Chapter 15: Ch.15: Mall Trip

After a drive on the highway, dealing with Jiji asking ‘what kind of car is that’ whenever one passed by, the trio arrived at a mega mall. 

‘Capital$Cost Mega-Mall’ Jiji read. The size of the store forced her head to tilt up. A parking lot so large she thought of it as a farm for trucks and cars. The number of carts going in and out created just as much noise as the people talking. 

She couldn’t wait to enter.

“This place is amazing!” 

“Hold up kid,” Tea said.

Dante held Jiji by her hood before she could run off. Like on a treadmill, Jiji’s legs were going but she wasn’t. It wasn’t until Tatiana started talking again that Jiji noticed. 

“We’re here because you need to follow instructions,” Tatiana handed Jiji a list of items to buy. “We're not here to pick you up from security. Got it?”

Jiji grumbled a bit, “Uhmgh, Tatiana. I’m not gonna do something stupid.”

“Good. Because we-”

The man walking out took Jiji’s attention. As attractive as a bearded father holding a toddler was to Jiji, the sight of the cotton candy he & his child were eating was so much more enticing. Her desire for sweets outspoke Tatiana’s instructions. 

“Hey! Jiji! Quit staring at that man’s sugar and listen.”

“Huh?” Jiji looked back at them. “Oh right! I get what’s on this paper. You two go on a date. Leaving at 6. Don't get caught with magic. Keep my phone on. I can do that!”

Dante rubbed the back of her neck. She wanted to pick her next words carefully. But Tatiana picked hers a lot faster. 

“I’m counting on it. Now, let’s go.”

“Yay!” 

Like a dog let off the leash, Jiji rocketed inside the mall. The tailwind knocked a man over and forced a woman to keep her skirt from blowing up. In less than a second, the Barretts lost her in the crowd. 

A thought occurred. They had brought (technically) a 20-year-old girl to a mall. The largest mall in the city.

“We really should’ve seen that coming,” Dante admitted. 

Tatiana waved it off, “Eh, she’ll be fine. Let’s get going.”

“How do you know she’s not going to be distracted?”

Tea walked and talked, “Cause I gave her a clear black and white instruction.”

-Meanwhile-

What store did Jiji go to first? The jewelry shop? The sunglasses booth. The shoe store? The other shoe store? The shoe store specifically for skate shoes? Inevitably, she chose the one thing she couldn’t resist: the bookstore. 

It was just as large as the university library. More spread out with just one seating section. One for adults anyway. No good parent was about to give their 3-year-old coffee.

The cafe had a wooden cabin aesthetic. The store’s carpet turned to dark hardwood. The seats looked like individual logs crafted together. A mock fireplace was in the far corner. 

It looked amazing. Better yet, it was only a few steps away. A few steps she couldn’t take.

“No,” Jiji whispered to herself. She shook her head and turned around. “Gotta stay focused.”

Jiji wiped the list out.

1. Winter clothing. 
   • Long sleeve shirts,
   • More shirts, honestly 
   • pants or thick leggings if you’re going to keep wearing shorts, 
   • thicker shoes or boots. Socks too
   • Jackets.
2. Bed sheets that you like
3. Research into laptops, do not buy. We will order a laptop later. 
4. Backpack. People won’t believe you pulled a big book from a small purse.
5. You can look around after 1-4 is done. Make a list of things that catch your attention. But don’t buy them.

Jiji folded the paper back, “Ok! Don’t know why I need to buy more shirts. But I need to find shirts to buy. Then books.”

A group of girls walked by. Instead of finding a directory, Jiji found an opportunity. 

“Excuse me?” Jinn asked, “Hi, love your hair. I was wondering where I can buy some long sleeve shirts? Or jackets?”

The friends all glanced at each other. They wondered if they had all heard the same question. Before erupting in a loud collective laugh. Then, they walked away. 

One girl mocked Jiji’s bubbly voice, “I’m in a mall! Where are the clothes?! Ha-ha!”

The only thing keeping Jiji from teleporting the women into the nearby fountain was Tatiana’s instruction. ‘Don’t get caught using magic’. So Jiji blew their drinks up instead. 

Their white, yellow, and pink tops were drenched in blueberry, raspberry, and orange. They were cold. They were shocked and confused. And they said nothing as Jiji walked past them. 

Nose in the air, “That’s a nice color on you.”

-A few minutes later-

The sign by the store entrance advertised boots, jackets, and jeans. From the outside, Jiji could see the shirts for ‘25% off’. One stop and her list would be mostly complete.

What kept Jiji from entering was the gothic theme. Her ears were being hit by angry death metal. The spooky decorations in every corner didn’t help either. Other young adults were more than happy to be inside. 

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As for Jiji, “Maybe I should keep looking,”

“Can I help you, miss?” A worker asked. 

Like a siren, the man’s high-pitched and calm tone called Jiji right back. His name badge was the only thing that told her he was an employee. The way he filled out the all-black suit pants, shirt, and waistcoat kept her still. 

“Wow! You’re hot,” Jiji said. “Er, I mean. I got…lost and I'm looking for a store with more…hot clothes. Hot like, pink and red.”

The man pointed her to the store across from theirs, “Ah, our mortal enemy.”

Brightly colored rose gold walls were the first things Jiji spotted. The cutesy outfits those employees had on were the second. Happy pop music was third. 

“Thanks. Love your outfit. And your eyes. You got a girlfriend?”

“I have a boyfriend.”

Jiji hid her disappointment under a forced smile, “…Awesome. Well, you have a great day.”

Rejected, Jiji crossed the crowd of shoppers to the shop. Her head shot up as she entered. Unlike the goth store that relied on a massive visual presence, a pleasant aroma filled her senses.

Scented candles sat right by the entrance. Luring young women inside. Then, like the goth store, kept them in with 25% off deals. 

“Can I help you, ma’am?” A worker asked. 

This man was dressed in the aesthetic opposite of the suit-clad goth. A bright pink short sleeve shirt tucked into light blue jeans. And a white sweater wrapped around his waist.

He even had short platinum blonde hair whereas the potential vampire had long raven black hair. 

“I need winter clothes.” Jiji didn’t look him in the eye. She didn’t want a repeat of what just happened with his goth counterpart. 

“Alright, ya looking for something sporty like your current fit? Or you wanna try something different?”

“I wanna try you,” Jiji blurted out. “Your outfit! I mean cause, because it’s so snazzy! Did I say ‘snazzy’? Wow. Ok, Uhm. Where can I get what you’re wearing?”

The worker finished laughing. This was the best compliment he’d gotten all day. Plus, he was almost guaranteed to make a sale now. 

“We sell 'em.” He explained, “If you see a worker wearing it, you can buy it. You want exactly this?”

Jiji saw all the different clothes and styles the workers had on. Intellectual wool coats. Casual shorts over leggings. A sporty lightweight jacket draped over the shoulders. A more old-fashioned sweater vest to match the dress shoes.

The brand names were similar enough. But the vast difference in presentation astonished her. One preppy store offered so many viewpoints. 

Starstruck, “I want everything.”

Working off commission, “What size do you want ‘em in?”

-6 pm-

The Barretts stood at the mall’s front entrance. Dante was frozen stiff. Her mouth was agape. Eyes as wide as they could go. Her two bags of books and clothes dropped to the floor.

Tatiana didn’t know what else she expected. Her hands were in her pockets. She stood paused next to her wife. Her video games, computer parts, and stickers were all secure in a new bag. 

Jiji was a woman of her word. She bought one of everything that could fit her. A total of ten carts. 9 of them clothes. 1 cart with bed sheets and some backpacks. All pushed by either the store workers or security. Plus the one goth employee.

“I got everything on the list!” Jiji announced as she and her helpers came to the door. “Plus, I got a list of books and computers to get later!”

Tatiana spotted the one man dressed in a black suit, “I’m guessing you’re a manager?”

Dante squinted at her wife. Somehow that was her concern. Not the impossibility of Jiji’s trip fitting in their compact car. 

He wrapped an arm over the blonde gentleman, “I wanna see our vacation money to the door.”

“Jiji!” Dante erupted, “Why?! How?! Wha-what were you thinking?!”

“That’s just it, professor! I think I figured out what I want to do!” Jiji couldn’t contain herself. She proudly proclaimed, “I’m going to wear clothes for a living!”

Dante pinched the bridge of her nose, “Do you mean, ‘you want to be a model’?”

Bouncing on her toes, “Yeah that!”

Tatiana nudged Dante, “See? I told you she’d be fine.”

Dante said nothing. Not at the mall. Not for the entire ride home. Or on the second trip. 

End

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