"Hey, you remember what I said last year, right? We're Zombie Boy and Ghost Boy. I'm not ever gonna leave you."
"Promise?"
"One hundred percent."
***
In which Alistair fights the monster that possessed his friend alongside his friends, while trying...
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Chapter Eleven: On The Hunt (For An Apology Gift)
(The Mall Rats, Pt. 3)
***
Starcourt Mall was busy.
But that wasn't unusual—ever since it opened, people had flocked in hordes to Starcourt and its frosty air conditioning and mostly cheap products under a dizzying mix of sunlight pouring in through the glass lights and the neon fluorescence of the store lights. Alistair would be lying if he and his friends weren't among them, mostly perusing the food court and the cinema and occasionally the bookstore, but usually nothing else.
But now, they were here for another reason other than sneaking into movies and eating greasy food.
They were on the hunt for an apology gift from Mike to El.
Even as he thought it, Alistair wanted to roll his eyes again at the ridiculousness of it. It was a way better idea if Mike was just honest and they spend the rest of the day doing something else—like that D&D campaign, if they could also find Dustin and have three vouching for it—but instead they were following Lucas' plan. Alistair highly doubted it would actually work, if they could even find a gift for her.
Apparently, Mike felt the same, because he said, "I just... I don't understand what we're looking for."
"Something pretty and shiny that says 'I'm sorry'," Lucas answered.
Alistair rolled his eyes, right as Mike asked, "What, just something that literally says 'I'm sorry'?"
"No!" Lucas yelled, hands to his face.
Alistair looked at Will and they rolled their eyes in unison while smiling, before following after Mike and Lucas.
The hunt had begun.
It lead them to a fancy jewellery store that Alistair instantly knew he didn't belong in—and that his aunt would probably swipe a couple necklaces and rings while the clerks weren't looking and run. Still, he joined Mike, Lucas and Will in browsing the wares until Mike stopped, looking at a silver teddy bear. Alistair smiled. While he thought buying an apology gift wasn't the way to go, El would definitely love that.
It seemed Mike was in agreement, as he looked up and said, "Excuse me, sir."
"Mm-hmm?" the clerk said, looking down.
Pointing at the teddy bear, Mike questioned, "How much for this teddy bear right here?"
At that, the clerk smiled, and Alistair instantly knew what his answer was before he said it.
