Pissing Off The Universe

4- Cute in Criss Cross Clothing

Hayden grabs my arm forcefully with his left hand, gently turning up his right palm to the other couple in the room. They grab his arm with reluctance and with a smirk, Hayden tells us-- more like his friends-- to hang on. Soon, his lilac eyes flash with a dangerous light and his grip on our hands hardens.

I watch as both Kyra and Lennox close their eyes in a flash as we start to move. I feel like my feet are swinging in mid-air but the rest of my body is still on the ground. My head is getting twisted in every direction, but I still don't close my eyes. Hayden sees this as his face contorts for a millisecond. His face morphs so fast that I could have imagined it. But I didn't, I'm sure of it because the dark that had started to invade my mind, that had started to cocoon my body, suddenly disappeared in a flare of light. The light is shimmering: blue to green to see-green to a pale yellow, continually changing. I look around me but my eyes are starting to close: I am getting dizzy because of all the light surrounding me, surrounding my eyes and my head. I try to look down at my hands but all I see is light. I can't see them. My head is spinning-- no all my body is spinning-- my stomach is churning and my skin crawls. I feel like every little cell in my body spontaneously combusts and rebirths like a hundred million little Phoenix. I'm so warm yet so cold. My senses overheat and I start to lose consciousness. My head dips and I feel like I really fall into darkness.

I wake up what feels like an eternity later to a bright sun shining in the sky, blinding me. Birds are chirping and my shirt is sticking to my skin. Kyra and Lennox are standing somewhat wobbly next to Hayden who seems displeased with their current area of choice. He turn to Kyra whining:

"Really Ky? A shopping mall? Why..."

Kyra only smirks as she responds that if he wanted to keep me with them for a while, I would have to have some gear.

"I'm never letting you take control ever again. Seriously. 2016? Horr--"

"2016!?" I exclaim in surprise.

"--ible choices, Ky, horrible choices," he groans pinching the bridge of his nose.

It can't be 2016, he must have fumbled with his words. I am not going back two years in the past to get clothes. No. Not happening. 15 was not a good age for me. Not fun, no kind families either. I much rather stay 17. My body is less awkward and I feel like I've matured since then. Plus how would it even be possible for us to travel 2 years in the past? These clowns must have put me on serious medication since the bar incident. Things have been becoming weirder and weirder. Do they seriously think I'm going to believe their time tavel bullshit? You are believing it deep inside though, aren't you Ava? No. NO. It's crazy and my inside voices need to shut up.

Kyra huffs and grabs my hand, pulling me along with her towards the mall. I let out a shaky breath: I'm becoming hysterical. Plus, the mall is HUGE! Kyra sends a side glance my way and chuckles, mistaking my moment of silence for shock and disbelief. Which, it partly is.

"This is the West Edmonton Mall. It's the biggest shopping mall in North America."

"Wow... This is amazing. But I don't have any money. I can't buy myself anything."

"Oh honey, Hayden's paying for everything. Don't you worry sweetie, he has a great big bag of gold for us to shop with." She winks mischievously at me. "Yeah, I made him take it from his secret stash in the hospital before leaving. No biggy."

As they start making their way through the mall, I can only stand and stare open-mouthed at they are slowly disappearing silhouettes. A bag of what now? Snapping out of my daze, I race after them, scared of being left alone in this ginormous place... in 2016? As I fall into step next to Kyra, I glance around. Throughout my life I have only stayed in tiny rundown villages in Canada. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be in a place this big. One way or another, I was always lost in the crowd. I was never somebody's special person but at least, in a big city like this, I could enjoy being invisible whilst observing other people. I marvel at all the people and their fashion; girls laughing while putting on lipstick and tying the laces of their latest model vans, or guys high fiving while replacing their snapbacks. This, I think, is what I've been missing out on. Deep down I long for friendship and living my life burden free. I look down at my rundown ragged old clothes that were passed down to me and sigh. But in a twisted weird way, isn't that what you have right now? A voice says in my head while my eyes glance over to my companions. But yet I feel as if something is off, which I absolutely know it is. Have you seen the people I'm with and how I got here? I shrug off the feeling, might as well enjoy this drug induced experience while it lasts.

Kyra turns around and looks at Hayden. They seem to have a mental conversation before the boys separate from our little group and start walking in an entirely different direction than where Kyra pulls me. She tells me that she asked the boys to get us some money. That the $200 which she has on her wasn't enough. Geez, how much is she planning to buy today?

We enter a store, Lululemon, I have no idea what to expect, or what to actually get. Fancy? Casual? Sporty? As I gaze into, as what seems endless, rows of clothes, Kyra takes me by the arm and drag me off to a changing room. While I was submerged by all I could never have, Kyra runs all over the store, grabbing clothes here and there. She gives me a big pile of clothes, pushes me in the room and closes the door.

"Try these on for size!" She shouts at me a little too cheerfully. "I kind of guessed your size so we'll have to see."

I look down at the pile of clothes that have been handed to me. Sporty it is. I think as I try the items one by one. I realize these are very forme flattering compared to the baggy clothes I always wore.

"Come on babe, I wanna see some!" Kyra says in a high-pitched voice.

'One sec!" I yell from the other side of the door while fumbling with a shirt with way too many holes. "I just gotta figure this shit out--

Kyra bursts into the cabin and stopped dead in her tracks as she sees the tangled mess I had become and burst into hysterical laughter.

"It's not funny!" I protest a little insulted as she helps me unravel myself from this knot.

"It is most definitely." She says with a sheepish grin.

She takes a step back to admire her work. I am in a pair of high rise tight black leggings with a caquis tank top where the back is opened with a bunch of different straps crisscrossing because of the sports bra I am wearing. I feel 100% out of my comfort zone.

"Damn Ava, you got some curves." She says looking at me up and down.

I blush and look away. Not wanting to be seen, as if I could shrink myself out of the cabin. I retort to explain my discomfort :

"I think this is a bit... much. Like maybe--"

"Nonsense Tink, you look... cute," Hayden says as he appears and makes eyes contact with me "ready for a fight".

His words send shivers down my spine. I cock an eyebrow. I'm going to have to fight?

Let's go to the mall everybody!!! these are the words of the oh so wise Robin Sparkels. I love HMYM! Vote if you do to!!!