Love Struck

CHAPTER 20

"What are we supposed to do?" Hannah grumbles as Derrick returns to their table with pretzels.

Hannah protested Harriet's request, but she did not want to hear it. Raven is at the mall somewhere, working on a project with Harriet and some cheerleaders. Raven heard from Dakota that no one else visited her in the hospital. Hannah's father was going to be in Chicago, Illinois for a few days on some business. He left the day of the pool attack.

Harriet's request was supposedly a simple one. She wanted the two of them to hang out and bond. She told Hannah it was for the good of the team and the good of the world.

Hannah takes her saltless pretzel from his hand. "Can we go shopping?" He politely smiles.

"I despise shopping." She murmurs.

"That's literally all there is to do here." Derrick grumbles.

"I want to go watch a movie."

"They don't have a movie theater here." He glares, doing his hardest to not get upset.

Hannah looks around at the damage caused by the Beasttiaries. "I am tired."

Derrick huffs. "You didn't say a single word to me during the drive over here."

Hannah leans in closer. "They may have been so forgiving, but I am not. Just because you happened to stumble upon the Dusk Ugoneagem, does not mean you are part of the team."

"It doesn't seem like you are part of the team either."

"Yet I was selected by the principal and not you." She scoffs.

"Pink isn't a boy's color."

"Okay. Why are you such a jerk then?"

"I am not." He replies.

"We are not going to do this." Hannah scowls. "You used to stuff people in lockers all the time. All that power went to your head."

"And I will not stop apologizing for my behavior." Derrick says to her. "Please forgive me."

Hannah looks into his eyes. She chooses the low road. "No. I'm good."

"Then why are we here? At this rundown dump?"

"Nostalgia." Hannah sighs, taking another look around. "Back in the good ole days, my mother used to frequent this mall. She worked at that animal stuffing store and once a week, she would bring me home a stuffed animal. I had my room full of them." She laughs, thinking about her pleasant memory. She thought she had none.

"You still got them all?"

"Nah. A few years ago my mother had to get a different job and little by little, I had to get rid of them until there was none left."

"Damn, that sucks."

Hannah shrugs. "What can you do about it?"

Harriet Hearts and Mary Bromfield are meeting with the owner of Greenford Mall, Carswell Greenford III, who took over when his father retired four years ago in two-thousand-sixteen.

The twenty-six-year-old sits behind his wooden desk, hands folded. "With the age of digital technology ahead, in person stores have just been declining. People prefer to use online stores."

"That's not true." Harriet replies standing up.

Carswell sighs. "I just think it is time to move on. All my stores are either moving or shutting down."

"We just need to refurbish. I love Greenford." Harriet tears up. The memories of all her experiences flowing through her.

Carswell leans back. "Refurbish how? There is no money left."

"Maybe I can fund it."

Carswell lights up with joy. "How much are we talking? I think about ten million will do."

Harriet's eyes widened. She lowers her head. "I'm sorry, but I do not have that much."

"Maybe we can work on some installments?" Carswell suggests, holding out his hand for a handshake. "Shake on it? I can draw up the contract later."

Mary squeezes Harriet's shoulder. "Something isn't right."

Harriet looks over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"You're kidding right?"

"You just need to have a little faith." Harriet smiles.

"Yes. Have a little faith." Carswell grins. "This mall has been a fixture in the community for years. But the strip mall, the casino, and that super grocery store is tearing this city apart."

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?" Mary responds.

"I think it is well within my rights. You want to save this crumbling mall, don't you?"

Harriet slouches down. "Yes. But there must be another way. Ten million is a bit steep. I cannot ask my parents for that amount of money."

"You just need to have the confidence to ask them. So pick up the phone and call your mother."

Harriet reaches into her backpack in front of her legs. Ten million dollars? Harriet only has about ten grand in her savings account. Her checking account is less, with five-hundred dollars. She donates most of her allowance to charities to help underprivileged neighborhoods.

"What do I say?"

"Harriet, stop!" The cheerleader demands.

Harriet raises a brow, turning her attention back to her fellow cheerleader. "What is it?" She sweetly asks, taking note of her teary-eyed friend.

"I've seen this kind of talk before."

"I think you should go." Carswell Greenford forcefully suggests with agitation in his tone.

"It is the talk of a conman." Mary cries, locking eyes with the man across the desk.

"You need to have a little faith."

"That's what my mom said, until he stole everything from us." She replies. "It's the real reason I moved to Blueblaze. We were homeless because a man told us he could help renovate our house via monthly payments. He did shoddy work and prolonged the development until we were bled dry. Then he ran off with the rest."

"That's preposterous." Carswell yells, insulted. "You need to leave and stop feeding her head with lies."

"Please do not talk to my friend like that." Harriet gently says.

"She just called me a conman." The owner gleams.

"Are you?" She asks outright. Her cheeks redden with embarrassment from having to ask that question.

"I think you two need to leave immediately." Carswell suggests, grumbling.

Harriet sighs. "Very well."