Stereotype (Two Books in One) *COMPLETED*

Chapter 11: Irritated

       Shaun looked at me as if I had lost my mind and asked. "Buy you something? Nah, you better be playin'."

       I tried to look cute while begging, "Shaun please...You're the one who asked me to come to the mall."

"That's only cause you said you was gonna go to the mall. I'm just here to keep you company."

"Well, I never brought any money with me."

"Well why the hell we here then?"

       Shaun walked away from me, exited the mall, and began to walk straight to his car. I trailed behind him feeling dissed and embarrassed because people were staring and whispering. When we were standing by the trunk of the car, he broke the silence.

"Are you tryna use me or something?"

My voiced cracked when I asked, "why would you even say that?"

       I felt so offended and I don't know if it was because I was emotional due to my pregnancy, but tears began to roll down my cheeks and fall onto the front of my tank top. I looked at the ground and and everything was a blur because the tears were blocking my vision. I blinked hard three times, and looked both ways before crossing the street and going back into the mall.

       I heard Shaun calling behind me, "Kendra wait! Just wait!"

       Since I never heard an apology, I kept on walking until I was inside the mall doors. I walked back into Forever 21 and headed to the change rooms. There was no one available to give me a key, so instead I helped myself to a silver key, with a huge black plastic number 3 attached with a long white string. Inside the change room, I sat on the light grey carpet and tried to get my emotions under control. Why was I even crying? The more I questioned myself in my mind, I started sobbing even harder. I heard a knock on the door, and it was a females voice.

"Is anyone in there?"

       I stayed quiet because I didn't want to have to explain myself. I knew I was in the change room without anyone giving me a key, and I didn't want the person to think I was trying to steal anything.

"Hello? Are you okay in there?"

       She must have heard me crying, so I cleared my throat and said, "Yes, I'm fine." I quickly wiped away my tears, stood up, brushed off my behind in case of any lingering carpet lint, and struggled to get the door open. My hands were shaking and I was nervous to exit because it was obvious that I was crying. 

       When I finally got the door open, I was face to face with a girl from my school that was my age. I wasn't too sure about her name, but I glanced at her name tag and it read, Shay. She was about the same height as me, but except her body was more thick. She was wearing a cotton long sleeved charcoal-grey dress that sat above her knees, along with plain black suede ankle boots. Her skin was caramel colored and blended in perfectly with her hair because it was dyed blonde and sitting in a bun on top of her head.

       I gave her a phoney smirk and handed her the key in my hand while saying, "Hey, sorry for helping myself to a key."

"No that's fine. I just thought I heard you crying, so I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Yeah I'm fine."

       I did a quick glance around the store, to make sure that Shaun hadn't followed me. I mostly saw females and children, so I felt a little relaxed. Shay brought my attention back to her when she gave me a confused look and asked, "don't you go to West Brook?"

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"I swear I've seen you around with Shaun and Anthony."

"Yeah, we hang out sometimes."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go."

        Shay seemed like she didn't want me to go. She insisted on  wondering if I needed someone to talk to, but I hated telling females my issues because they use it against you in the end.

"Wait, if you need someone to talk to, I can listen. I'm on break and we can go to the food court."

        I pushed my way pass her and before heading to the front of the store I said, "Listen, I don't know you like that." 

"Oh, alright. Damn, I was just trying to help a sister out."

"Well, I don't need your help."

        I felt bad for giving Shay attitude, but for some reason everything was just irritating me. I was so annoyed, I just wanted to walk through the mall and not think about any of my problems. While I was walking to the store exit, I seen the dress that Shay was wearing on the racks. I wanted to look at the price, but I felt like she was watching me walk away and I didn't want her to think I was trying to copy her style. 

"Kendra! There you are!"

       As soon as I was about to walk into Foot Locker, Shaun jogged up to me from a bench facing the store. If I had noticed him, then I would've walked on the other side of the mall, and try to blend in with the crowd.

"Just leave me alone."

"Just listen to what I have to say."

"You're making everyone stare at us!"

"You're the one yelling. Use a low voice, damn girl."

       I walked away from Shaun and walked past Foot Locker, I didn't know where I was going, but I would go anywhere to get away from him. I seen SEARS in the distance, and it was the store my mom worked in. Since the store was basically empty, I headed in that direction and of course Shaun followed closely behind.

       When we both stepped into the store, I made my way to the baby section, and sat in a brown wooden rocking chair. I didn't want to rock back and forth because I was already feeling nauseous and hungry. I folded my arms across my chest, like a brat and Shaun stood directly in front of me.

"Why you always gotta be so sensitive?"

       I unfolded my arms and raised my voice, "Sensitive!?" I was looking up at Shaun in disbelief and disgust. 

"Damn, can't you just bring your voice down a little?"

       I obeyed and said, "You never know the right things to say to me. Most of the time you're just saying things to hurt my feelings, and then you wanna claim you're joking."

"I don't wanna hurt your feelings, and I am joking. You just can't handle a joke."

"Well if you think I can't handle them, then don't make jokes towards me."

"Alright I wont."

       Since I felt this conversation was over, I stood up and walked through the isles in the baby section. I peeked into cribs, gripped the handles of strollers and caressed the material of the baby clothes. Shaun was trailing behind me the whole time, and I wasn't paying any attention to him.

"Why you obsessing over baby things?"

       I felt this was the perfect moment to tell him that I was carrying his baby, but I was a little nervous inside. My heart started fluttering and I was finding it hard to breath. It almost felt like the anxiety I went through after my fathers funeral, except that time was worse because I actually ended up in the hospital.

"I'm not obsessing. Is it a crime to look at baby things?"

"You don't have to roll your eyes and give me all that attitude, I was just asking."

"Well I was just asking too."

"Look, I'm tired of arguing with you, we never used to be like this."

"Well now we are."

"I swear after this past month you've just been catchin' feelings. Everything I say, you're either yelling or crying over it."

"Oh, and that's my fault? Yeah, cause you don't say anything to hurt my feelings. It's just me."

"Don't be sarcastic."

        I put the woolly dark-beige baby hat down on the metal white shelve, turned to face him and asked, "You want to know why I'm walking through the baby isles?"