I followed Mark through the mall. He had got me a cell phone and a cool leather jacket. "Let's get a bite to eat." Mark said. "Okay." I said. "Hey thanks for the phone and the jacket." I said. "Your welcome kid." He said. I was still trying to figure out how to get smokes when I seen Chris. "Hey can I go over and see Chris?" I asked Mark. "You know him?" Mark asked. "Yea I met him yesterday. He's my favorite wrestler." I said. "I'm hurt." Mark said holding his chest laughing. I rolled my eyes. "Okay you're my second favorite." I said smiling. "Go ahead but don't wonder off." He said. "I'm not a baby." I said as I walked off.
Mark watched her walk off. She seemed like she was loosing up some. But he knew he had a long way to go. He went and ordered them some food.
"Hey Chris." I said. Chris turned and saw me. "Hey kid." He said. He looked at me kind of funny. Suddenly I got it. He must have heard that Vince was my dad. "I guess you don't want nothing to do with me no more." I said turning around to go. "Whoa, hold on kid. Did I say that?" he asked. I didn't answer him I just stood there. "Hey I heard all that shit that went on. I don't care. I like you kid." He said. I just shrugged like I didn't care. "Nice Jacket." He said. "Mr. Badass got it for me." I said. "So how are things going with him?" Chris asked. "He's okay. Kind of bossy though." I said. I got an idea. "Will you walk with me to the drugstore down there? I want to get a drink, but Mr. Badass won't let me go by myself." I said. "Sure kid come on." He said. He asked me how I liked set up. I lied of course and said it was fine. Nobody likes a tattle tale and if I told on those two things would just be worse. We got to the drugstore and Chris stopped to look at some magazines. "I'm going to get my drink I'll meet you back here in a minute." I said. I walked around till I found my mark. He looked about 21. "Hey if you buy me some smokes. I'll give you 20 bucks." I said. He looked at me for a minute. "Okay give me the money." He said. "I gave him money for two packs plus 20 extra. "Meet me back here." He said. I waited on the isle and pretended I was looking at toys. He came back in a minute and handed me the smokes. "Thanks." I said. "No problem." He said and walked off. I went through the line and got a drink and met Chris back at the magazines. "ready." He said. "Yea, thanks for walking me down here." I said. We walked back toward the food court. "Ill see you tomorrow." He said. "Maybe you can show me some more wrestling moves." I said. "Sure kid." He said. I waved at him and went to the food court to find Mark. I found him sitting at a table. I figured he would bitch cause I took so long but he didn't. I sat down and grubbed on the burger he got me. "So what do you like to do, besides listen to music?" he asked. I looked up at him. Why did he care? "I like to read and I like to play video games." I said. He asked me what I was reading and I told him "The Lord of the Rings' books right now but that I liked almost anything. We discussed the books for a while. He was really very smart and I bet a lot of people didn't know that. We got done eating and we got up and walked around the mall for a while. I passed by the toy store and seen the cutest stuffed blue bear. The sign said it was grumpy bear and he had a blue rain cloud on his tummy. I grinned I didn't usually go for shit like that but I liked him cause he was grumpy. I shrugged and walked on. I wasn't the stuffed animal type. I mean there for babies. I walked on ahead and when I turned around I didn't see Mark. I thought he was right behind me. I sat down on a bench and waited. Finally he showed up. "ya ready to get back?" he asked. "Yea." I said.
When we got back to the hotel room Mark told me to get started on my classes. I moaned and complained about it but I went to my room and got started. I worked for a while and then took my smokes out and went to the window. I opened it and leaned out and smoked me one. Damn but it was good. When I got through I closed the window back and chewed a piece of gum so Mark couldn't smell it on me. I got back on my laptop and finished my lessons. Hailey get out here." I heard from the other room. Uhh oh what have I done now? I thought. I went to Marks room. "What?" I asked. I went over to the table it was stacked with stuff. There was a playstation 2 with 6 games and more of the 'Lord of the Rings' books I didn't have plus some other books and there in the middle of the table was the grumpy bear I had looked at today. I was stunned. I really was speechless which even shocked me. "I know the game system is going to be kind of a pain to lug around from place to place but we'll manage." He said. I picked up the bear, he was so cute and soft. "I'm too old for stuffed animals." I said trying to keep my tough imaged in line. "Well if you don't want him I can take him back." Mark said. I tucked the bear under my arm. No way was that bear going back. "No you went to the trouble to get him. I guess I'll keep him." I said casually.
Mark tried to hide his grin. Little Miss badass was trying her best to keep up her tough image but it was starting to show cracks.
I looked up at Mark. "Thanks for all this stuff Mark." I said. It was the first time I had called him by name. I think he was starting to grow on me, but hey so does fungus that might not be a good thing. "Your welcome little girl." He said. I was starting to feel guilty because of the smokes. I mean he was being so nice to me and I was smoking behind his back. I sighed why did life have to be so complicated. "Can I hook up the play station?" I asked. "Yea..I'll play with you. How about the wrestling game?' He asked. "You're on." I said. We played for a couple of hours and I must admit I had a great time. We laughed and cut up. I beat him some and he beat me a couple of times. We got through and I unhooked it and packed it up since we were leaving to night. "I'm going to take a little nap." Mark said. "Okay." I said and went to my room. I lay down and decided to do the same.
Mark woke up a couple of hours later and went to check on Hailey and grinned at what he saw. She was sound asleep curled on her side cuddled up with the bear he had got her.