This week on Odd Prompts, I rolled with a technical glitch. 🙂
“How was that movie last night?” Alyssa asked as the two teenagers walked along the crumbling sidewalk. Long legs flashed pale and cold under too-short shorts she’d managed to keep her mother from noticing. The chill air bit and made her shiver, but what was early springtime for if not to start on her tan early?
“The romantic comedy I was supposed to go see with Brad? Or the original Dracula from the 1930s that was on the movie channel?” Caroline replied. Her own legs were sensibly covered by dark tights. Curly brown hair with a bright crimson streak bounced atop a black leather jacket.
“That jerk.”
“Yeah, well, he’s an idiot for thinking I’d like that nonsense fluffy crap anyway.”
They kept walking, meandering through the small town’s maze of brick storefronts, budding flowers wafting a faint perfume into the air.
It was early enough they only passed a few others. A café worker arranged wrought-iron chairs in a fenced-in seating area. Alyssa smiled, remembering the restaurant’s brownie indulgence. She and Caroline had splurged late last summer on the giant dessert, before the school year had started. Her mouth watered just at the thought of the deep, rich chocolate scent, vanilla and caramel notes emerging only when it touched her tongue.
“I want to go back there.” She wiped her mouth, hoping the drool was only in her head.
“Yeah, me – whoa!” Caroline raised a hand and bounced off the glass door that opened right in front of her.
Both girls stared at the stout woman with the greying beehive. She’d opened the door with her hip, backing out of the shop without looking. The woman carried an enormous box filled with a wide variety of multi-colored cheese wedges and staggered slightly under its weight.
“Um. Need a hand?” Alyssa tried to blink so she wouldn’t be rude. Her eyes stubbornly remained fixed and wide.
“I’m right here, girls, thank you,” the woman wheezed. She parked the box on top of a shiny green Cadillac and fumbled for her keys.
Shaking her head, Alyssa moved on, Caroline beside her. They didn’t make eye contact until they’d turned the corner, collapsing into giggles by a storefront that had been empty for over a year.
“Oh, man. How much cheese do you need?”
“I hope she’s having a party,” Caroline replied. She sat on the brick windowsill. “Oh, damn, I just ripped my tights. Stupid rough brick.”
“Goes with the rest of your vibe.”
“Should’ve known better,” she grumbled. “That’s still a lot of cheddar to eat by yourself.”
“Hey, look at this,” Alyssa said.
Caroline twisted and gazed at the sign in the window. Last week, the glass had been dull and dusty. This week, a black cloth shot through with silver thread filled the display.
“Huh. Coming soon. The Dark Rose. A goth clothing store.”
Alyssa shook her head and twisted her lips a little. “I don’t know. Sounds weird.”
The brunette’s lips hinted at a smile. “You don’t have to come if you’re scared.”
“Probably filled with weirdos. C’mon. Let’s go. I want to get a coffee.” Alyssa stood up and looked at her friend expectantly.
“Yeah. Sure.” Caroline stood, her eyes still fixed on the sign.
“You coming?” Alyssa’s voice called impatiently, already several feet away. She turned back and tapped her hand on her bare leg.
“Yeah, yeah,” Caroline said.
Her gaze lingered on the painted plaster skull next to a black rose, surrounded by artfully puddled fabric.
“I’ll be back,” she whispered.
