Mall of Vetis

Tarra couldn’t help but snicker to herself as she walked into Hot Topic. Brian was standing behind the counter and currently had his shirt off and smelling it.

“Did you venture into Macy’s again today?” She asked him while walking up to him.

“Yes, and every fucking time I’m in there Parker has this urge to snipe me.” He glared at the tee-shirt in his hands.” Tarra started laughing before coming behind the counter to snatch his shirt out of his hands.

“You know this entire Mall has the policy that we’re supposed to report anyone not wearing shoes or Shirts to security and you’re supposed to get dragged out of here. I’m sure Matt, Jeph, Bob, and Dan would have fun coming to actually drag out an employee.” She smirked at him.

“Whatever happened to Christmas spirit?” Brian pouted at her before ringing up a Metallica tee-shirt and tossing it on.

“Didn’t you get the memo, that shit has been over for four days, and Parker is still storming into my office complaining about being made to be Santa in the Christmas Parade. Patrick is back to work and keeps telling her he’s sorry … well at least tries to tell her before she sprays women’s perfume in his face.” Brian started laughing which caused Zack to come in from the back room looking from one of them to the other.

“Did you get tired of being mean to Spencer that you had to come bug Bri?” He asked with a smirk on his face.

“No not really, Spencer keeps threatening to call the owner of Java the Hut on me, and it takes everything Ryan and I can keep in not to tell him that he’d just be calling my cell phone.”

“He still doesn’t know that you’re the Miss. Bratton that owns the shop?” Zacky’s eyes grew wide right before all three of them began to laugh.

“What can I say, I love to pester the guy, that and he’s too cute when he gets mad, then again so does Brian here.” She giggled out before standing on her tiptoes to press her lips to Brian’s cheek. “Anyway, which of you are on break?”

They both looked down at their watches. Zack groaned to himself and pointed at a smirking Brian.

“Yay me, where to ‘Syn’,” she began tugging him out of the store and into the main area of the mall.
“I say we go bug Jimmy,” Brian smiled down his arm at her before racing off to Journey’s. Upon entering the store Tarra head directly to the counter as Brian began to knock over the display of Converse All Stars.

“It’s Taaarrrraaaa!” Bert’s voice rang out from the front of the store, jumping over the counter to tackle her to the floor. Laughing she pushed him off her the best she could, but he just wrapped himself around her waist and wouldn’t let go. She looked down arms around her to the scruffy face that was inching closer to her face.

“Bert, seriously, your face and arms are in my personal bubble, move them.” He just giggled and licked her face causing her to shove him away and run over to rub her face on Brian’s new shirt.

“What the fuck,” Brain lightly pushed her off him and glared down at her.

“Bert licked me,” she protested.

“So that means you had to come nuzzle your face in my chest to get his spit off you?”

“That’s exactly what it means,” she smirked at him, he just shook his head at her. Just as she wrapped her arms around him, and about to rub more of the spit off her face they heard Jimmy’s loud booming voice.

“Fuck, Brian, what the hell! I just fixed that display from when Matt came in here and did that!” Jimmy’s face was becoming a nice shade of red that was slowly headed toward purple.

“Breath Jimmy Bean,” Bert laughed out. “It’s your break, go do break stuff and I’ll fix it.” Bert shoved all three of them out of the store but not before giving Tarra one last hug and not licking her face.

“So, Jimmy where to? Brian decided to come bug you, I decided to bug him, and now since I don’t really have to back until I want to be, where to?” Jimmy just laughed at her before all intertwining their arms together, which caused Tarra to grab Brain in the same fashion.

Tarra didn’t know when they started skipping until Brendon was Attached to Jimmy’s other arm, and Gabe to Brian and both belting out that they were ‘off to see the wizard’, needless to say but the two bigger guys turned their death glares to the scrawnier two causing them to run away.

They ended their trip together at the Food court all ordering from Subway and thankfully not getting dirty looks from frank considering that Mikey was the only one behind the counter. Tarra pouted for the fact that Frank would have had no problem with her order of a Veggie sub, but would have glared at both Jimmy and Brian for their orders, and she has such a huge thing for Frank’s Bitch face, it happened to be the only reason as to why she dated him when she first opened her shop. What’s left to say there, they ended the relationship on good terms and it had to do with the fact that he wouldn’t do his bitch face for her too often; falling for someone does that to a person, and yeah Tarra kind of has a problem with commitment.

“So, want to skip going back to work and just hang out with Zacky and me?” Brian asked turning from Jimmy to Tarra, with an eyebrow raised.

“Being ‘boss lady’ as Jimmy so lovely puts it, I can skip it, but I’m sure Heaven will be stopping by to see me so that we can finish figuring out how we’re going to this whole New year’s party.” She sighed out.

“Are you getting a hall this year or are we partying in Macy’s like we did last year?” Jimmy asked scooting his chair closer to hers.

“And risk having to clean the entire store again? Hell no, you’re effing crazy when your drunk and I seriously don’t want to try and coax you out of the rafters like I did last year.” At this Brian began laughing and they both began relying stories of what Jimmy had done, considering that Brian had showed up late, even though he was just invited that Day since he and Zacky had only began working there that day.

Ten stories and three cups of lemonade later, Tarra was headed off to empty her bladder before making her way toward Java the Hut.

“Where the hell have you been?” Spencer snapped at her as soon as she entered the shop.

“I went to out, do you mind, it was my break time.”

“You barely do anything here as it is!” He glared at her. Ryan was smirking behind him as he was making a milk based drink for the teenager at the counter.

“Oh blow me Smith, I run this damn place not you, how would you like to have to do inventory every night? I hate math, why the hell did I decided to do this anyway.” She mumbled to herself slowly making her way behind the counter to get to her office.

“I bet you ten bucks that I could do your job and you could do mine.” Right at that moment Heaven entered the store and began laughing.

“Give it up Spencer; you lost that bet three weeks after you started here. Tarra actually broke the espresso machine, just by trying to turn it on; and you forgot to sign the forms to get more supplies which forced this place to shut down for three days so that Tarra could get everything back into order.” Ryan couldn’t hold in his laughter anymore and the sound of it not only caused Heaven to laugh, but a blush rose to her Cheeks and Tarra could bet her entire place of business that she was going to be found in some corner making out with either Gabe, Alex, or even Adam this time. She loved her best friend but she was seriously thinking about hitting her in the head with a coffee pot already.

Then again, maybe it’s Ryan that needed the coffee pot treatment for being so oblivious to her flirting. Shaking her head Tarra moved into her office and took a seat on the love seat that she had in there. She felt like curling up and just taking a nap, but that thought was ruined when her office door slammed open and then shut again.

Heaven and Nicole’s face peering down at her with smirks on their faces.

“Nicole found a hall,” Heaven stated in a sing song voice. Tarra cocked her head as she looked from one of them to the next, before a smiled appeared on her face.

“Oh really now?”

“Yes really,” Nicole smirked before pulling out a piece of paper from her black jeans. “It’s about four hundred, but it’s big enough for us all, and all we have to do is invite everyone and we get the keys the night before to set everything up.”

“Well, who’s off on the thirtieth to decorate, I mean I can go, but who else is going to?”

“Gabe’s off,” Nicole smirked as she noticed the shudder than ran through her friend.

“That’s the last thing that we need is for Gabe to help decorate.” Tarra rolled her eyes and looked over at Heaven.

“Don’t look at me, I’m working the night of too, I’m only taking the first off.”

“I’m closed new years day,” Tarra smirked up at her that’s when something popped in her head.

“Why don’t it just be Us girls, I mean seriously can we actually trust any of the guys in this Mall to help us without goofing off.

“Well there is JephA, and Matt they both can be serious when the time calls for it.” Heaven stated shrugging her shoulders. Tarra couldn’t help but sigh and nod her head.

“Fine, but just whoever else besides the two of them and myself, I think we can just go in after the Mall closes too and finish,” she shrugged her shoulders. A knock came from her door causing all three of them to turn their heads and glare at Spencer who now stood in her office.

“Uh, it’s closing time, and Ryan’s singing.”

“Am I supposed to glue or tape his mouth shut or something?” Tarra asked looking at him like he was crazy.

“You super glued mine when I sang,” He glared at her.

“That’s because you suck,” She stated before standing up from the couch to shove him out of her office, Nicole and Heaven both leaving the room to get back to work so that they can close up for the night.

****

Two days later found Tarra standing at the foot of a ladder as Brian stood on the tip top putting the disco ball, that jimmy claimed they had to have this year, up.

“Heaven’s going to complain about the fact that we spent more time trying to get the damn Disco Ball up than actually decorating you know that?” Tarra shouted up the ladder to him. He just started laughing before looking down at her.

“Well I got it up, that’s all that matters. What the hell’s the theme anyway? And did you know I can see down your shirt from up here.” Tarra glared up at him, hit him in his legs, and then fixed the white shirt she had on under the corset top she was wearing. As soon as Brian showed up he stole the white fedora she had on her head.

“No theme, just a shit ton of balloons and streamers,” Parker said shrugging her shoulders as she filled yet another balloon with helium.

The only people that had off where the three of them and Gabe, who in fact was blowing up balloons with his own hot air, just to because he said that people needed to have balloons to kick around. He also came up with the net in the center of the room that he was going to fill with them so that they’ll fall on everyone exactly at midnight when someone pulled the cord. Though Tarra didn’t even think that was going to happen considering Gabe would more or less pull it as soon as he got drunk.

“So, what now?” Brian asked looking around the room seeing that Parker and Gabe where focused on the Balloons.

“Streamers!” Tarra squealed running over to the bags she had in the corner.

“I think she likes New Years more than Christmas,” Gabe mumbled around the mouth of a black balloon. This caused them all to laugh.

“Oh she does, did you see all the black that she wore all though Christmas time?” Brain asked shoving Tarra a little bit as they were sitting next to each other opening all the Black, red, and white streamers.

It wasn’t long before the entire hall was decorated just the four of them doing it, well mainly Tarra and Brian while Parker and Gabe focused on getting all the balloons done and watched them flirt with one another.

“So it looks like a party is going to happen here finally.”

“Who’s doing music?” Brian asked as he helped Tarra down from the chair she was standing on to get the last of the streamers up.

“Gerard and ray decided that they would take turns, everyone is supposed to bring their CDs and as long as the cases had our names on them, no one would end up with anyone else’s.” Parker stated as she gathered up all of her stuff. Gabe nodded his head agreeing with her as started to pack away the now empty helium tank.

“So I guess I’ll see you all at work tomorrow, and then back here after everything,” Tarra stated as she tossed the empty bags in the trash can by the doors and walked out them to get into her car to make her way on to her and Heaven’s house to hear about the day that Heaven had.

****

Tarra sighed as she flattened out her skirt, she had no idea why she decided to stay open today, all she wanted to do was go home and take a nap before having to get ready for the party later. Sighing she unlocked the gate and opened shop, she had to hurry up and make as many brownies as possible today since she promised Heaven that she’d make brownies instead of little cakes today. First thing was first and out came the bagels. Ryan smiled at her as she put the last bagel out in the display case. She hated getting this all out in the mornings.

“Off to bake now?” he smirked at her.

“Shuddup Ross, you know you love her baking as much as the rest of us.” Heaven stated, she was walking in with Gerard, Mikey, and Frank. Ryan just snorted before starting up all the water and machines to get the coffee going before the four people in front of him decided it would be better if he was dead.

“So, party tonight?” Ryan asked as he looked from one person to the next. All they did was grunt and nod their heads as he handed over their bagels, and coffee. Soon He was left with Tarra singing ‘The Bear Necessities’ The only thing that he could think was that she must have spent too much time hanging out with Brendon, that or her and Heaven watch too much Disney in their free time.

****

Tarra shook out her hair as she and Heaven stepped out of Heaven’s car. She could already hear the sounds of Led Zeppelin coming from the Hall. Heaven had two bags in her hands most likely all the alcohol, leaving her with the two cases of Coke and four plastic bags of snacks.

“Need any help?” Brian’s voice came from behind her as she glared at Heaven’s retreating form. Though she had to admit that she had the right idea with wearing legging under her dress while Tarra had opted out of doing so.

“That’d be awesome, considering I’m freezing my arse off and want to get inside,” She stated as she handing him the cases of Coke, and grabbed up the bags of food, before shutting and locking up her car. “Did you just get here?”

“Yeah, I came with Matt, Johnny, Jimmy, and Zack. Matt’s going to D and D.”

“I’m d and d this year,” She smiled up at him as she opened the door, Nicole was standing next to William and Adam, looking shorter than her five foot four frame really was, as Parker was having a heated conversation with Ryland, and the only word that Tarra could make out was ‘delicious’. Nell was running away from Bert as he kept claiming that she just looked like she needed a hug. Tarra looked around the hall some more before heading over to the table with all the food on it and dropping the bags on it. Spinning around she decided the hell with it, Gerard could drive her car home, besides he lived in the same neighborhood as her and Heaven. She grabbed herself a cup and filled it up with some spiced rum and grabbed a coke to mix it with.

Three hours later found her cuddled next to Spencer in a corner as she relayed the fact that she was in fact the owner of Java the Hut, she didn’t think he was going to remember it in the morning, but the shocked look on his face was worth telling him.

“Hey everyone!” Gabe’s voice sounded from the corner. “Count down is now!”

Gerard stopped the music, and everyone in the room stated counting down from ten.

William leaned over and kissed Nicole, Brendon grabbed the nearest person to him and kissed her, and in Tarra’s foggy mind she was pretty sure it was Nell. Parker was pushing both Ryland and Gabe away from her as Heaven did the one thing no one was really thinking she’d do. She had Ryan in a chair straddling his lap and feeding at his mouth. Though he didn’t look like he was complaining. That’s when she felt the soft lips on hers.

Tarra closed her eyes and leaned into the man in front of her. Her arms wrapped around him, only after she pulled out of the kiss did she realize that she had just kissed Brian. He smiled down at her before quickly being pulled away by Matt, telling him it was time to go.

Tarra could still taste the Heineken that he was drinking as she was yet again pulled into another kiss, this time as she wrapped her arms around him, she realized that it wasn’t Brian, for the body pressed into hers was softer than Brain’s muscle toned chest, and his hair was shorter.

Spencer slowly pulled out of the kiss before looking her in the eyes, and running off.

Tarra stood there stunned and didn’t even protest with Bert and Adam kissed her. She just couldn’t get the taste of either man out of her head, and the bad thing about that was … She’s not even all that drunk and knew for a fact that she’d remember it in the morning, and she also knew that Brian would remember it in the morning. Matt had kept an eye on him and Jimmy and cut them both off after eight beers.

Working on the second was going to be hell.