Clingy

Michael's POV

Here I was, headed to the mall all by myself. I didn't like this place for some reason. All those rich people that I ran into, showing off their wealth irked me. Not to mention the clingy happy couples that showed up literally everywhere I looked. However right now I had a mission in mind. I was looking for someone so I barely noticed anything else in here.

I checked out one of the all- women's clothes sections that I could find. Linda was very keen on her fashion and thus I assume she would be in one of those places. I was almost through the place when I noticed a few people giving me dirty stares. Maybe the fact that I am more interested in people there than the clothes is something that gave a wrong vibe. I put my head down immediately and tried to continue my search in a discrete manner.

"Can I help you?" one of the sales associates popped up and asked me.

"I am looking for someone" I admitted out loud. Maybe that would explain my odd behavior to those giving me dirty stares. "She is a someone dear to me"

"Oh"? She was taken aback. "Was she with you when you came off?"

"No. Actually she disappeared without a word. This was one of her favourite places to go. I thought maybe she ran off here".

"I see" She smiled in an apologetic manner. She looked at my back and suddenly gave a smile."Looks like she found you".I frowned at her. How did she know exactly who I was talking about? I turned around and followed her gaze to find no one in particular. I looked back at her while my frown deepened further.

She motioned below near my leg so I looked there as well, "Gahhh"! I ended up shouting at the rolled up petry thingy attached to my leg. "I am not looking for a pet dog! I am looking for an actual women" I ended up taking my anger out on the poor lady who took a step back thanks to my sudden outburst."I am sorry" I apologised immediately.

I tried my best to get this thing away from me but it seemed the more I pushed it away the more it stuck to me. If there were few dirty gazes on me, this time it was almost everyone. I ran out of there as fast as I could with that thing almost attached to my right leg. When I was out of sight from most of the people I shouted at that Petry thing. "Will you stop following me! I am busy".

It didn't seem to understand my words but somehow it caught the undertone and gave me quite literally the 'puppy eyes'. I almost melted at that, but it's horrific red eyes flashed in front of my eyes before I walked away. It kept following me nonetheless, but I stopped pushing it away. In fact I simply avoided looking at it because I was worried I won't be able to resist it's adorableness much longer.

In my anger I ended up knocking onto someone, "I am sorry", I mumbled.

"Watch where you are going"! The guy, who turned out to be Linda's ex Shawn shouted at me. When he realised who I was he gritted his teeth and spat, "I asked you to keep your friend away from Linda"! Before I could reply the perty thingy started to growl and bark at it in contrast to it's usual chirp. What was wrong with it?

"Why would I? I am not his father"! I argued back looking back at Shawn. What he does has nothing to do with me, why would I deliberately interfere in his personal matters.

 "Then you are gonna regret this"! He spat at me and left. The entire time that petry thingy kept barking at him. He even pulled my pants which were too new for a tear.

"That's it! I am calling Cassadrei." I huffed and dialed her. After four rings when she picked up before she could even say hello I shouted, "Get your petry off me, it keeps following me everywhere I go"!

"Not now Mike, I am with Linda. And that petrywinkler has a name! Cookie kept growling at Shawn when I ran into him so I sent him away. Just look out for Cookie until I come back." She snarled and before I could protest or anything she hung up.

"This woman"! I shouted at the phone for no apparent reason. I was annoyed as it is and now this…. Wait! Did she say she was with Linda, that means I don't need to look for her. I sighed as relief washed over me and looked at the Petry thingy… Cookie who kept pulling the hem of my pants. 

Maybe Cookie was not so bad, she did help Linda and possess powers that could be considered helpful. But still, I was not ready to trust it. Speaking of its powers, did Cassie say Cookie shouted at Shawn? Why would he be agitated just by him? "Was he someone dangerous?" I ask out loud. Cookie didn't understand me, but somehow I find myself wondering about Shawn. I looked up all the social media accounts I have, just for the sake of having them and searched for Shawn. Somehow his name didn't pop up anywhere. It was hard to believe a social guy like him wasn't on social media. Not that it was suspicious, but somehow it still irked me.

Was he someone dangerous? I wonder.