Blayze

I felt uncomfortable in a way I'd never felt before. I took another glance at the brown leather bag that danced an inch close to my head, its owner quite reluctant about her possession. I looked around once more at an unfamiliar territory and a glance at the woman that sat beside me who presently stared outside the window of the bus.

Thinking back to the moment she optioned we commute by public transport, I hated myself for not countering that suggestion. Somehow, I'd imagined she meant a taxi or uber, not buses or trains. A brief smile decorated her face as she glanced my side once. I simply looked away, arms folded across my chest. This day will end soon.

"Move over." She ordered after a tap on my arm to get my attention.

"What?" I fell confused at what she meant but she'd already gotten up from her seat.

"Move." She ordered once more in a gesture towards her seat. This felt odd and rather out of place seeing as how the space between our seats and the ones in front was very little for passage. Regardless, I found myself shifting over to her seat and in a blink of an eye, she was on top of me, finding her way to where was once my seat.

Her act took me unaware that emotionally, I froze for a while and when everything was settled, I stole a glance at her and she did the same at almost the same time. Awkwardness hung in the air as we looked away from each other right about the same time. Suddenly, I felt a little hot and my thoughts went bizarre. I stared out the window to distract myself.

"Look at this. It looks pretty on me, right?" Her question forces my attention back on her away from the people around us.

I noticed an antique looking hairpin on her hair and a beaming smile on her face in anticipation of my reply.

"No." I replied looking away at the same time.

"I'll take that as a yes." My eyes were back on her at her reply. She was really adamant about letting anything or anyone ruining her mood.

I hated it here. Apparently, Caden believed dragging me along to a flea market was one of her greatest idea but I wasn't in the least bit fancying it here. I hated crowded and noisy places.

"It's your first time being in a market, right?" she queried as she looked through other items on display. I watched her but wasn't about to give her a reply.

She looked up to me. "I'll take your silence as a yes."

I rolled my eyes away from her.

"You know what Blayze, I bet you've never been anywhere except home and work. You haven't lived."

My eyes were back on her, meeting a pair of hers.

"I see you're done. Can we leave now?" I had to speak up, I was starting to feel uncomfortable and irritated.

A smile played on her face. "Give me your hand." She ordered with her hand stretched out for mine. I couldn't help the brief furrow that appeared between my brows.

"Why?"

"Give me your hand and you'll find out." She urged still wearing her smile and a hint of mischievousness wore in her eyes. I didn't want to give in but I did anyways.

Taking hold of my hand, she brought forth her other hand and only when she began fixing up what seemed to be a bracelet around my wrist did I realise what this was about. I looked up to meet her face.

"Now, you have something to remind you of the day you stepped out of your daily routine." Having said that, she looked up to meet my eyes.

For a short while, I saw her in a different light. A bit touched by her gesture but at the same time perplexed. I looked away.

"I don't think so." I contemplated as I withdrew my hand away from hers and made an attempt at taking it off but she was quick to take back my hand.

"Fine. Fine. You can take it off or do whatever with it once today is over but for now, just keep it on." She urged, her smile gone for the moment.

Without saying a word, I withdrew my hand away from her hold and let it fall to my side. It would seem she was impressed as her smile was quick to return. I watched as she paid the seller and we were on our way.

Suddenly, she made a stop in front of snack stall and watched intensely as the man made the snacks with special care and technique out front for customers to witness.

Though not too impressed, I found myself watching as he performed his magic. In the end, Caden clapped joyously which forced my consciousness back to reality.

"Would you like some?" She offered as she made her order. I lightly shook my head at her request.

"Are you sure? Earlier, you seemed into it." She attempted one of her annoying mind games. I looked her straight in the eyes.

"I don't eat street food." I spelt it out for her.

"Really? I thought you don't eat at all." Her reply was aggravating, more so, the smile that wore on her face afterwards.

I looked away as she turned back to the seller.

I felt somewhat like a bodyguard as I stood around while she hopped from one stall to the other, checking out and buying anything to her taste.

She brought a blue shirt up to my chest.

"Looks good on you. Let's get one."

"I'm not interested." I countered right away.

"Let me guess, you only buy clothes from expensive shops." She added with a strange smile on her face. I understood what she meant by that statement but I was really trying my best not to get too worked up by her stunts.

In the end, Caden bought it anyways. Somewhat at the outskirt of the market, I felt a bit relieved that this was coming to an end. Suddenly, she stopped in front of a strange looking shop.

"Let's try this as well." She said in excitement as she turned to me. Without waiting for a reply on my part, she ventured into the shop.

I rubbed the back of my neck in irritation for a moment and in the end, went in after her.

Turning a deaf ear to their conversation, I analysed the strange lady in front of me. Her shop was filled with strange decorations. I couldn't make out where we had walked into. I should have taken a close look at the name of the shop.

"Your husband?" Her question brought my attention back to them. Caden and I exchanged glances.

"Yes." She replied with yet another smile of hers.

"He's handsome. You two look great together." She complimented and Caden bursted out into a strange laughter and only when we exchanged glances once more did it die down.

"So, who wants to go first?"

"Me." Caden was quick to reply. I watched as she stretched out her right hand and the woman held it open in hers. She stared into her palm intensively that it made me wonder what they were trying to do. I guess I should have paid more attention to their conversation.

"I see love... it's a bit difficult but it's there." The lady commented before looking up to us, a strange chuckle following after.

"Of course, you must really love your husband a lot." She added and I couldn't help but take a glance at Caden who apparently did the same right about the same time. It was short as she was first to return her eyes back to the woman as she let out a light chuckle.

"Sure, because we're married." Caden added with a strange smile, somewhat trying to ease the awkwardness that hung in the air.

"What else can you see?"

"There's a man and there's also a woman. It's unclear who they are in your life but they definitely represent something big."

My brows narrowed as I tilted my head a bit to the left while watching what played out in front of me. Now I understand. She was some sort of fortune teller. Nothing to she said made sense to me but it would seem Caden was buying into her lie.

Neither was I much of a man of science nor believed in the supernatural. It simply didn't make sense to get so much information on one's life and future just by staring into the palm of their hands.

"It's your turn Blayze." Caden's voice forced me back to reality. I looked at her, a bit confused by what she meant.

"What?"

"It's your turn to give her your hand. Let her read your palm." She stated with ease. It didn't sound right with me.

"No. I don't believe in whatever she's doing."

"You don't need to believe. You just need to give her your hand."

"And I said no. Let's leave if you're done."

I watched as I sigh left her lips just as she looked away from me. Both our eyes met the lady's and she forced a comforting smile on her face. Caden smiled back before returning her gaze to me. She leaned a bit closer than I would like.

"I have this day remember. You do whatever I tell you to unless you're planning on going back on your word. You don't believe in this, right? Then you wouldn't believe in whatever she says." Though whispering, her voice was authoritative and held a certain discontent.

I stared straight into her eyes but they held no fear, if anything, they seemed stronger, in control, more audacious. Have they always been this way or... did I just never took notice?