The Safety Dance - Nick Clark

5 - The Dark May Change

Three p.m. and we decided we were hungry. We found a Mall and sat in the food court and I've never seen such a big burger before today. "Does whatever you take make you hungry enough to eat like that?" I laughed watching him try to eat his food his both hands. He shook his head and swallowed, wiping his mouth he said "No but it's normal to get hungry enough to eat this." He half smiled and began to eat again.

After lunch we spent two hours at the Mall and the only thing we got were a notebook and a pen. We wanted to keep track of every place we stayed at or visited. Nick sat in the passenger seat and he was giggling way to hard while trying to write in the book.

"No good, dirty, rotten, pig stealin', great great-" I laughed, trying to drive.

"Amy! We can't name the hotel after a Holes reference." He scolded playfully and began to write. I tried to see what he was calling the cheap hotel we stayed at but he put his back to me. "Nick, what are you putting down?" I pushed at him. And turned back around and smiled widely at me. "Read it to me." I demanded.

He held the notebook in front of his face and read off ""Today, Amy and I visited a crappy hotel. It made me feel like if her and I tried to run a hotel and that would be the result. She made me shower I mean, if she wanted to see me naked that bad she could just ask.""

"That's in pen!" I slapped him and he let his head fall to the back of the seat and smiled at me while laughing. I pulled him over to me by his shirt and kissed him quick and then went back to driving. He sat back and ran his thumb over his bottom lip.

"Turn around and go back to the Mall." He said putting the notebook away.

"Why? We're an hour away."

"I've got an idea." was all he said before smiling and laying his seat back. An hour later and Nick was dragging me back through the doors and up to the second floor. Just moments ago he told me his plan to stay the night here. "We could get in serious trouble Nick" he pulled me into a packed shop called Clarise; it was a Prom dress store which by the rush of girls pulling guys by their arms it seemed Prom was close.

"Why are we in here?" I asked as he pretended to look at purple dresses, he held one up to me and smiled.

"We're going to hide here till everyone leaves." he put the dress back and spun around and knocked a girl over and three dresses covered the floor around me. Nick apologized and helped her up while I pick up the dresses and brushed them off. I never got to go to Homecoming or even my Prom but then again why would I want to go? I went to hand the dresses back to the girl when I realized who it was. Abby Young; I thought I'd never have to deal with that again when she moved but I guess it was to much to ask for.

Nick looked descent enough for her not to notice what has become of him since they last dated six years ago. She kept a fake smile on her face while her and Nick talked. I felt stupid standing there holding dresses for a girl flirting with my... whatever. I put the dresses back on the rack and walked to the next store. It was a Panda Express.

I ordered and sat in the back waiting for Nick to find me. I pushed at my plate of food with a hand under my chin. An hour passed and still no sign of Nick. "I'm sorry but we're closing, you're going to have to leave." I threw away my plate and made my way back to Clarise but the store had closed and I started to panic. I looked around and most places has the gates down or wouldn't let me in because they were closing soon. I thought about just going back to the car but what if he were still in here?

I walked half of the Mall and found myself in a Peebles, heading for the door when I was pulled into a clothes rack. Nick smiled widely at me and giggled. "I've been lookin-" he put a hand over my mouth and a finger to his lips. A tall, blonde woman walked by and locked the front doors.