Caught in the Middle

Preston Forest Shopping Center

The Preston Forest Shopping Center is large and classy. The entrance is open and spacious, a rectangular fountain surrounded by potted trees leading up the middle of the mall, with pathways on either side for shoppers. One can easily see both floors from here and the lighting is amazing - beside the typical electric bulbs, the roof is comprised of glass allowing the sunlight to filter in.
Shops and businesses spread out here both east and west as well as to the back of the mall. Hidden away in the back corner one can find the escalator to the second story, as well as washrooms and a bank of payphones.


Its getting close to closing time and Abbey is finshing up shopping it seems. A few bags rest over a wrist while she pauses peering over a paper for a store that she is standing in front of. She chews on her lip a moment seeming to ponder going in or not. A few people move around here going this way and that and she doesn't seem to pay them any attention.

Close to closing time means that it's dark. Close to closing time means that Hope has had to work an extra shift at the pretzel place, which makes her less than amiable as she's closing up. Thankfully, the food court closes a little before the mall does. Which is why she's able to be wandering out of the court, still in uniform, looking for a small shop in which to buy a card as well as a little item for someone.

Many of the stores in the mall are filled with heart-shapes in the window, and are decorated in red and pink. While pink /is/ Hope's favorite color, she highly doubts that it's a good place to shop for a guy so she bypasses the shop and passes directly in front of Abbey.

Abbey looks up slightly, which is a good thing because she was about to walk into said store and she sees Hope pass right in front of her. She blinks and takes a step back instead while just eyeing her. "Not weilding a knife tonight cheerleader?" Well the last time she saw Hope it was in the Cementary with a knife flipping out..

Nolcha has just arrived in the mall it would seem and she's in a rush to not miss the stores before they close. Only problem is it appears she's still not familiar with this mall and she goes wandering in a rather determined fashion chanting "Clothes store, clothes store… okay clothes store that isn't gross." of course while she's doing this she's not really watching where she's going either.

A knife? No. A half eaten pretzel and a soda, sure. Hope glares at Abbey, trying to place the woman. "Oh, you," she says, somewhat flippantly. "Silver chains at the moment, the knife is… elsewhere." She still has it, she still carries it when Bobby can't be around. Better to be safe than dead. Just as Hope spins on her heel to get away from the mouthy woman, she runs smack dab into the one who's not at all watching where she's going, spilling her soda (possibly a bit on Nolcha) and dropping her pretzel.

"Ohmigawd! I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Abbey smirks faintly while she peers at Hope a few moments. "Silver chains?.. What is that going to do for you over a knife?" Well she knows what silver will do to her anyway. Her gaze drifts to a new voice and scent and she blinks while curiously watching Nolcha, slipping very quiet suddenly as she merely watches what happens between Hope and Nolcha.

Nolcha jumps back quickly, but not quick enough to avoid the soda that goes streaming down her once blue shirt. Shaking her arms off to rid herself of the droplets she frowns fiercely for all of a second. "Well, looks like I'm shopping for two new outfits instead of one. I've an excuse even!" she hasn't missed the scent though and her brown eyes light on Abbey for mere moments before she focuses on Hope. "Fine, fine it'll probably stain but I'll live."

Hope, napkins already in hand, offers them out to Nolcha. "Oh heavens, I really am sorry about that. Please let me pay for it?" Stains are generally not good, and thus, she feels guilty. As she's distracted with this little bout of klutziness, she doesn't respond to Abbey right away. When she does, it's a small glance over her shoulder. "Silver chains can subdue them long enough to get away."

Abbey watches Nolcha a few moments longer before she lets her gaze lower to theg round and she clears her throat slightly seeming rather unsure what to do or say not it seems. She lifts a hand to push some hair behind a ear. "Well that's true.. I suppose." Not that she knows what the silver does to a vampire.

Nolcha accepts the napkins to dab at her shirt, at least making the mess a dryer mess to deal with. "Nah, I've got plenty to hold me over. Shoppings my most favorite hobby." she grins widely before glancing between the two at the talk about silver "Silver? Not my thing, all wrong with my skin tone I think. Now gold, there's a precious metal after a girls heart."

Silver is a girl's best friend, so far as Hope is concerned. It can save her life, and her neck. Fiddling with the silver cross chain around her neck, she shrugs. "Gold just makes my skin look green, so I'll stick with silver," she offers amiably to the drenched woman. "If you're looking for something decent, there's a cute little shop a few stores down. Although, it's mostly just jeans and sweater sets."

Abbey ehs faintly. "I just don't wear either.. Tends to get caught up in stuff when I work." She's seen it happen more then once, some piece of jewerly getting caught in some car part. A glance is offered towards the store that she was going to enter but she suddenly feels unsure about even being here.. The last time she was actually around another like herself was a long time ago.

Nolcha wrinkles her nose at the silver cross, likely due to something about clashing skin tones or what not. "Really? That's great, I'd better head that way before they close I guess. I'm always waking up too late to get to the really good stores, its what I get for singing at a bar." and from her words she loves her job alot. And then Abbey's called attention to herself again and she looks interested "Oh yeah? What kind of work do you do that isn't jewelry friendly?"

It doesn't take a genius to realize that she's missing something. Hope attempts to pass off the looks between the other women, turning primarily to Nolcha. "I really don't frequent the bars, not my typical scene. Though maybe if you're ever singing at the Warehouse, I'll attempt to go, Miss…?" Well helps to know someone's name if you're going to watch them sing.

Abbey quietly curses as she calls attention back to herself. "I work at Bunkers Garage.. own it actually.." A faint glance is offered back to Hope and she smirks faintly. "What.. You to goodygoody for bars?" Nothing wrong with a good biker bar in her book.

Nolcha says, "Nolcha Martinez, just ask around Grisly's if you're ever wanting to see me. As for the Warehouse, I haven't been there yet generally keep pretty busy at the other place." ah the down and dirty kinda places seem to be where she belongs for all her love of all things pretty. "Bunkers? That's just across the lot from Grisly's isn't it?"

West Dallas'ers. Hope wrinkles her nose slightly, which is perhaps an extremely rude thing to do. "I've never been to that end of the city, to be honest, but I'll definitely watch for you, Miss Martinez." Eyes shift toward Abbey, full of disdain. "I just don't really see the point in places of ill repute, to be honest. People get ridiculously drunk, can barely walk, and then become easy pickings for the vampires. As I said, it's really not my scene."

Abbey tilts er head slightly while her pale gaze drifts back to Nolcha, ah the one Dan met at the bar. A slight smile is offered and she nods. "Ya that's right.. I go there sometimes. Though seems to be when your not around.." A glance is casts back towards Hope, catching the look she give off. "Oh.. Something wrong with West Dallas.. Not fancey enough for you hum?" She questions with a teasing tone. Seems she rather likes pushing Hope's buttons to some degree, it amuses her perhaps.

Nolcha chuckles a bit at the reaction from Hope. "Its not so ill reputed as some places, it suits me fine. Thanks for the napkins, I'm going to go see about getting myself some shopping done." if she doesn't comment about vampires it seems as if she's wholly uninterested in them. As she moves past Abbey though she grins again "We should chat sometime, my number's in the phonebook." and with that she tosses her head and slinks off towards the store with glee in her eyes. Ahhhh shopping!

"Precisely," Hope says to Abbey, not at all taking the bait really. "Good luck with your shopping, Miss Martinez." A quick wave, then another guilty look. She'll have something sent to the bar that was mentioned, perhaps. "I should actually be on my way as well. It's getting late, and I hate being out after dark." She waits all of five seconds before starting to scoot off away from Abbey.

Abbey tilts her head slightly and glances to Nolcha a moment at the comment about talking. "My number is too." She offers softly, seems like she isn't as eager to speak with the other wolf, at least on her own. A glance is offered back to Hope and she smirks slightly before shrugging and turns to leave herself it seems. She's had enough shopping for the moment it seems, other things on her mind.

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