Animorphs by K.A. Applegate

(are they animorphers yet? or has that part not happened?)

October
Alright...so...mall.... Being a past country girl, the last time I was in one was when I visited my cousin and we went shopping for Christmas stuff. Just going for fun was a new experience. Plus the fact that I wasn't really the 'shopping and spending' type, the mall wasn't much of a place to be for me. So, so far all i've gotten was a pretzel and a water, and am now absentmindedly wander through the big halls gazing uninterestedly into the store windows....

((they aren't animorphs yet. You'll know when that part comes around, believe me))

Shawn sighed as he leaned against a wall, looking at everyone walked past him. Maybe his buddy Tyler was here too. He'd probably hook up with a girl for the day or something. Shawn ran a hand through his hair and looking now at the Hot Topic place.

October
I guess I needed new jeans? All the others were sort of worn out, but they were comfortable that way. I was a T-shirt and jeans sort of girl, never really had a personal style except for a love of my older brother's sweatshirts I'd usually take because of the amazing fuzzy inside. Older by three minutes and he always let me know...
Hot Topic? Goth was still in? Or was it called Emo now? I avoid, whatever it was called, going next door to an American Eagle.

Shawn walked around the different stores, especially American Eagle. They always had pretty cool stuff. Maybe he'd go in there...Shawn decided to do something and went into American Eagle, looking for jackets.

October
Alright, so I /should/ stop stealing Lat's sweatshirts... With a few jeans in hand, I go over to the guy's jackets. Someone else was there, looking as well. Gray with dark forest green fuzz. Perfect. But he was looking at them....

Shawn looked at a dark blue jacket and checked the size. The perfect size. He also grabbed an orange one. Sometimes he liked the bright colors. He saw someone else...a girl looking. Why would she be in the guy's section? Hmm...

Dakota glared at him, a gleam coming into her eyes. "Well, if we're teaching lessons can I join in? I mean, you are way more of a loser than him and I just thought that, that means I can hit your head on the wall like you did to that kid there."

Karelle bit her lip, her eyes going back to her book. She read a scene then snapped the book shut, it doing nothing to help her spinning thoughts.

"Please Jenny, I didn't mean it. Forgive me." Jered asked, his eyes filling with tears.
Jenny held back her own as she took Jered's hand into her hers. "I..I..Okay Jered. Just this once I'll forgive you. Forever and ever together right?"
Jered smiled and leaned down, his lips inches from Jenny's. "Yeah, forever and ever."

Karelle glanced from the cover of the book to Tyler and sighed, biting her lip once again. "I..Tyler..I will...consider forgiving you. But it will take time, years of hurt won't go away with a few little words."

Alex released his grip on Phoenix and turned to Dakota, his dark eyes glaring. "What'ca gonna do about blondie?"
Phoenix scrambled away and to the restroom. He had to know the damage this time. Another black eye and a blood nose. Wonderful. He cleaned the blood away and sighed. He looked horrible.

Tyler nodded. "Just consider it. You never know what could happen in the future." He knew his petty apology may mean nothing to her. Tyler's thoughts wandered back to their childhood. Their adventures together that they never told anyone else...

Dakota made sure that the boy was gone before she said anything to Alex, her voice cold. "You wanna find out? Test me then, see what I do."


Karelle sighed, her thoughts going back to her past, all their fun times before this. "Things were so much easier when we were kids." She said softly.

Alex smirked. "Like you could do anything airhead." He went for her arm, attempting to twist her into a pretzel.
He was a bully with absolutely no brains.

Tyler sighed. "So true..." He didn't know where their friendship would go, but it would take a miracle to get it as tight as it was before.

Dakota rolled her eyes, her grabbing his arm and twisting her own around it, and bracing her hand against his shoulder before taking a quick step forward and moving her foot to trip him. "Three years of self defense moron."

Alex sort of growled. He twisted her arm then let go. "Next time you cross me, we'll have a real fight. Have fun with your little wimp." Alex went off, glaring back at her a couple of times.

Dakota rolled her eyes, and thought for a moment before walking towards the bathroom she'd seen the boy run in and without hesitating walked right in. "You okay?"

October
"Excuse me..." i murmur, going through the sizes for the smallest one. Lat's were always big on me, the one thing i hated. Even if i wanted a guy's sweatshirt didnt mean i had to look shabby and huge in one.

Phoenix heard someone, perhaps the girl who had saved him. He had sunglasses on to hide the bruises and turned to her. "Fine...I guess..." It was kind of embarassing to be saved by a girl, but at least he didn't get knocked out this time.

Dakota narrowed her eyes slightly, not really believing him then sighed and gave a tiny shrug. If he wanted to play tough then he could, it wasn't her that was hurt so...She started to walk back out then paused, pursing her lips thoughtfully.

"I'm out with a friend and another dude, wanna join us? We were just getting ready to eat at The Train place."

Phoenix was surprised. She had just saved a very pathetic loser then she wanted to hang with him? Strange... "Yeah, sure." It wasn't like he had anything else to do. The only thing he would have done was gone home and watched the sky.

Dakota smiled then glanced around, as if just now realizing she was in the boy's bathroom. "Well then, lets go. I think the others must be wondering where I've run off to." She gave a genuine smile again and started out the bathroom door, completely ignoring the look of a guy walking in as she did.

...?

((why the confusion..?))

Phoenix nodded and followed her, making sure the glasses were on him. He pushed down the sleeves of his jacket to hide his red arms and walked out, avoiding the look of the guy who came in. No one needed to know about her saving him. Didn't matter right then.

reply to october?

There's nothing there...I already did...

kk, ill add?

October
"Excuse me..." i murmur, going through the sizes for the smallest one. Lat's were always big on me, the one thing i hated. Even if i wanted a guy's sweatshirt didnt mean i had to look shabby and huge in one.
I glance up at the guy. From the few days at school here, I dont think I've met him. But he was nice looking... I give a little nervous smile at the thought. "Thanks..." I say, taking my sweatshirt from the rack. "...you from around here?"

I meant that I had already replied to it...

Shawn glaced at the girl. "Yeah. I've been here my whole life." He looked at her choice of sweatshirts. She didn't have bad taste, except for it being the guy section, but why did it really matter?

October
I nod, putting the sweatshirt over my arm. "Can you...tell me where the nearest office supply place is? I just moved here...still getting the hang of suburbia," i explain quickly, sort of embarrassed by the fact.