Something About Ryder (NEW chapters coming soon)

Ch. 2

Chapter Two: Stealing Chances. 

When mom handed me a card and said, "Food court in 30 minutes." I almost bowed to show my gratitude. She sauntered off toward Christie's Shoes and I turned around to head to the stationary store. It was the last Saturday before the new school year and that meant the mall would be packed. That was either a very good thing or something very bad.

Elisa Cornwall, a fellow student at Madison, pushed ahead of me, blocking my way as I turned to head into the stationary store. It was intentional, obviously, since someone like her didn't dare do her own back to school shopping. It was clear that she'd seen me with my mother and waited for her moment to strike. 

Regardless, I kept my dignity intact, looking around quickly to see if anyone had noticed my close call with the tiled floor went Elisa cut me off. They didn't and that left her unsatisfied.

"Here to ruin someone else's life, Ally?" she hissed, glaring down at me over her designer shades.

I sighed loudly and tried to blow past her. As expected, though it was entirely unexpected, she tripped me, only this time I was unable to stop myself as I hurtled onto the floor. 

My palms clapped loudly against the tiles as the weight of my body came down on me. It was terrifying. I knew that once I looked up, I would see every person in a twenty-foot radius staring.

Elisa's snobby voice continued to torment me, "Whoops," she laughed, "Looks like the only life you're ruining today is your own." I squeezed my eyes shut, begging myself to become just a bit more courageous than I had been in the past and tell her to shove it but that did nothing. The only courage I had was under my pitch black sheets up in my gloomy paradise. 

Once I could no longer hear Elisa's treacherous, hyena-like laugh, I sat back on my knees. There was no point in acting like I had made a small mistake and was gathering myself. I'd been caught in a web and facing it was easier than getting tangled further. 

I finally dusted my hands off and stood up, by then people had already gone back to doing what they'd come for. I found the stack of notebooks and managed to get a few unmangled ones out. The pens were neatly packed in a discounted bin so I took as many as I could fit in my hands. The last thing on my list of necessary school supplies was a new backpack, unfortunately, it appeared that there were none left. 

Someone else seemed to have the same idea I did because I could see him frantically searching the empty twisted rack that said: "BACKPACKS 50% OFF". I gave up on thinking about the bag, I would just have to carry my extras on hand this semester, at least that's what I told myself. 

The angry shopper searching in futility shouted, startling almost half the people in the store, "Are there any backpacks left in this place?"

An employee rushed over, begging the shopper to lower his voice. I turned away to join the checkout line that seemed to be getting lengthier by the minute, but I was again cut off by Elisa. This time she saved her remarks and simply stood in front of me with her one object for purchase; A pink feather pen. 

I could almost hear the words "Ugh, as if!" coming out of her mouth. She was a near replica of Cher Horowitz. Strawberry blonde hair, Hollywood like style, and no insight whatsoever. The only difference was that Alicia Silverstone portrayed a nice girl that was easy to fall in love with. Elisa, on the other hand, was a deadly viper who would strike at even the least threatening thing in her path.