From the Truth of a Thousand Lies
I decided to try brigits_flame again and luckily remembered that my entry was due today... so here it is.
Title: Afternoon Shift
Word Count: 708
Rating: PG
A crowd was forming.
“Admit it,” the girl said, flipping her hair back over her shoulder with a smug smile on her face. It was clear by the look in her dark eyes that she believed in herself and nothing else. And she had taken a step closer to force the other back into the corner, arm coming up to cut off her escape. “Is it really so hard to just say it? Come on, love, just a few words…”
The smaller girl turned her head to the side, biting at her lip and refusing to say anything. But the crowd which had started to form around the spectacle could easily see that she was afraid. But of what? a young man near the front wondered. He had seen the two in the mall often, usually holding hands and laughing, but never like this. Part of him wanted to step up and force them apart, take the smaller one away, but it was overcome by a voice saying that it was none of his business. And so he melted back into the crowd, hands in his pockets as he turned and walked back towards the food court, already thinking of what he wanted for lunch. No, not Subway, he’d had that last week…
“Not here,” the smaller girl had said at last in a voice hardly above a whisper. “People are watching, they’re listening.” She was beginning to panic, large eyes shining with what a middle-aged woman thought might be tears.
“That’s why it has to be here,” the first insisted. Her other hand came up to touch her face in a tender manner that belayed the look in her eyes. “You’ve got me beaten down already. Say it so I can keep some of my pride.” Her voice wavered and some of the confidence fell from her eyes.
Well now that’s just strange, the middle-aged woman thought as she hoisted her bag filled with candles. She had seen touching like that before but never between two girls who looked as though they could be her oldest son’s age. It made her stomach queasy and she pressed her free hand to it, muttering disapprovingly as the smaller one bit her lip and looked at the taller. That was not a look that was supposed to pass between women and she cared not at all to see whatever happened next. Sniffing in a way that let everyone around her - just in case she knew them - know exactly what she thought of this little display, she turned and headed for the nearest clothing store. She had been expecting an argument, not a lover’s spat. What a waste of part of her afternoon.
The smaller took a deep breath, hands opening and clenching at her sides. She cleared her throat and said something that no one could hear. An old man who had been carried into this spectacle by the crowd, having no interest himself, could not help but lean closer to hear as she spoke again, “I’m sorry.”
Now that made no sense. He was sure that he had heard her say she was sorry in a voice verging on tears and yet the taller girl was laughing and hugging her. Huh, the old man thought as the crowd began to disperse, some of them muttering like that woman with the bag had been while others were grinning and some had no reaction at all. I wonder what they were fighting over? He remembered when his sisters had fought back in the day, almost always over some boy. That was probably what that had been, sisters or friends fighting over a boy instead of enjoying their afternoon at the mall. But at least they made up. That’s good. It made more sense now that he’d thought of that reasoning as he stepped up to the line at his favorite coffee shop.
“Things like that always happen?” a teenaged boy asked his manager, leaning on his elbows to get a better look of the two women. “Because if it is, I always want the Tuesday shift.” The managed rolled his eyes and handed a mop to the boy, pointing to where some young man in a hurry had spilled his drink.
Title: Afternoon Shift
Word Count: 708
Rating: PG
A crowd was forming.
“Admit it,” the girl said, flipping her hair back over her shoulder with a smug smile on her face. It was clear by the look in her dark eyes that she believed in herself and nothing else. And she had taken a step closer to force the other back into the corner, arm coming up to cut off her escape. “Is it really so hard to just say it? Come on, love, just a few words…”
The smaller girl turned her head to the side, biting at her lip and refusing to say anything. But the crowd which had started to form around the spectacle could easily see that she was afraid. But of what? a young man near the front wondered. He had seen the two in the mall often, usually holding hands and laughing, but never like this. Part of him wanted to step up and force them apart, take the smaller one away, but it was overcome by a voice saying that it was none of his business. And so he melted back into the crowd, hands in his pockets as he turned and walked back towards the food court, already thinking of what he wanted for lunch. No, not Subway, he’d had that last week…
“Not here,” the smaller girl had said at last in a voice hardly above a whisper. “People are watching, they’re listening.” She was beginning to panic, large eyes shining with what a middle-aged woman thought might be tears.
“That’s why it has to be here,” the first insisted. Her other hand came up to touch her face in a tender manner that belayed the look in her eyes. “You’ve got me beaten down already. Say it so I can keep some of my pride.” Her voice wavered and some of the confidence fell from her eyes.
Well now that’s just strange, the middle-aged woman thought as she hoisted her bag filled with candles. She had seen touching like that before but never between two girls who looked as though they could be her oldest son’s age. It made her stomach queasy and she pressed her free hand to it, muttering disapprovingly as the smaller one bit her lip and looked at the taller. That was not a look that was supposed to pass between women and she cared not at all to see whatever happened next. Sniffing in a way that let everyone around her - just in case she knew them - know exactly what she thought of this little display, she turned and headed for the nearest clothing store. She had been expecting an argument, not a lover’s spat. What a waste of part of her afternoon.
The smaller took a deep breath, hands opening and clenching at her sides. She cleared her throat and said something that no one could hear. An old man who had been carried into this spectacle by the crowd, having no interest himself, could not help but lean closer to hear as she spoke again, “I’m sorry.”
Now that made no sense. He was sure that he had heard her say she was sorry in a voice verging on tears and yet the taller girl was laughing and hugging her. Huh, the old man thought as the crowd began to disperse, some of them muttering like that woman with the bag had been while others were grinning and some had no reaction at all. I wonder what they were fighting over? He remembered when his sisters had fought back in the day, almost always over some boy. That was probably what that had been, sisters or friends fighting over a boy instead of enjoying their afternoon at the mall. But at least they made up. That’s good. It made more sense now that he’d thought of that reasoning as he stepped up to the line at his favorite coffee shop.
“Things like that always happen?” a teenaged boy asked his manager, leaning on his elbows to get a better look of the two women. “Because if it is, I always want the Tuesday shift.” The managed rolled his eyes and handed a mop to the boy, pointing to where some young man in a hurry had spilled his drink.