Flaming Fate

CHAPTER THREE

Mia slowly started to regret saying yes to going on a date with a complete stranger. What was she thinking! Was it the intoxicating smell of freshly printed books or the fact that his eyes were like smoldering coal?  Rubbing her hands against the rough fabric of her jeans she tried to focus back on the task at hand. That's right, they were shopping for an outfit for her date tonight and, like always, Skyler was over doing it. Mia wasn't the type of girl who enjoyed low cut tops and heels that defied gravity. She preferred loose and soft fabric that didn't make her skin crawl and her feet sore.

"Earth to Mia, we need to find the perfect outfit for tonight! This guy sounds like a hunk on wheels. Maybe you can get one of his brother's numbers for me. The last date I went on, the guy didn't even want to pay for my burger. Like ew, first of all, who takes someone to Five Guys and can't afford to pay for a single patty burger. I actually wanted a double!" she mumbled the last part and flipped through another rack of clothes. They were at a small shop not too far from her apartment. She usually became overwhelmed in big outlet stores. To many people with germy fingers touching everything.

Mia sighed, torn between the mounting regret over her impulsive decision and Skyler's relentless pursuit of the perfect outfit. The mention of the stranger being a "hunk on wheels" did little to ease her apprehension. As Skyler prattled on about potential brothers and the pitfalls of her own recent dating misadventures, Mia couldn't help but roll her eyes. The contrast between their dating preferences was stark – Mia, seeking comfort and authenticity, while Skyler chased after the glitz and glamor of a picture-perfect date.

Lost in her thoughts, Mia absentmindedly continued to rub her hands against the rough fabric of her jeans. The sensory reminder grounded her momentarily, making her focus on the present task – finding an outfit that wouldn't compromise her sense of self. Skyler's enthusiastic quest for the ideal attire, however, threatened to derail Mia's attempt at maintaining control over the situation.

Mia blinked a few times, coming back to Skyler. "Right, rude. But I don't even know where we're going for the date. He just said to wear something nice," she shrugged. She flipped through the clothes on the rack, looking for anything comfortable yet nice. With the way he had dressed when they first met, she was sure they would be going somewhere a bit fancier than what Mia usually dressed for. Hence the main reason for Skyler coming along. A few things did catch her eye but none of them were as nice as she thought they needed to be. Who wears a dress shirt and pants to a bookstore? The same guy who wears a three piece suit to dinner, most likely. And though Mia wasn't comfortable dressing to the nines for one night only, she knew she would have to make an exception for Cyrus. Which didn't entirely annoy her.

"Maybe we can even go and get your nails done at the shop on Fifth? I heard they can finish a set in less than three minutes." Skylar said while picking up a sleek black dress a small hint of sparkle lining it.

Mia scoffed, "Then they must have some crappy reviews. It's impossible to do your feet and nails in less than three minutes." Grabbing the dress from Skylar she held it up to the light and nodded, "I like this one."

"Well, yeah, it is humanly impossible..." She trailed off hoping that Mia would finally try to adapt to their ever changing world. Skyler just wanted her friend to understand that magic wasn't so scary, especially when seen in use. She also didn't want to admit that their options of non-magic locations were becoming sparse.

Mia stopped and raised an eyebrow, "Look, I'm trying okay, and this date is proof of that, so don't try to push it further," she said while turning away in aggravation and heading towards the changing room. Going inside she slammed the door behind her and threw the dress against the small bench. Pushing her hands against her face, she tried to calm down. Why was she always becoming so easily emotional over things? Especially since she knew realistically she was the issue.