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Teenage Ghost
Jeff had installed a key lock doorknob on his bedroom door. He and Rhonda then went to the mall to shop for new school clothes.
Jeff laughed at the jokes Rhonda made as he picked out clothes. He was enjoying himself and having a good time. He went in the changing booth to try some of the clothes on and remembered his own mother. They too had times like these, far and between. Times when she was sober and would have hope for the future.
He glanced at the pile of clothes, but she had let him down every time.
“Come out I want to see it!” Rhonda called from the waiting area.
Jeff put the clothes on, letting the clothes he had on disappear underneath. He walked out and turned for her.
“It looks good! I like it.” Rhonda watched him. “You have a good eye for this.”
Jeff ducked back into the changing booth. Yes he had good eye, he watched countless students over the decades walk the halls. He saw what the popular kids wore and how it differed from the others.
He only chose these clothes to please Rhonda, who had been popular in school. He had no real intention of ever taking them out of his closet. He did all of this for Rhonda. She was smiling and happy, he wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.
As they walked from store to store picking and choosing outfits, Jeff noticed a couple walking down the opposite side of the mall.
A goth couple dressed in black, both had shaggy looking uncombed black hair. The girl was cuddled in tight on his right side as the two walked slow. Jeff felt strange as he watched them, as if he knew one of them.
At that moment Rhonda and Jeff walked past a trendy hair salon. Suddenly Rhonda was not satisfied with just a clothing make over. She began insisting Jeff have his hair styled.
Jeff had to draw the line with his hair, but promised he would think about it at least.
Rhonda couldn’t have been more happy. She felt like she had a family again, she no longer felt alone or afraid.
The two grabbed cheap, fast Mexican food and sat down to have lunch in the food court.
Jeff felt hollow inside as he noticed the goth couple walk into to the food court area. The female was cuddled up close and not paying attention to anyone or anything around her. She glanced up for a moment and pushed the dark hair out of her face long enough to look up at the boys face.
It was Vi.
She had not seen him or noticed him yet. Jeff wondered what she would do if she did notice. What kind of chaos would she create? He glanced around the crowded food court. There was no safety in numbers as far as Vi was concerned.
The goth couple walked out of the food court and into the coffee shop. They never noticed anyone else was in the mall.
After they were done eating Rhonda took him to several shoe stores to get tennis shoes to match his new outfits. It had been a perfect day for Rhonda. She came home and laid down for a nap in her bedroom.
Jeff put up his things and wondered who the boy was on Vi’s arm.