Mall Crawl (Sara)

[Mathew Amtrum]

It was Friday afternoon, classes were done for the week, and he wasn't stressing over homework. It was just time to chill out, relax, check out some girls, and unwind. That's what he was doing at the mall, sitting at the edge of a fountain in the main sitting area, listening to the general chatter of a large group of people, catching small snippets of conversation when people passed him by. Nothing to interesting. Who was cute, how brutal tests were. Normal things that normal people talked about, Mathew envied that sometimes, it was almost always plots with him. Figuring out someway to use someone, what to do. Gang wars, tactics, work, work, work.

And that's why he is alone today. He needed a break from it, he was just tired of running plans through his head finding flaws and reworking them, his brain needed a break, and so he was in the mall, sitting at the fountain, eating a slice of pizza, and dressed like a normal kid. Black T shirt and jeans. No Earth Dragon coat, no combat boots, just normal tennis shoes. It felt strange to be looking normal, but also refreshing. He kind of missed it.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara swung the bag against her leg as she walked through the mall. It was Friday... Finally. She had gotten those new jeans she had wanted... Finally. And now she was going to get some food... Finally!! The week was finally over! She was almost at the food court, and she could smell the food from here. Her stomach let out a huge growl.

She rubbed one hand over it, looking around, her gaze settling on someone near the fountain. She paused, stopping in the middle of the walk. He looked... Familiar. But... It couldn't be... Someone bumped into her and she started to walk again, cutting away from the group into the food court. She had a slice of pizza only a few minutes later and then she walked back to the fountain.

She walked right up to him, standing a few feet away. It was him. It was weird seeing him without his coat though. He looked normal... She actually felt awkward because of this in her own blue jeans and white t-shirt. She wondered if she should approach him further. Even though their last meeting had been so much better, and much more civil, she didn't know if it was appropriate to just walk up to him in the middle of the mall. She decided it wouldn't hurt. She was trying to be civil to him anyways. She sat down on the edge of the fountain, dropping the bag at her feet and taking a bite of her own pizza.

"Hey Mathew..."

[Mathew Amtrum]

Mathew was in the middle of eating up a string of gooey cheese that was trailing from the last bite he took when he heard his name. He turned to look and see who it was that was talking to him only to see Sara. He finished up the cheese quickly setting the pizza on to the paper plate as he covered his mouth, trying to chew it quickly so he could swallow. He swallowed with a gulp, it hurt a bit to swallow as it was only half chewed, but he would live. He coughed a bit to clear his throat quickly before speaking up.

"Hey Sara." He said surprised to see her. Not that she couldn't be at the mall, but you just don't expect to run in to people while you are out. Especially people you don't normally seem to get along with, not that Mathew had done anything to her, he actually hadn't as far as he could tell. She just seemed to have it out for him. But he wasn't going to start shit now, he was trying to move past his old self, so if she was going to be civil he could be civil too.

"What's up?" He asked not sure what else to say to someone that is always picking a fight against you, even though they always lose.

[Sara Quinn]

She took another bite of her pizza, heart hammering out of her chest. She really wondered if doing this had been a good idea. Maybe she should have just let him be. The problem was, Sara genuinely wanted to try to make things a little better between them. She was even slightly afraid he would attack her outright here. Not that he had ever been the instigator, but maybe he hated her enough to do it because she had disturbed him while he was eating.

She swallowed her bite and took a breath. "I was just doing some shopping... Figured I would come say hi." She was still trying to avoid his gaze, looking anywhere but at him. She felt really stupid for having bothered him. Maybe she should just go... She sighed, knowing she wanted to stay and talk to him. And what better way to get to know him then at a mall..? Wait... Hadn't he said something about meeting her outside of school...?

She froze for only the briefest of seconds, and then looked at him, giving him a nervous smile. He wouldn't actually... attack her right...? "Aha... What are you up to...?"

[Mathew Amtrum]

"You can sit down you know, I am not going to bite.... well not you anyways." He said with a laugh as he picked up his plate and took a bite of the pizza once again.

For the most part he didn't have any hard feelings for her. He knew he was an ass, and while he had never done anything to her, which made her attitude to him a bit of a sore nerve for him, he could understand why she didn't like him. Really, very few people did. He would chew it again setting the slice on the plate, already more then half eaten, just the crust remained.

He patted the spot next to him on the fountain's edge waiting for her to sit down, next to him. He doubted that she honestly just wanted to say hi, things never worked out that way for him. Still he could try and put her at ease, talk her up a bit.

"Where have you hit so far?" He asked her.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara went and sat next to him. That wasn't so hard. Not at all. Her bag with her jeans sat on the floor between her legs, pushed against the edge of the fountain to keep people from running off with it. She was reminded of sitting in front of the lockers with him. This was... more awkward and less awkward. She guessed that made it just as awkward. More because she had approached him in the mall. Less because they had made some headway in terms of becoming... something other then enemies. Which was what she wanted.

She took another bite of her pizza, and looked around. She sat the plate down next to her and wiped her hands on her pants. "I've only been to that one store... Down the hall...?" Oh god... Brain fart... "What the hell is it called... Garage Clothing or something... I wanted a new pair of jeans. Now I'm just wandering. What about you?"

She didn't see any bags with him, at least not right off, but she hadn't really looked. She had been a little caught off guard by his appearance. He looked really different when he was dressed like everyone else. It was kinda weird. But nice at the same time. She actually felt like she might look normal next to him now.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"So far I have just been hanging out, eating and relaxing. I haven't decided if I was going to hit any stores or not." He said with a shrug, he had money to blow, and lots of it. But he couldn't really think of anything he needed. Unless he was going to buy useless crap, but he certainly didn't need that, that's why it was called useless crap.

Lifting up the crust of his pizza he took a bite of it, a large one, a good half of the crust vanishing in his mouth. He honestly didn't feel awkward at all, but he was a social person. People normally pegged him for the dark and brooding type, but he was actually very good with people most of the time. It was one of the reasons he was the Student Body President.

"Well I will tell you what, if you promise to behave and not start a fight, I will hang out with you and we can both shop. I mean you obviously want to hang out since you approached me." He said grinning at her.

[Sara Quinn]

Sara was... shocked. He had so not just gone there. Her jaw literally dropped as her mind worked to take in what he had said. He thought that... SHE... Had he just told her to behave? What the hell was she, a dog?! She realized she was staring at him, with what must have been a rude look on her face. She quickly closed her mouth and looked away.

OK. Now. How did she deal with his comment. Did she get angry? She was trying her hardest to NOT fight with him every time she set eyes on him. And he was... pushing her buttons? Or was he? He almost looked like he had been joking. But since when had he ever joked with her? If he was saying something mean, wouldn't she be 100% sure that he meant it to be taken offensively? And here she was second guessing herself. So... Did she laugh it off? Her pride wouldn't allow it. Not if there was a chance he was trying to goad her into attacking him.

Either way, she needed to act quickly. Very quickly. She was taking to long. She didn't want to offend him by saying something mean. Just what she needed. To piss him off. And she didn't want to give in to his... taunt or what ever it had been. So she smiled. Her head turned to look at him, her eyes mischievous. The look was authentic, even if there was a small hint of nervousness to it. She took another small bite of pizza. "I can be good if you can be good."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Oh I am not just good, I am great." He said with a small laugh and a wink. After which he would pop the rest of the crust in his mouth, chewing it up and swallowing it. His right hand would raise up and push his bangs out of his face for a moment as he grinned at her. He honestly wasn't trying to push her buttons but he could see the effect he had on her. Especially when her jaw dropped. It really was true what girls said about him it seemed. They said they could never tell whether they wanted to kiss him or slap him. He was sure that was how Sara felt, from what he had seen of her it seemed like something she would feel.

"So what kind of places did you want to hit? I honestly have nothing I need to buy, so I am game to go just about anywhere." He said with a shrug.

It was true he didn't have a list of crap he needed, but if he found something that he wanted then it was only a simple matter to buy it. So he was more then content to let Sara pick their first destination.

[Sara Quinn]

Ohhhhh... She would tell him where to go, but she doubted he would appreciate it. She didn't get him! Was he joking with her!? Was he hitting on her?! Was he trying to piss her off!? She didn't KNOW. And that only served to piss her off more. Not even piss her off though she thought, as a smile touched her lips. She was trying to hold in a frustrated laugh. He was a little instigator and he knew it. She had to look away, and went back to her pizza, taking another bite and looking around as she chewed. She avoided his gaze like the plague, and every time she thought about looking at him, a laugh threatened to break through. She didn't know if it was in frustration or if she genuinely wanted to laugh.

She took deep breaths as she worked her jaw, chewing her food, trying to calm down before she looked at him. She didn't want to suggest a place. She was afraid that he would think she was weird, or something. She didn't really even have anywhere she needed to go now. But she didn't want to let this opportunity pass. This could possibly be here chance! But her chance to what...? She wondered if she was kind of obsessed with the guy... She certainly went out of her way to either start shit with him, or make an attempt to talk to him.

"Well... Umm..." Oh god... think... Just tell him the truth then! "I was actually just going to wander around after buying my jeans... Are you up for that...?" She looked at him a little apprehensively. She was making an effort here and if he didn't return the favor... She was going to kill him =_=

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Yeah I am game. I had time to kill anyways." He said with a small nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. He had come here alone, so the idea of hanging out with Sara, a girl that was always starting shit with him wasn't on top of his wish list. But then again, most things were below crazy epic foursome.

Crumpling up the paper plate that his Pizza had been on he would toss it in to the trashcan nearby. Mathew was actually not trying to press her buttons, he hadn't tried yet. But when it was that easy why bother? He did enjoy some kind of challenge and she seemed to be ready to throw a fit whenever he came close to her. Apparently he just rubbed her the wrong way or something.

"Let me know when you are ready to go then Sara." He said grinning as he sat and watched her eat her pizza. He halfway hoped it made her awkward having someone watch her eat. Well ok, maybe he was pressing her buttons a little bit. But you can't blame a guy when she hands you an instruction manual and a walk through! It is that easy!

[Sara Quinn]

"Yeah I am game. I had time to kill anyways."

She breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't going to have to kill anyone. That was good <3 She wondered if this was actually a good idea. She normally wouldn't have approached him. Or anyone. But she had felt compelled to. And that annoyed her. Bad.

She took another bite of her pizza as he crumbled up his plate. She didn't want him to have to wait for her, and he was ready to go. But she didn't want to scarf down her food like an animal either... No. You know what?! Why the hell did it matter?! She shouldn't care what he thought.

"Let me know when you are ready to go then Sara."

She chewed her food, nodding at him and taking another quick bite. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him watching her. She wondered why the hell he was watching her. She felt her face heat, but she took another bite of her pizza, ignoring him. Or at least trying to... Ok, maybe not. She turned her head to stare back at him, her eyes suspicious. "What...?"

Most of her pizza was gone so she stood up, grabbing her bag. "I'm ready then, lets go." She started walking, dropping the plate in the trash and took another bite of her pizza as she walked. She assumed he would follow, and had to force herself not to look back at him.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Nothing." He said with a smirk that hinted there was something. He was going to continue messing with her just because he could. She never did find out what he had found of interest in the school, in fact, she never really found out anything from him, unless it was common knowledge, such as the run in with the blind kid Connor.

When she said she was ready to go he would give her a small smile. The kind that said ok, but with a sarcastic tone. Like you would give to someone that was nagging you. Standing up after he he would follow her, not bothering to catch up since he could use this as a chance to check her out a bit. Something he tended to do quite openly, and this was no exception. He just happened to have a nice view as he followed her.

He was already tired of the silence, and the fact that he had nothing to say to her. At least nothing productive, but she only caused shit with him, so that was the only subject he knew to breach with her.

"So, why did you stop to talk to me? I thought you hated me." He said as he started to close the distance between the two, content with the look he had obtained of her body. "I mean lets be honest, you don't have a good track record with me, and I ask that you forgive my bluntness. But if this is some kind of hit or half thought out attack, tell me know so we can get this over with."

He said this with a frown, clearly bored and a bit annoyed with the idea of being on a hit list, though he knew he was on a few in this school alone. Honestly it got boring, and this was the classic setup for a hit. At least from what he has seen over the years. Plus Sara being the one to approach him was dubious at best, she was always starting shit with him. It was only natural that he assumed this would be the same, he didn't trust her word. She seemed the type that would be fine lying. Hell she had no problem throwing a lock at him while he walked through the hall minding his own business. She was clearly not the honorable type.

[Sara Quinn]

"So, why did you stop to talk to me? I thought you hated me."

Sara paused in her walking. What...? Well wasn't he just... blunt. She caught herself, and continued walking, her brain trying to unscramble itself. Her back was a little straighter, her walk a little more tensed, but other then that, nothing to indicate that he had caught her off guard with his question, or put in her an awkward situation. She was about to answer, or try to, when he spoke again.

What he said had her stopping in her tracks. She was actually quite offended by that. Had she done something up to this point to indicate that she had any intentions of jumping him in the middle of the mall? She didn't think so. She tossed the rest of her pizza into a nearby trash can. She suddenly didn't feel like finishing it. The range of emotions that swept through her was ~insane~

Anger, saddness, embarrassment, hate. She didn't know what to say to him. Her face turned to him, her expression both hurt and pissed. "It's nice to know you think so little of me." She cocker her hip, crossing her arms. "I don't why I stopped to talk to you, maybe because I felt the need to put some effort into making it so I DON'T feel like beating the shit out of you every time I see you." She was pissed. So angry with him. He thought so little of her both in the way that she would do something as dishonorable as attack him in the middle of the mall after the strides they had made after talking at her locker, and that she would be so stupid in her attacks. That offended her.

"I told you before... I don't hate you, I just can't see eye to eye with you... That's all..." And with that she turned and walked away. She didn't care if he followed her or not. If he did, Sara was more then willing to talk about this, if not, then his loss.

[Mathew Amtrum]

As if Mathew would stop just because he offended someone. Since when did he care about that? He was blunt, it was true. He could be smooth when he wanted to be, but when it came to matters like this it was bluntness. It wouldn't be the first time a hit was placed on him, not even in a public place. Besides it wouldn't be hard for a cute girl to get him alone, in theory. So in his mind it was a legitimate question. When you are a major target you stay alive by being cautious.

"I told you before. You remind me a lot of myself. And that means gang activity, power hungry people. Hit lists. I am not stupid, I know I am on more then one." He said with a roll of his eyes. Honestly this was gang politics 101 and he was explaining it to her in the mall. How naive was she?

"It isn't uncommon for a gang to set a task in a public place, and with the odds stacked against you." He said shrugging, his pace still matching hers. "And for someone that doesn't hate me, you sure went out of your way to hurt me when you threw those locks at me." He said grinning. He wasn't going to apologize, he felt he had no need to.