|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rick arrived at the mall approximately ten minutes before he was scheduled to meet Terri, he always hated being late. He wove deftly through the crowd, taking a seat in the food court that afforded him a good view of the entrance. He gave his cell phone one last glance to check the time, then settled down to wait patiently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terri looks t her watch and curses.
Dammit! So late. She wasn't but Terri tried to be a punctural as she possibly could be. She half-jogged, half-walked down the street so it looked like some kind of bizarre brisk walk, her flat-soled black shoes clip-clopping with each step. She wore a long orange coat that was done up tight, her thin legs extending from below, exposing from the knees down and covered in black leggings. A black scarf was around her neck, keeping the chill out and she wore an orange beanie hat. Spoting Rick, she smiled and swore under her breath; the fact that he had beaten her here getting Terri's back up briefly.
"Hey Rick, ya sure like being an early-bird," she grins before kissing him on the cheek. "All ready for some retail therapy?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Hi Terry, that nickname's never going away is it?" He enjoys the fleeting sensation of her lips upon is cheek before rising to his feet. "And I've never heard it called that but yeah, I'm ready. What were you planning on shopping for; decorations, costumes, props?" He pauses slightly, remembering everything he'd ever been told about a girl taking a guy shopping as the corners of his lips quirk into an amused smile. "And how many bags am I going to end up carrying?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Some props and decorations, a costume and loads of candy!" she giggles. "I may try and instruct healthy eating, but for Halloween I say its teeth rotting time!" She links arms with him, enjoying the feeling of not being alone.
"As for bags, I'll try and keep them to a minimum." As they walk, she feels a quiet sense of apprehension, not having done this for a long, long time, nit-picking at certain tics she always seems to exhibit, little annoyances. Heck, it had taken her forever to pick the right outfit, an act she wouldn't really worry about, her usual attire coming usually in either two forms; training clothes or jeans and a hoody.
"So, how have you been since...." Terri lets the question hang, a mixture of embarrassment and wonder in her tone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rick let his arm slide through Terri's at the sound of her tone, wrapping it around her comfortingly. "Wonderful," his voice was soft, simple, and sincere; showing the joy and contentment that the encounter had brought to him. "I've been wonderful." He really couldn't think of any better way to express it, sometimes there was a certain elegance to simplicity. "And what about you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terri put on a pained expression. "Well, that's what I needed to talk about..." Biting her lip and letting the sentence hang, her face suddenly lights up and pulls him close.
"The same," she says, giggling as they walked.
Looking at the store windows, Terri honestly didn;t have a clue what to wear for Halloween, simply glad for the company. "What do you reckon?" she asks Rick, looking for an honest answer. "How come its either a witch or cat-woman if you're a girl?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rick feels his heart skip a beat in fear and worry when he sees Terri's expression, only to feel himself melt in relief as she reveals her brief facade. He heaves a sigh, amusement and a hint of relief evident in his voice. "You are an evil, evil woman."
Rick let his own gaze wander across the windows. "Don't forget bunnies and nurses, or those skimpy little devil girl outfits. Never a shortage of those." Then he spends a few seconds in contemplation of her first question. "A tree maybe, or tree spirit? I'm not sure how easy that would be to find in stores but it seems like something that would fit you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terri giggles upon seeing Rick's expression before pondering his idea. "Oh, like a nymph? Hang on, they're river spirits, right? Yeah, me and water don't mix well." Terri thinks a little longer before her expression changes and she stops to face him straight onwards, grasping both of his hands in hers.
"Peter Pan!" she cries, waiting to see if he clicks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Yeah, nymphs are river spirits. Dryads, though, are tree spirits." He comes to a stop as she spins around to face him, making her excited proclamation. "Peter Pan?" Judging by the slightly puzzled expression on his face, he doesn't click.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Her eyes widen with every slow nod, teasing Rick with every passing second. After a few seconds, Terri finally lets on.
"Well, I could be Tinkerbell while you...." She has a smile that would put the Cheshire Cat to shame and eyes Rick like a mouse caught in her trap; a trap that includes green tights and a nice cap.
Draft this Post
