Mall of Vetis

Nell found herself in the stockroom staring at unopened boxes of loveable talking creatures and get-well cards. William had told her to find the broom, but that task was nearly impossible among all of the clutter.

"What does it look like?" Nell called from the stock room, she heard William's aggravated sigh.

"A broom!" William called back.

"What kind of broom?" Nell was leaning against the wall, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"You know what? Forget it! I'll find the broom myself!" William came stomping into the back room with his hands on his hips. Nell smiled innocently at him.

"Thanks Bill, you're a real pal." Nell skipped out of the stockroom smirking. There was a loud crash, and then William swore.

Nell glanced over her shoulder and yelled, "That better not have been the box I just organized!"

William walked out of the stock room holding a broom in his left hand and sporting a very unpleasant expression. Nell just held back a giggle as she took the broom and proceeded to sweep up the floor.

"I should fire you." William leaned on the counter.

Nell gasped, "But William, then who would you have to brighten your day?"

"Everyone besides you." William smirked and Nell put a hand over her heart to demonstrate her pure hurt.

"Ow, my soul." Nell swept up some dirt, "I bet Heaven would appreciate my work. She might just hire me to fluff the beds!"

"You'd spend more time messing them up then you would fixing them." William picked a piece of lint off of his sweater and settled back down.
Today he was wearing a gay button up sweater and a t-shirt. Nell was starting to see a major pattern with William's new attire.

"If you weren't my boss, I'd report you to mall security." Nell narrowed her eyes.

"Less talk, more work!" William put his hands on his hips, "I've gotta go figure out who keeps switching the cards. Whoever it may be is making my job harder."

Nell just nodded and smiled. She had spent the most of her morning switching the sympathy cards with the newlywed cards before William got there.

"Someone is out to get me!" William called over the display of cards.

Nell bit her lip and let out a chuckle, "Totally Bill!"

"Go take your lunch break!" William tripped over a few boxes and started to swear.

Nell just laughed and walked out of the Hallmark Store.

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Nell crept past the Disney store like she was hiding from the enemy. She had spent the last few days avoiding Brendon Urie like he had some strange disease. Nell didn't think he had noticed, considering he hadn't walked into the Hallmark Store and demanded that she talk to him. Nell saw that Brendon was waving at her and she ran. Nell needed to find Heaven.

When she finally got into Macy's, Nell found Heaven laying in one of the display beds reading a comic book that she was pretty sure was Gerard's.

"Hello there Heaven." Nell sat on the edge of the display bed, "Having quiet time?"

"After the morning I had, quiet time was seriously needed." Heaven set her book down, "Imagine fifteen housewives fighting over the same bag"

Nell chuckled, "You should've brought William in here to break up the fight."

"Yeah, but then I'd have fifteen housewives fighting over William." Heaven smirked.

"The housewives do like him."

Heaven spread out on the bed more, "What brings you around here?"

"Hiding from Brendon." Nell kicked her foot lightly, "I'm on my lunch break and I am trying to avoid him."

Heaven started to laugh, "You're hiding from Brendon? Why?"

"It's complicated." Nell furrowed her brow, "Actually, it really isn't. He kissed me on New Years, and then he serenaded me so now I'm trying to avoid him."

"I thought you liked Brendon." Heaven glared at a woman who was giving her odd looks as she walked past.

"I do." Nell nodded her head, "It's just complicated."

Sarah flopped down on the display bed, heaving a large sigh. Nell and Heaven glanced at her with interested looks.

"What's going on with you?" Nell lifted her eyebrows.

"Some woman just said she was going to sue me because I sprayed her with perfume. I tried to argue the point that it was my job but she wasn't listening." Sarah picked at the embroidered comforter.

"I would've sprayed her again, just for good measure." Heaven snorted.

"I'm afraid that she might've taken me down. She was pretty tall." Sarah laughed.

Nell glanced at the clock, "Oh crap, my break is almost over. I've gotta go help William organize the cards."

Sarah nodded and laughed, "You mean the cards that you switched around."

"Exactly. But William doesn't know that." Nell smiled brightly before she skipped out of the store.

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When Nell made her way back into the Hallmark Store, William was texting on his phone and Nell was pretty sure he was talking to Gabe.

"Brendon came in here looking for you." William shoved his phone back into his pocket and began to sweep the floor.

"I see you found the broom." Nell tried her very best to deflect from what William had just told her. If she didn't hear, it never happened.

"Yeah, distract yourself from the conversation, that always works." William smirked, trying not to trip over more boxes. He had a rip in his sweater that Nell could only trace back to some display.

"Shut up, you aren't my mother." Nell crossed her arms over her chest. William just smirked at her in his all-knowing way.

The door swung open and hit a display of stuffed animals, knocking them over. Nell's eyes went wide before she sent a glare towards Gabe, who just ignored her.

"Brendon is looking for you." Gabe smirked at Nell, who continued to glare at him, "He sent me to tell you."

"Nicole promised me that I wouldn't have to be near you." Nell looked at Gabe.

"Nicole didn't send me to tell you anything." Gabe smiled triumphantly.

Nell sat up and walked out of the store, sending mean glances at Gabe as she left.

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Inside the Disney store the Aladdin soundtrack was playing, Nell cringed. A few kids were hitting eachother with fake swords as their parents obliviously looked around. Vicky-T was watching the kids fight and recording it on her cell-phone.

The Disney Store didn't seem very safe anymore.

Brendon tapped Nell on the shoulder, which startled her. Nell turned around and smacked Brendon without realizing who it was.

"I'm sorry!" Nell gasped and started to flail her hands.

"It's okay." Brendon put a hand to his face, "You hit really hard."

"It's a habit. Pete used to sneak up on me and I adapted."

Brendon rubbed his face, "Have you been avoiding me?"

"No!" Nell said quickly, "Why would I do that?"

"Because every time you see me, you run the other way before I can say anything." Brendon lifted his eyebrows and the red mark on his face started to form.

"I've just been really busy." Nell shrugged, trying to remain collected.

"Listen, if you don't like me that's fine. But just say something." Brendon looked a little hurt, Nell was guessing it wasn't just the fact that she smacked him that was causing it.

"No, I don't dislike you at all, Brendon." Nell bit her lip. Vick-T was now watching them, but she wasn't recording it to her phone yet.

"Then explain why you've spent so much time and effort avoiding me." Brendon put his hands into his pockets, and it was kind of hard taking him seriously with his Disney Store Staff shirt on.

"I don't know. I guess I felt awkward about it?" Nell wasn't meaning for what she said to sound like a question, but it ended up being that way.

"About what?" Brendon looked at her and bit the inside of his cheek.

"About the New Years Eve kiss and how you serenaded me while I was working, not that I minded or anything." Nell's eyes widened, "No! I mean, I didn't hate it. Crap. I'm going to stop talking."

Brendon smiled lightly, "Do you have a ride home tonight?"

"Well, Patrick was going to give me one but he doesn't have to." Nell moved a little so that the two kids hitting eachother with plastic swords could run past her.

"Cool. Uh, do you want me to give you a ride?" Brendon bit his bottom lip.

"Sure! That'd be nice. My shift ends at six." Nell smiled at Brendon, "Speaking of my shift, William is going to be mad if I don't make my way back into the Hallmark store."

"Alright, I'll see you later!" Brendon gave Nell a quick hug. Blush crept across her face and she tried to hide it.

"Great! See you then!" Nell waved and ran out of the store. She could hear Vicky-T making cooing noises at Brendon but she didn't care.

Nell skipped all the way back to the Hallmark Store, ignoring all the odd looks mall costumers gave her.