Chapter 6: Strangers
Scarlett giggles randomly as Annie whispers something into her ear. I'm not sure when exactly I zoned out, but I'm enjoying being inside my own head for the first time in ages. Sometimes- just sometimes- I like to slow down and just appreciate life. For example, right now. Warm, golden sun beats down on my head, whilst a gentle breeze whispers soothingly in my ears. Flowers still bloom in their individual boxes, colours clashing against each other as they fight over the sunlight in a survival battle. People walk past us multiple times, some alone and some in groups. Tired looking parents drag young children behind them; lone shoppers move fast to get out of the way; groups of kids and teens alike chatter or play on their phones. Many of them glance at us. One or two have glared- perhaps because we are taking over two entire benches just outside New Look- and young children stare. So what do we do? We glared right back. Mind your own business. We only get to be teenagers once.
Annie, Kathy and Scar sit on the leftmost bench, whereas me, Emelia and Ellie stick on the right. Despite getting here hours ago, we haven't bought much. Annie sits with a bag containing a Five Seconds of Summer shirt, and Emelia is resting a bag containing pink Converses on her lap. The majority of the time we come here, we just end up on some benches talking the day away. Strangers tend to stay out of our way, which is nice. Not that we aren't friendly, but this is time for us to just be together. It has been a while since we have hung out as a group outside of school.
"...so excited to wear these shoes!" Emelia exclaims to Ellie excitedly. "Can we go to Starbucks in a bit? It's tradition!" I say to my group, ignoring their eye rolls and giggles. "Only if you get something de-caf. There's no way in hell I'm letting you keep me up again tonight." Scarlett mutters- half to me, half to Annie. "Ooohh! I just remembered! What do you guys want for your birthday?" Kathy chimes in, switching her gaze between me and Scarlett. "Lets not ta..." "ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!" Annie shouts, interrupting my sister's answer.
We all look to where Annie has been staring, and multiple people gasp in shock.
At the end of the east pathway, a familiar pale face stands out against her white-blond hair. Damn. At any other time I would be happy to see her, but not with Scarlett right here. Chrissie walks down the row of shops, chatting with a person on her right. She wears a pair of ripped, tattered jeans and a blue hoodie, contrasting the clothes of the girl she is walking with. I recognize this girl. With curly brown hair (highlighted red in places), tanned skin and a style you can't forget, stands an old friend. Not just an old friend, but my best friend in the world up until about two years ago when we lost touch. Octavia looks comfortable in her trademark leather jacket and black jeggings.
Before thinking it through, I shove my sister inside New Look before she can start a fight and begin walking to the duo. Vaguely aware that my friends have taken the hint and followed Scar, I watch in amusement as Octavia's chestnut brown eyes settle on my sea green ones. Her face passes many emotions, travelling through shock, denial, happiness and eventually landing on excitement. "Tave Howard. We meet again." I say loudly when she is close enough. "Indie Jones. It has been too long." She replies with a straight face. Then we burst out laughing in unison.
In my peripheral vision I steal a glance at Chrissie's face (she looks really confused). She must think we have both gone mad. Suddenly, Tave's arms are wrapped around my shoulders and I have been pulled into a vice-like hug. Which I return with equal strength. "How...just..what?" Chrissie manages to say as she shakes her head. "Hey Chrissie. Didn't know you two knew each other!" I laugh, still being crushed by my long-lost best friend. "We met ages ago, at a conc..." Chrissie starts.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" A familiar voice shouts from behind me. I pull out of Octavia's grip and turn my head towards the entrance to New Look. Standing there, glaring at Chrissie, my sister struggles to free herself from Kathy's grip. Luckily, all my friends are pretty smart, and have the brains to hold her still before she starts a fight in the middle of a shopping center. "I could ask you the same question, bitch." Chrissie replies, looking cool as ever. It clearly does not bother her that people are starting to stop and stare. "Scarlett, come on. You don't own the shopping centre. Let's go look in McDonald's for a bit." I say as calmly as I can from in between the two. "Oh, shut up Indie! Stop acting like I need to be kept on a lead!" My lovely, caring sister snaps back at me.
This makes me angry. I'm not even sure what she meant by that, but I mentally make a decision to not help her if she does try to fight Chrissie. People begin to form a crowd around us, and some workers have run out of nearby shops. Hell, I can even recognize one or two people from school! "It's been ages since I've seen Scarlett. What's all this about?" Tave whispers to me. We ignore the yelling battle in front of us, and I begin to tell her everything I know. From when they were best friends, to when Chrissie made a backhanded remark (something about the guy Scar liked at the time, and how he was out of her league), to right now.
After a few more minutes, Kathy and Ellie finally manage to drag Scarlett away from the crowd. I hug Tave quickly- whisper to her that Chrissie has my number- and follow the girls. Annie looks to me as I catch up, rolls her eyes and giggles. I join in her quiet laughter before putting a straight face on. I turn to look over my shoulder and wave another goodbye to Octavia. As she waves back, a deep blue car whizzes past in the distant road behind her.
We continue to aimlessly look around shops until Scarlett has calmed down, and then I decide I need to leave. Where I am going, I'm not sure. After I say goodbye to my individual friends, I walk out of the shopping center. Strangers stare at me- maybe they are mistaking me for the girl who almost started a fight- but I continue to ignore them. Quickly making my mind up on my destination, I head east. Straight for Matt's house.