Decay - The Matter Maelstrom

Eight || The Mall

The mall is alive with energy, people of all ages moving from store to store, chatting, laughing, and enjoying their weekend. Raven's beside me, her eyes scanning the storefronts with the keen eye of someone who's been on more shopping trips than I have. Her usual cool demeanor is softened by the small smile playing on her lips, and it feels like we're finally starting to find a comfortable rhythm together.

"Alright, Lauren," Raven says, nudging me with her elbow. "Where to first? You said you needed dresses, right?"

"Yeah," I reply, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. "I don't have anything that's, you know, really nice. Something date-worthy."

She chuckles and nods toward a sleek-looking boutique. "Let's start there. They've got some great stuff."

We head inside, and I'm immediately greeted by the sight of racks upon racks of elegant dresses, each one more beautiful than the last. Raven dives in without hesitation, flipping through hangers, pulling out options, and holding them up against me for consideration.

"This one's nice," she says, holding up a deep red dress that looks like it could stop traffic.

I take it, running my fingers over the silky fabric. "It's gorgeous."

"You should try it on," she urges, pushing me toward the dressing rooms. "And a few others. We'll see what works."

I disappear behind the curtain, slipping into the red dress first. It hugs my figure perfectly, the fabric soft and luxurious against my skin. I step out, and Raven gives an approving nod.

"That's a winner," she says, folding her arms across her chest. "Charles won't know what hit him."

I laugh, twirling in front of the mirror. "It does feel pretty amazing."

"Okay, next one," Raven insists, handing me a couple more dresses to try. The next hour passes in a blur of fabric, mirrors, and laughter. 

We're in the middle of debating over the dress I'm currently wearing when I hear a familiar voice.

A familiar voice that I shouldn't be hearing.

"Are you two having fun without us?"

I spin around to see Alex and Hank standing in the doorway, grinning like schoolboys who've just gotten away with something. I shoot Alex a mock glare, hands on my hips. "Alex Summers, we specifically said this was a girls' day!"

Alex holds up his hands in mock surrender. "I know, I know, but Hank and I were in the area and thought we'd, you know, check in."

"Check in?" Raven echoes, raising an eyebrow. "More like crash our party."

Hank chuckles, giving us a sheepish smile. "We didn't mean to intrude. We were just... curious."

I shake my head, laughing despite myself. "Curious, huh? About what? What kind of dress I'm picking out?"

"Something like that," Alex says with a wink, clearly enjoying the fact that he's ruffled my feathers a bit. "Plus, I had to make sure you didn't pick something too over the top. You know I'm your fashion consultant, after all."

I roll my eyes but can't help the smile tugging at my lips.

"Alright, alright," I say, waving them in. "You're here now, so you might as well help." 

Raven sighs but doesn't seem too upset that the boys have joined us. In fact, there's a hint of amusement in her eyes as she hands me another dress. "Might as well get their opinions, then. Try this one on next."

I take the dress from her, a sleek black number with a plunging neckline, and head back into the dressing room. When I emerge, both Alex and Hank's eyes widen a bit, though they quickly try to cover it with casual nods.