Chp. 41 “Down Time”

We were currently on our way to the Central Mall in Charleston, considering there really wasn’t much to do in this city. So we figured the least we could do is do a little shopping at the mall, which seemed to be the only logical thing to do.

At least to me and Avery.

Although I knew once we got to Buffalo, New York there wasn’t much we would be able to do considering we would almost be immediately meeting with Boyd. Also, I didn’t want to risk my friends too much exposure once we got that far up north.

So this mall trip would be good for us.

Avery’s hand was laced with mine, which was tucked in my lap as we sat silently in the back of the Tahoe. After my outburst in the clinic I had barely spoken, and Max hadn’t even looked at me. I still felt back but in all honesty, I had a logical reason.

It was a serious situation and his immaturity would get to me, especially in stressful situations. I was worried about them, and maybe I was being overly protective, but I had a damn good reason.

Everything just seemed to be sitting on my shoulders.

I was just eager to finally make it to the Bureau where I knew me and my friends would be safe, from both the Feds and the BD3.

At least then I would be able to relax a little more.

We pulled into the vast parking lot of the mall, and I knew in a sense this could be dangerous but then I tried to push that thought to the back of my head. The disease wasn’t bad here considering the population wasn’t as high as New York, but there was still a risk factor.

Avery’s hand squeezed mine, “Let’s go waste some of daddy’s money.”

I gave me a forced smile, still feeling the burden of my outburst towards Max as we walked towards the entrance. I knew I should apologize, just be the bigger person and end the tension, but I was hoping he would also apologize.

And knowing Max I knew he probably wouldn’t.

I then opened my mouth, only to hear Max’s deep voice at the same time, “Andy, I’m sorry. You know, for the whole ‘Paper, Rock, Scissors’ thing. I know you’re really stressed about this trip and stuff. I didn’t mean to piss you off.”

At first I was caught off guard as I processed what he said, and then I smiled to myself. I sighed, “Max, I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to lash out. But I really am stressed over this, which is why I said what I said, but I didn’t mean for it to happen so bitchy.”

He shrugged, smirking, “Well, you are pretty bitchy when you’re stressed out, so I should’ve known better.”

I made a face of disagreement, “I am not bitchy when I’m stressed out all the time, just over this.”

He gave me a look that said “Are you kidding me?” and responded, “You remember that Calculus test three months ago? You were a complete bitch that whole week!”

Avery and Gage laughed in response, and Max patted my back as I allowed my mouth to hang open in humorous denial. I shook my head, although recalling that test I had been on edge that week, because I desperately needed to pass it. I shrugged, “Maybe you’re right.”

He laughed, “I know I’m right, Andy.”

Avery squeezed my hand, “Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.”

I wanted badly to believe that, I really did, but a part of my brain was denying me comfort. I knew nothing would be “fine” until we made it to the Bureau, the disease was cured, and the corrupted Feds were eliminated.

Although I knew eliminating all of those worries would be a really long-shot.

We walked into the mall, seeing the multiple levels as the lobby allowed us to peer up and see people shopping three stories above us. It was quite a mall considering I didn’t think Charleston held this many people, but I had obviously assumed wrong.

Then Max’s girly scream of excitement made me jump, and I turned to him to slap him. Then I saw what had caught his attention, along with his brother’s.

He spoke with obvious delight as he pointed to the huge arcade that was located about fifty feet from us. “Oh my God, Gage, let’s go.”

Then to my surprise Gage responded with the same amount of delight, “Fucking sweet!”

Then they were off without any regards of me and Avery, and I frowned in response. She squeezed my hand, “Boys will be boys I guess, but at least we’re alone,” she whispered in my ear. This caused my body to heat up immediately, causing me to feel about 110 degrees on the inside.

I looked at her and she was smirking, then suddenly she pulled me into a photo booth that was sitting in the middle of the lobby. It was small, but it was big enough for two people, and Avery shoved two dollars into the cash opening.

She spoke, “I love taking pictures. Capturing memories inside this one still-image… it’s amazing.”

She picked the layout that the pictures would print on that held little red hearts which would form a border on the strip of pictures. The first countdown for the first picture ended and Avery pressed our heads together, allowing me to feel the softness of her cheek. I attempted my best smile but negative thoughts were still lingering in my mind.

Then after the picture was snapped she looked at me, her hand in between both of my thighs. She whispered, “I know you can smile better than that…”

I looked at her then, completely losing myself in her gaze. When I was peering into her eyes nothing else mattered to me, it was only her in that moment. Her light blue-green eyes boring into mine made me melt inside, and her lips gently pressed against me.

Snap.

I didn’t care about the Bureau anymore, not the BD3 and not the Feds. When I was kissing Avery the only thing that mattered was her, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was lost in her.

My hands gently cupped her face as I pulled her closer to me, feeling her soft lips move with mine as she pressed her hands against my chest. The ecstasy I experienced when I kissed her was unexplainable, but it was similar to the feeling of riding a roller coaster, or free falling when as a kid we would jump off the swings. I felt comfort and security, and most of all I felt love.

Because I loved her.

I smiled at that thought, the word “love” was never used by me but with Avery it was different. The way I felt about her was different, and I was positive I was falling more in love with this girl the more time we spent together.

Snap.

Then an automated voice spoke, “You’re pictures are located in the outside slot of the PhotoBooth.”

I inhaled a deep breath as we pulled away, realizing I had been holding my air in the entire time we had kissed. I smiled harder as Avery’s perfect face came into view, and she spoke, “See, now that’s a smile.”

I responded automatically, “It’s all for you.”

She smiled and pulled me out of the photo booth, and she retrieved our recently taken pictures. She had paid for two copies, and she handed me a strip of pictures that held the four we had just took. I studied it further, seeing how I seemed to be forcing a smile in the first picture, but the rest were as if we were completely oblivious to the picture-taking.

I smiled at the last picture, where you could see me holding her perfect face in my hands while I smiled into our kiss. I looked happy, and nothing like I did in the very first picture.

I folded the picture and tucked it into my back pocket, knowing I would have to keep this safe. I wanted to keep looking at the picture but I knew that would just seem weird.

Then I heard a boyish voice next to us, “So hot,” and I looked away from Avery.

There stood two boys, one of which was sipping on an extra-large coke while his counter-part just stared in awe.

“You two are lesbians?”

Suddenly I felt my intolerant attitude return, and I rolled my eyes at them while Avery scoffed in a sarcastic manner.

“No, we just kiss each other for fun,” her grip tightened on my hand while she came back with another quick remark. “Obviously we’re lesbians.”

I laughed to myself as I listened to Avery’s spitfire comment at the two idiot boys, who seemed to be maybe a year or two younger than us. They couldn’t be any older than 16, considering they were both wearing what looked to be school spirit shirts. They had teenage features such as pitchy voices and small amounts of acne, and they seemed to be surprised by stumbling upon two hot lesbians.

Avery and I, I mean.

“Can you kiss again?”

Avery’s grip on my hand tightened, and I knew she was growing intolerant. Me on the other hand, I was already there.

Today hadn’t been the best day, but recently it had improved a bit. Now I didn’t want to have to be harassed by two teenage boys whose hormones couldn’t handle a little girl-on-girl reality.

I pulled Avery away then, before she said anything else to make them respond. Then as I thought we were escaping their attention, they caught up to us and one of them grabbed my arm slightly. It wasn’t a hard grip, just one to get my attention, but it was enough to make my annoyance sky-rocket.

“I wouldn’t touch me again if I were you.”

He retracted his hand and gave me a smirk, letting me know he wasn’t offended or discouraged over my remark. Geez, where was Christopher Ryan when you needed to scare off a couple of immature guys?

They stepped in front of us and the other one not holding a drink spoke, “Please, just do it one more time so I can wank off to it tonight.”

This crossed the line for me and I reached into myself quickly, contracting my invisible “arm” and gripping the soda in the other boy’s hand. I squeezed it violently, causing the soda to splash all over their white shirts and jeans, and Avery laughed as she stepped back to avoid the brown liquid.

The obnoxious one looked at his friend, holding his hands out as he attempted to dry himself from the stickiness of the soda. The other one seemed to still be in shock from his exploding drink that just “mysteriously” bursts and spilled all over him and his friend.

I smiled sarcastically, “How’s that for a picture?”

Then I pulled Avery away from the two boys who were now bickering, causing her and I to laugh in amusement.

We headed back towards the Arcade to find Max and his brother, looking forward to humoring them with me and Avery’s recent encounter.

And hopefully whip Max’s butt at one of those no-realistic racing games.