The Mall by Heather Crews

I was boyfriendless.

For some girls this might not be a big deal but to me it was, like, a major tragedy. Even though I was the one who dumped Jeff because he was like, totally all over me, and a girl can only handle so much, you know?

So I was at the mall one night with my best friends, Laurie and Dahlia, scoping cute guys because that's what we do when we aren't shopping. I would have been shopping instead, only my dad had taken my credit card because I'd like, gone over the limit or whatever. Something stupid. And he wouldn't even give me a ride, not that I wanted one from him anyway, because how embarrassing is it to have your dad drop you off at the mall? Laurie is the only one who can use her parents' car, so I went with her. Even if it sucks to be seen with her sometimes, but a ride is a ride, you know?

The three of us were standing near the food court because it was around dinnertime, and guys really like to eat. We were looking hot, of course. Except for Laurie, since she's a little heavy, and she never looks right in tight shirts and skinny jeans. Plus, she always overdoes her makeup, and it looks like she lets the curling iron stay in her hair just a little too long.

Anyway, we were standing there, when suddenly I saw this, like, really hot guy. He had wavy black hair, pale skin that was like, flawless, unlike most of the guys at school, and he was tall and buff. I bet he had a six-pack. But what really got me were his eyes. They were blue, which was cool, but for some reason his pupils looked red. How weird is that?

He walked over to us—well, me actually, because I looked the best out of all the girls hanging around the food court—and he looked right into my eyes, which were green that day thanks to my new contacts. And then he just stared. I bet Laurie and Dahlia were super jealous, like usual, because I was the one getting the hot guy yet again.

Just as the staring was starting to get really awkward, the guy said, "A perfect rose would pale to your beauty." Well, that was nice, but I was like, what century is this guy from? I mean, I'm not bad looking or anything. I do have nice eyes, and my long blonde hair is pretty much perfect, and I have a nice tan, and I'm pretty thin, and one time at the mall some guy wanted to know if I was a model, but I'm not gorgeous or anything. This guy seemed to think so, though.

Then the guy walked away and Laurie was like, "Okaaay." But just because she was jealous, of course. No guy ever said anything about a rose to her. I flipped my hair and continued checking out guys, but I was actually a little disappointed that guy had just walked away from me. From me! Maybe he was playing hard to get. Whatever, but all the food court guys looked so crappy in comparison. I was losing interest quickly, which usually only happens after I've made out with a guy.

Just then, I happened to glance over at the department store, and the guy was talking to some girl at the perfume counter—which reminded me, I needed more Goddess perfume—and I was like, what the hell, dude? First you're talking to me and telling me I'm beautiful then you're chatting up some skanky perfume girl? Whatever, player. But then she handed him a rose from the floral display on the counter and he started walking back to me. I swear I could feel my heart in my throat, and I am never nervous around guys. Anyway, when he got to me he held the rose in front of my face, and just as I started to reach for it, it shriveled up right before my eyes! Dried petals fell at my feet and everything. Talk about special effects! (Which is what I think was wrong with his pupils.)

"Did I not tell you?" he asked.

Well, that was it for me. The guy and I walked off arm and arm, leaving Laurie and Dahlia with their mouths hanging practically to the floor. I was a freaking goddess, just like my favorite perfume promised. But then after we'd been walking for a while, I realized the guy wasn't talking. Maybe he'd gotten a little shy. It wouldn't have been the first time a guy got tongue-tied around me. I think it's the low-cut shirts I like to wear.

"My name is Annaleigh," I said, "but you probably already know that if you go to my school. And I know everyone there, but I've never seen you before. So . . . who are you?"

The guy didn't answer for like, the longest time, but then he finally said, "I've never seen you either. I would have fallen on my knees to worship beauty such as yours."

Well, duh. But that didn't really answer my question. "What is your name?" I asked. Still he didn't answer, but suddenly I figured it out for myself. "You're like, Ryan Chadwick from English class, right?" Again, no answer. Sheesh. But I decided to call him Ryan anyway.

Now that we knew each other's names, we were ready to cruise the mall together. He still wasn't saying anything, so I started talking about how I needed new clothes and it was so unfair that my dad had taken away my credit card when he wouldn't even buy me a car, blah blah blah.

"You desire clothes?" Ryan asked.

"Uh, yeah." I rolled my eyes. I'd only been talking about it for the last ten minutes!

So we went into one of my favorite stores, where he made me try on a bunch of clothes and pose for him. It was pretty exciting, having him tell me how good I looked and staring at me like he wanted to, I don't know, devour me, because most guys I know don't really give a crap about clothes. But I couldn't buy the clothes because, duh, no credit card, but Ryan said not to worry. He took all the clothes to the register and the salesperson just started putting them all in bags without even ringing them up. I was like, uh, did you forget something? But Ryan and I walked out, setting off the alarm, and no one even tried to stop us. I wasn't sure what kind of smooth talk he'd used on the salesperson, but I didn't care because I had a bunch of new clothes for free!

"You'll need some jewelry to go with the clothes, I think," Ryan said.

"Well, yeah. That would be nice."

He led me to some really expensive jewelry store, one where I'd only salivated at the display windows but never gone inside. The girl working there wasn't as pretty as me, but for some reason Ryan was smiling at her like she was a fricking angel or something. But maybe he was just trying to get another discount.

"We'll need something very expensive," he said. "Something worthy of Annaleigh's unsurpassed beauty. Something large and brilliant, like her eyes."

God. Where does he get this stuff? Shivers!

The girl got something from behind one of the counters and brought it over to us. She opened the little black velvet box and inside was this ginormous red stone on a delicate gold ring. Gorgeous! It wasn't a diamond, but maybe they were out.

"That's huge!" I said. "It looks like it'll weigh my hand down, though. Do you have anything lighter and, um, clearer?"

But Ryan just ignored me, and the girl was staring at him like she was in a trance or something. I was like, forget it, girlie, because you're not as pretty as me and he's already taken! Just as I was about to laugh in her face, Ryan leaned over the counter and then, like, bit her neck? Sounds crazy, but I know I saw blood. Eeewww!! The girl just dropped to the floor and there was this massive sore on her neck. I was kind of jealous Ryan hadn't given me a hickey that good, but then again, I didn't want to be passed out on the floor.

Ryan picked up the ring and got down on one knee in front of me and started talking in that sexy way of his, and that rock was so tempting, but . . .

This is where I scream and run.

You know, it's not so easy running in wedge sandals. I could barely pick my feet up off the ground and my arms were flailing everywhere. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Everyone was looking at me like I was a crazy person. I hoped there was no one from school there that day. That would have been so embarrassing. I ran back to where I was standing before with Laurie and Dahlia and wouldn't you know it, they were still there! Probably because they weren't cute enough to pick up any guys by themselves. Really, those girls are hopeless without me.

Anyway, I ran through that department store, hoping to lose Ryan in the shoes or handbags, but he was still following me! Couldn't he take a hint? I mean, he cheated on me right in front of me and I hadn't even known him for like, two hours. I guess he had commitment issues.

Finally I made it out to the parking lot and Ryan gave up and went back in the mall. Good. I could peacefully call my (ick) dad to pick me up, and he's so clueless he wouldn't even notice my hair was messed up or that my mascara had started to run.

On Monday morning at school, Laurie was absent. Dahlia told me she ran off with Ryan. What a bitch.

Now it's a week later and Laurie hasn't been to school at all since that night at the mall. Maybe she and Ryan eloped. If so, ew. How can he actually see something in her, especially after he blew his chance with me? Anyway, Dahlia says people have been seeing them at night together, and Laurie is wearing this gigantic red ring. Obviously Ryan is cheap—he had to use my rejects to impress her. I wonder if he gave her all my new clothes too, not that they'd fit her. But still, how could he have gotten over me so fast? That's what's really important. What a user.

Everyone was like, why did he dump you? And I was like, no, I dumped his ass. Come on. No one dumps me, you know?

But I don't really care because he cheated on me anyway. Now I'm back with Jeff and I'm like, he's not so bad. He won't even set foot in a mall and he hasn't offered me any jewelry, which normally I would be upset about but now I know I don't have to worry about him. He comes out in the daytime, which is good because the dark kinda freaks me out now. Plus he doesn't talk funny, which I do sort of miss, but hey, at least I know what century he's from.






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