Crimson Hood

S I X T E E N

The fresh aroma of coffee floated through the stale air and graced my nostrils with its presence.

The rambunctious noise of the people bustling through the mall filed through my ears. I sat in one of the many chairs located on the ground floor of the mall in the food court. I decided to save myself from long lines and order a small cup of coffee.

Rhyannon, despite showing me her distaste with following me around and even meeting up with a bunch of people she knew, stayed near when she could have left me alone.

I wasn't complaining. It felt good to have someone accompany you in an unfamiliar setting even though we're not anywhere near friends.

When we had first arrived, I was a bit intimidated seeing how huge the mall was. Three floors and a fourth floor being added soon.

Entering through the front doors, I couldn't ignore the amount of stares I received from everybody. They didn't even try to be discreet with it either, they flat out stared at me like I was some form of alien. I thought it had to do with the fact that I had broken a law valued preciously between both lands, but when I noticed the jealous stares of a few females it raised some questions.

They can't be staring at me like that over committing a crime. Can they?

The first stop we made was the food court. Rhyannon claimed that she must put energy in her body before she does any shopping. Once we reached there, Rhyannon immediately flocked over to her small group of friends who gave me curious and hateful stares.

The number of food choices left me indecisive but Rhyannon pushed me to buy something from this coffee shop named Starbucks. The name of the drink she told me to buy was far too long and expensive but alas, it is currently in my hand.

Rhyannon and her group of friends continued to laugh obnoxiously loud, ignoring the stares and words from others to keep it down.

I had enough of the sweet drink and got up to throw it away. I caught Rhyannon's curious gaze before my back met her stare.

Instead of walking over to where she sat, I decided to walk out of the food court to start what I came here for.

I reached the escalator and turned to face the food court while the escalator brought me up. I noticed Rhyannon hastily saying farewells to her friends who looked confused at her sudden and rushed departure.

She then pushed through and made her way towards the escalator taking two steps at a time to reach me with a murderous expression on her face. I reached the top floor once she caught up with me.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She hissed out, dragging me away. I ripped my arm out of her hold and rubbed at the sore skin.

"I was leaving, you were catching up with friends and I didn't want to interrupt." Rhyannon sighed and shook her head in her hands. I looked at her confused, did I say something wrong?

"Clancy, are you stupid." She all but yelled. My eyebrows furrowed and a small pout formed on my lips as I stepped back, affronted. I went to protest but she pushed out her hands and shook them as to tell me to shut up.

"You see those two?" Rhy pointed to the left of us and my head turned to see two build males staring at us like we were the last piece of food in the apocalypse. The taller one with the shaggy hair licked his lips once he noticed me staring. I grimaced in disgust and looked away.

"If you'd have left and I didn't notice then those two would have approached you." The two began to slowly walk towards us.

"And?" I shrugged. "Are you saying I can't fend them off myself?"