to the cinema."

"I see." Aika nodded. "Well, you usually wear something casual to a cinema. You're only watching a movie. If that was me, I would wear jeans with a shirt and one of Leo's jumpers over the top."

"I would wear a casual dress like a sundress...." Lizzy answered, playing with the ends of her pastel pink hair. She dyed her hair a few days ago. "With... heels." Her voice trailed off. "Maybe... a jacket too?."

Giselle sighed. "That's not..."

"Helpful?" Aika finished off. "Like I said, we all have different styles."

"I can't do this." Giselle ran her fingers through her hair. "I need to find a perfect outfit for today and it needs to be special cause it's my first date and all but all this is giving me is confusion and I don't know what to do or what to pick." She sighed. "Why is this so hard? How am I supposed to do this?"

"Giselle, whatever outfit you wear, Arlen is going to like it." Lizzy walked over to her housemate and patted her back. "You just need to wear something comfortable for you."

"But what if-"

"Forget about the what ifs." Lizzy hugged her friend close. "You're gonna rock what you are going to wear." She smiled when her friend gave a smile back. "Now let's look in your closet and find an outfit to wear."

"Okay..." Giselle nodded. She and Lizzy turned to the open closet. Aika later joined them.

Lizzy picked a pair of dark grey cargo pants and held it up. "I like these." She passed the trousers to Giselle.

"That could work with this!" Aika picked a white tee. "And this!" She picked a sage green cardigan. She passed both items of clothing to Giselle.

"And you can wear your white sneakers. And..." Lizzy searched through the drawers in the closet. "Wear this!" She pulled up a silver necklace with a flower charm. She noticed matching earrings and picked them up. "And this!"

"And you can bring this bag!" Aika picked up a designer tote bag. Lizzy gasped.

"Isn't that the bag you got from Tyler for Secret Santa?"

"Yep!" Giselle nodded. "I use it in most of my outfits. But I am not sure it's a good idea to bring that to a date with someone who did not hand you that bag."

"You got a point." Aika put the bag back. She picked up a black hobo bag. "How about this instead?"

"That's better." Giselle looked down at the clothing and accessories in her arms. "I think we got everything. Time to try it out."

"Let us know what you think!" Aika called out when Giselle left for the bathroom.

A few minutes later Giselle entered back in her bedroom wearing the outfit her housemates gave her. She did a simple pose. "What do you think?"

"You look amazing." Lizzy smiled while Aika nodded in agreement. "You just need to do your hair and makeup. I can help with that."

Giselle nodded. She took a seat on her vanity chair, one leg over the other. "Alright. It better be good. Don't disappoint me, Lizzy."

"I won't."

-= ⭐️⭐️ =- (Bob and Zoe are planning their honeymoon)

Arlen admired his freshly done wolf-cut hairstyle in front of the foyer's horizontal mirror. He turned and admired the back before turning forward and adjusting his hair.

Today is the day. His first date with Giselle. The day they have been texting each other for the past five days.

He couldn't believe that it was real. The date. Being with her also. It amazed him that after so much time worrying (and Gilbert embarrassing him), he finally asked her out. Butterflies flew in his stomach the more he thought about it.

He fished out his phone from his pocket and went to the recent text messages with Giselle. It felt weird looking through older messages now that they are a thing now. He read through the messages sent yesterday.

elle ❤️

<(morninggg ❤️)

<(just wanna ask but what time would the movie start tomorrow?)

(hi ❤️)>

(2:30 pm tomorrow)>

(unfortunately its not gold class :( )>

<(that's fine!)

<(seeing the movie with you is enough for me)

<(I can't wait for tomorrow)

(me too! I can't wait to see you)>

<(we see each other every day tho haha)

(i know but shhh) >

❤️

❤️

"Has anyone seen my sock anywhere??" Arlen heard Gilbert yell upstairs. "Levin, Arlen, did you guys steal my sock?"

"Why would we steal your sock?" Levin called out. Arlen noticed Levin running down the stairs wearing an open plaid blue shirt with a white tee underneath and paired with blue jeans. "Also check your room, Gilbert! Could be there."

"FOUND IT!"

"Going somewhere?" Arlen asked his friend.

"I'm going somewhere with Tyler, Phoebe and Lily. It has been a while since we last hung out so we're spending time today instead." Levin tucked his hands in his jeans pockets. "And you? I'm guessing the movie date is today, right?"

Arlen nodded. "With Giselle. We planned it out."

"That's fun!" Levin reached to open the door. "Hey, I have to go. Good luck with today!"

"You too." Arlen wished his housemate farewell. He noticed Gilbert sliding down the stair railings. Even Gilbert looked like he was about to head off. He was wearing a purple hoodie with beige shorts.

Gilbert jumped off the railing and landed on his feet. "Score!" He turned to Arlen and his face scrunched up. "What on earth are you wearing?"

Arlen looked down at his outfit: jeans with a white shirt. The shirt had an image design. "An outfit."

"And you're wearing that to your date today? With Giselle?"

"What's wrong with it?"

Gilbert spluttered and stormed up to Arlen. "What's wrong with it?!" He repeated like a parrot. "What's wrong with it?!" Jabbing his finger onto Arlen's chest, Gilbert frowned. "It's boring!"

"It's not that boring though." Arlen looked down at his short friend. "Plus, it's only a cinema date."

"With Giselle."

"Yeah, but cinema dates are casual."

"But Giselle is the it-girl here."

"And?"

"And? She's the stylish one. And you're wearing that. It's boring."

Arlen pinched the bridge of his nose. "It may be boring to you but at least my wolf cut makes up for it."

"Wolf cut?" Gilbert looked up and noticed Arlen's hairstyle. His hair is indeed cut in a wolf-cut hairstyle. Arlen's hair also appeared to be a darker shade than usual- one that was close to black. "Also you got rid of your blue hair?"

"Nope, it's still there. Just a really dark colour."

"Also wolf cut? What are you, trying to be a wolf or something?" (💀)

Arlen remained silent. He then got out his phone and typed on it. "Yet another quote for the Gilberta weird quotes list. Second of all, a wolf cut is a hairstyle, stupid. I just think that this is a great look. Nothing to do with me. The cut makes the outfit better. Better than yours."

Gilbert gasped. "What did you just call my outfit?"

"I just called my outfit better than yours. It's more stylish."

"Listen here, boy."

"I am listening." Arlen put away his phone.

"You need to respect your elders. In this case, the elder is me 'cause I am older, I am more witty and I deserve better."

"Then how come me and Levin are more mature?"

"You young people never understand the pain the eldest go through." Gilbert then shook his hands. "You know what, let's forget this argument. We both have things to go to and we have to hurry. You got your date and I have to meet up with the Crazy Club and Brina at the shopping centre."

"You're meeting up with the Crazy Club? What for?"

"Uh.." Gilbert cleared his throat. "That I can't tell."

"Why?"

"Because... because it's only limited to certain people!"

"So you won't tell your loving housemate about what you are doing." Arlen crossed his arms. (Bit of a fun fact- but in the earlier stages of ZS, like early 2019 or something, Arlen was planned to be in the Crazy Club. This was later changed!)

"We argued about outfits."

"Yeah, we did but still. Can't you tell me?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not regarding you." Gilbert pulled back his sleeve and checked his smartwatch. "Oh look at the time, we are both gonna be late. I forgot to ask you about how you are going to get to the cinema."

"...Uh." He didn't think that far. And Levin probably already left.

"I could offer to drive you there! I am a careful driver."

Oh boy. "Are you sure? Like are you absolutely, positively sure?"

"Yes." Gilbert nodded. "If it helps I won't be annoying the entire trip."

"Sure."

"I swear I am telling the truth."

"Sure."

"Are you just gonna say-"

"Sure."

Gilbert sighed. "I am dropping you off. Because I am a sweet elder."

"Can I say no?"

"If you say no, would you find another way of transportation?"

"..."

"Exactly. Plus I need to prove to you that I am a careful and considerate elder that you disrespected." Gilbert smiled. "We should get going. Now." Then he grabbed Arlen's arm and dragged him to the front door.

-= ⭐️ 🐶🐱=- (Bob is playing with the pets)

At the cinema, Giselle was waiting for her date to arrive.

She was seated at the seats of the cinema's foyer, an arm protecting the large box of popcorn, the chocolate packet and the two drinks. She turned her head round to the cinema's large paned window which had a view of the food court below and the escalators leading up to the cinema's entrance. Giselle kept an eye on the escalators, hoping that a certain guy would arrive.

It wasn't long until she felt her phone buzz from her pocket. Giselle fished it out and noticed a message from Arlen. She immediately checked it out and got into a conversation.

lenlen ❤️

<(may come a bit late)

<(gilberta is dropping me off 😔)

(oh no 💔)>

(wait why is he dropping u off)>

(pls stay safe 😕)>

<(he is dropping me off bc he wanted to prove he is a good elder)

<(also, i disrespected him as he is my elder)

(smh)>

<(he had it coming too disrespected my wolf cut and outfit)

(ooo can i see the outfit pls)>

<(sure!)

He sent a selfie of himself showing off his hairstyle and look. Giselle emoted back with a heart.

(woooow 😮💕)>

(i love it! wtf is gilberta on that outfit is good)>

<(he accused me of being a wolf 💔)

(r u one tho?)>

<( n o)

<(also i kinda want to see your outfit)

(my outfit?)>

(well its designed by Lizzy and Aika. hold on let me show it)>

Giselle clicked the camera icon and angled her phone to a position that showed her face and outfit. She fixed her long dark brown waves and settled on a simple pose. After snapping the picture and sending it, she noticed Arlen had reacted with a heart.

<(you look gorgeous! ❤️)

<(look at us, both rocking looks)

<(also I can that you got the food 👀)

(yep! just what we discussed. butter popcorn in a large box, a packet of chocolate and two drinks. yours is diet soda, mine is orange soda)>

🙃

<(perfect)

🥰

🥰

<(also hi i see you! im on the escalator)

Giselle looked up from her phone and turned around to the window. She spotted Arlen had given a wave. She waved back with a smile and put her phone away.

When they reunited, Arlen picked up the drinks and sat next to her. "Hey."

"Hey." Giselle had picked up the chocolate and the popcorn box and hugged it close. "You look great."

"So do you." Arlen shuffled closer. "I love the fashion choice here."

"It was so hard finding an outfit!" Giselle sighed. "I wanted to make sure the outfit was perfect. And Lizzy and Aika picked this." She softly whispered, "It's not bad, isn't it?"

"It looks amazing! Lizzy and Aika did a great job picking it out."

"You're saying that to cheer me up, aren't you?"

"No, I mean it. You always look stunning, Giselle. And I mean it."

"Thank you..." Giselle rested her head on his shoulder and looked up lovingly.

"Wow." the two looked up and noticed Tyler in front of them- wait a minute where did he come from? He was hugging a large box of popcorn and two drinks. "When did you two get together?"

"Tyler?!" Arlen and Giselle exclaimed.

"Hi, I'm Tyler. That's me." Tyler flipped his hair by moving his head.

"You're here too?!" Giselle stood up from her spot followed by Arlen.

"Why else would I be here?" Tyler shrugged. "I'm here with Levin, Lily and Phoebe." He faced in the direction of the movie theatre's arcade area.

"They're here too?" Arlen turned to the arcade where Tyler was looking over.

There near the claw machines was a familiar trio. Well, duo actually. They could only see Lily and Levin facing their backs towards them. They guessed Phoebe was there due to Levin with a phone on camera mode.

Arlen, Giselle and Tyler made their way over.

-= ⭐️ =- (Zoe is doing yoga!)

"Ok Bee," Lily spoke as she carefully held onto two small boxes of popcorn and two ice cream bars, "Smile!"

"Hold on, Lily. Can I quickly do something?" Phoebe, who is near the claw machine, asked. Her friend gave a nod and Phoebe adjusted her long black hair over her shoulders and fixed her knee-length white and blue floral sundress. She posed one hand on her waist, head slightly tilted and one leg over the other. "There. Ok, I'm ready."

Levin snapped the picture. He checked the result immediately. "Wow! You look amazing!"

Lily stood on her tiptoes and smiled at the picture. "You look so pretty, Phoebe!"

Phoebe made her way over and examined the picture of herself. "Ewww!" Her two friends stared at her.

"Levin?" Arlen spoke when he arrived. His housemate jumped in his spot and turned. "You didn't tell me that you would be here?"

"Oh Arlen, hi!" Levin greeted. "Sorry, I never got a chance to say where I am going. Phoebe invited us here and booked the tickets." He gestured to Phoebe who waved.

"Hey everyone!" Giselle hugged Arlen's arm.

Lily noticed the action. "When did you two get together?"

"After the Water Round. We are here at the movies for the first date." Giselle looked up at Arlen, bouncing in her spot. "Going to see a movie together!"

Arlen nodded. "Horror movie as well."

"Oh, we're seeing a horror movie too!" Tyler made his way to Phoebe and passed her the drinks (everyone here is making me feel lonely *sits on chair and sobs*). "Bee here had arranged the entire thing."

"What can I say, I love horror movies." Phoebe swayed in her spot.

"And the rest of us don't but we'll stay strong." Tyler smiled. "Me especially. I need to show Phoebe that I am not pathetic and can handle a scary film."

"Tyler, you're not pathetic!" Phoebe frowned. "You're not pathetic at all! It's okay that you can't handle horror. I don't mind." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her forehead against his. (words cannot express how these two are my favourite couple and I get emotional writing scenes like this).

"Get a room." Tyler and Phoebe turned to find Lily tapping the sole of her heel on the marbled floor, arms crossed. Levin chuckled.

"Got a few questions." Arlen interrupted the author's favourite group of four friends. "Firstly, what time is your movie at?"

"Two-thirty," Phoebe answered.

"Oh, that's the same as ours. Second question. Is it just you four here?"

The four friends shook their heads. "Others is coming." Phoebe ended up stating. "Carol says she is coming. She is invited by Vivian along with Cleo, Sam and Skyler."

"And Lizzy texted me yesterday that she is watching the movie with Alex today," Lily added on and passed a popcorn box and an ice cream to Levin.

"Oh and Cameron is coming too!" Tyler finished off.

"Oh boy," Arlen muttered. "With the Crazy Club?"

"Don't know. He did invite Vincent. But Vincent gave a reason for not going because he's scared." Tyler then gave a 'tch' sound. "Imagine being scared of horror movies. I can't relate."

Lily frowned. "You said-"

Tyler shushed her. Meanwhile, Levin checked the time on his phone. "We should all head off. Wouldn't want to miss the movie."

"Good idea." Giselle nodded before she and the others headed to the ticket scanner. Phoebe's tickets for herself, Tyler, Levin and Lily got scanned first.

"Just you four?" the worker scanning the tickets asked Phoebe, Tyler, Levin and Lily. He continued when the four nodded. "Your room is in Cinema room 4. Just head up the stairs and turn right."

The group of four nodded and made their way to the stairs to wait. The worker scanned Giselle's and Arlen's tickets next and stated the same instruction. Cinema room 4, upstairs to the right.

The small group reunited and made their way up the stairs to their cinema room.

-= ⭐️ =- (oh look Jay has come to visit!)

Row L, seats 15 and 16.

Those were the assigned seats Arlen and Giselle picked when booking their tickets. The row was not that far from the back seats of Row M. Arlen and Giselle were both glad that they managed to get a back seat spot than a front one.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. Sorry, sorry, sorry." the two apologised as they shuffled past twelve familiar characters of a certain story the author had yet to work on. Giselle noticed one of the people they shuffled past had a recorder with him. She decided not to question it.

They both sat down at their spots and noticed the advertisements playing on the screen. Giselle opened the box of popcorn. "Where do I put this?" she whispered.

"Anywhere we can easily share in," Arlen replied. He noticed Tyler, Phoebe, Levin and Lily in the row in front of them.

Giselle placed the open popcorn box next to her. "I'll be honest, this is a bit strange."

"How so?"

"I mean we're going as a couple now," Giselle answered, resting her hands on the armrest. "So it's a bit strange to now adapt to that."

Arlen held her hand. "It will be fine."

"When did you two get together?" Arlen and Giselle turned to their left and noticed Vivian holding three small boxes of popcorn. She was accompanied by Cleo, Sam, Carol and Skyler.

"Vivian! And everyone else! Nice seeing you here!"

"You too." Vivian sat down on the empty seat next to Arlen. "You haven't answered my question. When did you two get together?"

"A few days ago," Giselle answered.

"Cool! Also, congratulations! I wish you the best of luck!"

"Thank you!"

"You two are together?" Carol looked over from her seat. Next to her, Skyler started to eat his popcorn. She squealed when the couple nodded. "Finally! Congratulations!"

"What do you mean finally?" Sam turned to her.

"Vivian..." Cleo fiddled with her ash-brown French braids. "Can me and Sam please have our popcorn now?"

Vivian sighed. "As long as you two promise not to eat the entire box by the time the movie starts." She passed two boxes to them.

"Thanks." Cleo opened her popcorn box and popped a few pieces in her mouth.

"Glad to see some familiar faces here." Giselle smiled, waving to Lizzy and Alex who just arrived and taken their spots near Levin. She picked up some popcorn and popped some in her mouth. "No sign of the Crazy Club."

"Take that as a good thing." Arlen smiled. "You got something on your lips but the way."

"Don't play this with me, Arlen Georges. I know what you're gonna do." Giselle laughed. "But go ahead." He kissed her and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Young love~" the two whipped their heads around to find Leo walking past them in the row behind. Followed behind him was Aika followed by Cameron, Alyssa, Sienna, Gilbert and Sabrina. Leo clicked his fingers towards the boy with the recorder. "Fabulous recorder bro."

The boy with the recorder turned back. "M-mine?"

"Mhm!"

"Thank you! Her name is Stevie. Wanna hear her?"

The boy's recorder got snatched by a girl sitting two seats away from him with flaming red hair tied into a ponytail. "Aqua, you are not playing this recorder here."

"Give me back Stevie, Sag!"

"No! We are here to enjoy a movie! Not listen to Stevie the brat."

"Girlie, that's very un-fabulous of you." Leo tsked (this entire book is so unhinged lol).

"Can you two shut up? People are staring at us." a boy next to the girl with red hair pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You included, Scor." another male countered back.

"Shut the f*** up, Vir-"

"Profanity!" Aika scolded. Leo, next to her, blinked in confusion.

"D...Did I cause this?"

"Hey, can everyone here shut up?!" Skyler silenced the rows. Everyone stopped talking. Carol giggled while Sam and Vivian sighed disappointingly.

"I love horror movies!" Sienna spoke out of nowhere. Aika shushed her which caused the Sagittarius female to do an offended gasp back.

Arlen noticed Gilbert sitting at the spot behind him. "You never told me that you will be watching the movie too!" he hissed.

"Sabrina wanted to bring us here." Gilbert gestured to his girlfriend next to him whose face was illuminated by her phone light in the darkness.

"Hi." Sabrina didn't look up from her phone. Arlene and Giselle gave a wave back before Arlen glared at his housemate.

"This movie specifically?"

"It's a popular movie."

Arlen groaned. "Geez..."

"What's wrong Ar-bro? Did we do something wrong?"

"Yes. Your existence."

"Owie." Gilbert dramatically placed a hand on his seat and leaned back. "I have fallen! Because Arlen hates me."

"I don't hate you. I just find your existence annoying."

"That breaks my poor little heart Ar-bro. My poor little fragile heart." Gilbert pretended to faint.

"Gilbert..." Arlen ran his fingers through his hair. He turned back to his housemate. "Can you promise me something?"

"Anything." Gilbert sat up.

"Please don't be screaming this entire film. Please don't make any strange comments. And please stop kicking my seat. I am trying to enjoy my movie date."

"But Gilbert screaming is the best part..." Alyssa who overheard, mumbled.

Gilbert stopped kicking the seat. "I promise I won't annoy you and your girlfriend, Ar-bro."

"Good." Arlen smiled and leaned back in his seat.

An announcement played on the screen. On the widescreen, a smiling guy with glasses emerged from the bottom of the screen. "Hey, you!" The guy pointed in Skyler's direction. "And you!" He pointed to the other side. "And you!" He pointed to the middle which startled Giselle. "This is a reminder that in order to enjoy the full movie experience there will be no talking, no texting and no calling in the cinema. Please make sure that all phones and devices are on silent and turned off to avoid distractions."

"Well, that's that." Sabrina made her phone go on silent and switched it off. Everyone else has done the same thing.

"Please make sure all phones are on silent and switched off and avoid talking, calling and texting. We hope you enjoy the movie!"

"We get it!" Alyssa spoke out.

Immediately after the public service announcement, an epic instrumental started and the movie began.

-= ⭐️⭐️⭐️ =- (Bob, Zoe and Jay watch a show)

While most of our loving characters are at the cinema, Colin, Pete, Vincent and Tahlia are shopping around.

Well actually, Vincent, Colin and Pete were shopping together. Tahlia decided to shop alone.

Colin skipped ahead, hand in hand with Pete. "This has been such an amazing day!"

"I agree with you!" Pete skipped along.

"Yesterday was also a fantastic day too!" I hope tomorrow is one too!"

"Tomorrow would definitively be a fantastic day!"

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Guys." the two turned to Vincent who was struggling to carry two full bags of groceries. "A little help here?"

Pete turned and crossed his arms. "You know you could use a shopping trolley."

"Yeah, Vinny." Colin nodded.

"Tahlia has the trolley." Vincent stopped in his tracks. "But she left us."

"How sad." Pete taunted.

"Hey, how about you two carry these bags?" Vincent sighed.

"Use a trolley, bro."

"I don't have one?"

"There's trolleys down there." Colin pointed to a supermarket nearby. There at the supermarket's entrance is a trolley section with three rows of shopping trolleys.

Vincent noticed the trolleys and frowned. "I don't have a coin."

"How sad." Colin patted around his pockets. "I don't have a coin either."

Pete searched his pockets and pulled out something. A coin. "Got one. I'll go fetch the trolley."

"Thank you. At least one of you is nice enough to help!" Vincent nodded and watched as Pete left to get a trolley.

"You know Vincent, you complain way too much." Colin stepped over. "Is this what Cameron and Tyler have to deal with?"

"I'm not complaining. I am simply being authoritative." Vincent defended himself. "There's a difference."

"Yeah, a big difference. Also speaking of Cameron and Tyler, why aren't you with them?"

"I don't like horror films."

"Why? Are you scared~?"

"Yes."

"Loser."

"Says you. You're not at the movie either."

"Because Pete is scared."

"So you're calling Pete a loser?"

"No." Colin smiled. "I like Pete. He's my other half."

"Fitting."

Pete returned pushing an empty shopping trolley. "Here's your trolley."

Vincent picked up the bags and carefully placed them in the trolley. "Thank you, Pete."

"You're welcome."

"Yo, yo, yo Pete." Colin interrupted. "Do you think Vincent is a loser for not joining Cam and Tyler?"

"Oh yeah definitely."

"You two are annoying." Vincent gripped onto the trolley's handles and pushed forward. The other two followed him.

"You love us, Vincent."

"You called me a loser."

"But I gave you a trolley."

"And? That doesn't excuse the fact that you two are annoying."

"Aww..." Colin slumped his shoulders. Pete patted him on the back.

"Despite being annoying, you two are very cute together." Vincent smiled. He looked around the area for another store to turn to. He ended up finding... wait, Tahlia?

He spotted Tahlia pushing her trolley ahead, weaving past the waves of shoppers. He noticed she stopped in front of a jewellery store. Looking both ways, she turned towards the store and made her way in.

Huh. Tahlia in a jewellery store. Who knew?

"Can one of you push this trolley? I have to go somewhere." Vincent stopped in his tracks. "Please? I'll meet up with you two later."

Pete and Colin exchanged looks. "Where are you going?" Colin asked.

"A store," Vincent replied in a monotone voice.

"Yeah, but what store?" Pete received the trolley from Vincent.

"I'm just going to look at watches."

Colin gasped. "He's going to buy a watch for Cam!"

"Wait-"

"You are, you totally are!"

"What if he is lying and is actually buying a ring?" Pete wondered.

"I'm not buying a ri-"

"Whoa there buddy." Colin held his hands out as he was about to stop Vincent. "That's rushing things."

"But I'm not buying a rin-"

"Vincent my good pal," Pete patted Vincent's shoulder. "If you want to buy a ring then who is stopping you."

"But I'm not buying a ri-"

"I would judge since you're rushing things but you do you."

"I'm not buying a ring!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes?! I am just looking at watches. You know what who cares? I'll see you later." Vincent turned on his heel. He stopped. "I'll text you guys where to meet. You two don't do anything stupid. Promise?"

"I promise Mommy Vincent~" Pete replied in a sing-song voice. Colin snickered.

Vincent rolled his eyes. He should have seen this coming. "Be mature." Then he headed inside the jewellery store.

- = ⭐️⭐️⭐️ = - (Bob, Zoe and Jay are joking around together)

Her eyes lingered over the ring display. Rows and rows of diamond rings secured in display shone back at her. Tahlia couldn't help but notice that each of the rings came in unique designs.

She set her eyes on one of the rings. A practical one that isn't too overwhelming. A silver ring with a single rectangular cut diamond secured on top. She smiled. That's a pretty one.

"Hi." Tahlia looked up and noticed one of the store's dealers. He appeared curious about her actions. "Do you require any help? I noticed that you have been looking through these rings."

"Oh." Tahlia shook her head. "Sorry, no thank you. I am just looking."

"Just looking? That's all good. Buying a ring can be daunting. Especially for young first-time buyers. I'll be here if you need any help."

"Right..." Tahlia nodded. She sighed when the dealer left to work with someone and turned around. Her eyes widened when she spotted a familiar face. "Vincent! What... what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, ma'am." Vincent placed his hands on his hips. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to admire the jewellery. Maybe get earrings for Vivian."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "That ring display sure does not look like earrings to me!"

"They look pretty. I wanted to check them out." Tahlia leaned forward on her shopping trolley. "What about you?"

"I told Colin and Pete that I am going to look at watches."

"..."

"..."

"You just came to check up on me, didn't you?"

"Bingo. And maybe get a watch for Cameron since the other two are convinced I am going to buy a ring."

Tahlia laughed. "Are you going to buy a ring though?"

"This early on? No!"

"Good. Cause I would be judging you. We Earth signs know better than that."

"You judged me before though."

"Yeah, I did, like the time you kept pushing on a door that said pull."

"You did that too!"

"Yep. Must be a universal experience."

"Must be." Vincent nodded. He followed Tahlia as she pushed her trolley around to check the other side of the displays, the ones with earrings and necklaces.

Tahlia paused in front of one of the displays which advertised birthstone earrings and necklaces. "What's Vivian's birthstone?"

"She's born in September isn't she?"

"Yes. September twentieth."

"Whoa, she's almost a cusp." Vincent got out his phone and did a quick search. "September birthstone... September birthstone... oh it's sapphire."

"Sapphires are pretty. They are the dark blue ones, right?"

"Yes."

"Cool, cool. I see them." Tahlia looked down at a sapphire set of earrings. "Vivian would love these." Tahlia waved a dealer over, a different one from before. "Hi, how much are those sapphire earrings?"

"You mean from the birthstone collection?" the dealer asked, as she examined the earrings. "Around eighty dollars."

"EIGHTY?!" Vincent gasped. "Tahlia, are you sure about this?"

"Vincent, you do realise that jewellery is expensive, right?" Tahlia turned to her friend.

"But wouldn't Vivian get upset?"

"...Why would she get upset? I think it's a lovely present."

"..."

"...So, just the sapphire earring set?" the dealer confirmed.

"Yes." Tahlia nodded.

"Um, excuse me?" Vincent asked. "Where are the men's watch displays?"

"Window display."

"Oh okay, thank you."

Vincent made his way outside to the window display of men's watches. His eyes widened when he read the prices screaming on the cards.

"One hundred and twelve? Two hundred and eighty-nine?!"

Okay... maybe he won't be buying a watch here. Vincent made his way inside and noticed Tahlia had already purchased the earrings.

She pushed the trolley forward and placed the small bag on the baby seat. "Got the earrings. You think Vivian would love them?"

"Ignoring the price, I think she would love them." Vincent nodded after he and Tahlia left the store.

"What about you? Are you getting the watch?"

"No. The prices are way up there. Like I have seen a couple of one hundred and two hundreds."

"Oh no." Tahlia laughed. "Maybe try other areas?"

"Yeah maybe." Vincent reflected. "I could check out the watches in the department store but I don't think Cameron would like that." He noticed Tahlia staring. "What? I am being cautious over money here."

"Sure."

"Plus I got Cameron a dog. That should make up for this!"

"Sure."

"Are you just going to say-"

"Sure."

Vincent sighed. "Okay. Where do you want to go next?"

"I'm fine with whatever." Tahlia shrugged.

"Well I did promise Colin and Pete to wait for us-"

"Then how about we find Colin and Pete then?"

"But I want to visit other areas here too."

"You can do that afterwards with them." Tahlia smiled. "Where are Colin and Pete at?"

"Uh hold on..." Vincent whipped out his phone and tapped on it. "Pete's not answeri- oh there we go. Food court."

"They're at the food court?"

"They're at the food court."

"That's near the escalators leading up to the cinema, right? We're going there?"

"Yep. To meet up with Colin and Pete."

"And the others would be upstairs watching the movie."

"Yep."

"Alright cool. Speaking of which..." Tahlia pondered. "I wonder what the others are doing at the cinema?"

- = ⭐️⭐️⭐️ = - (the three reminiscence on their past!)

Back at the movie theatre, the others went through a rollercoaster of emotions. Most of the zodiacs flinched hearing screams and seeing horror on the big screens.

Leo, Cameron, Lizzy, Tyler and Carol recoiled in their seats every time a scream or a horror scene occurred. Vivian, Alex, Levin and Aika however blanched at the sight of the film but never reacted much.

Arlen flinched a few times and got noticed by Giselle every time.

"Scared?" Giselle whispered to him after he flinched.

"Yeah, I'm not used to horror."

"Chicken." Giselle smiled lovingly. She squeezed his hand and shook it. "It's not a bad thing. It's cute."

Gilbert on the other hand sobbed into Sabrina's shoulder and huddled close to her.

"There, there." Sabrina awkwardly patted his back. "It's okay... it's okay. Shhhhh..."

The only ones who enjoyed the film were Alyssa, Phoebe, Sienna, Giselle and Skyler. Alyssa, Sienna and Skyler kept laughing at the film while Giselle and Phoebe silently watched. Everyone else had no reaction.

Nobody liked the movie's ending. By the time the credits came on and the lights turned on, Sam was the first to comment. "What the heck was that ending? There's no way they ended on that note!"

"Is it... is it over?" Vivian tried to keep her breath steady. "P-Please tell me the film was over?"

"Yes Vivian, it's over." Cleo immediately got out her phone.

The group got up from their spots and picked up their stuff. No one said a word when they put their rubbish in the overfilled bin and left. Most of the group agreed not to watch another horror film again.

And Arlen and Giselle? The movie may have ended on a bad note but they both had a one hundred per cent successful cinema date.