Just Normal

Chapter 11

Tentatively approaching what Mary called a 'teen store', we walked into a place that smelled like broken dreams and pepper. 

A guy that looked about our age walked up to us, half-bored in a constipated sort of way and half-intrigued by the girl next to me who was wearing butterfly hair clips and snowmen shorts. 

Before he could get anything out, Mary cut him off, "Do you ave anything that says 'I'm nice but not a pervert'?" 

I felt bad for the dude because he looked caught by surprise and didn't really know what to say. 

Be thankful, random boy my age, because I am saving you, "What my friend means to say," as I give her pointed look that invokes 'stop being weird', "do you have any formal clothing?"

Thankfully, he finally found his voice, "Yeah, we actually have a section right down here in the men's," he pointed at an untouched part of the store, "there's a bit of everything -- ties, jackets, and button-downs." 

Mary put her hands to her cheeks and grabbed the guy by the shoulders, "Thanks! It's exactly what we needed." 

He gave her a small smile, "I could show you to the women's section, over there, and perhaps you could show me to your phone number?"

She looked a little confused and blinked, "It's okay, I'm only here for my friend, and I can't really show you to my phone number because I keep it on my phone?" 

The guy looked instantly shot down but nodded and cleared his throat, "I'll be over there if you need anything." 

As he was walking away, Mary called out to him, "Wait! Sales-associate boy! I don't know what you mean?"

I ran my hands over my face and looked at her, "Seriously, Mary? He was asking you out." 

At first, her face registered as surprise, but after a moment, she relaxed, "Nah, I don't think so. Let's find you some clothes." 

Of all the clothes, she picked out three of everything and made me try on each one. First, I tried on super-skinny jeans with a puffy white shirt and an even puffier down jacket. 

When I came out, she instantly gagged, "Gross. Leave." 

Next, I tried on these cowboy pants that I thought were kind of cool and a pink button-down and a neon green bow-tie. 

Mary nodded her head when I walked out, "I won't lie and don't hold me against it, but I'm into the look." 

I swiveled around the mirror, "Not half-bad, right?" 

"Yeah, I think we have a winner. Just try on the last one so we know this one is for sure." 

The last outfit consisted of black skinny jeans, a white button-down, and skinny tie. 

"How about it, eh?" 

Mary tilted her head to the side, "Eh. It's okay. I like the second one better." 

I looked at my lanky body in the mirror and somehow the clothes made me look taller, "I agree with you, but I think Allie would be more into this look." 

Stroking an invisible beard, Mary nodded, "I think you're right. We should go with this one, I mean, you do kind of look like the love child of Madonna and Harry Styles," she wrinkled her nose, "but that's the style these days?" 

As we walked up to the cash register to pay, Mary abruptly yanked me back and turned us around after glancing over her shoulder, "Do you really think that that boy was trying to ask me out?" 

I gave a her an exasperated look, "It was really obvious. He literally asked for your number." 

She bit her lip, "Do you think I should go for it?"