Mall Dates

Part 1:

 

He didn’t want to be here; he hated shopping. “Steve, let’s go to Bath & Body Works. I need some scents for your house.” “Why? I already have at least 6 candles that are not yet lit.” Steve hated that his house smelled like flowers because he was very sensitive to the smell and it always triggered his sinuses. “They have more stuff than just candles. Let’s go.” She pulled his arm, and they proceeded toward the store. Steve didn’t want to come to the mall. He wanted to stay home and play video games, or just go on a drive or just take a long afternoon nap, but his girlfriend Jenny had other plans for them for that afternoon.

 

They got some bath bombs, room fresheners, and some candles. “What's next?” “Umm… I need some new leggings and a sports bra, let's go to Lululemon.” Steve just followed Jenny with a bag of Bath & Body Works products that he didn’t want. After two hours of shopping, they proceeded toward the food court and decided to get some smoothies. “You grab a seat, and I’ll go get the smoothies. Which one do you want?” Jenny asked. “I’ll have the apple 'n greens,” Steve answered and found a table right opposite the Jamba Juice.

 

He placed all the bags on one of the chairs, and then took a seat. He checked his phone and browsed Twitter and Instagram. After a while he got bored and looked over, Jenny was still waiting for the drinks. He then looked over to the other side and saw this woman at the next table. She was busy texting someone. He again looked over to see if Jenny had gotten her drinks, but she hadn’t so he took his phone out again and went to Instagram. He was going through some Insta stories and all of a sudden there was this loud music that started playing and he struggled to lower the sound. After a few seconds he got it done, he sighed, and looked at the girl next table; she was staring at him. “I’m sorry.” “It’s okay, we’ve all been there. I used to love that song, but these days everyone’s using it in their stories or reels. Kinda have started hating it.” She answered and checked the notification she had just received. “Yeah, I never liked the song. And now I hate it even more. Why do people not put a disclaimer when they put songs in their stories? Why do they have to put music for still photos? I understand for videos, but these days there’s music on every damn Insta story.” Steve ranted some more, before he realized it and then apologized for ranting. “Hahaha… Don’t worry, you’re good. You’re right though. People are obsessed with adding music to their stories.” She replied and got up, and, “It was nice talking to you. One tip, something I do to maintain my sanity is to delete Insta for a day or two. It’s a good detox, you should try it.” “hahaha… I am definitely going to try that.” Steve answered. He saw her walk up to someone who was standing in the Jamba Juice queue. At the same moment, he saw Jenny finally walking with their drinks.

 

“This is really good. I had never tried this flavor before.” Steve commented Jenny was busy on her phone. “Do you know Anna and Chris broke up?” Jenny said while browsing Instagram. Steve just sighed and acknowledged that with a ‘Hmm’; He started browsing on his phone as well. “Check out that woman on the next table. She looks pretty, and I love her white blouse.” Steve glanced when he got a chance, it was the same woman he had spoken to. Jenny continued, “I guess she’s on a date, and the guy is so damn underdressed. Who has a date at the mall? Poor girl. At least he got her a rose, that’s good.” Steve glanced at the guy, and Jenny was right; there was some kind of mismatch. He caught her fidgeting with the rose, and then he realized she was stung by some thorns. ‘Oh, poor woman’ he thought. After a few minutes, the couple at the next table got up and left.

 

Steve asked Jenny what was next on the agenda, “I am meeting some old college mates for drinks. So, I gotta be home by 5 pm.” Steve said, and jenny just gave him a look. “What?” “Nothing, it’s Saturday. I thought we were gonna spend some time together.” “Well, I think that’s exactly what we are doing.” Steve paused, but he couldn’t control his anger, so he continued, “Even when we are spending time together, you’re someplace else. Frankly speaking, I feel we are just dragging this for the sake of it.” “What do you mean? Do you want to break up?” Jenny asked. Steve looked away, and then after a few minutes looked at Jenny and asked, “are you happy?” This time jenny looked away and after a few minutes answered, “No, I’m not. That’s why I was trying to do things together.” “Yeah, but it’s not working. We are not happy.” Steve said; and after a long discussion, they both decided that it was time to let each other go. “Here, your Bath Body Works bag. Please use these products. Your house needs some new fragrances. ” “I will!” Steve answered and hugged Jenny. They both said their goodbyes.

 

It had been two weeks since Steve had broken up. On one of the Fridays Steve decided to work from a cafe. He ordered a coffee and some breakfast items. He was engrossed in his work, but when his coffee and food came he enjoyed his food and looked around the cafe and saw a woman at the table across from him, she had worn a white blouse; that made him go back in time and he remembered that woman at the mall, “She indeed was very pretty.” He confessed to himself. He looked away, sighed, and then started working again.

 

Part 2:

 

Kaira was meeting a guy for a brunch date, but her date at the very last minute texted her to instead meet at lunch. However, Kaira had already left her place and she was driving when she got his text. She took the nearest exit, went to the nearby complex that had Starbucks, and called him, “Hey, this is Kaira here.” “Yeah, I’m doing good. So the thing is, I’ve already left. I mean I was driving when I got your text.” She pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru. “Ummm… Yeah, so I do have to meet a few friends in the evening. Oh, okay, I get it. Just give me a second.” She rolled her window down, and ordered, “Can I get a decaf cappuccino with almond milk? Size tall. That’s all, thanks!” She rolled up her windows and, “Yeah sorry, so what you want me to do? Ummm okay, I’ll try to spend some time here and then meet you at the mall. Yeah, sounds good. Bye.” She got her coffee and parked the car. She pulled back her seat and sighed; she was mad, but she just calmed herself down. “Shit happens,” She said to herself, then sipped her coffee and enjoyed it while listening to some nice music. Once she was finished, she checked her makeup and started navigation for the mall.

 

Kaira was early; She messaged him that she had reached, and he texted her back that he was standing in the checkout queue. She used the restroom and then got herself a smoothie. She took a seat at one of the tables in the food court of the mall. She looked around, the mall was fairly crowded. She took out her phone and started browsing Twitter and Instagram while sipping her smoothie. After a few minutes, she got startled by some music so she looked in the direction of it, and saw a guy on the next table struggling to turn it down. He dropped his phone while doing it, but after a few seconds, he finally turned succeeded. He had turned all red. The guy looked around and then looked at her, she smiled and he was all flushed and apologized. “Hahaha… Don’t sweat it.” She said he explained that it was music in some Instagram story. They started talking about the song and how they both hated Instagram story music. She got a text from her date, she texted him back and told him to come to the food court. The guy at the next table went on some rant, and it was full of passion. 'Such a passionate rant for such a trivial thing, who hurt you, man?' She thought. The rant guy later apologized, “It’s all good. Anyway, I got to go.” She said, as her date texted he was almost there. She exchanged her pleasantries with the ranting guy and went ahead to greet her date.

 

“Hey Kaira, this is Dev.” “Hello, Dev.” “Sorry, for the last-minute change of plans. I totally forgot my nephew's birthday is today, and we have a party in the evening so had to get him something. I’m not sure if this is going to make up for anything but here.” Dev handed over a rose to her, and as soon as she took it she was stung by a thorn, ‘OWWW!’ she screamed internally. “That's okay. No worries, and thanks for this! Do you want to get something to drink?” Kaira asked. “What are you having? It looks quite colorful. I’m having the acai smoothie.” “Hmm... Okay.” Dev started looking at the menu and then said, “I’ll have the watermelon one. I’m craving watermelon.” They small-talked a bit more and then took a seat at the same table.

 

Kaira checked out Dev whenever he got distracted by his phone. “Sorry, it’s my sister. It’s about my nephew’s party. Let me just text her back.” “Yeah, sure go ahead,” Kaira said. There was something not right with the way he was dressed. The colors were off, and he was way too casual in his attire. Kaira glanced at what she had worn and realized that it was not him, it was her; she was way too overdressed for the first date. She just sighed in silence and kept fidgeting with the rose, the thorn had cut her pretty deep and she was kinda bleeding. She wrapped a tissue around it. “So, what you were saying about that movie.” Dev kept his phone and asked. They chatted some more. “This smoothie is sooo delicious,” Dev commented, and Kaira agreed. While he was sipping his smoothie, she got distracted by someone at the next table. It was the ranting guy, he was with his girlfriend and they were chatting about something. ‘They look so cute’ She thought, and then she looked at dev and sighed, ‘Give him a chance Kaira’. She said to herself and then asked, “So what’s the theme for this birthday, and how old is your nephew?”

 

“Let me just finish this, and we can go to that Thai place for lunch,” Dev said. Kaira was done with her smoothie, and so she started to gather her things to leave, and that’s when her eyes fell on the ranting guy. He was looking in their direction, it felt as if he was checking Dev out; but before Kaira could register any of that, their eyes met. He smiled and so did she. “Let’s go?” Dev asked. “Yes, please,” Kaira said, and they both got up to leave. They decided to go to a Thai restaurant that was close to the mall. “Have you been here before?” Dev asked. “I have. The food is really good here.” “Oh, that’s great. It’s my first time here.” “I can give you suggestions on what to order,” Kaira said, and Dev smiled. There was something amiss about this date, but Kaira couldn’t put her finger on it.

 

They ordered a couple of things, and also ordered some Mai Tai’s. “This was so delicious. But let’s do dessert someplace else. Two blocks away there’s this bar that serves good drinks and desserts, wanna try that one?” Dev suggested. “Sure, let’s do it.” Kaira agreed, and she did start to have some fun. The moment Dev got a little buzzed, he became a different individual; yet, there was something that was not there. “One Tiramisu, one blueberry cheesecake, and I’ll have a Mojito and… ” “I’m good.” Kaira said. “Oh, come on you’ve just had one drink so far, have one more, please.” “Umm… Okay, I’ll have a glass of rose wine.” “Is that all?” The waitress asked, and Dev nodded a yes to her. “I’m just gonna use the restroom.” Kaira excused herself. While washing her hands after using the loo, Kaira looked up to check herself in the mirror. She reapplied some lipstick and decided to tie her hair up, “I just want to go home.” She said to herself; she wanted this to work, she didn’t want to feel this way, but just couldn’t help it.

 

Their orders had arrived when she returned to her seat. “This looks really good.” She announced. “Doesn’t it? Let’s get started. Cheers.” Kaira took her glass of rose, clinked to his, and then took a sip. It was a good wine. “ Is it Good?” He asked. “Yes, the wine is surprisingly very delicious.” They started enjoying the desserts and started talking about their work life and a lot of other things. Dev was tipsy, “So, is there gonna be another date?” Dev asked jokingly. Kaira didn’t know what to say, she just looked away. But, she did decide to respond since he was being honest, she looked at him and answered, “I don’t think so Dev. I don’t think we are compatible. We want different things in life. You’re the nicest guy I have met, but there’s something not there between us. You know what I mean.” “I kinda got the same vibe. But, I’m not gonna lie, you’re really hot and pretty. So I just had to take my shot.” Kaira blushingly laughed at that.

 

It was 4 pm when Kaira parted from Dev; she drove to a coffee place and got herself a coffee. She listened to some songs in the car while enjoying her coffee. After being enough caffeinated she did some grocery shopping and then later met a few friends for dinner. It was 9 pm when she reached home. She changed into her pajamas, and popped open a bottle of Cabernet; she let it aerate while she washed her face and removed her makeup. She applied her nighttime serum and looked at herself in the mirror and just sighed. She went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of wine, and then got settled on the couch and started playing some jazz music.

 

She placed the glass on the coffee table, and her eyes fell on the rose Dev had given her. She sighed, took her phone and replied to a bunch of messages, and then went to Instagram and started viewing the stories. One of the stories played some music and that immediately made her think of the ranting mall guy. She remembered his rant about the insta stories with music and chuckled. She realized she felt more connected to the ranting guy with whom she connected merely for 5 minutes than with Dev with whom she spent 5 hours. She recalled the time their eyes met, and the ranting guy had smiled; she blushed at that memory. “Why can’t I find a cute guy like him.” she blurted out loud, and sighed and continued drinking her wine while checking out some cute dog reels.