The Mall Transcript

Maya Rice

> Mitzi is sitting alone on the edge of the fountain located in the center of the mall's first story. People around her pass by and chatter, carrying bags from all sorts of shops. She seems to be waiting for someone, gaze scanning the crowds attentively.
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> Mitzi pauses her observation of the crowd to check her phone, scrolling through messages and checking that she still has decent service, afraid that she's missed something. She frowns when she sees what time it is. Weren't they supposed to be here by now?
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> With a sigh, Mitzi returns her phone to her pocket, crossing her legs and leaning back a bit. Maybe she had come a little too early. She'd just have to wait patiently for them to arrive.
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> After about five more minutes of waiting alone, Mitzi realizes that she's incapable of doing anything patiently. She gets to her feet, pulling out her phone once more as she begins to walk around, absentmindedly glancing in through the windows of some of the shops. She dials a number on her phone, holding it up to her ear and waiting.
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> "Zee?" A voice comes from the other end.
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> Mitzi smiles when she realizes that they've picked up. "Hey, Jay!" She greets cheerfully, temporarily forgetting just how long she's been waiting for them to arrive. "I didn't think you would pick up."
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> Jayden laughs. "Well, I did. What d'you need?"
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> Mitzi comes to a stop outside of the store that she had visited a day or so ago with Syd and Courtney. "Are you at the mall yet? I was waiting by the fountain like you told me to, but..." she lets her sentence trail off.
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> "We're still in the car, actually," Jayden replies. There's the muffled sound of another voice, too indistinct for Mitzi to make any words out. "We're almost there, though. Sorry to keep you waiting, Zee."
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> "Don't worry about it," Mitzi says, feeling relieved now that she knows they hadn't suddenly decided to cancel on her. "I can wait a little longer. I just wanted to know you were still coming."
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> "Yeah, of course we are!" Jayden confirms. "Re --"
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> His sentence is suddenly cut off, and there's more muffled sounds from the other end of the call. Mitzi listens curiously, but still can't quite hear what's going on.
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> "...Anyway, Zee, I've gotta go," Jay says, rather suddenly. "I'll see you when we get there!"
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> "Alright," Mitzi responds. She realizes that the call has been ended before she has a chance to say anything else. She tries to brush off her concerns, returning her phone to her pocket and continuing onward through the mall.
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> ---
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> "Okay, I'm outside of Hollister, where are --" Mitzi is once again speaking into her phone, standing on her toes and tilting from side to side in an attempt to find her friends in the crowd. When she spots Jayden nearby, she grins and lowers her phone, waving at him. "Jay! Over here!"
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> Jayden turns toward Mitzi, smiling as well when he sees her. At first Mitzi thinks that he's alone (hadn't he said that she would be coming?), but eventually her gaze falls upon Reese, standing a little bit behind him.
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> Mitzi quickly drops her hand, waiting quietly as the two approach. She keeps her gaze locked on Reese, nearly forgetting that Jayden is even there.
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> Reese is quiet, watching Mitzi as well. She looks vaguely different, something about her off in a way that Mitzi can't quite place.
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> Reese is the one who speaks first. "Hey, Zee," she says. Her voice is casual, light. Mitzi tries to ignore the fact that Jayden is watching them nervously, as if they're ready to intervene. She also tries to ignore the fact that Reese uses her nickname. Everyone does uses it, she thinks. It's not a big deal.
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> "Hey," Mitzi responds, a lopsided smile forming on her face. It feels like it's been ages since they've seen each other, as if they're now new people meeting for the first time.
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> "Syd's not with you today," Reese observes.
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> "Yeah, well." Mitzi laughs nervously. "It's not like we're attached at the hip or anything." There's a brief moment of silence. "She'd rather hang out with Morsha, anyway."
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> Reese laughs lightly, shaking her head. "Remember when the three of us literally had to be pulled apart?" She turns and looks at Jayden now, smiling at him. He returns her smile, nodding.
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> Mitzi chuckles, remembering how close she'd been to Reese, Jayden, and Sydney back when they'd been younger. Aidan and Nadia, too. "Didn't we try to glue our arms together so the teachers couldn't separate us?"
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> Reese's smile widens and she nods. "I'm glad we weren't allowed anywhere near the staplers. We probably would have tried that, too."
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> Mitzi laughs again, this time more loudly. This isn't nearly as difficult as she thought it would have been. It feels almost like old times.
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> "Sooo," Jayden speaks up. "Are we going to stand around all day or do you two, y'know, actually want to get some shopping done?"
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> "Pfft," Reese leans over and elbows him, rolling her eyes. "No need to be pushy." She then shifts her gaze back to Mitzi. "Jay's right, though. We did come to the mall for a reason, yeah?"
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> Mitzi nods, not trusting herself to speak when her heart is beating so rapidly.
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> "Well, then," Reese says, gesturing with her head. "Come on. Let's go."
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> Mitzi is in a dressing room when Syd's text comes through. She hears the notification sound on her phone but waits until she's managed to squeeze into a pair of jeans before picking it up.
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> To: Sydney 🔥 - 6:40 PM
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> 'sorry Syd! didn't have my phone on me 😭. i'm @ the mall!'
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> She hesitates a bit before adding,
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> To: Sydney 🔥 - 6:40 PM
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> 'w/ Reese and Jay!'
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> Mitzi pouts when she reads Sydney's response. She shouldn't have told her about Reese.
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> To: Sydney 🔥 - 6:44 PM
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> 'be nice!! she was our bff once.'
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> To: Sydney 🔥 - 6:44 PM
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> 'also she didn't break my heart?'
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> To: Sydney 🔥 - 6:46 PM
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> 'again? Syd we never dated before we couldn't date again.'
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