The great Molldrea scandal of 2022

💍

Molly had felt off all day.

She couldn't explain it, but she had a distinct feeling like she was being watched. As she walked down the street, through the mall...it felt like there was always a presence tailing her. In a different way than usual; Scratch was at home today, but she still didn't feel quite alone.

It was unnerving to say the least. But, she just chalked it up to silly anxiety from having betaread one of Libby's short stories yesterday. The girl looked so sweet but her writing was gruesome. Yeah, that's all it was. She did her best to tell herself that and ignore the faint whispers and shadows that just popped out of sight when she looked behind her.

She couldnt ignore it any longer.

Rairs was almost empty. Usually the shop was bustling with kids staring at the cheap jewellery and crying when denied tacky pink junk (as Scratch called it) by their parents. But this time they all seemed to be flocking outside. Molly had been curious what they were looking at, but the shop assistant was weirdly insistent about keeping her inside. He also kept pausing, as though listening to something Molly couldn't hear. Was that what she looked like to everyone else?

Despite her questioning, he wouldnt let up until her bag was overflowing with giant bows and friendship bracelets and plushie pugs in little taco costumes because HOW could she say no to that? Eventually, he let her go- but the look of anticipation he wore killed any excitement for dressing up Scratch Jr in a little bowtie she had.

It became clear what was happening as soon as she stepped outside.

The crowd went quiet at the sound of the automatic doors. Molly opened her mouth to ask the many eyes on her what was happening, but a blinding spotlight right in her eyes cut her off. She dropped her bags with a yelp, covering them.

A hushed whisper went along the crowd of people. Many were looking at her as though a 13 year old being blinded was the cutest thing in the world. Others simply looked eager. A loud, familiar voice rang out through the mall and Molly's stomach sunk in dread.

"Molly!"

The crowd parted, revealing Andrea in the most over-the-top-for-the-mall outfit she'd ever seen. A blue dress that rose in the front and trailed to the floor in the back and a small, fluffy jacket to match. Her belt and shoes were covered in enough glitter to rival the spotlight in intensity- a thought that made Molly feel unbearably like Scratch- and her hair was combed back in the front into a french plait. That wasn't the most egregious thing however. That honour would go to the rose-covered, heart shaped arch she was under and the elevated ice sculpture of them she stood in front of.

The whole thing was so gaudy it put her bags of cheap Rairs tat to shame. The Davenport might as well have taped a stack of cash to her forehead. Molly squinted past the glare to try and meet Andrea's eyes. There was a clear path between them, laid out by a pink carpet covered in rose petals, but she didn't feel very inclined to move. Or able really. Heat flooded her cheeks in embarrassment and she felt the strong urge to pop her collar to cover them.

That was when she noticed the worst part. The cameras.

At certain points in the crowd were the dark reflections of a camera lens. Easy to miss but impossible to unsee. Molly felt her heart catch in her throat as those memories of today were cast in a new light. They were filming her. They were filming right now. Was this live? No, it wouldn't be- Andrea said last time that her rejection ruined the take so she wouldnt risk...

Molly looked around her, stomach beginning to churn. Crowds on all sides. Only the entrance to Rairs behind her was clear. Even if she did push through, the closest exit required a long walk of shame with the entire mall staring at her.

She hadn't risked anything.

"Attention everyone," Andrea started and Molly only just realised her voice was so loud because she was wearing a clip-on mic. "Will the most beautiful girl in Brighton come up here? I have something I'd like to ask her."

A series of 'awww's went up from the crowd. Hundreds of eyes, some familiar, some not, were locked on her and Molly couldn't get out she couldn't get out. The only way to go was forward.

So, reluctantly, she did.

'She's definitely filming' was all Molly could think as she made the endless journey, her shoulders hunched. She tried to dip her head to hide her face everytime she passed those dark, glaring lenses. 'Of course she's filming, she called me prettier than her'.

When she'd almost reached the- euck- altar, Andrea quick-stepped (not ran- Molly was guessing because of her giant heels) up to meet her and grabbed her hands.

"There you are!" She cooed. Her eyes were soft with affection, but there was something cold behind it. Not with malice per se, but a sense of...of not really seeing her. An absence of heat rather than coldness. It made sense. Cold was usually a comfort.

"What are you doing?" Molly mouthed, eyes wide and anxious and begging. Andrea's smile barely shifted, and Molly couldn't help but see it as something almost condescending.

"Molly McGee," She said, far too loudly to be a response. The microphone amplified it so much this close that Molly flinched. She didn't seem to notice. Getting (carefully) on one knee, Andrea reached into her tiny jacket and pulled out a box. For a moment, Molly's face morphed into one of unimaginable horror- before it was opened to revealed only a bracelet. A gorgeous bracelet, mind you. Gold chain in a similar style to her current one, clearly not cheap at all. It put the plastic jewellery in her box at home to shame.

...Granted, once she realised the beautiful charm hanging from it was actually a picture of Andrea's face, it lost some of it's luster.

The crowd gasped at the gesture. Adults fawned at the cuteness, kids whined in jealousy at the sight of it. The cameras in the crowds, that she'd been keeping an eye on, twitched and Molly had a dreadful feeling they were all zoomed in on her face.

That manufactured smile spread across Andrea's lips again and all Molly could think was 'Don't say it don't say it don't say it-'

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

The air was still.

"I- I-I don't..."

Molly's legs were simultaneously jelly and frozen. If she looked down and saw those gaudy rose bush roots growing out of her feet she would not be surprised. Sweat poured down her forehead like a river. Another glance around revealed still no escape. Now that she'd made the mistake of walking down the isle she was truly boxed in. All she could see instead of freedom were adoring, cooing faces. Whispers of "Oh how cute!" and "She's tongue-tied!" filled her ears in the worst kind of whitenoise ever and it would not stop. Air felt impossible to reach.

Molly met Andrea's eyes again, silently begging, hoping she saw her distress. For a second, the other girl's face morphed into one of sympathy- only for her to nod to the box with a hopeful, innocent smile. Despite herself, Molly found herself mouthing her worst fear.

"Is this live?"

A simple nod.

The world shattered like glass around her and she felt very distinctly that she was falling, far and fast. Her brain had every expectation that she would hit the ground but, no matter how hard it braced, her shaky legs stayed strong, glued to the spot. This was live. They were watching this all over the world. They were waiting for her reaction.

No- they were waiting for her to take the bracelet. They were waiting for her to say yes.

Because that was what you did. When a girl set up an arch of roses and an ice sculpture and bought an expensive bracelet for you, you said yes. Only a monster wouldn't.

She gulped. Andrea perked up at the sign that she was ready to speak and prompted for the cameras "What do you say?"

Molly wet her lips and whimpered, quiet enough only Andrea could hear. "Scratch."

The girl blinked and her nose scrunched up. "Huh?" She asked, her confusion almost making her sound like a person. "Scratch wha-"

Then the lights went dark.