Chapter Twelve
"And afterwards I want to stop by Steve and Barrys University Sportswear for a few." Andy chimed in.
"And I need to check out E=MC Square to get a part for my latest invention. One of these day I want to go to New York City and see the real E=MC Square, the world's largest science shop."
"And sometime today I'd like to try on some fun clothes!" Shayna and Cindy exclaimed after everyone but them had said a store they wanted to go to.
"Ok… so Andy, you go ahead to Steve and Barrys University Sportswear, which is across from Clair's anyway. Jimmy, wait until later, and Stacey, for goodness sakes, go to the Disney store… it is right next door after all!" Shayna said, I'll go with Dani and Jimmy, so as sibling rivalry won't break out. Whenever you two get done come on over to Clair's." Everyone agreed with Shayna's plan and went wherever they were supposed to.
"Ok, what's up?" Dani asked while she and Shayna were looking at notebooks.
"What do you mean?"
"You always look at the boas, and tiaras… what's up? Plus… I know you have some type of plan going on with Andy and me!"
"I have no clue what you're talking about." Shayna said picking up a gray notebook. "This is kind of cute."
Dani grabbed the notebook out of Shay's hand. "Ok, you and I both know our whole group hates gray on anything besides clothing, what's up?" Gray? I didn't know they sold gray at Clair's.
"Um, that's mine!" a little girl said taking the book from Dani.
"Shayna, that wasn't even for sale! Now you know as well as I do, ok better than I do, that there's something going on; if it has anything to do Andy or I; I want to know about it. So, does it have anything to do with me?"
"Maybe."
"Does it have to do with Andy?" Dani asked just as Andy walked into the store, with a bag on his shoulder. "What'd you buy?"
"The red Life Guard Hooded Sweatshirt." Andy said taking it out of the bag.
"The one you've wanted forever?"
"Yea, I actually went ahead and bought it. I've decided to stop cutting myself short, if I have the will, and God provides a way, I'm gonna stop waiting for some miracle."
"What kind of miracle have you been looking for?" Dani asked flipping through a fuzzy pink notebook.
"Like some sort of sign…"
"Dani, does this look good on me?" Shayna said holding up some big earring hoops.
"Shay, those really are not your thing!" Dani said laughing at Shayna's attempt of a distraction. But once again no matter how lame the distraction Andy changed topic and watched Dani and Shayna, and eventually Stacey and Cindy try on every purse, tiara, and anything else they could possibly look at. In the end Dani ended up buying a bracelet, and the pink fuzzy notebook she was looking at when Andy came in.
"Where to next?" Jimmy asked. All four girls' eyes lit up.
"Bloomingdale's." they said at once. The guys rolled their eyes, all three girls knew that they couldn't afford a sock at Bloomingdale's, so if they fell in love with something, chances are each of the guys would have to chip in. All six teens, the girls leading the way, ran to the other side of the mall to Bloomingdale's, of course stopping by the candy store to pick out a goodie. Dani got a crunch bar, Andy got a snowcap, Shayna got some Starburst, Stacey got a Milky way, Cindy got some Pop Rocks, and Jimmy got a pack of gum… that eventually got split between all six of them. They finally reached the other end and all four girl's mouths dropped opened.
For the past month Bloomingdale's had been under reconstruction and closed, today was the opening day and it opened in exactly four minutes. But just from the outside view, the girls knew they could be in there all day, and the guys knew it was going to be 'fun' to get the girls out.
"Why do they even bother?" Andy asked Jimmy. "They know they can't afford a thing in that whole store!"
"Because, Dani knows you'll help out, and I think Cindy has a clue that I'll help her out. Man, why don't you just tell Dani?"
"I try… but it seems like Shay's doing everything to make that impossible. What about you with Cindy?"
"Our past. I mean she thinks I hate her, and what if she hates me?"
"I really don't think that's a possibility, I'm in the high school now, but I remember the looks she gave you last year. Anybody with eyes knows you two like each other."
"Yea, but that was last year, I mean, this is a new year, and with the new-year comes new feelings."
"Jim, PLEASE!" Andy said sounding like a male version of Dani. "That girls' only fallen deeper in love with you! I overheard her tell Libby that she was going to ask you to Sadie Hawkins this winter, but she got sick so she couldn't."
"You're making that up!"
"Actually, I'm not. Wasn't she sick on Sadie Hawkins?"
"Well, yea, but you made up the part about her wanting to ask me."
"Did not. I do live in-between both of their houses."
"Andy, Jimmy, come one, they are opening in thirty seconds." Shayna said. Jimmy and Andy walked back over to the group, just in time for the doors to open. All four girls raced ahead straight for the prom dresses., and the guys, who never really caught up with the group ran after them. By the time the guys caught up each girl had at least one prom dress in her hands.
"Bout time you guys showed up!" Stacey said. The girls tried on all the prom dresses, while the guys watched. Jimmy, who had his cell phone with him, took pictures of Cindy in the cute ones, and Andy gave him a dollar to take some of Dani, even though to the girls' it seemed he was playing a game. That went on for about two hours until the girls' got hungry.
"Let's go eat, I'm starving!" Cindy said.
"Ok, Chinese anyone?" Andy asked hopefully.
"Better idea, let's have a progressive lunch!"
"A what?" Stacey asked confused.
"A progressive lunch, like where we have a appetizer from a Chinese restaurant, fries from Burger King, pizza from pizza hut, and dessert from any of the dessert shops around here."
"Yeah! That sounds fun!" Stacey and the others agreed.
"Ok, Shayna, you go get the fries from Burger King. Andy, take care of the Chinese appetizer. I'll get the pizza, and Jimmy, you get the dessert. Cindy go with Jimmy, and Stace, you're with me. Now let's go get our food!" Dani instructed. After getting their assigned foods all the teens met at their favorite table and began to eat.
"Andy, could you please pass the Chinese doughnuts?" Shayna said when she noticed Dani reaching to the opposite side of the table, meaning they'd have to rub against each other in order for him to pass them. It worked as planned and Shayna could swear she saw both of them blush.
Ok, this is so getting on my nerves! I know Shayna picked that moment on purpose, but like the WHOLE DAY she's kept us from getting together, what's the deal?
"Thank you." Shayna said taking a Chinese doughnut off of the plate. She placed it next to her two slices of stuffed crust pizza and fries and decided that they should pray for their food. Shayna joined hands with Cindy, who joined hands with Jimmy, who grabbed Andy's hand, who lightly picked up Dani's hand, who caught Stace's hand, and Stace completed the circle. "Father thank you for this day you've granted us together. Thank you for the food that you have blessed us with, and help this day be the best it can be." She said, squeezing Cindy's hand.
"God, I thank you for not letting Jimmy and I ruin the day by fighting." Cindy said squeezing Jimmy's hand.
"Thank you for allowing me to spend this day with some of the best people I know." Jimmy said passing the prayer on to Andy.
"Lord, I pray that you would just help every girl in this group, that they may quit falling in love with stuff they can't afford, and that you'd bless Jimmy and I with loads of money to pay for whatever they can't." Andy said play-kicking Dani's foot during the girls' 'blessing.' He passed the prayer onto Dani.
"I just pray that you would never let us forget that every moment is a gift from you, and that you would help us make the most of our time here on earth." For some strange reason, Andy was soaking every word of that up. He whispered that he wanted to add something, and she passed the prayer back to him.
"I also pray that you would help me have the courage to tell Dani how I feel." He prayed then passed it back to Dani, who froze and Stacey took over anyways.
"Lord, I thank you that Shayna's plan worked and thank you for this madness being solved, Amen!" Stacey finished the prayer up. Everyone, besides Dani went straight to his or her food.
"What do you mean?"
"What?" Andy asked innocently between bites.
"You know you're a horrible liar, what did you mean by 'help me have the courage to tell Dani how I feel?'"
"Um…" Ok, so now would be a GREAT time for one of Shayna's interruptions! "Shayna, can you pass the Purple Dew?"
"Andy, we each have our own glass, yours is full, and right there." Dani said picking up the drink that was his.
"I…" Andy said taking a HUGE drink of Purple Dew and a HUGE breath… "Just feel that I wish you were back in my grade again!"
"Again you are a horrible liar; but I'm getting a vibe that it was partial truth."
"Dani, I'll tell you later, right now your stuffed crust is getting cold." Andy said, then for some reason not even he knew he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Instantaneously any muscle that could be tightened up in Dani's body did so, but relaxed again in less then a second.
"Relax Andy, it's not as if you were gonna say you love her or anything!" Shayna said, Andy shot her a VERY STERN 'watch it' look.
"How would you know?" Andy shot back on accident.
"Do you mean you were going to?" Dani asked, all of the small groups eyes were now starring at Dani and Andy, wondering what would happen next.