Cruising through the roads, they passed store after store decorated with many lights and Christmas ornaments. The festive atmosphere blanketed everything. Not only shops but colorful lights also illuminated even the pedestrians and trees. Some creative people made many shapes out of lights, such as deer, tiny houses, Santa Claus, and many more.
As jolly as the situation outside, not so much inside the car. To say the stale situation was awkward was an understatement. Wilson needed to think of something to salvage the outing. But what? He was a planner; he couldn't spontaneously drop an idea out of nowhere.
"Maybe we can leave the car at a car wash while we roam the street nearby. James is a meticulous person, you said. He should have a monthly subscription for the service." Renata rummaged through the storage compartment in front of her and found a car wash membership card.
"But our plans will be ruined." Wilson was determined to give an earful of complaints to James later.
"Not really; this card shows where he usually goes to the car wash. It's near the place we are going to visit. Oh, I bet he washed his car while Meghan was in the shopping district. He hasn't visited the car wash this month. Our plan works just fine and considering this as our thanks to James for lending us his car. What do you think?" Not a bad idea and doable; he promptly agreed with Renata's suggestion.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the car wash. The blue-yellow building was hard to miss among the more normal shops next to it. A guy waved to them to follow his direction into the inner side of the area. Soon, an elderly man scurried to meet them but was bewildered when he saw Wilson and Renata. "Um, hello. Welcome to [Squeaky Clean]. What can we do for you today?" The man politely greeted them.
Renata got out of the car and immediately spoke to the man. "Good morning, sir. We are James's friends; he lends us his car. You must have known James very well since you have recognized his car from a distance." She told the man, Jeff, about their purpose.
And soon, he asked Wilson to drive the car inside while Jeff and Renata continued talking. Wilson wished he could fluently speak to strangers with ease, just like her. Small talks were one of his pet peeves. He gave the car keys to one of the washer guys and headed back to Renata.
When Wilson got inside the reception area, she was still talking with Jeff about which car would be best to drive around the town and not a hassle to take care of. They even exchanged their BBM IDs as they finished. Jeff would inform her when the car was ready.
As they had walked quite far, Wilson asked her, "What was that? Do you plan to bring a car to school, Renata?"
She pouted a little before answering him. "I would love to, but I don't think my dad would agree. He is paranoid about my safety."
"I don't know your father, but I must say I'm on his side in this matter. It's better for you not to."
She glared at him as she whipped her head at him. "Goshhhh, you sexist. It's the 21st century, not the 19th. Women had been driving for ages."
He only cared about her; Wilson wanted to say that. He had no concern for other girls or women. “It has nothing to do with gender. The road is not always safe, even when we are careful. Besides, how do you plan to roam the town while learning to drive? You could endanger yourself and others.”
She flinched at his words. "Goshh, you sound just like my dad." She shook her head. "At least I want to learn how to drive first. But my age isn't legal yet. How can you drive like that when you are not yet legal, Wil?"
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He recounted how he learned for the first time when he was 14, and as they talked, they had arrived at the first store. A men's specialty store that sold more than just clothing but also accessories from head to toe. He saw how Renata's eyes gleamed when he saw those little things. Even her dark-grey Chelsea boots were clacking cheerfully against the floor. And he just realized that he also wore Chelsea boots, although different in design and color. Perhaps this was a sign that they were destined? He could only hope so.
The outfits were quite pricey. Most shirts cost over $225, the same as their polo shirts. The price tag on the trousers was mostly over $400. Regular T-shirt prices varied from $150 to $300. He didn't dare look at other outfits, such as suits, blazers, sweatshirts, etc.
He kept browsing the shirts aisle until a nudge jarred him. "Are you going to buy some shirts here?" Renata asked him as she picked some shirts off the hangers.
"I'm not sure. I think they are expensive, but maybe they are worth the price. What do you think, Renata? Should I buy some?"
"In my honest opinion, they are not good on you now. But if you still like any of them, maybe in 30 years."
Wilson was perplexed; in his mind, these shirts were pretty decent. “Is that so? Then what clothing styles are suitable for me?”
Renata thoughtfully examined his body. “Most slim-fitting shirts look good on you. Go wild with colors if you dare, but not with that crazy, exaggerated, flashy print shirt. It’s tacky; depends on the occasion. I can show you how to choose if you want to."
That means another date, ahem, another outing with her. “I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind; besides, we are heading to a good store. I find nothing for my dad, so I’m done here.”
They went out to the next store, located a few doors from the previous store, and it was the Boss. Renata dragged him to the shirts and trousers aisles with burning enthusiasm. She quickly picked some from the racks and shoved them at him. "Try these out and let me know your opinion. I'm at that accessories display." She pointed at rows of glass box displays as she walked him to the fitting room area.
Four long-sleeve shirts and two pairs of trousers; he brought them all to the fitting room and tried them on one by one. The first shirt was black with contrast trim in white for an accent and a concealed placket. As he tried to button up, he noticed the sleeves outlining his biceps. They were not constricting because the fabric was stretchy, but they were too fitted for his arms. And the last three buttons almost popped out. Perhaps he should try a different number for this one.
When he tried the last shirts, he heard Renata calling for him. "Wait. I'm almost finished." He walked out carrying those shirts and trousers.
Renata frowned in confusion as she looked at the clothes in his hands. "What's wrong? You don't like any of them?"
"No, it's not like that. I think they are too small. I will ask for two sizes bigger." However, before he could leave, Renata picked one shirt he liked the least. The dark green shirt was semi-shiny, making it look borderline indecent when he had worn it earlier.
"Let me see you in this, and why don't you try these trousers too?" Renata took the black trousers and three other shirts, leaving him with gray trousers.
He hesitated for a moment, but eventually, he relented. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and felt embarrassed wearing them. He almost backed out, but Renata's urging kept him from doing so. Whatever happened, even if she laughed at him, he would take it. With that thought in mind, he opened the door and walked out.