The Grand Mall was a dazzling labyrinth of lights and sounds, the upper floor alive with the rustle of shopping bags, the chatter of shoppers, and the faint pulse of pop music drifting from storefronts.
My arms were already weighed down with a growing pile of bags—brightly colored, stuffed with clothes, shoes, and accessories—as Aeri and Sara led me from one shop to another, their energy relentless. Aeri looked radiant in her cream sweater, jeans, and white sneakers, her warm smile a quiet comfort, while Sara strutted in her jacket, t-shirt, skirt, stockings, and boots, her smug confidence always get on my nerves.
My long black shirt and t-shirt felt heavy under the mall's bright lights, my white sneakers scuffing the polished floor, the faint scent of my cologne mixing with the mall's aroma of pretzels and perfume.
