Samantha Jenkins
Mom pulled up to the front door of the mall and stopped the car. She rummaged around in her purse for a few seconds before turning back to face Abby and I. She handed me some cash. “You girls go have fun, and get some clothes. Abby, if you would be like the big sister that Emma doesn’t have and help steer her? I know that I’m her mother, but children are stubborn and don’t listen to their parents.”
Abby giggled. “Sure thing, Mrs. Fisher.” Abby glanced at me, and then back at mom. “Since you are giving her money, is there anything that you want us to pick up for her?”
“No, it’s more of a just in case,” Mom said. “Emma, anything that you don’t spend, I would like back, but if you girls get hungry, get something to eat.” Behind us, a horn honked. “You girls get going, and I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Abby and I got out of the car and watched as mom drove away.
“Lets go shopping, sister.” Abby said, walking toward the door. With her being a little bit taller than me, I had to take large steps to catch up with her. “You’re not gonna dawdle like Nicole does when we go shopping, are you?”
“Nope,” I replied, catching up to her has she waited by the door. The warm air blowing around my legs felt nice and was still a relatively new sensation to me. “I want to find something to wear to school on the first day.” Abby stopped just inside the front door of the mall and because I was looking in a display window, I ran into the back of her.
“You’re starting school as Emma?” She asked, guiding me toward a bench.
“I don’t know,” I said, sitting. “I still need to talk to Dr. Williams about it.”
Abby glanced around the busy mall, knowing that there was a time and place for everything and this was neither for this discussion. “We should discuss this, but this is not the place for it.” Abby took my right hand in both of hers. “After I talked to Dr. Brown about possibly going to school as Abby, there was a lot of work that I had to do, and even more that daddy had to do before I could attend school as myself.” Abby paused and looked around the mall again. “What did you have in mind for your debut outfit?”
“Hmm…” I sat there in thought for a few seconds watching people walk by, “Definitely a skirt, or dress but I’m thinking a skirt and a blouse. I just don’t know what’s out there.”
“Well, lets go shopping rather than sitting here talking. Knowing you and I, we will end up getting something to eat later.” Abby said, standing, I watched as Abby turned a few heads of a group of guys that had walked by before they saw me and assumed I was her little sister. “We can a little bit then.”
“Ok,” I said, standing. My dress tickled my thighs as it fell back to my knees. I had goosebumps on my legs from the air conditioning, just as Abby had predicted, but my upper body was warm enough thanks to the cardigan that I had snatched from Rachel’s closet. “Good thinking on the sweater, Abby.”
Abby smiled. “I’ve been cold and then not been able to enjoy shopping. I guess I’m sort of your big sister, it’s my job to look out for you.” She stopped to look at map of the mall, trying to figure out our first move. Finally she looked down at me and smiled. “Follow me.” She turned and headed deeper into the mall. I stayed with her, not wanting to get lost. Finally we stopped outside of a popular shop for tween girls. In the window was a mannequin that had on a short royal blue plaid skirt and a royal blue tee shirt with the logo for the store on it. The skirt, I liked. The top, not so much…
“Hmm,” I said out loud, causing Abby to look at me. “I like the way the skirt looks, but not so much the way the top looks…” I said out loud for Abby’s benefit.
“You prefer plain tops?” Abby asked, walking through the door into the store.
I followed Abby in and gazed around the store. In one of the back corners hung a display of button down shirts. Not quite what I had in mind, but they would work. Abby followed me this time, toward the back of the store, where she finally saw the blouses. “I think a white button up top would look cute with that skirt.” I said, gazing at the choices in front of me.
“What about a plain blue tee shirt?” Abby asked, turning toward a display full of colorful tee shirts. She found a royal blue shirt, the same shade as the plaid in the skirt. Abby grabbed a skirt and held the two together on her so that I could see what the whole outfit looked like.
“Ok, we have a winner.” I said, while starting to giggle. Abby smiled and dropped the skirt and shirt over her arm. We looked around the store before finally checking out and walking toward the food court. Out of nowhere, Shane Barker and three of his friends blocked our path.
“Well if it isn’t Abby Jenkins and that little pansy Justin Fisher,” Shane sneered. Abby must have sensed something that I didn't’ because she pushed me toward a set of doors that led into the service corridor. She stopped momentarily to tear a map that listed the fire exits and various other safety features for the service corridor that we found ourselves in. Abby took my hand and then started running. As we turned the corner that would take us the same direction that we were already going, I heard the doors to the service corridor open and slam into the wall.
Comments
Bad Choice
Why is it people always think of going AWAY from the crowds is a good idea when someone threatens you?
Two girls in the middle of the mall screaming for help at the top of their lungs would get a TON of people headed their way
looking at the guys =]
Instead they ran into a corridor that no one most likely will be in, and they probably can't run faster than the boys to get
away from. Unless that goes directly to the security office... ugh... it's a assailant's place of choice to pick on someone.
No people, no cameras, No help =p
My mom told me when I was young if anyone ever threatened me or scared me, go find people and scream as loud as I could
while running there. No one wants to have the public spotlight shone on them if they're up to no good =]
Only ever had to do that once, but damn if it didn't work. Mall security caught the guy, then they went and looked at all the
video footage to see what he was up too. Turns out I wasn't the only kid he was harassing so they had his ass arrested =]
Sara
Outsmarting the bully
Abby's a pretty smart cookie. She has a plan forming in that brain of hers, and she's going to outsmart Shane and his cronies. She is also going to protect Emma like a big sister should because she pretty much told Emma's mom that she would.
Having worked in a mall, if the security folks are paying attention to their monitors in their offices, they will see the four teenagers in the corridor. (Of course Abby might be out of the corridor by then, but hey, whose's counting.)
Chapter 17 should be up either tomorrow or Saturday.
Samantha
Emma's Story: Chapter 16
Could be Security.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Thank you Samantha.
ALISON
I agree with Sara,two girls screaming their heads off in a mall crowd will always get
attention,from men,women,little old ladies with house bricks in their purses let alone
store attendants calling security and security watch dogs on the cameras.The best defense that girls have got is a high pitched scream,but I am sure Sam has something worked out with Abby.
ALISON
and in the main
part of the mall on their way to a food court. There'd be kiosks and stuff. Someone would see them and all stores and kiosks have phones to call security i do think, but I agree, there must be a plan so I'll wait.
Plan
She stopped momentarily to tear a map that listed the fire exits and various other safety features for the service corridor that we found ourselves in. Abby took my hand and then started running. As we turned the corner that would take us the same direction that we were already going, I heard the doors to the service corridor open and slam into the wall.
My guess is that the plan involves the fire alarm system. Believe it or not, but entirely too many people will ignore screams of help or rape or thief but react instantly to the yell of fire or hear the fire alarm. I was a teenager back in the '70's and even back then I was taught to yell out fire and not help when in an urban environment. Entirely too many people these days, especially in cities do not want to get involved. When fire is involved though, people's visceral fear of being in a fire comes to the fore and they react.
Summer school or red arse
First mall shopping experience with a good friend and the little prick has to show up. He was rather contrite when his dad had him by the ear at the restaurant, and was told where he would be starting school in the fall.
Guess what he was told didn't sink in, or that he heard Daniel tell Emma and Sharon to contact him if said prick gave them any more trouble.
Were I his dad, Shane the prick would be starting school real early. And would show up wearing a dress, and makeup.
Abby and Emma were on their way to the food court. The path at most malls is uncluttered, so many can have easy access to the court. Why then, did Abby go down a service hall? Seems like she's putting them both in more danger. Maybe there's a method to her madness, besides a foot to a certain groin.
Others have feelings too.