The Bruised Angel
6
The drive took about fifteen minutes not counting how long it took to get to the store parking lot. It’s so hard to get there! You have to look out every direction or you’ll get hit. When we finally found a parking space, we may have accidentally cut off some lady to get it, we went into the store. It seemed a little more crowded then usual.
First we went in the line for Starbucks. The people were so slow today! First they couldn’t decide what they wanted, then they didn’t have their discount cards out, and then they couldn’t find their money! I wanted to scream at some of them. But of course being kind, caring soul I am, ha, I didn’t. Finally it was our turn.
“What can I get you?” the girl behind the counter asked sounding very bored.
“Two grande vanilla steamers.” I said taking out my discount card and ten dollars.
“Thanks, here’s your change.” She handed me my change, card, and receipt and we moved down to where the drinks would be.
“Two vanilla steamers.” The man handing out the drinks said.
We took them and started walking around the store. I needed to get some new books and Tam wanted to see the CDs. We split up her to the CD and DVD section and me to the teen section. There weren’t any new books out that I wanted so I just browsed.
The teen section wasn’t that big. There was a shelf that had books on both sides and a table that had piles of books. I looked through the shelves and took down three books. They were Marked which was a vampire book, Ironside by Holly Black, and A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson. Nothing else really seemed interesting. I went back and forth looking at the same books hoping a new one will just appear but of course it didn’t. Sighing I went to the CD and DVD section.
I went over to the CDs and looked for Tam. When I found her she was looking at the classic rock section.
“Watcha doing?” I asked going over to her.
“Lookin’ at music. I was thinking about getting Dark Side of the Moon again because mom broke mine.”
“Purposely,” I said looking through the CDs.
“No, it was an accident.”
“Tam, she hates rock music and she didn’t want you listening to it. She broke it purposely. You should get it and when mom gets home blast it!”
“You have such an evil mind.”
“And proud of it!” I said with a smile. “So are you getting it?”
“Yeah. Are you done?”
“Just have to pay.”
“Ok come on.”
We went to the cashier in this part of the store and waited in the short line. A few minutes later it was our turn.
“Hi Tam! Hi Aly!” the cashier said. I looked up from my purse where I had been trying to find my wallet and saw Tam’s best friend Emly. It’s pronounce and spelt without the I which I think was a little odd but that’s what her parents wanted.
“Emly! I didn’t know you were working today,” Tam said reaching over the counter to give her a hug.
“They needed extra help today. So what’s with you two?” she asked while scanning the items. Luckily there was no one behind us so we could talk as much as we wanted.
“Nothing really. What time do you get off?”
“One.”
“You should come to lunch with us then! As long as you don’t mind,” Tam said quickly turning to me.
“I’d love if she came.” Emly was sort of like an older sister to me. She and Tam have been friends for years and she hangs out at the house so often.
“That sounds fun. Where are you going?”
“Friendly’s.”
“Cool. What are you going to do for the next twenty minutes?” she asked checking her watch.
“Probably just look around. We’ll meet you back here okay?” she asked while handing her the money.
“Sounds like a plan! See you two later!”
We walked away and tried to decide what to do. Finally we decided on going to the kids section where the Harry Potter books were kept. I don’t get why they’re in that section when they deserve their own special section.
We each got a book and sat down to read. I started on the sixth and she started on the fourth. Twenty minutes later Emly came over ready to leave. We left the store and went to Tam’s car. Then we drove off to Friendly’s. The car ride was very...loud. We had the radio turned on and it was the no commercial hour so the songs kept playing and we kept singing. It was crazy or as Emly says, wild.
In Friendly’s we were seated right away. We ordered and talked while we waited. It was never a dull moment with Emly. If there was ever a silence she would say something to ruin it. So when the food came we were cracking up at her and probably annoying a lot of the other customers.
“I’m sorry to say this girls but some of the other customers are complaining about the…um noise.” The waitress said when she put the food on the table.
“Is it that group of old ladies by the window over there?” Emly asked.
“Yes.”
“Well since we’re supposed to be kind and respective to the elderly we’ll be quieter.”
That caused Tam and me to start laughing but we tried to stop. The ladies turned around to glare at us. It probably didn’t help that Emly and I had crayon colors in our hair and the way we were dressed. Emly waved at them and they scowled before going back to their food.
“Please try to keep it down a little. I’m the one who has to listen to their complaints,” the waitress said before leaving.
Because we didn’t want her to have to listen to them we quieted down. It was easier now that Emly was eating. When we finished lunch Emly came home with us. It was around three and dad wasn’t home yet.
“I’m going to call him. I’ll meet you two up stairs.”
“Ok but don’t keep calling if he doesn’t pick up.”
I nodded and they went upstairs to Tam’s room. I went into the kitchen and dialed dad’s number. After a few rings his secretary picked up.
“Arthur Shire’s office. How may I help you?”
“Karen? It’s Aly. Is my dad there?”
“Sorry sweetie. He left for a meeting ten minutes ago. I think it was going to take an hour possibly more. Do you want me to have him call you back?”
“Yes, please. I have to go. Bye.”
“Bye.”
I hung up and put the phone down. I ran up to Tam’s room where she and Emly were getting everything ready for a girl’s night.
“Late again?” Tam asked after seeing my face.
“What else is new?”
“Come on girls let’s turn those frowny faces upside down and get this party started.” Emly said pulling us into a hug then going over to the CD player and putting Spice Girls on.
“I love you Em,” Tam said laughing.
I let out a laugh and went over to her. At least I had some people who cared about me.
First we went in the line for Starbucks. The people were so slow today! First they couldn’t decide what they wanted, then they didn’t have their discount cards out, and then they couldn’t find their money! I wanted to scream at some of them. But of course being kind, caring soul I am, ha, I didn’t. Finally it was our turn.
“What can I get you?” the girl behind the counter asked sounding very bored.
“Two grande vanilla steamers.” I said taking out my discount card and ten dollars.
“Thanks, here’s your change.” She handed me my change, card, and receipt and we moved down to where the drinks would be.
“Two vanilla steamers.” The man handing out the drinks said.
We took them and started walking around the store. I needed to get some new books and Tam wanted to see the CDs. We split up her to the CD and DVD section and me to the teen section. There weren’t any new books out that I wanted so I just browsed.
The teen section wasn’t that big. There was a shelf that had books on both sides and a table that had piles of books. I looked through the shelves and took down three books. They were Marked which was a vampire book, Ironside by Holly Black, and A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson. Nothing else really seemed interesting. I went back and forth looking at the same books hoping a new one will just appear but of course it didn’t. Sighing I went to the CD and DVD section.
I went over to the CDs and looked for Tam. When I found her she was looking at the classic rock section.
“Watcha doing?” I asked going over to her.
“Lookin’ at music. I was thinking about getting Dark Side of the Moon again because mom broke mine.”
“Purposely,” I said looking through the CDs.
“No, it was an accident.”
“Tam, she hates rock music and she didn’t want you listening to it. She broke it purposely. You should get it and when mom gets home blast it!”
“You have such an evil mind.”
“And proud of it!” I said with a smile. “So are you getting it?”
“Yeah. Are you done?”
“Just have to pay.”
“Ok come on.”
We went to the cashier in this part of the store and waited in the short line. A few minutes later it was our turn.
“Hi Tam! Hi Aly!” the cashier said. I looked up from my purse where I had been trying to find my wallet and saw Tam’s best friend Emly. It’s pronounce and spelt without the I which I think was a little odd but that’s what her parents wanted.
“Emly! I didn’t know you were working today,” Tam said reaching over the counter to give her a hug.
“They needed extra help today. So what’s with you two?” she asked while scanning the items. Luckily there was no one behind us so we could talk as much as we wanted.
“Nothing really. What time do you get off?”
“One.”
“You should come to lunch with us then! As long as you don’t mind,” Tam said quickly turning to me.
“I’d love if she came.” Emly was sort of like an older sister to me. She and Tam have been friends for years and she hangs out at the house so often.
“That sounds fun. Where are you going?”
“Friendly’s.”
“Cool. What are you going to do for the next twenty minutes?” she asked checking her watch.
“Probably just look around. We’ll meet you back here okay?” she asked while handing her the money.
“Sounds like a plan! See you two later!”
We walked away and tried to decide what to do. Finally we decided on going to the kids section where the Harry Potter books were kept. I don’t get why they’re in that section when they deserve their own special section.
We each got a book and sat down to read. I started on the sixth and she started on the fourth. Twenty minutes later Emly came over ready to leave. We left the store and went to Tam’s car. Then we drove off to Friendly’s. The car ride was very...loud. We had the radio turned on and it was the no commercial hour so the songs kept playing and we kept singing. It was crazy or as Emly says, wild.
In Friendly’s we were seated right away. We ordered and talked while we waited. It was never a dull moment with Emly. If there was ever a silence she would say something to ruin it. So when the food came we were cracking up at her and probably annoying a lot of the other customers.
“I’m sorry to say this girls but some of the other customers are complaining about the…um noise.” The waitress said when she put the food on the table.
“Is it that group of old ladies by the window over there?” Emly asked.
“Yes.”
“Well since we’re supposed to be kind and respective to the elderly we’ll be quieter.”
That caused Tam and me to start laughing but we tried to stop. The ladies turned around to glare at us. It probably didn’t help that Emly and I had crayon colors in our hair and the way we were dressed. Emly waved at them and they scowled before going back to their food.
“Please try to keep it down a little. I’m the one who has to listen to their complaints,” the waitress said before leaving.
Because we didn’t want her to have to listen to them we quieted down. It was easier now that Emly was eating. When we finished lunch Emly came home with us. It was around three and dad wasn’t home yet.
“I’m going to call him. I’ll meet you two up stairs.”
“Ok but don’t keep calling if he doesn’t pick up.”
I nodded and they went upstairs to Tam’s room. I went into the kitchen and dialed dad’s number. After a few rings his secretary picked up.
“Arthur Shire’s office. How may I help you?”
“Karen? It’s Aly. Is my dad there?”
“Sorry sweetie. He left for a meeting ten minutes ago. I think it was going to take an hour possibly more. Do you want me to have him call you back?”
“Yes, please. I have to go. Bye.”
“Bye.”
I hung up and put the phone down. I ran up to Tam’s room where she and Emly were getting everything ready for a girl’s night.
“Late again?” Tam asked after seeing my face.
“What else is new?”
“Come on girls let’s turn those frowny faces upside down and get this party started.” Emly said pulling us into a hug then going over to the CD player and putting Spice Girls on.
“I love you Em,” Tam said laughing.
I let out a laugh and went over to her. At least I had some people who cared about me.