Part Two
Claire had arrived the day and it wasn't as weird as Kelly thought it would be. They had been talking for years but never met so it was strange for both of them to see each other. Kelly had seen photo's of Claire from her friend Jenny who had introduced Kelly and Claire to each other in the first place. But looking at a photo and seeing the person in the flesh was a different story.
The night had gone well, they talked for hours before drifting off to sleep.
They woke up around ten the next morning and decided to go into the Arndale, the Manchester City centre shopping mall. So the friends were on the number eight bus into the town centre. Kelly wanted to show Claire a shop she loved that sold loads of amazing Buffy merchandise. The Bus pulled up outside C&A so the passengers could get off. Kelly led Claire through the shops, then on to the back streets. First they visited Forbidden Planet so Kelly could get the next Box set of videos she had ordered.
After visiting the shop they wandered further in to the back streets. Kelly didn't recognise where they were any longer. She had never gone that far from the town centre before. Kelly began to panic she hated being lost that was one of the main reasons she didn't want to drive because she had no sense of direction and that would lead to getting lost. Claire tried to calm her down and it was working slightly so she began talking about Buffy to keep Kelly distracted. While they were discussing the finer points of how Angel looked in a pair of leather pants, well Kelly was, Claire allowed her to babble on the subject she loved so much. They stumbled upon a shop with a picture of the whole Scooby gang in the window.
They walked in to the shop deciding getting lost was a blessing in disguise as they looked round the shop. It had a large selection of Buffy collectibles.
The shop that was named 'What You Dream Of' and had sections devoted to each member. Kelly looked at the Angel and Spike corners while Claire checked out the Oz section. Kelly had her arms loaded with at least one of everything. Claire was a little less eager she decided to take her time and spend her money wisely as she had just bought a new car. She moved on to look at the Willow section and found loads of spell books. Knowing Kelly was into that sort of stuff she called her over. Kelly had placed all her items on the cash desk ready to pay later as the shop clerk had yet to show up. Claire looked through the many books until one jumped out at her almost literally; it fell to the floor, so she picked it up. Kelly was now at her side marvelling at the many spell books in front of her. She had never seen so many in one place and they all looked so old and well used. Most of the ones she had seen looked like they were made for children.
"Look at this," Claire told Kelly.
Kelly peered over Claire's shoulder at the inside cover of the book that had fallen. On it was written:
Note to self remember to tell Tara about the spell on page 57!
"They must have written that in there so as to make it look like it came off the show," Kelly summarised.
"Yeah I guess your right," Claire placed it back on the table but Kelly picked it up again.
She had a weird feeling in her like she had to buy it. Dismissing it as nothing for than being overwhelmed at finding the shop she decided she would buy it. It would be something fun she and Claire could do.
"I'm going to buy it!" Kelly told her then went back to the desk.
Claire followed with the items she wanted to buy.
"How come there's no one serving?" Claire asked.
"Maybe they're on a break," Kelly suggested.
"I don't think they'd leave the shop unattended. Go and knock on the door."
"No you do it," Kelly said.
"We both go."
Claire took Kelly's elbow and dragged her to the back of the shop.
Kelly raised her hand to knock but stopped when it opened and a young woman around the age of twenty-five stepped out. Kelly and Claire walked around the counter facing the till.
She had curly ginger hair down to her waist that was done up in a loose French Platt. A bright smile graced her face.
"All of this?" The young lady asked with a slight Irish accent.
"Yes please!" Kelly answered her.
The woman scanned each item with the bar-code reader that Kelly had picked up when she came to the spell book.
"Are you sure you want this?" The woman asked concern clearly written on her face and the smile she had worn slipped from her face.
"Yes, why?"
"Oh no reason, just one warning to you. Be very careful what you wish for and how you use the book."
Kelly and Claire shared a look.
"She's always careful," Claire stuck up with her friend even though what she said wasn't true, as Kelly had never actually tried spells before.
"I'm sure she is," the shop woman said and scanned the book with the bar code reader. "What do you know, the book had 60% off."
She bagged up Kelly's purchases and charged her. Kelly handed over her credit card.
After Claire had paid they left the shop and began to walk around realising they should have asked the woman how to get back to the Arndale shopping centre. But when they turned the corner they were on Oldham Street and stood outside the Forbidden Planet store and when they looked back down the street it was completely different to the one they had just turned off.
"Okay!" Exclaimed Kelly.
"I second that," Replied Claire.
Neither one offered up an explanation. They stopped at the café near Forbidden Planet. Kelly ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant and Claire got an expresso with a cupcake.
"So should we go buy loads of sweets and crisps for a pig out vid fest?" Kelly asked as she spread the Nutella chocolate on the croissant.
"Yeah sure," Claire answered with a laugh, it definitely hadn't been as awkward as she thought it would be.
After they finished their snacks that went to Tesco just outside the Arndale to get supplies. When they got in they prepared everything for the night.
*****