O is for Orange #atozchallenge #ShortStory

My theme for 2021 is a Young Adult short story. A double-date in the 1990s. An established teen couple sets up their best friends with each other, but it doesn't go well.

---

Today's word count is approximately: 670 words

O is for Orange

The Phar-Mor is the second-largest store in the mall (the largest that's in business). It's supposed to be a pharmacy, but there's also half a grocery store, general merchandise, and a video rental. We head down aisle five, cross the clearance items, and finally reach the restrooms. I kiss Lance and leave him with my bags. Then Madelyn hauls me into the ladies' room with her.

It is clean and bright in here. It's also orange. That's the store's logo color. It might have gone a little too far. There's orange tile on the floor and walls. The metal stall separators are orange. Even the sinks have the safety-orange ceramic color. But what always gets me is that it smells like oranges. Well, not fresh ones, but like orange-scented cleaning products. That's the kicker.

"How do I get him to kiss me?" She stands at the sink and puckers her lips at the mirror.

"You don't actually have to use the restroom, do you?"

She shakes her head. "No, but we needed to be alone to talk. So, what do I do?"

"I don't know. Ask him if he wants to kiss you?" I head into one of the stalls. As long as I'm here, I may as well try to go.

"What do you mean you don't know? Every time I turn around you're lip-locked to Lance!"

"Right. Well, we've been at it for over a year."

She leans next to my stall. One foot slides under. I can't get a moment to pee?

"But how do you get him to kiss you?"

"I don't know. I just look at him." Someone has used white liquid paper to draw an albino weasel on the stall door. Orange eyes are watching me use the toilet. 

Madelyn huffs. "What if this turns out to be our only date? This could be my only chance to get kissed while I'm still sixteen. You know that's on my list of goals for this year."

I finish up, wipe, and flush. "Can I wash my hands?"

Madelyn crosses her arms. It takes a moment, but she finally moves aside. 

"Do you want me to ask him if he plans to kiss you? Or go tell him to do it?"

"No." She rubs the floor with the toe of her shoe. "Maybe. Probably not. I don't know. Do you think he hasn't kissed me because he doesn't know I want him to?"

I shake my head. "Do you want him to kiss you? Or do you just want to be kissed?"

"What?" She sniffs her fake flower.

"Are you into him? Or is he here so that's good enough?"

She looks at me like I'm the crazy one. I raise my hands. "Never mind." 

We head out of the bathroom.

"Can you stay with her in the clearance section for a minute?" I whisper to Lance. He shrugs and nods.

I take Yohann's elbow. "Come help me with something real quick." 

"Okay?" He follows me over a few aisles. I spot my shampoo. This really isn't a shopping trip. But, I mean, I'm here. I can't kiss my boyfriend because I have to help my best friend get kissed by the first guy we've found who might be willing.

"Can I ask you something?" Yohann asks as he pulls his hands from his jacket.

"Yeah. Go for it, because I've got a doozy for you next." I open the cap to sniff the bottle. Ahh, that's the right shampoo scent.

"How come I'm always Lance's best friend?"

"What?" I flick the bottle closed.

"You introduced me as Lance's best friend to Nathan and Madelyn's dad. Why don't you ever say I'm your friend?"

"I don't know. Because you've known him longer? Because you're closer to him?"

Yohann leans nearer to me. "Because you think of me as more than a friend?"

I take a step back. "Don't."

"Mike told me what you said."

This can't be happening. Not here. Not now. 

---

Special shout-out today to my local NaNoWriMo group of the Lehigh Valley, PA, USA. Beads are earned by writers for progress, as well as including various oddities in their stories. This part of the story mentions a character using the bathroom as well as finding an albino weasel (our mascot).

---

Thank you for reading! 

If you're on mobile and can't see my sidebar:

https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/uniquely-maladjusted-but-fun-13546807 - My Bloglovin link

My Twitter would be @PenMinion - but I'm suspended right now. I used a quote from a comedian to threaten my self-critical inner voices. I didn't know that voices in my head were protected by Twitter's TOS. But they are. And even though the comedian has a Twitter account, and the quoted joke is available as a gif on Twitter, it was still a violation of the TOS. (And possibly racist?) Feel free to scroll this blog to learn more. I have several posts about it. In the meantime, never threaten inner voices of self-doubt, because you can be kicked off of social media for such an action. 

💰
Get Stash, an app that makes investing easy. If you sign up with my link and add cash, we both get $20 of bonus stock. https://get.stash.com/jamieejv28 💵

Please let me know who you are on the Master List if you're doing a to z-- I'd like to visit you too!

Have a puuuurfect day. 🐈