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IV
The mall was decorated with signs announcing back to school sales. It was crowded inside, people jammed into hallways making it look like rush hour on the interstate; their bags telling where they’ve been and their clamoring voices adding to the din of the traffic. Aleesha and Lacie decided to brave the crowds and go school shopping together so they could bounce ideas off of each other.
“Why don’t you try adding some skirts to your wardrobe? Then you could have more variety this year,” said Aleesha.
Lacie stuck out her tongue, as if she just ate a pot full of boiled spinach.
“Ew, a skirt? I hate wearing skirts to school. They’re so restricting—you have to sit with your legs all crossed and stuff.”
“It was just a suggestion.”
Lacie stopped at the window of a music store.
“Hey, we’re clothes shopping, remember?” said Aleesha, annoyed at how Lacie was putting her behind schedule.
“I know, but that new CD I was waiting for is out. I got to have it!”
“But Lacie, we don’t have forever. I go back to work in two hours.”
Lacie rolled her eyes. “It isn’t like it’s going to take me two hours to pick it up. I’ll be in and out.”
She went in the store, but Aleesha didn’t follow. There was no way she was going to waste time. She had so much to do. There were fashion accessories that needed to be found. Outfits that needed to be matched. And after shopping, she had to take Lacie home, since Lacie doesn’t have a car. Or a job to go to in two hours, with a boss that tries to act as if she owns your soul. Walking around the mall in a restaurant uniform isn’t fashionable, but that’s the only way she could get enough money to shop there. And Aleesha wasn’t about to loose her job due to Lacie’s lack of focus.
Lacie came out the store with a little bag, smiling. “See, that didn’t take so long. Now, where to next? Macy’s?”
Lacie carried a couple more bags than Aleesha. Where she got the money, Aleesha couldn’t figure out. Lacie used to baby sit a little for ten dollars an hour, but that was a long time ago. She did sell things on Internet auction sites once and a while and add to that a weekly allowance, but still, it didn’t make sense. It was as if Lacie had a special wallet that replaced money every time she pulled a dollar out. She could get anything she wanted without trying.
The strong smell that reached Lacie’s nose made her want to spend some more. It was the sweet sent of vanilla bean coffee.
“Aleesha, what do you think about a cup of coffee?”
“You just made a totally unplanned detour to the music store, and now you want to sit and drink coffee?”
Lacie so was not getting it. All Aleesha wanted was to shop for clothes, get everything on her list--done. She saw the chances of that happening disappear as Lacie wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her over to a nearby coffee shop. A boy worked alone, diligently taking customer’s orders and running the coffee machines. Lacie and Aleesha went to up to the counter.
“Hi, I would like the iced mocha cappuccino,” Lacie said.
“Do I—know you?” The boy leaned slightly on the metal counter, getting comfortable like he was having a conversation on the couch at home.
“I think so...We go to the same school, right?”
“Yeah, that’s it. I know I’ve seen you before. And your voice--You do the morning announcements over the PA, don’t you?”
“Yeah, that’s me.”
After saying once more that he knew he had seen her somewhere, he pulled out a cup and left to fill Lacie’s order. While he was gone, Lacie made a kissy face at Aleesha. Aleesha laughed and nudged her friend in the side with her elbow. A few seconds later he was back with Lacie’s iced cappuccino, gently handing it to her. He asked for their names, and they introduced themselves.
“I can see your name is ‘Mike,’” said Aleesha, bending so she could read his upside down nametag.
“Hey, you’re funny Aleesha. Want anything?”
She knew what she did wasn’t that funny. He was just trying to flirt. And she didn’t want anything, but his smiling face reminded her of a light brown, stray cat she had when she was little. A little rough, with a tuff of fur sticking up on it’s head, but wonderfully serene when satisfied with a bowl of milk; luminous green eyes glowing like a traffic light saying go.
Still, she didn’t want anything.
“Go ahead,” Lacie pushed. “Get something. I’ll pay for it.”
“We have some nice new flavors," said Mike, "and you look a little thirsty.”
She didn’t feel thirsty. However, she did feel afraid. Afraid that perhaps, her face told more than it should have.
“I’ll have a latte.”
He made some comment on how nice and simple her order was, and how he liked nice and simple girls.
Aleesha nibbled on the skinny straw floating in her drink on the way to the next store on the list; the heat from the cup warmed her already hot hands. With every taste that came into her mouth, Mike was written all over it; as if he signed the latte he mixed up for her with the mark of an artist. Unlike the others, this boy wasn’t about to go away.
***Will Aleesha stick with Mike? It’s all in parts five and six***
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