Fall From Grace

“Thank God you’re here. I need a bit of normality right about now. It’s been far too crazy here lately,” I said as I climbed into the passenger side of Jessie’s car.

She just laughed and turned down the Metallica song that was blaring from the speakers so we could hear each other enough to hold a conversation.

“Yeah, being all buddy buddy with Johnny has to be pretty outrageous,” she said, checking her rearview mirror as she pulled away from the curb.

“That it is, but sadly that’s not even the least of my worries. You know that party at my house the other night that you missed out on because you felt the need to go out of town for family bonding?”

Jessie rolled her eyes before responding. “For the millionth time, I would have stayed here if I could. It’s my mom’s fault. She hit this phase where she thinks I need to get to know my stepdad. It’s not like it’s he’ll be here this time next year anyway.”

That’s Jessie for you. You can ask her a direct question and she still finds a way to start rambling on about something completely off subject.

“Anyway, something happened there that is really out there. It’s my fault though. I got completely wasted and had no idea what I was doing,” I was trying to explain, but of course Jessie interrupted me.

“You slept with Johnny! Oh gross,” she exclaimed.

“No. I think I’d prefer that to what actually happened. Brian waited until I was completely wasted and took advantage of me,” I said. God, I hated that I even had to say those words out loud.

The look on Jessie’s face said everything she couldn’t at that moment. She opened her mouth to start speaking but I cut her off.

“There’s nothing I can do about it now so I really don’t need to talk about it anymore. I just want to try to get back to normal,” I said and Jessie bit her lip like she had to forcibly keep words from spewing from her mouth. She took a deep breath.

“Alright then, what better way to get back to normal than to do a little shopping with the best friend and forget about everything and everybody else,” she finally said and I smiled. Shopping could solve any problem.

~x~

“How does this look?” I called to Jessie as I stepped out of the dressing room in the faded gray miniskirt I had picked out.

“Let’s just say if I were a guy, or a lesbian, I’d be drooling right now,” she said.

I shook my head and laughed before turning to go back into the dressing room to change. Once back in my own clothes, I continued to look around the store, listening to the steady chatter Jessie was providing. Sometimes all I had to do was add in a nod of my head and she could basically talk to herself for hours on end. I ended up finding a cute Jack Skellington necklace that I wanted and we headed towards the checkout counter.

Jessie went first, striking up a casual conversation with the very cute cashier. Like that was anything new. I swear that girl has never met a stranger. I had just stepped up to the counter and put down the necklace and skirt when I heard voices I recognized come from directly behind me. I had just enough time to dread them spotting me when an arm reached around me, picking up the miniskirt.

“So when do I get to see you in this?” Brian questioned, eyebrows raised in a way that proved he hadn’t forgot his dickish move at the party.

I snatched the article of clothing out of his hands and returned it to the counter, apologizing to the cashier. He just smiled and continued his job.

“Fuck you, Brian, just leave me alone. I don’t have the patience to deal with an imbecile like you today,” I said, wishing the cashier would hurry up so I could get out of here.

“Are you sure about that?” he asked as he stepped forward and invaded my personal space. “I bet you think about that night, I believe you know which one I’m referring to, and wish more than anything that you could have me again.”

“Oh you’re talking about the night that you took advantage of a poor girl who had had too much to drink?” Jessie said loud enough that several people looked in our direction.

“Yeah and it's not like you were that impressive anyway. Leave me alone or I'll tell everyone how tiny your dick is,,” I said the last part loudly.

Brian just laughed a little, but it didn’t discourage his antics at all.. I turned back to counter to pay the cashier that was probably hearing way more than he cared to. I swiped my card and waited on my receipt. I saw the guy scribble something on it with a pen before handing it to me. It read ‘Just play along.’ I looked at him curiously, but gave him a slight nod of my head. He bagged up my purchases and placed the bag the bag on the counter before reaching over to grab my hand.

“My lunch break is in ten minutes. Wait for me in the food court, okay babe?” he said and I’m glad he had given me fair warning or I would have been freaked out. Instead, I smiled at him.

“Of course I will,” I said, leaning over the counter to press a light kiss to his cheek for good measure. With a small wave, Jessie and I departed, not so much as giving another glance to Brian.

~x~

“You, sir, are my hero,” I said as the Hot Topic cashier claimed the seat next to me at our table in the food court.

He smiled shyly as he turned to face me. “I’m not usually that impulsive, but I just hated the way that guy was talking to you. I don’t know if it was true or not, but he just seemed like he needed a big hint to back the hell off. I’m Spencer, by the way.”

“I’m Melanie and this is Jessie,” I said politely, gesturing to myself as well as my friend sitting across from us.

At that moment, Brian and Matt entered the food court. Brian was looking directly at me.
“Don’t get freaked out,” I whispered to Spencer as I randomly burst into loud laughter like he had just said the funniest thing I’d ever heard. I then moved my chair closer to his and leant over, pressing my lips gently against his.

When I looked back up, Brian had a look of absolute amazement on his face. Once he was safely out of earshot the three of us dissolved into laughter.

“That was so great,” I said, smiling as I recalled the look on Brian’s face when he realized that he hadn’t won after all.