They took a bus to the mall after school. Because it is close to Christmas, the weather is quite cold even though the sun shines bright. Andy brought an extra clothes because the mall guard will not let them in if they are wearing their school uniforms.
She is dressed in a mustard shirt that complements her skin tone. On the right side of her chest, there is a small stitch of a cat's paw. She paired the shirt with a pair of tight washed jeans that hugged her thick thighs. She also wears her white running shoes, which she keeps in her school locker.
Her blonde hair is tied in a messy bun, revealing her pale white neck.
Lily on the other hand is wearing a purple dress that falls an inch above her knee. She paired it with a white flat sandals that were just right for her tall stature. Her hair is curled down, as if she is going to a party rather than the mall.
Lily, being a fashionista, made sure she looked great when she met her tinder date for the first time, whereas Andy stayed in her usual get up.
They decided to go shopping while waiting for the guy to arrive. Because it's Friday, there's a lot of people out and about. The noise from various people made the area feel lively and fun.
"When is he going to arrive?" Andy, who appears to be getting impatient because they've been walking for nearly 30 minutes and she's beginning to tire, asked.
"He said he's on his way," Lily replied.
The two decided to make their way to the cinema and Lily texted her tinder date to meet there. Lily's phone rings as they are looking for a movie to watch.
Andy step away a little to give Lily some privacy while she is on the phone with someone. The cinema is on the third floor of the mall so she stands by the railing. She's busy observing the people on the lower floors when she feels a tap on her shoulder. She looked around to see who it could be and notice a guy around her age with a handkerchief in his right hand.
"I believe this is yours. I found it on the floor just right behind you," he says. She noticed the guy was dressed in a plain white shirt and a pants that resembled a school uniform. He's also carrying what appears to be a school bag in his back.
"Yes, thank you," she said as she took her handkerchief in his hand.
The guy did not bother to respond and continued on his way, leaving her behind.
Andy decided to return to Lily's location and was surprised to see that the guy from earlier was with her. What a coincidence, she thought.
"Andy!" Lily yelled as she waves her hand when she saw her walking.
"Hey, is he your date?" she asked to confirm her hunch.
"Yep. His name is Keisler." Lily responded with a smile.
Hearing his name rang a bell in her ears.
"And, Keisler, this is Andy, a classmate and a friend of mine," Lily continued "she will be joining us."
"Not a problem. Let me buy our tickets. What movie do you want?" he replied and then the two of them discuss what to watch.
She tried to recall where and when she fist heard his name, but Andy is the type of girl who forgets things most the time. And when she can't remember anything, she decides to let it go for the time being.
Lily is the one who choses which movie they're going to watch and she has chosen a romantic film. They walked in to the cinema and the movie began to play. Andy sits on row's edge while Lily sits next to Keisler.
Andy looked around the room and noticed that she is the only one who does not have a partner among all the other people watching with them. She rolled her eyes at that. When she noticed a lot of couples making out without caring if they were caught, the atmosphere of the room became awkward for her.
"I think I need to wash my eyeballs later because these nasty people are making my eyes hurt," she said as she shifted her gaze to the big screen in front.
"Hahaha! You're just jealous because you're alone," Lily laughed as she mocked her. Keisler didn't say anything, but he did laugh indicating that he agreed with what Lily said.
Andy couldn't believe what her friend said, so she responded, "Hey, I'm not that desperate! I'm happy being single; it's just that we're in a public place and they were acting like no one can see what they were doing. They should just rented a room if they want to make out."
Lily couldn't stop laughing when she heard her friend's tantrums. "Okay if you say so," she said, hoping not to embarrass Andy any further.
Andy let out a defeated sigh and simply exited the room. Even though she tries hard not to, she can't stop her eyes from wandering around. That made her feel extremely uneasy. She excused herself, saying she'd just go for a walk around the mall instead. She also told Lily to text her when the movie was finished so they could find a restaurant to eat.
She later found herself on the mall's rooftop. The floor is made of fake grass. On the ground is a mini table with pillows around it where people can sit. She looked around and noticed a lot of people, mostly friends and families, having a mini picnic in the area. Much better than the one inside the cinema, she thought.
She decides to sit and simply enjoy the scenic view of the sunset and the silhouettes of the city's buildings. The sky is cloudy, and she can feel the gentle breeze caressing her skin. Her momentum was shattered when she heard her phone's notification sound.
On the screen, it says "Keisler sent you a message."
Her eyes widened in surprise as she read the message, and her heart skipped a beat.
"You're kinda funny, but cute."
A realization hit her while staring at the picture in her phone.
"Oh hell no!"