The Exchange

Chapter 28, Part 1

Black Friday deals were upon us, and Blaine, Arti, and I had every intention of taking advantage of them. The mall opened at midnight for ridiculous sales, and it was the first year that any of the three of us could drive. Naturally, we needed to go to buy a ton of useless shit we didn't need since we were fortunate enough to live in the same exact city as the most famous mall in the country.

If we left at six, we would hopefully be able to get a decent spot in line. I told Arti and Blaine to meet at my house at 5:30, and with Arti only one house away, there was no way she could possibly be late. I knew I was lying to myself, but that said more about her than it did about me.

A little while after Blane arrived, it was 5:45, and there was still no sign of Arti. While Blaine and I could have easily walked right over to her house and kidnapped her, we decided to let her come on her own time, until 6:00. Then we were going to get her using whatever means necessary.

I still hadn't told Mom about our plans, since a large part of me was scared that she'd call me insane and not let us go, so I brought it up casually. "Hey, Mom. I'm going to go out with Blaine and Arti soon if that's okay."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

Blaine looked at me. "You didn't tell her?"

"I didn't mention it, no." I turned back to Mom. "Well, we wanted to go shopping at the mall once it opens."

Mom's eyes widened. "Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what it's going to be like there?"

"Pretty crazy, I'm sure." I looked down at the ground. "But I'll have Blaine and Arti."

"No. There's no way I'm letting three sixteen-year-olds handle Black Friday on their own. That's ridiculous."

I suspected that to be a possibility, but it was obvious that she didn't understand how important it was to get new shoes.

"For the record, I'm not talking back, but why not?" I asked. I had caught too many backhands to the back of the head over the years not to add my disclaimer.

"You can't just say that you're not talking back and then proceed to talk back," Mom said. "And look, I know you three think sixteen is mature, but it's not at all. You're still kids."

"I'm almost seventeen," I said, even though I knew damn well that wouldn't help my case.

"We'll talk when you're eighteen, and that's it."

Eighteen? By the time I would be eighteen for Black Friday, I'd be in fucking college. What kind of bullshit was that?

Wait.

Viktor.

When he turned eighteen, I got him nothing for his birthday, so clearly, I owed him the opportunity to have the full American experience.

I smiled to myself, but just before I could make my argument, Blaine spoke up.

"Mrs. Jayne, you absolutely should be concerned about the safety of your daughter and her friends in such a chaotic environment, but the truth is, I am adequately prepared to deal with the craziness. I have two bottles of pepper spray in my bag—"

"Stop talking. I think you're making this worse," I said.

He didn't listen. "—and we will not hesitate to use them on any questionable people."

"I'll give you credit for trying, but that was a horrible argument," Mom said to Blaine.

"What about Viktor? He's eighteen," I said.

Mom paused to think for a second.

Was that a bad move? "I understand if you still say no, but—"