Spinelli was at the mall, alone, in a store looking at things she couldn't afford. She was in eighth grade going into ninth and after primary school; she had dropped the whole tough girl attitude. She and the gang were not together anymore, it's not like they didn't like each other, like they had some big fight or anything, they just grew apart, they were to different. Vince became very popular, obviously because the other boys admired him for his athletic abilities. Mikey had come out in grade eight, and since then had been spending a lot of time with girly girls like the Ashleys. Gretchen still was a genius, but more stuck up and prudent then she had been all those years ago. TJ was one of those who sat at the back of the class, got in trouble a lot and who the girls all called a pervert. Gus? Nowadays he geeked out on a lot of WOW.
The feelings she had toward the five now where non-existent, she wasn't sad or happy they weren't friends anymore; they were just some kids who had once been her friends. Kids who she could once write a book about and now, she had a hard time coming up with a single sentence about them. While they went out and created new identities, new lives, she stayed behind fading into nothing. She wasn't tough, girly, funny, creative, outgoing, shy, weird, gross, normal, smart or dumb, she just was. School was tough without an identity, she didn't know where or with whom she belonged.
Spinelli set down the sweater she was looking at, school was three weeks away and she couldn't even afford new clothes, (Money was tight, she only lived with her mother after her parents divorced) and being in the store was only making her depressed. She headed towards the food court, bought a soft pretzel and sat down for one of her favourite past times, people watching.
She had almost finished her pretzel, when she noticed Vince and his friends sitting down at a table a ways away from hers. She studied them, Vince most of all. He was really, tall at least six feet, skinny, and was currently snarrfing approximately four cheeseburgers. He had a little acne and acne scaring, mostly on his forehead and curly, bushy black hair. Spinelli didn't think he was bad looking, but certainly didn't have any feelings for him. She was in a fog and didn't notice she was staring until he turned towards her, and pretended to take a picture with an invisible camera, that was obviously her cue to stop.
She averted her eyes quickly and fought a blush as she stood to go put her tray away and get rid of all her trash. She heard laughter, assuredly there's but promised herself not to turn around as she exited the food court. She entered another store, just to have something to do (the bus didn't come for another half hour) and looked at more clothes, a particular pair of jeans caught her eye and when she tried them on she fell in love, they fit perfectly and made her look cute, but just a little sexy, the perfect combination. It took her ten minutes to take them off, she loved them that much. Daring herself to look at the price tag she quickly flipped it over, one hundred and ten, at least she had braced herself. Unless they were under six dollars, she knew they were out of her price range.
She put them back and dragged her feet out of the store, gong to the bus stop. On the bench outside of the store, however, a guy, probably in his twenties sat, obviously watching her. He had blonde hair and a sexy leather jacket. Spinelli decided he couldn't believe how pathetic she was for his reason for staring.
Outside it had been about five minutes since she sat down when a sports car pulled up. "Hey there," It was the man with the leather jacket, "Your cute, whatcha doing tonight?"
She looked side to side then pointed at herself, "Oh, me?"
He laughed revealing two rows of perfect teeth, "Yeah, you!"
"Oh um, I dunno," She mumbled to her hands.
"Well I there's this party tonight, It'd be killer if you could come." He wrote something down, "Here's the address and my number, phone me if you want to come, I could pick you up." He winked at her.
She went up to go get it, though she thought it was strange, him being so forward like this, "Gee, thanks but-"
"Just think it over okay?"
"Umm, okay…"
She sat back down and he drove away, she wasn't sure what to feel, exited or sceptical? This had never happened before; her mom would never let her go, but who was going to tell her about it? Also, he had called her cute, offered her a ride even. Plus he didn't look like a serial killer or rapist's she heard about on T.V, he looked like a hot guy, with a nice car who was popular and probably went to college.
She didn't know if she should stay or go. What did you do in a situation like this?