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On the way to the “old mall” that afternoon, the cold winter sunshine blazing through Gabby’s windshield, Gabby went on about how excited she was for the day when all the best stores transferred over to the new mall, the Behemoth. “I just love shopping in brand-new stores. Everything’s so clean and shiny,” she chirped.
Skylar smiled.
When they got to the mall, Skylar trailed Gabby through several stores, fingering the same fabrics, smelling the same lotions, trying not to get too nervous.
Don’t mess this up! she kept thinking.
“I want something girly and lacy,” Gabby said as they walked into Victoria’s Secret. “But also something that has coverage, you know? There will be boys there, after all.”
A coed pajama party? Skylar bet Lucy had never attended one of those.
“How about this for you?” Skylar held up an orange-and-pink shorts set.
“That’s the right idea,” Gabby said, nodding encouragingly. “But I’m not a big fan of orange. Ooooooh, what about this one!” She was holding another set, this one with purple polka dots.
Skylar shivered involuntarily. “I’m not into polka dots,” she said. “But I bet it would look cute on you.”
As she made her way through the racks Skylar wondered whether Pierce would be at Gabby’s pajama party. She imagined walking up to him, poised, smiling. It would be obvious that she was friends with Gabby and therefore one of the in crowd. She would giggle at the right moments and know what to say. And she’d be wearing . . . this. Her eyes fell on pink silk shorts lined in lime green. On the hanger they were paired with a lime-green silk tank top with a deep V-neck. Both pieces were edge with pink lace.
It was perfect—playful and sexy at the same time. Pierce would love it.
Gabby had already paid for a light blue nightie and blue capri leggings to match. She was standing at the doorway texting. So, with a deep breath and a promise to herself that she would look for a babysitting job this weekend, Skylar bought the pink-and-green pajamas, choosing to ignore the fact that they cost most of her weekly allowance from Aunt Nora.
Armed with their shopping bags, they made their way toward Macy’s.
“I just want to take a quick spin through their dress department,” Gabby said. “Not that I can even plan what to wear without knowing what the theme is going to be.”
Skylar panicked slightly. The Spring Fling had to have a theme? Wasn’t the theme, like, spring?
“Gabs!”
Gabby spun around. “Oh! It’s Fiona and Lauren—have you met them?” Gabby tugged on Skylar’s arm as she skipped over to her friends, who were standing by the indoor fountain. “They’re the best. Other than Em. She’s actually the best. But they’re the other best.”
Both girls were pretty brunettes. One wore black-framed, trendy glasses and the other had a bob with bangs. And then Skylar almost gasped out loud. Because standing right behind Glasses Girl were a few football players—including Pierce.
“Hi, sweetie.” Gabby hugged one of the girls and pointed to Skylar. “Everyone, this is Skylar. Skylar, this is everyone. Fiona,” she said, pointing to the girl in the glasses, “Lauren, Pierce, Sean, Adam, Andy.” Skylar couldn’t tell who was who, and none of the boys stepped forward to introduce himself. So she just kind of smiled and waved, hanging back, waiting for a cue about what to do next.
Gabby was pulling her blue pj set out of its bag and showing it to Fiona and Lauren while the guys whooped and hollered, trying to grab it out of her hands.
“You guys are pigs,” Gabby said, laughing and shielding her purchase from them with her tiny body.
“That’s hot, Gabs,” one of them—Andy or Adam?—said. Skylar was relieved that Pierce hadn’t said it. She watched Gabby blush just the right amount—enough to turn her cheeks pink. Not beet red, like Skylar used to get onstage.
Any confidence Skylar had felt during her one-on-one time with Gabby had dissipated, and now she didn’t know what to say. Everyone ignored her; she obviously wasn’t part of the group. Her breathing got shallower.
And then, just as in the ice cream shop, Lucy was there, next to her by the fountain. Only this time it wasn’t a vision. It was a memory, vivid in Skylar’s mind, like she was reliving it. Their mother was off looking for accessories for Lucy’s summer pageant gown. Lucy, about to start her junior year, flirting with a bunch of gorgeous senior guys from their school. Skylar, a pre-frosh, hoping one of them would notice her.