After School Special

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

Laria walked around the mall, still wearing the skinny jeans and black halter top that she'd been wearing earlier that day. On her feet was a pair of black stiletto boots instead of the kitten heels she'd worn at school and her dark brown hair was still down in loose curls. She'd gotten the message from Angie earlier and wondered briefly if she was being stood up. It didn't really matter to her. She knew people didn't take her seriously. She knew it and accepted it. She walked into one of the stores and looked at a shirt that she knew she'd be in trouble for buying with her father. Her doe eyes glanced around and the shirt found itself into her bag.

[Angie Dillon]

Angie walks into the mall just in time to see Laria turn a corner into a ritzy clothing store. Her tennis shoes make soft slapping noises on the floor as she hurries to catch up to the older girl. Her small black purse swings on her arm, nearly falling off when she rounds the same corner as Laria--just in time to see a flash of cloth disappear inside Laria's bag.

Instead of "hello," all that comes out is spluttering. "Was that--? Did you--?" Finally realizing that if she has seen what she thinks she has seen, she does not want to continue either sentence, only her mind finishes it: Did she just steal that shirt!?

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She hears someone's voice and turns around, knowing from the voice it was Angie. She smiled, hearing her stutter and knowing what she was going to say. But instead of addressing the issue she decided to drop it. "And hello to you too Angie."

She grinned a little and continued to rifle through the over priced shirts, her mind still wondering how much of the lacy shirt had been seen drifting into her bag, and if more than Angie had seen.

[Angie Dillon]

"Yeah...hi...um," Angie is at a complete loss for words. On the one hand, would Laria have acted so calmly if she had just stolen a shirt? But on the other, wouldn't she have wanted to cover it up?

What are you getting your stupid self into? asked the dark voice in her head.

Finally resigning herself to her curiosity, Angie leaned over right next to Laria's ear, and asked in a harsh whisper, "Did you just put a shirt in your purse!?"

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She heard the question and automatically turned into the liar. The one that wanted to hide any semblance of the truth that made her look broken. She smiled and shook her head. "Okay crazy. Why would I need to steal? Honestly. That has got to be the craziest thing ever." She knew that her voice always protected her against lies. She had always been able to fool everyone.

[Angie Dillon]

At first, she heaves a sigh of relief, realizing that it would, indeed be crazy for Miss Daddy's Money to take something she could easily afford to buy.

Oh, because of course she'd tell you that she's stealing.

It was perfectly reasonable. It was also a perfectly reasonable cover. Angie couldn't hear anything in the other girl's voice, but then, she had never been especially good at detecting lies.

Well, it's hardly any of your business if she steals the whole goddamn store, it's not like she's stealing from you. Just leave her be.

With that voice of reason--or at least of non-interference--Angie's smile lit up again. "Oh, ok," she said, despite the small hint of doubt invisible behind her eyes as she began to peruse the remaining clothing.

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She could tell by the girl's voice that she was skeptical and instead looked at a few things on the rack. She found a skirt that would've gone perfectly with the shirt in her bag but knew she couldn't take it. Not with Angie watching her. "I wish Daddy hadn't made me cut the spending." She rolled her eyes a little and put the skirt back on the rack. I'm totally coming back for this. Legally or illegally. I so don't care.

[Angie Dillon]

Looking through all the expensive things she knows she'll never be able to afford, Angie heaves another sigh, wondering if there's anywhere in the city they can go that *wasn't* created for rich snobs--meaning anyone who knows for sure they can pay for their next meal.

"This place is kinda dull," she says to Laira, glancing up from the rack by which she stands. "Know of anyplace a little more...lively we can go?"

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

"Crimson opens in like an hour." She smiled, hoping that the blonde would say yes. She knew that she wasn't dressed for the club but that could be easily remedied. Her brother was going to be out for the night so it didn't matter if she brought someone home. Angie could see the house and they could get ready before he would even come home... if they timed it right. "We could go and get dressed at my place. We're about the same size so you can just borrow something of mine."

[Angie Dillon]

Without a second thought, she replied, "Sure. Sounds good."

No, no, no! screamed the voice inside her head. This is exactly what you were afraid of! Your mom will kill herself, the twins will jump off the roof, you'll get drunk, and in fifteen years, it'll be your daughter swearing off the party for which she dresses!

Ignoring the voice in her head, Angie smiled up at Laria innocently as they walked out of the store. "So, what kind of parties do they have at Crimson? I've never been."

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She looks at the girl and shakes her head a little. "Angie, Crimson is a club. Dancing, lame ass shit like that. Parties are held at the Cove. If you're going to hang out with the cool kids, you have to know the cool places." She realized in her mind that she sounded slightly condescending but she didn't care. She hated when people confused the club with the Cove. They were two separate entities in her mind, though both related to the same activities. Promiscuity, Laria's specialty.

[Angie Dillon]

Angie shrugs a little, back to feeling stupid and awkward again. "Oh, well, if it's lame, why go?" she asks lamely.

There ya go, Angie, honey, back to the sophomoric freshman again, eh? Why don't you just go back to your house and your mother. At least she's too drunk and depressed to notice your idiocy. Laria doesn't want you around...she's probably just trying to get rid of you so she can go to super-cool Crimson without the annoying tag-along. Get over yourself.

Her smile fading, she looked at Laria with a look she didn't realize she had--something of a lost child and at the same time, a grandmother, long since lived her life, and near to death.

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She didn't notice the peculiar look on the blonde's face, for once choosing to be unobservant. "Because week day parties at the Cove suck. And Crimson has some better guys most of the time. They aren't all burn outs." She grinned a little, one of her smirkish smiles. She had yet to figure out why she couldn't make a real smile to save her life.

She made her way out of the mall, grateful to have gotten away with the shirt. "So follow me to my place I guess?"

[Angie Dillon]

Angie nodded and followed her out of the store, still half-heartedly wondering about the shirt.

"What do you want to do about cars?" she asked, still a bit self-conscious and hesitant. "I mean, it's silly for both of us to drive separate cars to the same place. Can I just leave my car at your house until we get back?"

[Laria Tomlinson/Isaac Reminton]

She thinks for a moment and then nods. "But in the driveway. My parents are anal retentive about where they have to park their cars." She rolled her eyes. She knew this was a lie. It was more protection of the car against her brother. If he knew that one of Laria's friends parked at their house, even for an hour, she'd hear about it. He seems to think he can control me or something. I hate him.