Page 88 of I Don't Need Your Romance

He shrugs. “It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other. I don’t want to waste too much time because we’ll be late for the movie.”

“If that’s the case…” I put on an evil smile as I step up to where a pink helmet with cat ears sits. “I choose this one.”

He gapes at it like it’s diseased. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“But isn’t itsocute? Look at the ears.” I bring it close to his face and say, “Meow meow.”

For a second, I worry I’m being annoying and he’ll get upset with me, but he just laughs.

“Meow meow, can I come home with you?” I ask in a squeaky voice.

“If you really want it, I guess…”

I burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding.” I put it back and look around. “Should we just get a plain black?” I frown. “That’s so boring, isn’t it?”

“Whatever you want, Sophie.”

“But it really should be your decision,” I tell him. “After all, you’ll want your girlfriend to be happy with it.”

His brows rise. “My girlfriend?”

“You’ll eventually have one, won’t you?”

He scoffs.

“Why are you scoffing?”

“I’m never going to have a girlfriend.”

“Bull.”

“Idon’twant one,” he says. Then he mumbles under his breath. “I can’t.”

I have no idea what he means by that, but this is not the time or place to talk about it, not that he seems to want to spill his guts to me.

I walk to another aisle and search the options. Most of them are black with cool designs, and there is also a colorful one that looks pretty and kickbutt. But then I spot a pink one that kind of looks like the pink Power Ranger. I loved that show as a kid and always imagined I was her.

“Damian!” I call as I grab it and make my way over to him.

“Did you find one?” he asks.

“What do you think of this?” I hold it out to him.

“It’s pink like the other one.”

“It doesn’t have the ears, Mr. And it looks just like the pink Power Ranger, doesn’t it? The design is so cool and kickbutt.”

He just watches me.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t watch the show as a kid.”

“My dad introduced it to me because he loved it as a kid. It was all right.”

“You never pretended you were one of them?” I mimic some of their moves.

He just laughs.

“Well, I choose this one.” I hold it out like the spotlight is shining on it.