𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 || 𝐣.𝐚.

005 | 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮

𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 the afternoon consoling her friend, Y/n decided to take a drive to the local mall. She had been living in Rockford, Texas for about a month now and had yet to explore since the only places that she would drive to were any of the bars she sang at, the park, wherever she & her very few friends were meeting up, and— of course— her house.

As she pulled into the parking lot, the sprawling complex of stores loomed before her, and stepping inside, she was immediately greeted by the familiar hum of mall activity: the blend of chatter, the distant music from various stores, the soft hum of the air conditioning. She wandered, letting her feet guide her through the maze of shops and kiosks.

Despite her aimlessness, she felt a growing sense of curiosity. She hadn't done something so mundane and leisurely in a long time, and it felt strangely liberating.

After exploring the ground floor, she took the escalator to the second story, scanning the array of stores. Her eyes widened when she spotted a Pop Topic. It looked different from what she remembered. Then again, it had been years since she'd last set foot in one. Intrigued, she walked inside, her senses immediately bombarded by bright colors and loud, pop culture-themed decor. The store had changed dramatically since her teenage years. Gone were the dark, edgy displays; in their place were brightly lit shelves packed with overpriced anime, Disney, and gamer merchandise. It felt like a completely different store.

From what she read online, Pop Topic hasn't been an emo scene since the housing crisis. Looks like they were unfortunately right. How upsetting. And so, Y/n wandered the aisles, picking up items here and there until suddenly, something caught her eye—a jumbo-sized Mewsheen plush!

He was perched on a high shelf, surrounded by other plushies, but still managed to outshine them all. Y/n's jaw dropped as she eagerly walked over, reaching up to grab him. As she held the plush in her arms, a surge of joy washed over her, pure, unfiltered happiness that made her heart feel light. She couldn't resist taking a photo with the Mewsheen. Holding her phone up, she snapped a selfie, capturing her wide grin and the adorable plush. She quickly opened FriendSpace, her fingers moving almost of their own accord as she uploaded the photo with a caption: "Look who I found! 🐾💖."

Meanwhile, Jacob drove through the winding streets of Rockford, the gentle hum of the engine a soothing background to his restless thoughts. Suddenly, his phone beeped, breaking the monotonous rhythm of his drive. He glanced at the device on the passenger seat and saw a notification from FriendSpace. Curiosity piqued, he pulled off to the side of the road, his heart racing. Picking up the phone, he unlocked it and saw Y/n's name on the screen. She had posted something.

With a mix of anticipation and anxiety, he clicked on the notification, and the screen filled with a photo of Y/n. She was smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling with joy as she held a jumbo-sized Mewsheen plush. The sight of her happy face made his heart skip a beat, a warm smile spreading across his lips. He quickly took a screenshot of the photo and then noticed the background of the photo. The decor was unmistakable—Pop Topic. His smile widened as realization dawned on him. She was at the mall. He glanced around, orienting himself, and then back at the phone, noting the time of the post. She might still be there.

Looks like he knows where he's going.

Back at the mall, Y/n felt a rumble in her stomach. The excitement of finding the perfect plushie had distracted her from her hunger, but now it was impossible to ignore. After purchasing the Mewsheen plush and getting a bag to carry him in, she left Pop Topic and headed straight for the food court.
As she walked, the vibrant atmosphere of the mall buzzed around her. Families chatted, teenagers laughed, and the clatter of footsteps echoed off the tiled floors. She let herself get lost in the crowd, her mind already debating what she wanted to eat. When she finally reached the food court, the smell of various cuisines filled the air, making her stomach growl louder. She scanned the options and decided on Chinese fast food, her go-to comfort meal.

She got in line, her thoughts drifting as she stared at the menu overhead. The tantalizing images of orange chicken and fried rice made her mouth water. As she waited, she felt someone step into line behind her. At first, she paid no mind to it, her focus on the meal she was about to order. But soon, she noticed the person behind her shifting restlessly, the movements persistent enough to break her concentration.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the man shifting his weight between his feet, his agitation growing more noticeable by the second. What was his problem? She tried her best to ignore him, hoping he would settle down, but his fidgeting only seemed to increase. Her heart rate quickened as she felt a growing sense of unease.

Then she felt a tap on her shoulder. She took a deep breath, her pulse quickening as she turned around, ready to address the stranger. Her eyes widened in shock and recognition. It was Austin, the same Austin Jacob had helped shoo away. Her mind raced as she stared at him, a forced smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, it's just you," she said, trying to keep her voice steady and unenthusiastic.

Austin's eyes were intense, and he didn't bother with pleasantries. "Y/n. Fancy seein' you here," he said, his tone too casual to be genuine. "How've you been?" He questioned, clearly not getting the hint that the woman in front of him didn't want to talk to him.

Y/n felt a chill run down her spine. She glanced around the food court, hoping to spot someone she knew, someone who could help her, but the sea of unfamiliar faces offered no comfort. "I've been fine," she replied, her voice tight. "Just grabbing some lunch. How about you?" She asked.

"Same here," he said, his gaze never leaving her. "Y'know, I've been thinking about you. It's funny runnin' into you like this." He stated.

She forced a laugh, taking a small step back. "Yeah, funny. Well, I'm just about to order, so..." It was a partial lie, but she prayed that it would be enough to drive Austin away. At least for now.

Austin's smile widened, a predatory edge to it. "Mind if I join you? I mean, since we're both here and all."

Panic bubbled up inside her, but she kept her expression neutral. "Actually, I'm meeting a friend," she fabricated.

He raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in his eyes. "A friend, huh? That's funny, considerin' that I haven't seen you 'round with anyone lately."

Y/n felt the panic rising in her chest, her heart pounding as she tried to think of a way to get rid of Austin. She took a deep breath and faced him, her voice firm despite the fear trembling beneath it. "If you don't leave me alone, I'll get my boyfriend, Jacob," she said, hoping the mention of Jacob would be enough to deter him. "And he'll—" Sadly, before she could finish her sentence, she was swiftly interrupted by Austin who cut her off with a derisive scoff.

"Tsk, I know damn well that psycho ain't your boyfriend, so you can stop pretendin'," he sneered, his words hitting her like a punch to the gut. Y/n blinked, taken aback by the venom in his voice. Before she could muster a reply, Austin rolled his eyes, his expression shifting from disdain to feigned disinterest. "Whatever," he grumbled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Enjoy your food."

He turned and walked away, his back stiff with irritation. Y/n watched him go, her body still tense from the encounter. It wasn't until he had disappeared into the crowd that she allowed herself to exhale, the breath she hadn't realized she was holding escaping in a shaky rush.

She slowly inched forward in line, her mind still reeling from the confrontation. She couldn't believe Austin had seen through her lie so easily. What if he came back? The fear gnawed at her, but she tried to push it down, focusing on the food in front of her.

Unbeknownst to her, Jacob had been watching the entire exchange from a few feet away. He had arrived at the mall just moments before and had been scanning the food court for any sign of Y/n. When he spotted her, his heart lifted with relief, but that relief quickly turned to anger when he saw that prick— Austin— approaching her.

Jacob's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he watched Austin talk to Y/n. He saw the fear in her eyes, the way she tried to stand up for herself, and the way Austin had dismissed her so cruelly. His blood boiled at the sight, a protective rage surging through him. He had to fight the urge to storm over and confront Austin right then and there. But he knew he couldn't. Not right now at least, No, he should savor this. He wanted to savor this.

Because if and when he gets the chance to corner Austin, Jacob vows he'll make that son of a bitch for making his darling Y/n uncomfortable.