Survival Of The Fittest

((Aileen Borden continued from Prom Panic))

Swoosh.

The elevator door opened to reveal the second level: the teen clothes area.

Aileen sighed, almost out of mild frustration. She had spent what seemed like hours looking through the Promenade, trying to find a decent prom dress. She wasn't even sure if this level had something, but hey, you never know. Sometimes, the most unlikely of things popped up in the strangest of places.

But, Aileen wondered if nothing can be found here today, that she could go to a thrift store, or a store that specialized in this sort of thing.

Heck, she hoped that even if she found a dress, she would be able to pay for it. After all, prom dresses can be expensive, sometimes ridiculously so. Which brought another thought to her mind: why were they so pricey? Aileen guessed that it was the materials involved, along with the fact that they were formal wear.

Stepping outside the elevator, she looked at the stores' windows, hoping that there would be something. Passing by Abercrombie and Fitch, she glanced at some of the things she could see from outside. They had such nice things sometimes, and Aileen, on another day, would just casually take a peek inside.

However, she had more important things to do at this moment. After all, no one should get side-tracked, right? Damn it, she had a goal to complete, and she was going to complete it, no matter what happens! With that, she trekked on forward, looking at various other stores.

"Come on come on come on..." Aileen muttered to herself, clearly at the point of desperation.

After a few more minutes, she placed herself on a nearby bench. If she just knew where they sold this sort of thing, then she could just find a good one, and be done with it. But, nope!

Removing her bag from her shoulder and placing it beside her, Aileen sighed once more, this time out of exhaustion. At least there was a bench she could place herself on, right?

Another thing she was glad for, was that she didn't see any classmates. Aileen pictured them snickering over her failure to get a prom dress, while they all had something to wear. However, just as that thought appeared, she quickly shooed it away. No good was going to come out of thinking like that, right? After all, some of them probably didn't have anything yet, either.

Flipping one braided pigtail over her shoulder, she stared at her surroundings, still trying to figure out where exactly they sold that sort of thing. Eventually, though, she placed her head down, almost as if she had gone to sleep. Boy, was this girl tired.

((Rein Bumgarner continued from Life is a Game))

Rein felt awkward shopping at the mall by himself. Never in his life does he go shopping by himself. But then again he needed new clothes since his last was rip during a small 'accident'.

Carrying a small back with a few new shirts and some pair of jeans Rein was tired of walking. Indeed the young boy had quite a large amount of stamina but with nothing to do with it all went to waste and boredom took over. The female face German truly felt like today was a horrible day. Shopping by himself, nothing exciting (or dangerous) to do and Elaine was gone for a while. Rein sigh at his own miserable life at the moment. Seeing a bench ahead he went to sit down without realizing the girl already there.

After a few short seconds Rein notice the girl standing beside him. A calm type Rein didn't react right away and instead smile and greeted the girl.

"Hello dere hov's it going?" He said with his rough German accent. Looking at her few a second Rein notice he knew this girl. "Oh hey I knov you your name is... is... Ailan or Aileen right? Hov's it going? Vhat are you shopping for?"

Someone... is talking to me.

Aileen snapped up, almost as if she had woken up from a nightmare.


Jesus, did she fall asleep? Or did she just space out for a while, until someone called attention on it? Either way, she was out of it for a few seconds, and didn't see anyone she recognized making attempts to talk to her.

Glancing in his direction, she noticed that it was someone she knew from school. God, she really needed to remember names a bit more. Sure, sometimes she wouldn't talk to the person again in the future, but... now that she thought of it, maybe it was time. She did remember that she thought of Christmas when she heard his name being mentioned once, but there are a lot of Christmas-y things out there. What was it then? Santa? No... that definitely wasn't it.

Also, he was asking about shopping. Aileen sighed, and quickly glanced away.

"Oh, just a prom dress."

Oh crap. And she was worried about people learning she didn't have a dress? Aileen quickly placed her head down, as if she didn't want to talk to him. Would he even be of help? After all, he was male... they don't have knowledge of lady's formal wear very often, right? At least, not that she knew of.

Aileen suddenly stood up without thinking, and found herself shouting.

"I think I'm fine though!" her face was flushed with embarrassment, and suddenly, she burst into brisk walk in the other direction.

Damn it, self... why are you running?! He won't hurt you... But... what if he tells the other students that he saw you here? What if...

Aileen paused. It was about time for her to go home anyway, right? Her mother was going to be worried sick. Sure, she was eighteen, but she had looked long enough.

Turning around, she shouted at the other student.

"Going now. See you at school!"

With that, she stomped towards the elevator and pressed the button, stepping in once it opened.

((Aileen Borden continued in One Pen Two Pen Red Pen Blue Pen.))

Rein look at the girl who seem to have just woken up from some sort of nap. Sleeping in the mall? That was a strange idea Rein thought but he kept it to himself. Starring at the girl she seem confuse and slightly worried about his presence. Rein wonder if it was alright for him to be here to disturb the girl. Suddenly she stood up and started mumbling about being fine in which Rein had to disagree with her strange action. She didn't stay too long and dash off without giving Rein a moment to reaction and soon she left him in the mall by himself.

The poor German sigh to himself and simply walk off. He might as well called it quits today, there wasn't much to do.

((Rein Bumgarner, continued elsewhere.))