We Grew Back Together

10: Mine's still bruised. Yours is perfectly fine.

Nic walked with purpose, looking into the windows of various stores as she passed by. She always hated going to the mall alone, but she couldn't come home empty handed after she promised her mother she'd pick up some clothes and bathing suits fit for family vacation.

Holding her mothers credit card made her feel anxious. Sure she had more money that she could spend but actually spending it was terrifying.

Glancing across the way, over the railing of the second floor, she noticed a few familiar faces. Stella was among them.

Her stomach fell to her feet and her throat tightened.

Stella was here without her? With their ex friends?

Nic ducked into the nearest store, and started hurriedly browsing the racks. Brightly colored and patterned dresses lined the store.

Stella and their ex friends... Usually Stella would tell her if she was seeing them, and they'd talk about it. Wondering what they're going to say and what drama in their karmically unraveling lives they felt like dumping on Stella that day, but this time Stella didn't say anything.

Other than Stella, Nic had the group but she had nobody as close to her as Stella.

Who knows what Stella is telling them about her. What they're telling Stella about her and what she's responding with.

Is Stella going to leave Nic for them?

No. No, don't think about it.

It's old news. They're gone. Don't exist anymore.

Nic took her hands off the hangers she was sifting through and walked out of the store. It was clearly for an older crowd in there, Nic didn't bother to look around the area to see if they were gone. She just went to her destination.

After browsing the typical stores she went to, she ended up with a few things. Better than nothing.

Surely, the rest of her day was uneventful. She couldn't stop thinking about seeing Stella and the others together. She had to stop, she knew she shouldn't dwell on it. It's stupid, why was she still so butt hurt about her ex friends? They're just some people used to be friends with. Why did it still hurt to see them around?

Nic was laying on her bed and grabbed her phone, she opened her texts with Alice.

She typed a quick message, and got a quick response.

All Nic had to do was get through the next fifteen minutes without losing her mind.

The fifteen minutes went by slowly, but as soon as the text from Alice came Nic raced out the house. She didn't even bother to stop to put her sneakers on, letting them dangle at her side as she carried them.

Alice waited in her car in the driveway as Nic scurried out the garage and into the passenger seat.

"That desperate to get out of the house, huh?"

"I didn't want to keep you waiting," Nic shrugged, bending down to get her shoes on. She couldn't see anything in the darkness of the car, so she had to feel around to find her laces to tie them.

"You hardly ever wear flipflops or sandals," Alice chuckled, noticing Nics struggle as she drove.

"I'm not letting strangers see these for free," Nic scoffed, sitting up. She glanced over to see Alice smirk. Smiling, she looked ahead and watched the road.

"How was your drive with Harper the other night?" Alice asked with a sly tone. The way she raised her eyebrow and grinned made Nic suspicious.

She worked with Harper, so maybe Harper said something to her?