Later that night, I was sitting on my bed throwing a soccer ball harmlessly into the air. Brooke and Bridget were on their beds. Brooke still reading that blasted book and Bridget typing away on her laptop for any traces of Mojo Jojo. "So tell me again why I have to go shopping with you guys?" I finally asked breaking the serene silence of the room. Brooke glanced up from her book and rolled her eyes.
"Because, I want you to wear a formal dress to the formal dance, there will be no combat boots and baggy pants allowed. Fashion is important to me, and you may as well accept it that I want you to look your best too," She explained irritably. I wrinkled my nose and threw the ball at her. She immediately blocked it with her hands and glared at me. "Don't give me that face Blaire, I want you to make a good impression on your date after all." She smirked and returned to her book.
"He's not my date, and who says I'm even going?" I finally stated. This brought both Bridget and Brooke to look up from their work. "Yeah, you heard me. I may not even want to go to this stupid dance."
"But Blaire—"Bridget began slowly. A low beeping sound from Bridget's computer brought our attention to it. "We've picked something up." I jumped off my bed and hurried over to her frilly pink covered bed to glance at the computer screen. "The program found something in the Japanese area. It appears there has been a sighting of Mojo Jojo, but it's only a rumor."
"Well what are we waiting for let's get to it, I've been waiting to bash that monkey's face in," I replied immediately clicking the charm of my choker necklace. A tingling sensation washed over my body as changed into the PPG attire.
"Blaire calm down, I think we need a little more information before we jump into battle. We'd be flying blind. This is only a rumored sighting after all, not the real thing," Bridget explained. My heart sank as I pressed the charm of my choker and changed back into my pajamas. "Don't worry, we'll get there soon enough, then you can bash his face in, but not tonight."
"Whatever," I mumbled as I collapsed onto my plain cargo green comforter. Brooke mumbled something that I couldn't quite pick up, but I was sure it was a burn on me no doubt. "Shut up Brooke."
"I didn't say anything bad about you, I was thinking to myself. I still do that you know," She replied hotly. Ever since the Rowdy's had gotten here, Brooke had become more confident at standing up to me, I didn't like it. "Just go to sleep, we're going shopping tomorrow and you're coming with." I rolled my eyes and turned over in my bed, done with hearing my sisters' voices. Eventually I fell asleep, and I could finally ignore them.
The next morning, I woke up when a loud clattering that came from the kitchen. "Sorry girls," The Professor called apologetically. I groaned and turned to look at Brooke's section of the room, which was covered with varying shades of blue.
"Brooke, the Professor is trying to cook again," I moaned from under my thick comforter. Brooke groaned as well as she turned over in bed to glare at me. "Go and help him before he burns down the house."
"Let him, it will teach him to stop trying to cook. Everyone knows that's my job in this house," She mumbled as she pulled the silvery comforter tighter over her head. "I'm going back to bed, if you smell smoke, wake me up and I'll think about saving him." It was obvious Brooke was not an early riser, but it was quite amusing to hear what came out of her mouth at such an early hour. I had just gotten comfortable again, when someone slammed our door open.
"Rise and shine girls, it's time to go shopping," Bridget, our early riser, nearly sang as she strolled into our room. I cracked open an eye to glare at her. She was already fully dressed in her pleated pink skirt and formal blouse. She made her way over to the windows and whipped open the blinds. I swore I heard Brooke hiss as she fell clumsily out of bed as the light poured over her. "You were the one who wanted to go shopping Brooke."
"Yeah at like one in the afternoon, what time is it anyway," She mumbled pulling herself into a standing position. I sat up slowly and watched her scramble through her drawers for some clothes.
"7:30, the Professor was making breakfast so I decided to make sure he didn't burn the house down," Bridget chirped. I raised an eyebrow at her, Bridget didn't know how to work the microwave, let alone cook. "But I think we should get to the mall earlier before all the good dresses are snatched, I hear Barbie and her squad are going at one so we should get there before they pick over all the good stuff."
"Who cares if they're first or not, they pick all the slutty dresses anyway," I countered as I rolled out of bed and in front of my dresser. I pulled open one of the many messily stuffed drawers and began to sift through them for something decent to wear. Quickly I pulled out my favorite cargo jeans and a black tank top. "Besides, it's not like I'm even going to find a dress. I'm not going remember."
"Oh yes you are Blaire. You don't have to go with Butch, but you have to come, none-the-less. This would be the perfect place for Mojo Jojo to strike, it's cliché after all." Bridget interjected. I thought about it for a moment, it was true; cliché was Mojo Jojo's forte. "Now get dressed both of you, we'll be leaving at 8:30."
We had already made our way through six different department stores at the Townsville Mall and still nothing could be found that caught any of our attention. Brooke and Bridget were still hopeful, but I had given up after we entered the first store. I didn't want to go to the dance so I found it hardly fair that I had to endure this torture. "I have a good feeling about this store," Brooke said as she turned into yet another Maurice's dress shop. I groaned loudly, but followed her anyway, it's not like I really had much of a choice anyway. They began to peruse the racks while I stared at the frilly, bedazzled dresses in disgust.
"Hello may I help you?" I pivoted quickly to snap at the shop clerk, only to stop short. A punk girl with several piercings stared back at me with the same livid expression. She wore the Maurice's clerk vest and a nametag that read "Hi my name is Dorothy" on it.
"Nope, just want to get out of this dress shop as soon as possible," I replied coolly. Dorothy nodded and propped herself on the counter beside me.
"I know what you mean, I hate working here. What brings you to a Maurice's if you hate it so much?" She questioned, pulling at her multi-colored dreadlocks that fell down her back.
"I'm being forced to go to a Dance at my school. My sisters are making me go dress shopping because they say combat boots don't cut it as formal," I stated imitating Brooke's dead-panned tone. Dorothy snickered and looked at Bridget and Brooke as they shifted through the clothes.
"Well if you want shopping to be done, you're going to want to have the help of someone who knows what goes on in a dress shop," She stated gesturing to herself less than enthusiastically. This girl looked like she belonged in a Hot Topic more so than a Maurice's. "I know where the sexier dresses are, come with me." She took me around the wrist and guided me to the back of the store. We walked past the frilly dresses and I gagged inwardly. "I know its sickening isn't it?" She pushed through the dressing rooms and entered a small storage room. "These are the scanty dresses that we aren't allowed to show our customers. But you look like someone who would appreciate them."
Dorothy pulled out a rather large box from behind the door and opened it. Her fingers were long and spiderlike against the dark fabrics. She pulled out the first dress and showed it to me. I swallowed a gasp and settled for a sneer as well. The dress was beautiful, but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing. It was a dark cargo green with a long scooped back. It was about knee length with beaded trim, nothing about it gave off the sexy appeal, but I admit it was pretty. "So what do you think?" She asked with a smirk.
"Eh it's ok," I replied nonchalantly as I turned to leave. Her hands wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back into the room. "I'm not really for dresses if you haven't noticed." Dorothy rolled her eyes and put the dress in my hands.
"Take it, I know when someone likes what they see," She stated with a quick wink. "Now let's get out of here before the boss sees us." We hurried out of the storage room and back into the store. Brooke and Bridget were at the checkout desks with their selections, each staying true to their color schemes.
"Oh Blaire, you found something too, that's great!" Brooke stated with a small smile. I nodded slowly and made my way to the checkout desk as well. Dorothy slipped behind the counter and gave me a quick wink, I smiled and returned it. Maybe this Maurice's wasn't that bad.
We had just stopped at the Food Court for lunch when Brooke squealed happily. Bridget and I looked up from our food trays to watch her jump into Boomer's arms and give him a hug. Of course the Rowdy's would show up here. Bridget stood and kissed Brick lightly on the lips, while I remained seated, mumbling a quick string of curses under my breath.
The chair across from me scraped the tiled floor and I knew who had taken a seat. "Hey Buttercup, didn't know you were one for shopping," Butch observed peering at the bag at my feet. I grumbled in response and continued to eat. He hadn't called me Buttercup in awhile. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
"Looks like someone forgot to leave their mouth at the door, shut up Butch. I was forced to come shopping not that it matters to you, so just piss off," I replied icily, kicking him in the knee harshly. I saw him wince in response, but aside from that the gesture didn't faze him. "Shouldn't you be busy tonguing Ms. Barbie Rich?" Butch's face wrinkled in disgust even at the thought, but apart of me knew it was only an act. He would do anything to get a girl, and liked any attention that any girl gave him.
"I told you before she wouldn't leave me alone unless I let her kiss me," He stated with a thick snarl. I waved dismissively and continued to eat my lunch; he really was a bad liar. Butch pressed his forefinger and thumb along the bridge of his nose as he let out a grudging sigh. "Fine, yes I admit I wanted Barbie to kiss me, but I had my reasons for letting her do it." He threw his hands into the air and stood up from his seat. "I was trying to strike a conversation Buttercup, I'm not that bad at being good am I? You really do get jealous, just because you don't want me doesn't mean some other girl doesn't either. I'm done being rejected, that's why I'm taking Barbie to the dance." Butch turned away from me and walked in long strides to the nearest video game store, which left me alone. I felt the heat rise in my face as his final sentence sunk seeped into my skull like a poisonous acid.
"What the hell," I hissed under my breath; grasping the tray with such strength I snapped it in half. I attracted the questioning stares from several passerby families as well as my sisters. Bridget was definitely going to have to talk me out of this one when we got home. Bridget shook her head and met me at the table, her thin lips set in a disapproving line.
"What was that Blaire?" She scolded, her mother like instinct immediately kicking in. "Do you want to get kicked out of the mall? You can't always let your anger get the better of you Blaire."
"You don't think I don't know that Bridget?" I snapped. Bridget winced away from me, but still held her disapproving gaze. Without meeting her gaze I stood and started making my way toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" Bridget called after me. I didn't answer and simply pushed the door and walked into the streets of Townsville alone.