I Found Myself Falling...Not For the Right Thing Either

Kent still wasn’t talking to me and it was pure torture! Kent was the second person I went to with any of my problems and having lost Liz, the first person I would go to, I didn’t really have anyone other than Katie. I know that sounds mean, but I usually hung out with Kent or Liz more so Katie and I wouldn’t talk as much. Katie was usually busy with things like she had been all of this week and last so I had kept my problems all bottled up and not let out.

Sometimes I would talk to James, but he had also been busy with things at home so I didn’t even get to talk to him. That would just be my luck too. Jake had sensed that something was off for when Friday rolled around he made plans to get out of the house and go to the mall.

I hadn’t told Jake about Kent and me because I didn’t really want him to know the whole thing with Craig and I so I kept quiet about it, but when Kent didn’t come over afterschool I think he started realizing that something had happened, but I still didn’t tell him the whole story. Being the brother he is he tried to cheer me up.

“Rae! Get down here or I’m going to have to drag you down the stairs myself!” James yelled from downstairs. I purposely stalled because the more time I took the less time I would have to be at the mall, but after 10 minutes of hiding in the bathroom pretending I was getting ready got boring and I came out.

“Wow. Twenty minutes and all you have on is a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and barely any make-up on!” I rolled my eyes at Craig’s muttered words. I had tried to ignore Craig for as long as I could possibly do, but having him being Jake’s best friend he was always over so I had to deal with it.

“Shut up. She looks gorgeous.” James sang giving me a hug.

“Says the gay guy.” Craig mumbled under his breath.

“Says the one with the smaller dick.” Katie shot back and I laughed at the comment. Craig’s attention got caught by that one and he snorted.

“Doubt it.” He said, this time his voice was louder.

“Cocky bastard.” I said.

“At least I have the balls to tell the truth.” That one hurt. I had lied to Kent for a specific reason and he knew that, but it still didn’t give me the right to do that and Craig rubbing it in didn’t help.

“Alright you guys!” Jake interrupted. “We’re all going to the mall so get along for the next couple hours.” James let out a huge groan.

“This is going to be torture.” He whispered in my ear, joking around. I giggled at him and followed Katie out the front door to the car.

♥

"Fore!" Craig yelled as he swung the golf club. The tiny white ball went flying until it hit the wall with a thud. I was actually surprised that it didn't leave a dent.

"You know we're going to get caught." James said as I picked up my own club.

"Oh shut up pretty boy." I scowled.

"Okay homophob, you need to shut up." I really hated how people treated James just because of his sexuality.

"Whatever." He said rolling his eyes. I took a quick swing, but rather than seeing how hard I could hit it I was trying to get it in the little hole in the tiny putting zone that was in the middle of the second floor at Dick's Sporting Goods.

"Pathetic." Craig murmured. I just shrugged it off and hit the golf ball again making it go into the hole.

"At least I made it in." I said sticking out my tongue.

"Playing by the rules is stupid."

"Oh so we got ourselves a Bad Ass here?" Craig smirked.

"I'm as B.A. as you can get." He stuck out his tongue before preparing to swing and hit the ball.

"Okay well when you two are done I'll be over by the cleats. I need a new pair." I nodded to
James and then turned my attention back to Craig.

With one hard swing the club collided with the ball and flew. The club fell two feet away from him, but the ball went way further. When it passed the bikes Craig swore.

"Nice job dipshit." I muttered, picking up a new ball for me to hit. "Next time hold onto the club." Craig just rolled his eyes.

I set my ball up and was ready to swing when I heard a loud crashing noise. My head flipped upward and I looked frantically around. When my eyes landed on the kayaks and canoes that had just fallen over and the tiny golf ball that rolled away from them I cursed.

I dropped my club and looked up at Craig who wasn't looking at the kayaks anymore, but the security guard running towards us.

"Oh shit!" We both yelled in unison. I quickly jumped over the other clubs resting there to be tried out and followed Craig down the escalator.

"Hey! Stop right there!" We ignored the man yelling and running after us as we bolted down the escalator stairs.

"Excuse me, excuse me." I muttered to every person I pushed.

"Screw them and hurry up!" Craig shouted from behind me. We both jumped off the escalator to find two more guards coming towards us. A girl on the left and a guy on the right. Craig grabbed my shirt and pulled me to the back of us and before I could get my balance I ran into a mannequin and a shelf.

"Crap!" I hissed as I was heisted up by Craig. They were on our heels now, but I had totally forgotten about the people next to me as I pushed them aside. I had never been caught before for doing something wrong and I wasn't going to start now.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I glanced behind me then looked back to only run into Craig's back.

"What?!" I hissed. Before Craig could reply I noticed why he had stopped. The guy had blocked the door leading out of the mall and to the parking lot. "Great! Leading us to a blocked door." I noticed the girl was getting close to our left so I grabbed Craig by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to our right.

I hadn't really ran so fast in my life. I hated when people chased me so it made me run faster than I usually did. That's why I always won tag because I hated when people were chasing me and it made my nerves make me run faster.

I pushed the first glass door and didn't bother to hold it open as Craig went in the one next to me. Now, we were in the mall halls and people were galore, even more than in Dick's.

"Come on, this way!" Craig’s hand interlocked with mine as we raced through the crowds of people.

"Stop!" A girl yelled from behind us. I figured it was the security guard so I pulled Craig with me into a an American Eagle.

"This won't do anything!" Craig huffed. I smirked as I pulled him to the back. The girl sitting by the changing rooms glared.

"We need a room!" I demanded of her. She looked at the both of us, glaring before hoping of her stool and opening a door. I shoved Craig ahead of me, grabbing a shirt off the rack, noticing the security guard running into the store before closing the door behind me.

For a dressing room the one we were in was pretty small. Even against each wall I was touching Craig. His eyebrow raised when he looked at me. I was confused until I realized I was still holding his hand. I dropped it immediately and instantly starting blushing. I opened my mouth to say something, but Craig shushed me, nodding to the door.

I looked down and saw people walking by to get in other dressing rooms. A few pairs stopped, but moved a few seconds after. I pulled the shirt on the hanger up to Craig.

'I don't want it.' He mouthed. I shrugged and hung it on the hook on the wall. I really didn't realize it until I turned back around at how close we were. We were almost face to face in the dressing room. It was so tiny.

We waited a few more seconds before opening the door. I peered around Craig to see if anyone was there, but I didn't see anyone. I then pushed him forward and out of the suffocating room. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the front of the store. The girl was still sitting there by the changing rooms. Her eyes were piercing through me.

"She needed help trying it on." Craig lied as we passed by her. It was kind of funny for her to think that Craig and I were together or something along those lines, but I looked down to see him holding my hand once again, but it stopped as soon as we exited the store. We both checked around for any security guards from Dick's Sporting Goods and when we caught sight of them entering the store we sighed, realizing that we wouldn't be chased anymore.

"Let's go getJames and them." I said, starting towards Dick's, but I was pulled back suddenly.

"Are you stupid?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"No."

"Well you must be if you want to go back in there. We were just chased out by three different guards." I bit my lip. He was right even though I didn't want to admit it. "Text Katie or James and I'll text your brother." I nodded at his directions and pulled my phone out from my pocket. My fingers typed Katie the message and then my phone was placed back in my pocket. Just as I finished Craig closed his phone and put his back after sending a similar message.

"Ok, here are we supposed to go now?"

"Well I'm hungry so, the food court." Men. They were ALWAYS hungry.

Suddenly my stomach let out a loud rumble. Craig looked back at me and I shrugged, "I must be too."

♥

I had just finished my burrito from Taco Bell and thrown away the wrapper when my phone buzzed. I reached into my pocket and pulled it out to read what Katie had sent to me.

Almost done in here, James is just paying and then we’ll be out.

I replied with a simple ‘ok’ then put my phone back. Craig glanced over at me and noticed I was done. He raised an eyebrow as if he was asking if I were done and I nodded, standing up from my seat at our table.

“Katie and them are almost done. James has just got to cash out.” Craig nodded.

“Good, that means I can go to JCPenney’s.” I narrowed my eyes as Craig started to walk away.

“Why do you need to go to JCPenney’s?” It usually wasn’t a store guys just went to to shop.

“Christmas is coming and I want to get my aunt earrings.”

I hadn’t really thought of Craig to be the type to really care about Christmas… To me he always seemed like a taker, not a giver. It was nice to see that he wasn’t just the cocky guy I grew up with. He kind of actually cared. I had totally forgotten about Christmas until he had brought it up and as we walked towards JCPenney’s jewelry section I was in awe. They had so many necklaces, rings, earrings, etc out on display. It was gorgeous.

“What about these?” Craig asked pointing to a pair of sapphire circles. I frowned.

“Too plain.” Craig nodded taking the advice and gazed across the selection again.

“What about those.” His finger once again pressed softly against the glass. I looked in and saw a pair of emerald green stars. The gems shined in the light in the store. I had seen his aunt a few times and from memory I remembered that his aunt had pretty green eyes that would go perfect with them.

“Those are good.” Craig smiled as he looked down at them.

My eyes wondered across all the choices making me wish I had every single piece of jewelry right there in front of me. I was in awe until I reached a necklace which put me in heaven. There underneath the clear glass was a beautiful ruby necklace. The rubies were aligned into the shape of a heart and in the spaces laid pink sapphires to take out the spaces and make it all mesh together.

“That’s really pretty.” Craig said alongside me.

“Yeah, too bad.” I mumbled, staring at the work of art.

“Too bad?” He questioned.

“Girls don’t buy themselves heart shaped jewelry. That’s what guys do for them.” I explained. I turned around, prying my eyes from the beauty. If I didn’t I think I would be drooling soon. Just then I caught sight of Katie and Jake with James behind them walking past the entrance to JCPenney’s. “There they are.” I tapped Craig on the shoulder to get his attention.

“Good. I’ll just pay for this and catch up with you guys.”

“You sure? I can wait.”

“Nah, you go ahead. I’ll be two seconds.” I nodded and headed towards my friends.