NOTES: Starts off with Darcy's, then moves to Lizzy's POV. Next chapter is going to be INTERESTING... ;)

Hope y'all enjoy! Leave a comment if you do; I love reading them! ~Vinny

Also, Trigger Warning in this chapter. I do describe an anxiety attack, but I don't go into detail. Just warning y'all. Stay safe ❤️

You would think.. that if you experienced social anxiety and crippling self-doubt, you would know better than to try and engage with strangers for the sake of a petty dare from some woman you didn't even know (let alone like).

You would think so.

Darcy was sweating through his smile. He forced it to stay on his face as he nodded politely, and the elderly gentleman manning the perfume kiosk droned on.

"Now, this perfume, young man, is made of the finest honeysuckle and preservatives— it was made in.. uh… Bangladesh, I think, but it was perfected right here! By our fabulous company! And for you, young man, I'll give you a very special offer of 65% off after your first purch—"

"I- I'm very sorry, sir," he blurted out, unable to take any more. "I'm very.. I'm in a bit of a rush. It was lovely talking to you though!"

The elderly man stopped and smiled. His liver spots were pushed back into a pruned-up dimple. "Well. Thank you for being so polite about it." He barked a dry laugh, and turned shakily away. "I think that's the longest anyone ever let me talk!" He mumbled to himself, amusedly.

Darcy blew out an exhausted sigh, and turned away, to find his sister looking at him as though he grew an extra head.

"What?" He asked, feeling overheated and overworked.

Georgiana shook her head. "Nothing. You've just.. always blown off people like that before."

Darcy felt his face growing even warmer. He marched ahead as if nothing was wrong. "I'm just trying to be better," he said over his shoulder.

He heard his sister click her tongue in approval before she followed him.

As Darcy passed a pretzel stand, and the girl working there caught his eyes, Darcy made sure to smile and nod at her as they passed. She smiled back. She was very pretty, but honestly? Seeing the woman's perfectly shaped face and model-like curves just made Darcy's chest ache for freckles, and green eyes, and infectious laughter.

He missed Lizzy. So, so much.

Suddenly, just as they were making their way to the planetarium store, Georgie (who was following him like a duckling, her eyes glued to her phone) gasped loudly.

"Wait!"

Darcy halted. "..what?"

Georgiana looked up at him, guiltily, as if she hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I… um… well…" Her brown eyes darted to her phone before squeezing shut.

"I NEED TO GO!" She said in an overly loud voice. Her eyes popped back open. "I mean, uh, I- I'm sorry. I'll be right back. Don't go too far!"

Then his shy, soft-spoken, wallflower sister dashed off into the mall after attracting a few too many curious looks, and disappeared around a corner.

Darcy stood there, mouth open, watching the spot where she had been. His jaw closed, and his teeth snapped against each other. Okay. Something was definitely going on.

He sat down on a bench in front of a colorful looking store that he didn't want to look at, and folded his arms. When Georgiana got back, she would have some serious explaining to do.

"I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a flash."

That's what Lizzy had said to Violette, ten minutes ago.

Despite Violette being the one who had picked the shopping location, Lizzy (surprisingly) was more familiar with the layout of the mall. She had worked here one summer in high school, at the costume shop called 'Netherworld.' So, she knew her way around this place.

And that knowledge included which bathrooms were the best to use— cleanest, biggest, and most tucked away from the big crowds.

Except… that those didn't seem.. to apply... on this particular occasion.

"Oh, come on," Lizzy growled to herself, tapping her foot. Of course. It was just her luck; the one day she came back to the mall, 3 of the 4 stalls were labeled Out of Order.

Finally, Lizzy sighed exasperatedly as the handicapped stall opened up, and a short lady wobbled out. Before she could take the stall though, the bathroom door slammed open, and a disturbed-looking woman with mousy hair stood in the doorway, teeth clenched.

"ExcusemeIneedthestall," she said in one breath.

Before Lizzy could process it all, the young woman had slipped past her, and closed the only functioning stall door.

There was the sound of a purse hitting the floor. Lizzy's head hit the back wall. Her frustration hit maximum levels.

Who did this pompous little fuckjob think she was?! That was so rude what—

—what Lizzy just did.

She had done it again. Made assumptions about someone she knew nothing about. Breathing in slowly, Lizzy managed to calm herself down enough to think over and over again, 'Give the girl the benefit of the doubt.'

Then she heard a wet, choking, gasping sound. The kind a small child makes when they're crying, and trying not to be heard.

Listening closer, Lizzy could hear the sharp, rapid noise of quick breathing. Too quick.

Dropping to her knees, Lizzy peered underneath the bathroom stall dividers. Sure enough, there was the half-visible figure of a young woman curled up in the corner of the only functioning stall.

"Hey. Try to breathe."

It was a second before the woman responded. When she did, her voice was shaky as a newborn lamb. "Wh-what?"

"Try to breathe. If you're having a panic attack, try to breathe out slowly, from your stomach. Focus on the air moving."

"I- I don't kn-know," the woman stammered, her breathing rate only increasing. "I-is this a panic attack? How— How do you tell? Oh god I can't— I can't— I can't move—"

"What's your name," Lizzy said quickly, hoping to distract the poor woman.

"...It's Anna," she said, after a pause.

"Nice to meet you Anna, I'm Lizzy," she said. Lizzy nibbled worried at the edge of her lip. "Do you… Is it okay if I come in?"

Hesitantly, the door swung open.

Lizzy walked in. Anna, the young mousy woman from that scene at the entrance, was huddled in the corner, red-eyed and trembling. She watched Lizzy approach, and sit down beside her.

"Will it help to talk about what happened?" She asked, gently.

"Ma-maybe." Anna took a deep breath. "Anxie— Nervousness.. runs in my family. On my dad's side. My mother doesn't believe it exists. Sh-she says I'm just.. just being…"

She swallowed. "I don't know why I'm like this. I was fine until— until she told me to find some new clothes. Mother said I was— I'm old enough to do it myself now. B-but she'll judge me. Everyone will. No m-m-matter wh-what I p-p-pick it's the.. the wr-wrong choice…"

"Hey— Hey—," Lizzy said quickly, as Anna started hyperventilating again. She put her hand on her arm. "Look at me. Focus on something else."

Anna managed the weakest of smiles. "Ma-maybe talking about it… d-didn't help…"

Lizzy laughed genuinely, and patted the girl's arm. "You're right. Wanna try something else?"

"A-anything."

"Well, I'm good at distracting people. Will that help?"

"Yes," Anna whispered, her watery eyes blinking at her newfound friend. "That w-would be.. perfect. Lizzy."

"Great." She smiled at her. "Let me just text my friend, let her know I'm gonna be hanging out with you for a bit. Then— I'm telling you about the time I worked at Netherworld."

Anna cocked her head, and sniffed. Lizzy passed her some toilet paper to use as a tissue. "Wait," her young friend said, quietly, "Isn't that… the c-costume store here?"

"Yup!" Lizzy grinned. "It's a really cool place. After we both settle down a bit, and get to know each other, I'll show ya all the ins and outs."

"That'd be wonderful," Anna whispered.

"Alright, it's a plan then." Lizzy finished up her rushed text to Violette ('helping out a new friend, might be a while. Sorry. Call u later'), turned off her phone, and turned her mega-watt smile on the anxious girl beside her.

"Now, everybody knows that costume store employees are... a special kind of weird, right? Well, what people DON'T know is how we used to hide the snacks from our manager. Not just any snacks too. Burritos, pretzels, chocolate, slushies, an entire rotisserie chicken that one time... Let's just say, there's a reason why the wigs in the back left section were so popular, and why there were so many roaches..."