I leaned closer, my voice low and teasing. “Professor Gilbert.” Memories of high school flooded in. Carina’s hand flew to her mouth, laughter spilling out. “He left me a tip, you know?”
“Oh, please, let’s not bring him up. I’m still mad at him.”
I smirked, raising a brow. “You’re mad because you drew a cock on your answer sheet. Who should be mad here?” The old memories brought a mischievous smile to my lips. “Honestly, he could have done worse.”
Back in high school, Gilbert was our least favorite teacher. He was a strict biology professor who never hesitated to remind us of our shortcomings. We spent countless hours dreading his classes, yet our rebellion found its moments. Carina had drawn a particularly unflattering cock on her test paper, and I threw coffee into his car when he left the window open. The old revenge still made us giggle.
Carina raised her brows. “He went easy on us because he liked you.”
I signaled a waiter, chuckling. “He knew my father. That’s why.”
The waiter took our orders and departed, leaving us to our memories.
Carina’s eyes fell on my lap, and she smirked. “What’s in the bag?”
Lifting the bag with pride, I laughed. “New underwear. I bought some with the tip he left today.”
Her eyes sparkled with intrigue. “That big of a tip, huh?”
“Yep, but please don’t call me paranoid.” I needed to be ready for Marco’s birthday, which was coming.
She rolled her eyes, a skill of hers, and grabbed the bag. Rummaging through it with a dramatic sigh, she pulled out the first thing she found. “Panties? Really? You bought granny panties?”
Defensively, I shrugged. “Come on. They’re pretty enough.”
Carina looked unimpressed, tucking the underwear back with a huff. “Hell no. We’re going back for a real shopping trip. Babe, you’re preparing for a birthday, not bingo night.”
Her insistence was ridiculous, yet I couldn’t help but laugh. Carina’s imagination, sparked by her romantic novels, colored every decision. Fine, maybe she was right, because it would be my first night with Marco since we started dating. My cheeks flushed at the thought. Was I overthinking it? Or Was she?
After lunch, we went to a lingerie shop, ushered in by a smiling attendant. Carina’s eyes glinted with the thrill of the hunt as she approached her.
“Which section has the best goodies?” She asked, her words loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
The attendant pointed at a spot in the back, leaving us to browse without her help. Carina dragged me toward thebrighter-colored section, the racks brimming with laces and silks.
“We need something alluring,” she declared.
I trailed a hand along the racks, feeling out of place in the midst of Carina’s endless enthusiasm. “I don’t know,” I muttered. She spun on her heel, her curls bouncing, while her brow quirked. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“About what? Losing your virginity?”
My cheeks warmed as I brushed past her. “No, just about… all of this. It’s too much. I mean, look around. How do I even choose?”
Her laughter rang out as she picked a hot pink set, holding it up with a gleam in her eyes. “See? It’s appealing.”
My face scrunched up. “Appealing to what exactly?”
“Appealing to Marco, silly.” Her voice dropped. “A little sexy, it’s all about entangling his desires.”
A flutter of nerves sparked low in my stomach. “I love this,” I said about a black set. “It’s—”
Carina interrupted with a scream. “Mother of Jesus, girl, are you attending a burial on Marco’s bed?”
“It can’t be that bad.”
“Yes, it is.” She nodded toward another set. “I would rather choose red.”
“Red is danger,” I emphasised, grabbing a blue coloured pair instead.