The Lost Soldier

Getting Dumped Sucks (For Her)

Days had passed by since the incident and it felt like Beckett and I were walking on egg shells around each other. It wasn't his fault that his girlfriend was a dick, and it wasn't his fault that my heart was slowly breaking either. I was surprised though when he showed up at my door grinning like a mad man "you're coming to the mall with us" He said bouncing with excitement. "Beck I'm not dressed and I'm not really feeling it today" I said I've been in a funk lately and I knew what it was, I was diagnosed with it five years ago. It felt like I had a shadow on my back sucking up all my happiness and energy and I couldn't do anything but take meds that rarely worked to keep it at bay. "Sweetie this is not a choice!" I heard Lanie call from Edna Beckett's truck. WAIT. I snapped my head up and leaned past Beckett to see Lanie hanging from the open window of Edna grinning, and looking at how ridiculous Lanie was being me me crack a small smile. "Now if you're not dressed and out her in five minutes" Lanie yelled "I'm making Beckett go in there and carry you out!" she screeched in maniacal laughter that was so good it slightly scared me. So I did what any girl would do, I made myself presentable as fast as I could before grabbing my purse, phone, and keys. I then ran off to join my two knuckle-head best friends that were sitting in an old pick up truck named after a character from the Incredibles. The ride to the mall was chaotic to say the least, between Lanie trying to get every semi around us to honk at her and Beckett singing out of tune at high volume, I still don't know how I'm still sane. Lanie and Beckett fed of each other's chaotic energies like Pac-Man eating pellets, and I was the ghost they were annoying to death. I thought I was gonna die via frosting spoon to the back of the throat, but no, I was gonna die jumping out of a moving vehicle. Beckett must've read my mind cause next thing I knew, the child safety locks were on "oh come on!" I cried yanking on the handle "free me from this torture! I beg you!" I whined. 

When we finally parked in a parking spot and the child safety locks turned off, I whipped open the door and fell onto the pavement, I hugged the ground thanking everything up above for getting us to dry land where the sea of never-ending torture had come to an end. "Oh stop being dramatic" Lanie scoffed as she passed me "it wasn't that bad." I immediately thought of mocking Sponge Bob meme "It WaSn'T ThAt BaD!!" I stuck my tongue out at her and peeled myself off the asphalt to follow them inside the mall. 

I followed Beckett in as he held the door for me and I looked out at all the bustling people trying to get their errands done. This was great and all but there was only one problem. There was way to many people here and my social anxiety set off police sirens inside my brain "abort! Abort! ABORT!" I started walking out "you know what guys? I think I'll go spend some quality time with Edna." Lanie caught my hand and sang "Areumie if you go shopping with us, Beckett will buy you anything you want at Hot Topic" I grinned as dollar signs flashed over my eyes and I looked over at Beckett who looked genuinely confused about this whole situation. I watched as Lanie stomped on his foot "of course I will! But only as the last thing we do today, because we all know you'll get what you want and make a break for it." He rushed glaring and elbowing Lanie back. I frowned as I thought about all the people I would have to interact with "I'll also buy you Sesame chicken" he said, no fair. "Now you're talking Beck, I've never seen Ari turn down free food!" Lanie cheered bouncing on the balls of her feet. I finally relented and let them drag me where ever they wanted to go, Lanie and I were wandering around a bookstore in the mall when Beckett came back from his 'quest' with a small jewelry bag. I raised my eyebrows "what's that?" I asked, Beckett slightly jumped and shoved it into his jacket pocket "it's nothing" he rushed "It's nothing I promise angel" he gave me a dimpled smile that had heat crawling up my cheeks. "Let's go get food" Lanie groaned dramatically gripping her stomach as she walked "I'm starving" I cracked a smile and said "I could go for some food too Beckett" he nodded and said "then, what are we waiting for?" And we began out adventure to the food court. I avoided the sugary drink again today with a lemon water, I didn't need the sugar at all, not with the sweetness of the sesame chicken I was currently diving into. Lanie got a personal pizza the size of a regular sized pizza, I don't know where that got packed away in her tiny body. But she devoured the whole thing in a matter of minutes, Beckett ended up with barbecue Mac-and-cheese, I didn't know how that combo fit together, but hey to each their own right? 

Beckett had gone into an exercise equipment store, and since neither Lanie or I was really interested we decided to try on dresses at Deb's an amazing store where you could get quality dresses for half the price. Lanie was in the middle of comparing a short navy blue dress or a white Marylin Monroe worthy dress to my complexion when someone pushed me from behind, luckily Lanie caught me before I could face plant but I was pissed. I whirled around and came face to face with a fuming Sarah Jones "what the hell!" Lanie growled getting ready to throw hands. I took a hold of her hands and fixed Sarah with a glare "what was that for?" I hissed.

"What did you say to him!" Sarah screeched causing everyone that was shopping in Deb's to stop and stare. "What do you mean?" I asked through gritted teeth my body screaming at the thought of confrontation.

"Beckett! He broke up with me! Over fucking text!" She poked me in the chest with a pink manicured talon. Lanie slapped her away from me "hands off the merchandise bitch" she said through clenched teeth. Lanie had one thing I didn't; a backbone. "She didn't do anything to you, bimbo barbie so step off before I pull those extensions off your head" Lanie said with contempt in her voice. Not gonna lie Lanie looked hella scary right now, her black pixie cut only enhanced the pissed off look on her face. And knowing Lanie she would definitely kick ass for me, she's done it many of times. My most memorable one was in third grade when Chad Beer was teasing me because of my insulin pump, I have never seen a boy blubber as loud as he did when Lanie twisted his arm to get him to say an apology. Sarah pushed me one more time and cat walked away with her cronies following close behind her, I had to hold Lanie back from tackling the bitch. 

Lanie had finally calmed down, but she was still looking in the direction that Sarah had exited "I can find where she lives if you want, all I have to do is Google that shit." I shook my head and replied "I'd rather not have my best friend in prison for breaking and entering." Lanie gave me an evil grin "more like attempted murder" she hung the dresses up and slung her arm around my shoulder "you'd bail me out, right Areumie?" I grinned "of course Lane." We walked out of Deb's "I thought so" she said "now, let's go find that hunk of yours."