the nickname game

𝘁𝘄𝗼 - window shopping

One entire day. Madison managed to stay out of trouble for one entire day. She almost fell asleep during one particularly boring class but managed to stay awake by concentrating on the doodles she was drawing in her notebook. Hailey used to tell Madison that she should become an artist, but she didn't really take art that seriously. It was just a little hobby of hers that she found therapeutic and relaxing.

During the entirety of the last period Madison kept watching the hands of the clock on the wall move forwards in what felt like slow motion. The last ten minutes she was shaking her leg and was beyond ready to leave. Counting down to the end of class was something she did every time she had plans after school. On the days she would just go home and spend hours alone were the worst - it was on days like those she didn't mind getting some detention.

"Maddy! Are you ready?" Hailey screeched loudly as she twirled out of the classroom with the rest of the class.

"Yes I am, but it looks like you're even more ready than me" Madison laughed admiring her best friend's happy dance. "So shall we get going?"

"We totally should! Can we please go to Zara?" Hailey said and the two girls started walking towards the subway. "I really need a new party top for Friday."

This Friday Kayden was throwing a party at his apartment. Neither of the girls had ever been invited over to his place before but apparently he was living by himself and, just like Lawrence, he lived on the Upper East Side.

At the mall Maddy followed Hailey's lead all the way to Zara. It was one of the larger stores and it was filled with all kinds of clothes. They walked all the way to the back of the store where they found what they were looking for - the young adult section.

In the young adult section there was an entire wall dedicated to just party clothes. Madison looked at everything dark and plain while Hailey was drawn to every colorful piece she could find. After about half an hour they both had a bunch of clothes hanging over their arms. This meant it was time to go to the dressing rooms. Trying on clothes was both the most exciting and exhausting part of shopping.

"Maddy, you have to be completely honest about what fits me the best, okay? I need to get Lawrence's attention at the party. The only thing I want is for him to become my boyfriend" Madison could see the desperation in Hailey's eyes.

"I am always brutally honest, it's kind of my thing" Madison wasn't lying, as long as what she said didn't hurt Hailey more than it helped her, she was truthful.

They managed to sneak into the same dressing room and began undressing as soon as they had closed the thick curtain. Madison tried on three slightly different black, short dresses while Hailey had her fair share of tops ranging from a yellow blouse to a blue crop top. The shade of blue really made her features pop and the tight fit looked flattering on her body.

"That's it! This is what you're wearing on Friday!" Madison screamed out as she saw Hailey put on the blue top.

"I'm not sure. It's a bit short. I never show this much skin" Hailey did look kind of awkward in the top now that she had mentioned it.

"Of course not! You never party and you would get dress coded if you wore that to school" she tried to make Hailey feel more comfortable in her body but it didn't seem to work. "But if you don't feel comfortable in it you shouldn't buy it."

"Would Lawrence like this?" Hailey asked hopelessly.

"If he likes you, he'll like you in anything you wear" she explained which put the smile back on Hailey's face.

"Are you buying that dress? It looked good on you" Hailey was pointing at one of the dresses Madison had already tried on and put back on the hanger.

"I really liked it" Madison sneakily glanced over at the price tag - $59. "But I already have something in mind for Friday."

She would've loved to be able to buy a new dress for a party but she just couldn't justify the purchase. Money had always been tight, especially since her dad left. Even though Madison had a job she barely had any money to spend on herself. At the end of every month she knew she had to give her mother almost her entire salary just to make ends meet.

It didn't seem fair to splurge on a dress that almost cost as much as what she currently had in her bank account. Instead she was just window shopping. Looking at nice things and imagining what it would be like to own them was kind of fun in a way too.

"I need a coffee break before the next store" Hailey said as they left Zara empty handed.

Coffee was something Madison could justify. It wasn't too expensive and it was kind of an addiction of hers. There was a Starbucks in the middle of the mall so that's where they went. Madison ordered her usual Iced Americano as she waited for Hailey to look through the drink menu and the pastry display. Eventually she settled for a Pumpkin Spice Latte and a cake pop with chocolate flavor.

"Didn't you get anything to eat?" Hailey asked as they got their things and carried them over to a table.

"No, I'm not that hungry" she smiled back as she sat down.

After Hailey finished her cake pop they grabbed their drinks and went into the next store - Brandy Melville. Madison had completely stopped looking at things for herself at this point since it was pretty pointless to try on things that she knew she couldn't afford. Instead she held Hailey's drink for her as she looked for the perfect party top.

"How about this one?" Madison had spotted a lilac top from where she was standing.

"I love that color, do you thin-"

"Yes, he'll like it" Madison cut her off before she could even finish the sentence.

Hailey tried the top on and to nobody's surprise it fit perfectly. It looked even better on her than the blue one from before. This one was showing a bit less skin which made Hailey look a lot more comfortable and confident.

"You look like a princess" Madison said which made Hailey smile largely.