Super Teens | Book 2: The Deity

Chapter 2: Girls Day Out

Two days went by, and Anne and Alexia could barely contain their excitement. It felt good to finally get Mary out of the house and help her get her mind off Micah.

Sunday arrived, carrying a mix of promise and nervousness in the air. They decided to take Alexia's car. At 11 a.m., they pulled up to Mary’s house, and Anne texted her to let her know they had arrived. A few minutes later, Mary emerged from the house and quietly slipped into the backseat.

"Hey girlie! Ready to have some fun?" Alexia greeted her, glancing in the rearview mirror with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess," Mary replied with the faintest smile. Anne noticed, hoping by the end of the day, that smile would regain its full strength and brightness.

"So, have you guys eaten breakfast yet?" Alexia asked.

"I actually haven’t. I’m starving," Mary said, leaning back into the seat.

"Same here," Anne added.

"Alright, that’s our first stop then. Waffle House?" Alexia suggested, already turning the car in the direction.

"Mmmm, I love some Waffle House," Mary said, her voice brightening just a bit.

"Waffle House is my favorite," Anne chimed in.

"Sounds good!" Alexia exclaimed, and they drove off.

At Waffle House, they ordered their meals, and as the food arrived, Alexia noticed Mary’s demeanor start to lighten. She seemed more confident, more engaged in the conversation. Anne and Alexia exchanged a glance when Mary excused herself to wash her hands.

"Are you seeing what’s happening?" Anne whispered.

"Yeah! Our plan’s working, and we haven’t even gotten to the theme park yet!" Alexia replied, barely containing her excitement.

"I know, right? It seems like Mary really needed this."

"I’m just so glad we got her out of the house. Wait—shhh, here she comes," Alexia said, as Mary returned to the table.

"So, where are we going?" Mary asked, eyes curious.

"You’ll just have to wait and see," Alexia teased with a playful smile.

"Oh, come on! I wanna know!" Mary pressed.

Anne smiled, joining in on the teasing. "Tell you what, we’ll go there after Alexia pays."

Satisfied with that answer, Mary nodded. Soon they were back on the road, and as Mary looked out the window, Anne noticed her smiling—a real, genuine smile this time, which made Anne feel even happier.

"So, are you excited?" Alexia asked as they neared their destination.

"I don’t know… I don’t even know where we’re going!" Mary responded, half-laughing.

"Well," Anne said, pointing out the windshield, "we’re pulling in now."

Mary’s eyes widened as she saw the theme park come into view. "Shut up…"

"Yep, we’re gonna have so much fun!" Alexia declared, beaming at Mary’s reaction.

"Thank you guys, really," Mary started, her voice faltering.

"We know," Anne said, cutting in gently. She knew Mary wasn’t one for expressing deep emotions, but the gratitude was clear in her voice.

They parked the car and made their way to the entrance gates, and Mary was practically bouncing with excitement, unable to stand still.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I’m so excited!" she exclaimed, her energy contagious.

Alexia smiled to herself, knowing that even at 15, Mary still had a childlike enthusiasm for fun. Once inside the park, Mary ran wild, eager to ride every ride and play every game. They ate junk food and indulged in all the fun the park had to offer. At one point, while Mary was in the bathroom, Anne turned to Alexia.

"I’m so happy right now," Anne said, a relieved smile on her face.

"I know! The old Mary is back!" Alexia responded.

Moments later, Mary came bouncing back, hyper from the cotton candy they had earlier. "So, what are we gonna do next? More games? Rides? Oooh, what about—"

Anne chuckled at the speed of Mary’s words.

"How about we chill a little at the mall?" Alexia suggested. "We can buy some things—it’ll be fun."

"Ooh, the mall! I love that place!" Mary squealed, her excitement not fading one bit.

"I know," Alexia said with a smile, and they left for the mall, arriving in no time.

They started off in clothing stores, browsing through racks of clothes and accessories. At one point, Alexia held up a ridiculous-looking shirt. "Hey Mary, what do you think of this?" she asked with a laugh.

Mary burst out laughing. "That’s hideous!"

Anne joined in on the laughter as they continued strolling through the mall, talking and enjoying each other’s company. Before the trip, Anne and Alexia had agreed not to bring up Micah or Bryson in an effort to keep the mood light—and so far, it had worked. But that was about to change.

They entered a shoe store and were browsing as usual when Mary’s eyes landed on a pair of shoes. Her face immediately fell as she picked them up.

"…These were Micah’s shoes," she said softly, her voice trembling.

Anne and Alexia froze, exchanging a glance as they saw the flood of emotions wash over Mary. Anne stepped closer. "Mary? Are you okay?"

"These were Micah’s shoes," Mary repeated, tears welling in her eyes. "He wore them every day. I’d recognize them anywhere."

Alexia’s heart sank as she saw the pain on Mary’s face. "Mary, it’s okay. Don’t cry…" she said gently, but it was too late. Tears started streaming down Mary’s cheeks.

"Mary, please, it’s okay—" Anne started, but Mary dropped the shoes and bolted, running out of the store.

"Mary, come back!" Alexia called after her, but Mary had already disappeared. Tears pricked Alexia’s eyes, knowing their plan had failed. Anne and Alexia ran after her, following her into the bathroom. They found the stall where she had locked herself in, her sobs echoing through the quiet space.

"Mary?" Anne called softly. "Are you okay?"

Through her sobs, Mary’s voice cracked. "No, I’m not. I really miss him. I can’t even do daily tasks without thinking about him. Without him, it feels like there’s a void in my life."

Alexia, fighting back tears of her own, spoke softly. "Mary, we all miss him. You’re not alone."

"No, you don’t understand…" Mary’s voice was thick with emotion.

"Yes, we do," Anne said quietly. "I felt the same way when my mom died."

"Same with my dad," Alexia added, her voice wavering.

"Micah was the first person to call me after my aunt died," Mary said, her voice breaking. "I let him see a side of me no one else ever has…"

Alexia and Anne exchanged a pained look.

"Mary, please come out," Anne said softly.

There was a long pause before the stall door slowly opened. Mary emerged, her makeup streaked down her face, her eyes red and puffy from crying. The sight broke both Alexia’s and Anne’s hearts.

"Do you still want to—" Anne started, but Mary shook her head no before she could finish.

They understood. The drive back to Mary’s house was filled with silence, the weight of the day pressing down on all of them. When they finally pulled up to her house, Mary quietly got out of the car and shut the door without a word.

Alexia sighed, her voice small. "Well… we tried."

She texted me to break the bad news, and then drove Anne home. The silence hung heavy in the car, and as Alexia pulled into her driveway, she felt utterly defeated. The day, which had begun so full of hope, had slipped away.