Distractions

Teddy Duncan had spent the afternoon parading around the mall with her mom, hopelessly lost in the ever fading ecstasy that was the moment she spent with Jo. She desperately tried to pay attention to her mother as she again tried to get her attention, "Teddy, Teddy!"

"Huh, oh um that sounds like fun"

"Walking into the fountain sounds like fun? Teddy will you get out of this rut, you almost walked right into the fountain."

Teddy being torn away from her day dream of being with Jo at the mall only to realize that she was in fact about to step into the fountain display at the mall. Red faced she continued onward with her mother to the food court.

"Now, I need to go get something while you get us some food okay? Oh, and get me something that won't make my breath stink, you know just incase we meet some boys"

"Mom, really? Boys? I mean you've had four kids what makes you think…"

"Excuse me"

Teddy turned to see what she normally would have found a very attractive guy talking to her with is equally attractive friend. Normally she would have if she wasn't so bent on finding a way to see Jo again, let alone getting her thoughts to stray from Jo for even one moment.

"We couldn't help but over here that you two ladies were going to get something to eat and we thought…"

"Back off I'm a mother of four, with a husband who is an exterminator for a living. Yeah that's right, mama bear's off the list"

Teddy groaned outwardly. "Had to say mama bear didn't ya?"

She turned to apologized to the boys who were rapidly retreating in the opposite direction. She smiled thinking that her mothers craziness has finally come in handy.

"Never take the first bite Teddy, we gotta get ourselves some bigger fish, huh"

"Um, sure mom yeah whatever you say. So I'll be at the food court and you will be?"

"Just gotta get my big…I mean something from the store. Here. That you don't need to know about" Amy said smiling nervously.

"O-Kay"

Teddy made her way alone to the food court and ordered her mother and herself two garden veggie burgers and sweet potato fries from the "I don't eat meat and proud of it" restaurant. Not the most fetching title, but Teddy felt strongly drawn to it that day. She smiled genially for the first time at her lunch time joke. Distractedly having a mental conversation with her burger on what she would do when you she saw Jo again. It was decided that she would see her again. That feeling the you get when you first meet someone and it's new and special. Well this wasn't it. It was so much more. Teddy felt like she could be falling for her. Maybe even falling in love! She smiled and looked up to see a complete stranger sitting across from her. "Oh, um hi. Were you sitting here?"

She was a cute brunette with a pixie style hair cut and wore a green polo with a name tag that showed her to be Perri. "Well, you certainly live up to the blonde reputation" She said smiling not meaning it in a mean way. "You were here first, I saw you order and figured this was my chance. Either you've been stood up or your just really hungry!" She smiled again. It was genuine and nice too look at. Teddy smiled back

"Um, no sorry just sort of distracted is all. I'm Teddy" She extended her hand to the cute girl she now recognized from the restaurant she just purchased lunch from. Her hand was warm and soft, when they touched she noticed how her smile seemed to brighten. Teddy felt guilty over the brief contact. She wanted to see Jo so badly and felt like she was cheating. Her and Jo weren't dating. Yet. So many unanswered questions filled her head all at once.

"Hey Blondie I lose ya?"

Teddy snapped back to see Perri nibbling on her sweet potato fry. As a reflex she began to eat forgetting that she should really be waiting for her mother. "No sorry, just been kind of a weird day."

"Yeah, how so?" Perri questioned

"It's nothing really" Teddy did want to talk about but to a complete stranger. Not only that a small part of her didn't want Perri to know about Jo. Did she feel embarrassed? Was it the age difference? Did she like Perri..?

"Man for a blonde you sure do get lost in thought"

Teddy realized she was doing it again. "Sorry, I'm just thinking about someone."
"Oh! A guy?" Perri tried to hide the fact that she was disappointed that she wasn't making more of an impression on Teddy. Teddy saw through it.

"No, it's a girl actually."

Perri perked up again, "Really? Girlfriend?"

Perri leaned closer to Teddy stealing another fry, nibbling on it.

"No. I mean I haven't asked her out or anything" What am I doing? I don't know this girl!

"So what's stopping you Teddy bear?"

Teddy bear..? "Um…well I mean we just sorta started talking and well you see…"

"Hi, I Amy Duncan"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Perri and this must be your seat"

Amy took her seat smiling politely at Perri who scooted next to Teddy making sure to smile as her thigh touched hers.

"So did I interrupt something?" Amy questioned taking a bite of her lunch.

"Nah, Teddy bear and I were just talking about Jo-ooo."

Amy paused smirking. Teddy wasn't sure if it was the way Perri had extended Jo's name or that fact that this girl had so aptly named her "Teddy bear".

"So what about Jo, Teddy? Or is it Teddy bear?"

Phew, it was the Teddy bear then. "I was just explaining to Perri that Jo and I had a really good time today and I look forward to seeing her again. Very soon." She hoped she didn't hurt Perri's feelings, although she wasn't quite sure why.

Taking another fry she placed her hand in Teddy's slipping her a piece of paper. Teddy turned surprised and there eyes locked for a moment. Teddy was becoming lost till Perri broke the spell. "Breaks over! It was nice meeting you Amy"

"Pleasure Perri, will we be seeing you again soon?"

She turned towards Teddy, smiling. "Guess we will just have to wait and see. Thanks for the chat T.B." Perri said purposely leaning over to take another fry holding Teddy's gaze inches from her face. Teddy grew hot and wet. She quickly focused on her ever shrinking pile of fries and began munching reflexively. Her mom bombarded her with questions about Perri to which she only nodded or responded with a "uh huh". Secretly she was peering down at the note Perri had left her. It had a phone number on it. Teddy turned toward the restaurant catching Perri's gaze as she passed out samples to would be shoppers. She smiled and Teddy smiled back. Pocketing the note Perri had given her she turned back to her lunch. Still smiling.