Pull Out My Insides

After walking around aimlessly for a while, Zara and I walk around the town, cracking jokes and ignoring the glares from everyone around. As we get to the mall, we start to really have fun, making fun of the stoned guy working at Zumiez and laughing at the things at Spencer's. But as we stop in Earthbound, I spot a familiar face that I wish I didn't. My ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth, stands a mere ten feet away, oblivious to my presence. Hopefully it'll stay that way. Zara quickly waddles away, a bracelet catching her attention. I stand near a display of bracelets nearby, grabbing a few that I like to pay for and before I can turn around to go back to Zara, a finger taps on my shoulder.

"Done al--" I start, turning around.

"Elizabeth," I flatly state, frowning.

"Hi, Ashy!" she squeals.

Before she can say anything, Zara walks up to me, looking deeply at the bracelets, not noticing Elizabeth.

"Hey, you almost done--who's this?"

"I'm Elizabeth. His girlfriend," Elizabeth states, trying to grab my hand, but I just yank it back, glaring at her.

"Elizabeth, I've told you time and time again, I'm not your fucking boyfriend. We went out for a week! And then we were over! Get it in your head!"

To my chagrin, she just giggles, looking up at me. "Oh, you and your jokes. Now who's this whore?" she asks in disgust.

"I'm the mother of his child, you cunt," Zara spits at her.

"Ashy! Are you going to let her talk to me that way! I thought you loved me!" Elizabeth gasps, staring at me with her dull blue eyes.

I just shake my head, glaring down at Elizabeth.

"I don't love you, Elizabeth. We've been broken up for a year now. Get it in your head," I repeat, walking away with Zara's hand in mine.

"You didn't have to do that," she whispers to me, looking back at the angry Elizabeth once more as we approach the register.

"Did you get rid of her?" the guy working the cash register asks. "Oh, finally. That girl is such a bitch. We all try to get out of the shifts when she comes here," he tells us, looking around a few times.

Zara's laughs ring out in my ears and I grin. "Yeah, she's my ex. But she keeps trying to get me back. Or act like we never broke up."

"She's so crazy," he tells us. "She'll come in, ranting to herself, and then pick up some things and throw them around with this crazy look in her eyes. It's fucking weird. And then when she's sane, she's a complete bitch to us."

"Yep, that sounds like her," I grimace while he bags up our stuff.

"Sorry that you had to date her."

"Sorry you have to deal with her."

"True that. Well, good luck with the crazy. And congrats on the baby," he tells us as we walk out.

I just take Zara's hand and shout a farewell to him as we walk out.

"Do you know that guy?" I ask her.

"Not really, I mean, I've seen him in school sometimes..." she tells me.

I shrug to myself. "He seems like a cool guy."

"Not as cool as you," she grins, punching me in the arm.

"You know it," I respond, wrapping my arm around her shoulders momentarily, bringing her in for a hug.

"But I'm still not as cool as you."

"Bullshit!" she sings out with a grin.

"Whatever," I mutter, leading her to a random store, not really paying attention to the items inside. My mind is instead wandering to the girl walking next to me.