Chapter 3: Mall Trip

Although my mood soured since I talked to that guy, it completely flipped once the girls and I got to the mall and ‘coincidentally’ met up with Adam and his friends. We paraded around the floors, poking our heads into stores, eating the mall’s signature cinnamon pretzels, and laughing at the guys posing as the mannequins on display. My nerves have calmed down a lot since I came here. I finally feel back to normal.

“And then he had us run fifteen laps after that,” one of the distance runners, Lucas, laughs. “He’s been wearing belts to practice ever since.”

We decide to take a short break at the food court, sitting around a small table with chairs pulled up from different spots.

“You guys actually had the balls to pull a prank like that on your own head coach!” Claire cackles just reimagining it. “Can’t believe he’s a ‘briefs’ guy, though. That’s f*cking hilarious.”

Jessica’s nose crinkles at the thought and shakes her head. “Y’all are wild for sure.”

“I’m more impressed you came up with it.” I nudge Adam on the shoulder. “Didn’t know you were such a schemer.”

Adam laughs and leans back in his seat. “Hey, sometimes that guy has to be humbled. Had to do my due diligence.”

“Alright, prince charming,” his other 200m runner friend, Damien, puts him in a headlock. “Trying to sound all cool for Anna when you were just being petty.”

As the boys laugh, that comment makes my heart flip. A warm flush glazes my skin. I take a sip of water in an attempt to make it disappear, but I can’t help stealing glances at him whenever I can.

Soft, airy black hair, a bright smile, and the cutest little mole on his cheek checks off all the things on my list that makes him my type. He’s also very sweet and has a goofy side to him.

“Ah, great,” Annica, one of the sorority sister’s who was free to join us, sneers. “Look who decided to show up.”

Just behind Adam comes a group of other students who sit down at a table not too far from us. They’re laughing about something, but a certain girl with blue and purple highlights streaking through her hair catches my attention. It’s a short, pixie cut, but it frames her small face nicely, and the spikes protruding out of her ears give it an edge.

Is that really who I think it is?

She turns her head in response to something her friend said, and her profile comes into view. I could recognize those sharp, godly eyeliner wings from anywhere.

Oh my god. It’s Sam.

My old childhood friend. The one I neglected because I was so caught up in trying to be with the people I’m with right now. Although we go to the same university, we’ve never crossed paths. This is the first time in the three years I’ve studied here that I’ve seen her. She still looks somewhat the same, but her edge is definitely more intense.

I always thought she avoided me like the plague. I mean, I can’t blame her for that though.

Just then her dark brown eyes catch mine, and I swiftly turn to Lucas who just so happens to be the nearest target to look at.

“It’s the edgy emo crew,” Annica chortles.

“Born in the wrong generation, how horrible for them.” Jessica feigns sympathy while scrolling through her feed.

That conjures a few laughs, apart from me. I swallow my unease and keep my eyes glued to the empty pretzel bag. The cinnamon sugar spills a little onto the table.

“Haha, the fact that b*tch is the only girl in the group means she’s definitely slept with them,” Annica swipes her blond hair out of the way, now also going through her phone.

When I tilt my head in certain directions, the cinnamon sparkles.

“Do you think they do orgies together?” Claire asks, now intrigued.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Annica laughs. “Judging by her hair, she seems to love being an attention w*ore.”

Now the girls are all laughing, it’s only a matter of time before they look at me to add to the gossip.

But how many grains of cinnamon can I count? One, two, three, four…

“Hey, let’s talk about something else, huh?” Adam perks up.

I look over at him, seeing he’s equally uncomfortable. We catch a brief glance at each other and he lets out an awkward laugh. “Oh, hey! I forgot to mention this earlier, but we have a track meet coming up next week if you guys wanna watch us. It’s at home, so you don’t have to drive anywhere.”

Oh, thank god.

“S-sounds great! I’ll be there!” I smile at him, hoping he catches how thankful I am.

He smiles back with a nod, receiving the message.

“I’m leaving once Lucas’ race starts,” Jessica sighs, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It takes forever.”

“Hey!” Lucas pouts, but the others laugh and pat him on the back. “I wanna see you try to run two miles without dying.”

“I wouldn’t because I’m not stupid.” Jessica teases, earning a playful smirk from him.

Man, she’s good.

I glance over at Sam’s table one more time to make sure they didn’t hear anything. Luckily, they’re too busy with their own conversations to have noticed any of the spiteful comments made. Or maybe they’re so used to it by now that it falls on deaf ears. A part of me feels rather envious of that.

However, as Sam moves her chair to the side, one of her friends comes into view that makes my soul leave my body.

It’s that guy again! And…he’s friends with Sam?

It seems God loves to torment me.

I steal another glance to confirm it, and it really is him. A part of me shrivels up inside. He’s wearing the same beige hoodie from this morning that I so shamelessly pulled in front of everyone.

The embarrassment comes kicking in. Why did I even do that? That whole encounter was meaningless, too. Of course he wouldn’t tell me how he got hurt.

“You cool with that, Anna?”

“Hm?” My eyes focus back to Adam who looks expectant for an answer.

“About hanging out after the meet?”

“O-oh, yeah! Of course!” I feel like I’m glowing. Adam asked me to hang out!

“C’mon Anna, you’ve been leaving Earth a lot lately,” Jessica giggles, reaching her hand over the table to hold mine. “You back?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I sigh as they laugh at me.

Just then, I feel a pair of eyes looking in my direction. I turn to Adam, who’s already talking to Damien. Lucas seems to be busying himself with Jessica. Annica and Claire are back on their phones gossiping about other girls’ social media.

So if none of them are looking at me, who is?

A sudden chill leaves goosebumps across my arms. It’s someone from the other table.

I can’t even hear what anyone around me is saying anymore. My heart is loud in my ears, and I’m fighting the urge to see the culprit with my own eyes.

It can’t be Sam, right? Maybe it’s one of her friends who caught me staring at them?

No. This person knows that I know they’re staring at me. And they want me to look back.

I prop my elbow on the table and put a hand to my face, attempting to shield myself from their relentless gaze to which I completely fail. Damnit.

Giving in, my eyes trail up to see the guy from the crosswalk smirking at me. Those stupid pearly whites appear briefly as he copies my sitting position. He mouths something.

‘I win’...?

This guy! His face is so smug when he says it, and my anger from earlier boils again.

What gives? He was super pissed at me bugging him this morning, now he’s trying to get my attention to tease me?

Feeling bold, I pretend to look away while scratching my brow with a middle finger; flipping him off in the process.

He suddenly whistles which makes my heart flip.

Wait, what?

“What the hell was that for?” Lucas mumbles.

I glance back at my table to see everyone staring at the guy from across. Uh oh.

“Just ignore them,” Claire waves it off. “Let the weirdos be weirdos. Not worth our time.”

“Why don’t we head to the arcade before we go?” Adam suggests, gaining everyone’s attention. “We can have a racecar tournament.”

“Yoo, I’m in.” Damien gets pumped hearing the word ‘tournament.’ “Y’all are about to lose.”

“Says who?” Lucas chimes in, getting out of his seat. “Wanna bet?”

“Lunch is on you when I win.”

“You mean when I win.”

“Ugh, if you guys are gonna be that serious, I’m not playing.” Annica takes her purse. “I’ll just go to one of those claw machines to get a cute stuffed animal or something.”

“Ooh, me too!” Jessica glows. “I want a pink one!”

“You coming?” I look up at Adam who has his hand held out to me. Flushed, I take it and he pulls me up beside him.

However, once I do, that same harsh gaze is back on me. Glancing over, my face pales seeing how pissed he is. What did I do?

Suddenly, Adam’s body comes into view, shielding me from him.

“Don’t worry about those guys, let’s just go have fun,” he says and my heart leaps with joy, but of course the sunset had to remind me of my responsibilities. I’ve been out for too long.

“I’d love to! But to be honest, I think I should probably get home,” I sigh. “My parents are out of town, so I have to take care of our dog. I highly doubt Taylor fed him.”

Can’t expect her to do anything at the house. Poor Ben is probably starving.

“Aw man, that’s a bummer,” Adam pouts, but quickly smiles. “How about one race? You and me. Then I can take you home right after.”

My heart pounds again. “That’s-”

“Oh wow, Adam! What a coincidence!”

My face turns into one of dread knowing that perky cute voice all too well.

You have got to be kidding me.