Blair and Ashton stepped off the crowded subway and headed for the Eaton center. The crowded streets made it hard to stay together but blocked them from the wind. The two crossed the busy street, pulled open the mall door and walked in.
“Ashton! Blair!” A voice behind them shouted. They turned to see Dawn jogging towards them. Dawn had been their friend since the sixth grade when she moved from Texas and bought a house two doors down from Blair’s.
“Glad you could make it.” Ashton smiled.
“Dawn I love that shirt! Where’d you get it?” Blair started, Ashton rolled his eyes and she stuck her tongue out at him.
The girls dragged him to the first store they saw and began clawing at the racks and pulling as many things as possible.
“How do you like this one?” Blair asked as she twirled in front of the mirror, Dawn gave her thumbs up.
“It’s cute, I like it.” She replied.
“Thanks,” Blair turned her head and looked around to make sure Ashton was out of earshot “I always kind of wondered why he lets us drag him along our shopping trips; I thought guys hated this stuff.”
“Yeah but he grew up with us, we put up with the baseball games and action flicks and he gets stuck watching us try on an endless selection of pink.” Dawn laughed.
“Are you two done with this fashion show yet?” Ashton asked looking through his fingers.
“Yeah, but I don’t know which one to get.” Dawn said frowning. Ashton pointed at a blue top and she made up her mind.
“Nice fashion sense.” She laughed a she pulled out a ten dollar bill. The girl at the counter gave her a receipt and began the same speech about going online and completing a survey, Dawn gave her a look and she shrunk back and handed her the bag.
“They take so long just to order a burger!” Blair whispered motioning to the three teenage Barbie dolls chatting about what they should get.
“Hurry up!” Dawn shouted making one of them jump. They all talked for a few more seconds and made a snap decision. The line finally moved and the three ordered quickly so they wouldn’t get everyone in line yelling at them as well.
“Finally I get to eat.” Dawn laughed falling in to one of the food court chairs. Blair gave her a look and stole a fry before she could slap her hand away. Ashton would have already taken fries from both of them but he seemed to be looking for something. His eyes seemed distant and he didn’t join their conversation. Blair waved her hands in his face when he didn’t respond to his name.
“Ashton, what’s up? You’re too quiet today.” Blair remarked. He met her eyes for a second and replied as if he was in a trance.
“I think I know that guy, I gotta go. Text or call me later.”
“Okay, bye.” Blair mumbled. She watched him walk about twenty meters and stood up. Dawn watched her with a strange look.
“What are you doing?” She inquired.
“I want to know where he goes when he runs off like that.” Blair answered. Dawn grabbed her arm and warned her it was a bad idea but she shook her off and strode into the crowd following Ashton at a distance
