Survival Of The Fittest

(Erin Clyde: Continued from Sparse)

Erin was sitting at a table with a now more than half eaten large cheese pizza in front of her and a shameful look on her face and a hunched back. It's not she didn't eat junk food sometimes, but her mother had been giving her a hard time about how she should be on this popular new diet for ladies that her mother was into now.

That women would walk around nude in winter if it was considered the new elegant lady crap of the season.

Erin sighed and looked around her. She wanted to cry so badly, but she couldn't, she. She just had to smile, she didn't even care if people thought she was confident and strong any more, she just had to smile and mask her feelings. She sat up tall and wiped her eye just a little to stop herself from crying.

Well I guess when it's alright if I treat myself for just today. I have to make sure not to make a habit of it of course. I guess I could go shopping to, I need some new equipment, then that new baking pan, I need new microphone, and also I just remembered that I need to pick up that one book for dad. Today is going to be a busy day so I won't be able to get home till late.

Erin felt all her trouble float out as she took a sip of her soda.

((Sable Ruthers Continued From Vaulting))

Sable was a tiny, quiet girl, and there were things about tiny, quiet girls that people come to expect. They were quiet, and of small stature. They looked delicate, and usually didn't have much muscle mass. They could weasle their way into small places and stay hidden for hours without being found.

All these things were true about Sable Ruthers.

So, you would think that, Sable being a tiny girl, she would watch what she ate in order to stay as slim as she was.

Well, that was one thing that wasn't true.

Most people would be rather shocked to see the small, skinny girl casually enjoying a cinammon bun. You know, one of those decently-sized ones pratically oozing frosting, where one bite would surely give you instantaneous diabetes.

Thank God for a fast metabolism, She thought as she took another small bite.

The food court in the mall was rather empty today...in fact, the mall was rather empty today. So the economy was really going to hell, huh? She chewed her mouthful and looked around boredly.

There was the occasional harried housewife, and the hopeless male shopper, but one person seemed to stick out in particular; a girl who looked about her age, sitting alone and eating a giant pizza.

...Now, one didn't see that everyday.

She looks famillair, though. Does she go to my school? She wondered, taking another bite. God, she looks famillair.

Erin was indulging in the food before her when she felt a pain in her stomach. It was most certainly a stomach ache from eating to much.

This is way better then that crap diet junk, but I think I may have eaten to much. Figures even when I defy mom I suffer.

She looked around at the surprisingly empty mall. Well it shouldn't be surprising as money is tight for the average person these days, although no one decided to tell Erin's mother that. Not only has she allowed a foreign exchange student into the house, but she also imported a bunch of crap from Iceland or wherever that girl came from. Her excuse was of course to make the girl feel welcome. Of course Erin had struck and uneasy friendship with the girl, but still it was discomforting to watch her mother fawn over Katla well she treats Erin like she does, not that it matter either way.

She noticed a small girl sitting eating a cinnamon bun. The girl looked somewhat familiar, she went to the same school Erin was certain of that. Erin made a point of memorizing her as many of her classmates names the best she could just incase they ever say hi or need something. Although she hadn't memorized all of them yet she was certain she knew this girls name.

The seemingly blank small girl, it starts with an "S". Sarah, no not close at all. Sable? Nope that's not it. Wait yes Sable. Sable Ruthers!

Erin only knew she had creepy eyes and may be part of the schools gymnastics team, however Erin wasn't the type to judge on looks alone, she couldn‘t even remember what classes they had together. Although it was unlikely that they had anything in common, but Erin decided it would be better to at least talk to her once.

Erin began waving to Sable "Hey, come sit over here. It‘s better then eating alone right?"

"?" Sable looked over when she heared a voice. It's that girl with the pizza...she's...calling me over? Well, why not? It'd be rude not to go over. Sable got up from her seat and gathered her things - she didn't have much with her - and walked over.

"Hi," She said as she approached the girl. That's right, I still don't remember who she is... "How are you?" She calmly sat across from the girl, her eyes giving off an inquiring quality.

Erin just smiled warmly as Sable, but inside she couldn't help but wonder if it was a good idea to invite her over. She stared at her for a moment then remembered that they don't hang out very often.

I should start off on the right foot.

"Hi I doubt you know my name so allow me to introduce myself. I'm Erin Clyde, we go to the same school together, I'm on the school choir. It's way to boring eating alone, it's much better to hang out with someone so I figured maybe we could hang out, it could be the beginning of a wonderful friendship."

Erin kept a cheerful grin on her face, but her stomach was tied in knots, she often tried to act like she didn't care what others felt about her, but in truth she was terrified of embarrassing herself. Her mother would always flash across her mind when she started talking to someone new.

I have to stop thinking about her, I can't let her ruin my whole day.

"So tell me a little about yourself and feel free to have some of the pizza."

Sable blinked a little when the girl made such an abrupt introduction. Oh. Erin. She doesn't seem like an Erin. But she DOES seem nervous...a little. Sable gave the girl a tiny, reassuring smile. I should be nice.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Sable." She looked down slightly. "I'm...sort of...on the gymnastics team...I do think I've seen you around school...and..." Something about herself? Well, anything to break the ice. There was no harm in trying to make a new friend. "I...I like the color yellow."

Yeah, it was lame, but she couldn't think of much to say. What would the other girl find interesting?

Erin looked at Sable with a bright smile across her face.

She likes yellow huh? She seems a little nervous, I hope I'm not freaking her out.

Erin thought that was an odd way to break the ice, but she decided to run with it.

"Well Sable, I don't really have a favorite color, but Yellow is a nice one."

Erin took another drink, despite her grin she was actually very nervous. She was certain she was going to embarrass herself.

Damn it, perhaps this was a mistake. I don't want to embarrass myself. It's to late now, I can't risk being rude.

"So what brings you to the mall today?"

"Ah...me?" Sable pushed some hair behind her ear and looked up briefly. "I came to look around, and have a snack." Well, it's true. Besides, I didn't have anything else to do. "What about you?" She took another bite of bun, and, in the back of her mind, wondered if she'd make a mess of her face like this. She had napkins, sure, but sometimes your face can feel perfectly clean, and be the biggest mess...

"I'm shopping or a least I'm going to be. I missed breakfast and lunch so I just kind combined all my meals into one." Erin looked at the Sable's face, it may have been a bit shallow of Erin, but she was concentrating on the corner of Sable's mouth where some of her cinnamon bun's glaze was sticking.

Should I say something? I don't want to be rude..

"You've got something right here on the corner of your mouth." Erin tapped the corresponding area on her own face to show her where she was talking about.

"Ah, I see." That explains the whole pizza. Well, I guess I'd be hungry enough, too, if I missed two meals. Her thoughts held no malice; why should they? Sable could understand. It wasn't a big deal.

"Huh? My face?" She blinked at Erin's next comment. So she had made a mess after all...giving the other girl an embarassed smile, she took a napkin and wiped her mouth delicately. "Thanks."

"Oh no problem." Erin looked down at the pizza and lightly blushed.

I bet she thinks I'm a pig. Why am I so self conscious around strangers? Is this mothers fault to? Get out of my head women.

That's when she noticed out of the corner of her eye a women, quite a bit younger then her mother with short red hair, wearing jeans and a normal white t-shirt. A normal person would have never noticed her, not like on TV where she would have been shown as a tramp, no she was just an average person. This women was her fathers friend. Erin's began to panic a little. The women was a nice enough person, but Erin couldn't deal with her right now. Her father had every intention of leaving her mother and this lady was always trying to be friendly to Erin. Trying to be a second mother, not that her first did such a great job. It was just to embarrassing to even try to make up something. Her father having an affair is fine by her as long as she doesn't have to interact with the lady.

"Hey, what do you say we do something together? We could see a movie or something! My treat." Erin quickly offered as an excuse to leave the mall.