Kyndall walked into the Body Shop, intrigued by the outfit she seen in the window. It was a sleeveless, light pink sundress, with a small white flower pattern on it. The sandals shown with it were of an off white straw type material. She smiled to herself as she noted the price on the tag. Walking over to the rack where the dresses were, she flipped through them looking for her size. Taking it off the bar, she walked over to the associate and asked if they had the sandals in a size 9. The associate went in back, returning a few moments later with the shoes. Kyndall smiled as she walked to the back of the store to the dressing rooms. As she passed the T-shirt section, she noticed a guy staring intently at her. As she looked at him, he looked away, walking off quickly. Shrugging and shaking her head, she walked into the first stall. Setting her shopping bags down, she changed into the dress. After putting it on, she slipped into the sandals, walking over to the mirror. "Groovy," she said softly, turning this way and that, checking out what it looked like on her. She quickly changed back into her original clothes, hanging the dress back on the hanger and putting the shoes back in the box. Picking up her other bags, she stepped out of the dressing room, and walked to the counter. Setting the items on the top, she dug in her purse for her wallet. Glancing over, she noticed that guy was back, and staring again. "Weirdo," she mumbled as he walked off again.
"Awesome dress," the girl behind the counter commented as she rang Kyndall up.
Kyndall nodded. "I thought so. Caught my eye when I walked by."
The girl smiled. "Oooh. You got the sandals, too. Very nice."
Kyndall handed the girl her credit card after she was told the total. Turning around, she noticed the strange guy sitting on a bench right outside the store. "Wonder how long he's been following me," she murmured. She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at her stalker. "Oh my," she gasped softly, recognizing him.
"Sign here, please," the girl said handing Kyndall a pen.
Kyndall signed the slip, took her bag, and smiled. "Thanks," she said as she walked away. She walked directly past him as she headed towards Lerner's. Peeking nonchalantly over her shoulder as she went inside, she smiled seeing him following her.
Taking her time, Kyndall looked through almost every rack of clothes in the store. Making her way from the front all the way to the back, she decided to try on some of the stuff she had seen when she first walked in. Picking up a couple of shirts, a skirt, a pair of cargo shorts, and some long stretch pants, she walked back towards the dressing room. "He is still here?" she thought as she watched him lean against a pillar in the middle of the store. Shaking her head she closed the door behind her.
She emerged from the dressing room a few minutes later, having decided on the pants, the shorts, and two of the shirts. Walking to the counter, she set the clothes down and pulled her wallet out. She watched as the girl rang up the clothes and turned towards the credit card machine. "Umm…excuse me," Kyndall said. "That's not my card."
"Oh, it's okay," the girl said walking back over and putting the clothes in the bag. "Your friend is paying for them."
"My friend?" Kyndall asked looking around. Seeing him across the room she sighed. "I can't do that. Please, use my card," she said holding her credit card out.
"I'm afraid it's already been ran through," the girl said.
"So void it and run my card through," Kyndall said impatiently.
"I…I don't know how," the girl stammered. "I just started a few days ago…they haven't -"
"Oh forget it," Kyndall muttered. She picked up her bags and walked over to where the guy was standing. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, looking at her over the top of his shades, a big smile on his face.
"You know what I mean," she said looking at him.
"So I bought you a couple of things, big deal," he shrugged.
"Big deal? You think that you can buy your way into me liking you?" she asked vehemently.
"No. I thought perhaps I could buy you something because I wanted to," he said calmly.
"Ungh," she said in disgust as she stormed out of the store. As she walked past the food court, she decided to stop at Chik-Fil-A and grab something to eat. After ordering and paying for her food, she leaned against the counter watching the people walk by. Her food was finally ready, so she grabbed her things and the bag and walked over to the closest empty table. Sitting everything down, she sat down. She gently hit the straw on the table a couple of times, breaking the paper surrounding it. Pulling it out, she stuck it in the cup, rolling the wrapper in a ball. Opening the bag, she pulled out her fries and her sandwich. Eating one of the waffle fries, she decided she didn't really want them and opened the box to her chicken sandwich. Pulling off the lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles, she was about to take a bite when a shadow fell over her table. Looking up she seen AJ standing there. "What do you want now?" she asked.
"Mind if I set down," he asked pointing at the empty seat across from her.
"Don't you have someone else you can bother?" she asked, watching as he sat down.
"No, I'm all alone today," AJ smiled at her.
"How unfortunate for me," she mumbled. "Excuse me, those are mine," she said pulling the container of fries away from him.
"You weren't eating them," he said finishing the one he had taken. Looking at her, he sighed. "Look. I know why you're upset. I'm sorry. I don't know what I can do or say to make it better. Alls I know is I'm sorry."
"What do you mean you know why I'm upset?" she asked sitting her sandwich down and looking at him.
"Catlyn told me the other night. She told me that you hated the guys because you were obsessed with me."
"Catlyn…told…you…that?" she asked slowly.
AJ nodded. "Yeah. She told me that the only way to fix things with you so that you didn't hate me anymore was to ditch Miranda and run away with you," he grinned awkwardly.
"Hmmm," Kyndall said blushing. Shaking her head she sighed. "I…I can't believe she told you that. She's supposed to be my best friend."
"Don't be mad at her. She didn't think that we'd ever see each other again. I didn't think we'd see each other again," he said softly, looking at her.
Kyndall jumped as her cell phone started ringing. "Excuse me," she mumbled, digging it out of her purse. "Hello?"
"Hey. How are ya?"
Looking over at AJ, she blinked. "Howie?"
"Yeah. Just thought I'd see how you were holding up."
"I'm doing okay. Isn't this just a weird coincidence? Guess who decided to invite himself to lunch with me?" she asked.
"Howie? What's he doing calling you?" AJ asked looking at her funny.
"Is that AJ?" Howie asked.
"Yeah. That's AJ," Kyndall said softly.
"What is he doing there?"
"What's Howie doing calling you?" AJ repeated.
"Shut up AJ. I'm on the phone," Kyndall whispered.
"I'll let you go. Call me when he leaves," Howie said.
"Will do," she smiled hanging up the phone.
"What is Howie doing calling you?" AJ asked again.
"We're friends. At least I know he's not going to go around telling my secrets to the person that doesn't need to know them," Kyndall said putting her phone away. Pushing the fries towards AJ she said, "You can have them. I'm suddenly not very hungry."
"Kyndall," AJ said as she gathered her things. "Wait. I'm sorry. For everything. Couldn't we start over?"
"For what? You're going to be leaving, and I'll never see you again. It would be much easier if I just went on about my business, forgetting I ever heard your name," she said softly.
"Can't we just try. At least for today?" he pleaded with her.
Sighing, she sat down. "Fine. At least it won't last much longer," she mumbled.
"Groovy," he said. Holding out his hand to her, he smiled. "AJ McLean."
"Kyndall Laine," she said smiling softly and shaking his hand.
"Very nice to meet you. I see you've been shopping. Pick up anything interesting?" he asked.
They spent the next hour talking and getting to know each other. Kyndall was falling for him all over again. And much harder this time, because she wasn't falling for an untouchable human. She was falling for the real thing, the flesh and blood person walking next to her. As they walked back towards the center court, the place where Kyndall was suppose to be meeting Catlyn, AJ turned towards her, stopping in the middle of the walkway. He reached out and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. "I've had a really good time. I'm glad that I've had the chance to meet you. I hope that we can do this again sometime. I'd like for us to become friends. Who knows what might happen," he smiled softly at her.
"I would like that-" She was interrupted by the ringing of AJ's phone.
"Dammit," he said looking at the number. "Hello?" he asked annoyed. ">pause< At the mall. >pausepausepause< Shopping. What the hell else do you think? >pausepause< Miranda, I'll be home soon. >pause< Yes," AJ sighed as he watched Kyndall walk slowly away. "Look. I'll call you back >pause< What? >pause< Yes. >pause< I have to go >pausepause< Bye," he said hanging up and walking over to Kyndall. "I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay. She is your girlfriend," she said softly. "I um…I have to go. I will talk to you later," she said walking quickly away.
