Because of a Girl Like Me

Chapter 4.

                  

                  

I pulled up to the only mall there was for miles around here, and I put my white Honda in park outside of the Macy's entrance. It was a small mall, and it didn't have all the most up to date stores, but it was a huge hangout. I pulled down the visor and checked my reflection in the little mirror, reapplying some pink lip gloss before I hopped out of the car, looking around the lot before I quickly made my way inside.

            I didn't really expect to get abducted in broad daylight from a busy mall parking lot that is under 24hr surveillance from all of the little cameras at the tops of all of the light poles, but still. You can never be too careful.

            I browsed through a couple of stores, mindlessly flipping through hangers on racks for a while before the smell of the food court reached out and pulled me to the Asian Wok for some friend rice and an egg roll. I took my food and walked out into the center of all of the tables full of people. I found an empty table towards the back, and took a seat. I hadn't been sitting there for more than a few minutes when I first saw her.

            She was walking out of the Sephora store. A bag in one hand and a little clutch in the other. There was just something about her. She clearly wasn't like all of the other people around her. She was gorgeous with her shiny shoulder length blonde hair, and her makeup looked so perfect you'd have thought she'd just finished up a YouTube tutorial.

            I had just realized I was creeping on her, and I was just about to look away when she glanced my way.

Real cool, Sienna.

            Mortified, I quickly looked in the opposite direction. When I slowly turned back, I saw that she was still standing there in front of the store, looking at me, with her head tilted like she was sizing me up.

Crap, she thought I was hitting on her.

            She weaved her way through the crowded food court and maneuvered around the tables gracefully, coming to a stop in front of mine and smiling at me with a nice white toothy grin.

"Hey, I'm Stella." She introduced herself. "Mind if I take a seat?" She asked although she was already lowering herself into a chair before I could even nod my head. "So, tell me." She smiled, leaning in. "Is this town always so boring?"

I laughed a little. "Um, yeah, pretty much." I said truthfully, then sighed. "This and the movies are basically the only things to do here."

She looked around disinterested. "You're from here, then? How can you stand this?" She asked. "I just moved here a few weeks ago with my mom." She paused to roll her big blue eyes. "She's on boyfriend number...shit, who can remember anymore." She flipped her hair. "Anyway, she's pretty much the most clueless person on the planet, but hey, at least this guy has money. The added bonus is that he is just dying to buy my affections." She told me pulling out a black credit card from her wallet, and waiving it around. "Technically I'm eighteen and I don't have to live with them, but who am I to turn down free stuff for a while. Even if it does mean living in this lame ass town." She smiled at me again, her eyes piercing me. "I'm going to move to California when I'm done here, be an actress." She said with a head twirl and a giggle.

Of course this girl was going to get out of here. I was instantly jealous of her and her plans for her life. I hadn't even thought about what I want for dinner tonight, much less what I want to be. People like her don't belong in towns like this one. I looked at her clothes and realized it all looked designer. Her teal off the shoulder crop top accentuated her dark tan skin, she had on a pair of jean cot off shorts with a white lace edge sewn on, and at the end of her long thin legs were light tan wedges. She was dressed for the beach more than the mall, but she was pulling it off. She leaned back in her chair, eyeing me expectantly.

God, I'm sitting here like a mute loser.

            I fidgeted with my hair, trying to think of something to say. "Uh, so, where did you say you moved here from?" I asked.

            Stella twirled a lock of her hair around her nicely manicured finger. "Well, I was born in Florida." She told me. "I've lived in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando for a few weeks." She sighed. "We pretty much move to wherever mom's boy toy of the month is from. She's a strong believer in internet dating." She explained. "There was a guy from Houston, Texas, that one was pretty interesting. After him there was a hick from Mississippi, and then the last one was from Lafayette. That one almost lasted two whole years, and now here I am."

            "Wow." I said in amazement. "I've never been anywhere but here, and then my one yearly trip to Panama City Beach." I couldn't imagine what it must be like to get to live in so many different places. I've been nowhere, and here this girl is, a year younger than me no less, and she's already lived twice as much as me. She was easily the coolest person I'd ever hung around with and I'd known her maybe ten minutes now. "Wasn't that hard on you though? Moving all the time I mean." I asked her. "What about school and friends?"

            She swatted her hand in the air. "Girl, I loved it." She smiled. "I've never liked staying in one place too long. I bore easily. I like to explore and experience things." She told me as she reached across the table and picked up my drink, taking a small sip. "I made new friends wherever I went, and my mom homeschooled me." She slid my drink back across the table and grinned. "I didn't catch your name."

            I laughed at myself. "Oh, duh." I said. "I'm Sienna."

            She nodded her head. "Well, Sienna," She said my name like it was a beautiful word. "What do you say to helping me spend an ungodly amount of Daddy megabucks's money in Victoria's Secret?" Her smile was devious now as she fanned herself with the card she'd showed me earlier.

            I haven't had any fun in so long that I can't even remember, and Stella seemed like the exact type of person I need to spend some with. She was so cool and together, and I did come here with the intention of finding a new friend. So really, there was only one answer that seemed appropriate.

            "Hell yeah."