The Perfect Candy

Chapter 7: Movies, Malls and Mayhem

A/N: Trigger warning: There are scenes of violence and bullying in this chapter.

Candice had never been more excited for the weekend. Using the laptop she'd been given the year before as a Christmas gift, she spent her Saturday morning outlining a persuasive paper she'd been assigned in her American Literature class and felt like herself for the first time since the morning of the thunderstorm. Her paper wasn't due for another month, they'd just been given the information Friday, but she'd finished all her other homework in detention the day before and saw no reason to delay at least completing an outline for each of her three potential topics. It was always best to have three options, on the chance that for some reason you couldn't do your first choice. She believed in being prepared.

"You're such a freak."

Freezing mid-stroke, Candice turned to return her sister Eleanor's glare. "It's rude to enter someone's room without knocking."

Eleanor rolled her eyes in response and strolled in, flopping down gracelessly onto Candice's perfectly made bed. "Yeah well, I leave the manners and good intentions to you."

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm going to the mall. You're coming with me."

"No thank you." Satisfied that the conversation and her sisterly duties were over, Candice turned back to the computer screen in front of her and sunk back into her outlines.

"You don't have a choice," Eleanor replied with a hint of irritation. "Mom says I can't go if you don't go, so you're coming with me. Call one of your friends and tell them to meet you there."

"I'm busy with homework."

"You and I both know whatever you're doing right now probably isn't due for another week."

The fact that that was true grated, but Candice turned her attention back to her sister. "I hate the mall."

"I don't care." Raising herself up on her elbows, Eleanor studied Candice with a frown. "You look better without the glasses, but you need to get some new clothes. Maybe a haircut. You'll have plenty of time to do all of that while Troy and I go see a movie."

"As of Monday, you'd broken up with Troy," Candice shot back. "Why do I need to be dragged into this over someone you swore just five days ago you never wanted to speak to again?"

"Have your first kiss and then I'll think about asking you for dating advice." Deciding the matter was settled, she hopped back up off the bed and made her way to the door. "We're leaving in fifteen minutes. Get ready or I'm dragging you out as-is."

Grateful that her sister hadn't been looking at her long enough to notice the sudden reddening of her face, Candice snapped her laptop closed and stood up. She'd just bring her laptop and work in the food court while her sister went on her date. This was just another example of how pointless an argument would be. With any luck, the movie would be a short one and they'd be back by two.

Candice stared at the clock hanging precariously between KFC and Magic Wok and allowed herself to imagine just exactly how her sister would disappear. It was three thirty, they'd been at the mall since eleven that morning, and while Candice had thought to bring her laptop charger, none of the available tables had been even remotely close to an outlet, so her computer was dead and her patience was nonexistent. Picking aimlessly at her salad, she weighed her options. If she stayed there, her sister would at least know where she was, but Eleanor wouldn't feel even a little bit obligated to check in until she was ready to go. If she wandered around, she'd be toting around her computer bag, and her sister may very well just leave her stranded at the mall.