17. Building Blocks

                                    

                                          
Alex: 
Saturday finally rolled around, and it was time to head to the hardware store. I had a little bit of money saved up, but it wasn't much, especially since I hadn't worked a shift in a while.
That reminded me I hadn't heard from Ethan either, which was unusual. Pushing that thought aside, I pulled up our group chat for art class to see when everyone wanted to go.
ART Class GC
Alex:
Hey guys, what time do you wanna go shopping? I'm free whenever.
As I waited for a reply, I figured I might as well get ready. A shower sounded refreshing, and it was definitely time to wash my hair. I grabbed my portable JBL speaker, set my playlist to something mellow, and headed to the bathroom. Since my sister wasn't home, I could blast my music as loud as I wanted, which was a rare treat.
It felt great to unwind under the warm water, letting the music fill the bathroom. I hadn't had a moment like this in a while, with the house to myself. I picked Anything by Adrianne Lenker and cranked up the volume, letting the soft melody wash over me as I stood there, feeling the stress melt away.
About ten minutes later, I heard my phone buzzing repeatedly on the counter. Reluctantly, I turned off the water and wrapped a towel around my waist, leaving my hair dripping wet. I grabbed my phone to check the messages.
ART Class GC
Zack:
I can head over now.
Evie:
I'll leave too then.
Zack:
I'm here, open the door lmao.
Evie:
About a minute away don't leave without meeee. 
I felt my stomach drop. Zack was already here! I quickly rushed out of the bathroom, barely gripping my towel as I practically flew down the stairs. I swung open the door, slightly out of breath, still dripping from the shower.
"Sorry, dude, I was in the shower," I said, laughing a little, trying to play it cool even though my towel was barely hanging on.
Zack didn't respond right away. Instead, he stood there, openly staring, and I quickly realized why. I glanced down and noticed how precariously the towel was draped. My face turned red as I clutched the fabric tighter. 
"Uh... yeah, just come in. I'll get dressed real quick."
Before Zack could step inside, Evie barged past him, clearly amused at the scene. She gave a loud, exaggerated whistle, "Phheeeew! Dayummm, Alex, getting it on without me, huh?" she teased, a playful smirk plastered on her face.
"Oh my god, you're embarrassing," I muttered, quickly darting up the stairs to my room. Behind me, I heard Evie call out, "You're the mostly naked one, not me!"
In my room, I quickly threw on some clothes, still blushing a little. It wasn't exactly the way I had planned on starting our shopping trip. But knowing Evie and Zack, they wouldn't let me live this down anytime soon. After getting dressed, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the awkwardness, and headed back downstairs where they were both waiting, clearly amused.
"Alright," I said, trying to reclaim some dignity. "Let's go get those blocks, shall we?" Evie grinned. "Lead the way, towel boy."
We all pile into Evie's car because, as usual, she insists on driving us. I don't complain—it's not like I have a car myself, and at least this way I get a free ride. However, she also insists on Zack and me sitting in the back together, claiming it'll "help us bond" or something. I don't know what scheme she's cooking up, but I'm pretty sure it's just an excuse to mess with us.