Page 83 of Don't Leave Me

I was in a shopping mood: another telltale sign.

“I don’t know, there’s a bunch of boutiques a few blocks south,” I called out to her, checking my phone.

There was a text from Michael: “I called the movers, they can get your stuff tomorrow morning. Are you at Emily’s?” I texted back promptly: “Ok, thank you. Yeah I’m here, we’re going shopping.” I waited impatiently for a response. “Ok. I’ll meet you in the area for dinner later. I love you.” I smiled and giggled to myself, typing back: “I love you too!!!!”

Emily and I were shopping in American Apparel 15 minutes later…and then H&M, Prada, Saint Laurent, Steve Madden, Urban Outfitters; three hours had passed and I had spent $6,000.

“You know that you’re manic right now, right?” Emily stated as I modeled all of my new things for her in her apartment – shoes, purses, coats, sunglasses, and lots of clothes.

“Hypomanic, Emily,” I corrected her, wrapping a new scarf around my neck.

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

I sighed. “Michael sees it too. It’s impossible not show him this side and I feel really fucking stupid when I start blabbering on and on or laughing like a maniac at something not even funny. I mean, I feel good and everything, I just wish I could control it better,” I rambled on.

Emily nodded; she knew exactly what I meant and for that I was grateful. And as if on cue, my phone began to ring: it was Michael.

“Hi!” I answered excitedly.

“Hi,” he responded, a smile in his voice. “Where are you?”

“I’m back at Emily’s, where are you?” I asked eagerly – I already missed him.

“Just getting off the subway. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Okay!” I exclaimed;damn, Hana…cool it.

I could hear Michael chuckling. “Okay, see you soon,” he said and hung up.

I turned to Emily who was sitting on the couch with her Macbook on her lap.

“Can I leave some of my stuff here? Just for today?” I asked innocently.

I didn’t want to show Michael how much I really spent. I warned him beforehand how I could get a little crazy on the spending while hypomanic, but I was still a little ashamed.

Emily nodded – once again, she understood. “Yeah, that’s fine,” she answered nonchalantly.

“Okay, Michael will be here soon, I’m just gonna put some of this in your room,” I started, picking up bags from the floor and quickly going into Emily’s room.

Michael was knocking on the door a couple minutes later as I shrugged on my coat and fixed up my lipstick in the bathroom mirror. Emily happily answered and let him in; I could hear her questioning him already.

“What are you guys doing tonight?”

“Oh, just gonna grab some dinner and head home,” he answered back.

I walked out and flipped my hair as I saw Michael standing with his hands in his coat pockets, his hair wet and curly again from the rain, and fuck did he look beautiful wet. His eyes slightly widened as he noticed me; I didn’t look much different than I did earlier other than adding the red lipstick and fluffing up my hair a little bit, but I felt like a million bucks – my confidence was through the roof.

“Hi beautiful,” he smiled, unable to take his eyes off of me.

“Hi,” I batted my lashes at him. “Don’t you own an umbrella?” I asked sassily, putting my hand to hit wet hair.

He raised his eyebrows with amusement. “I don’t, actually,” he laughed.

I shook my head and put my arms around his shoulders, basically wanting to jump on in him right then and there. He put his hand to my waist and looked over my shoulder at Emily.

“See you later, Emily,” he said quickly, then took my hands and started to guide me out of the apartment.

“Bye, Em!” I giggled, waving to her.

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