Masterpiece Chapter 1 Draft

Chapter 1

"Ma'am, I'm going to need you to pay her the full price," said Paul Blart. He was dealing with a situation at Amy's hair extension shop.

"I come here every single weekend, and have bought so much, yet she still doesn't give me even the slightest discount," replied the old, plump woman.

"Ma'am, she doesn't have to give you a discount if she doesn't want to. I think you might've drank a bit too much. Why don't you take a seat over here?" He started to escort her over to a seat, but she socked him right in the gut, creating a loud thumping sound. "Argh!" he groaned. He dropped down on his knees, clutching his stomach.

"That's for saying I'm drunk!"

"Oh my! Paul, are you okay?" Amy rushed over to Paul and knelt down beside him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, straining. "I just need...some...sugar." He collapsed to the ground because his blood sugar level was too low.

"Help! Somebody help! Paul needs sugar!" Amy screamed. Just then, another officer ran into the candy store, grabbed a blue raspberry flavored dum-dum, and hurried over to Paul. He peeled off the wrapper, and stuffed it in his mouth. After a few moments, Paul gasped and sat up.

"Anyway, where were we?" he asked the woman.

"You were saying I was drunk," she replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. But ma'am I'm still going to need you to pay the full price." The moment he said that, he regretted it. He could see the rage building up inside her eyes, as if a fire was burning inside her.

"I have a solution to all this," the other officer said. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Aaron Ashwood. I am a security officer here at West Orange Pavilion Mall. Anyway, I think we could resolve this in a very simple way. I'll pay the rest of the price."

"Thank you so much," Amy and the other woman said in unison. She walked away, hanging carrying the bag containing the hair extension on her left arm.

"I really liked what you did back there," Amy said to Aaron. "It was so thoughtful of you to do that. I want you to take this money back." She held out the wrinkled ten dollar bill.

"No, I want you to keep it. I'm sure you work very hard every day. You deserve every cent that you earn." Then she hugged him - tight.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes getting teary.

Seeing this, Paul didn't know how to feel. He was speechless. He had known Amy for so long, and for James to just come up and win her love. He spun 180 degrees on his segway, and rolled away with his head down.

When Amy lifted her head, she looked around and said, "Paul? Paul, where are you?" She paced around her small shop, looking for him. "Excuse me Aaron, but I need to look for Paul." She ran around the mall, checking in every single shop. Finally, she found him, alone in a corner in Joe's American Bar and Grill with a margarita in his hands.

"Paul, why did you just leave me like that?" she asked.

"Why did I leave you? How about you tell me why you left me?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You hugged him a minute after you met him."

"Paul, I think you're overreacting. It was just a hug."

"Just a hug?" Then he smashed his drink on the floor, and stormed out of the restaurant.