I looked down at my feet as I rode the squeaky escalator down for the last time. The place was pretty empty; all the stores were closing and locking up. There were still a few people trying to pursued the store owners to stay open a little longer, so they could finish up their shopping. I let out a little chuckle at the sight, “how greedy are people nowadays. My gosh.” I said to myself. I'm so glad to be done with this place!

I saw Ernie, my favorite janitor, and a close friend, sweeping and jogged over to give him one last hug. His face was old and wrinkled, yet so full of youth and life. Tears began to sting on the corner of my eyes, threatening to roll down my cheeks. I blinked them away and smiled up at him.

“I’m going to miss you Ern. You have been one of my best friends here. Actually…you‘ve been my only friend here.” The words barely left my mouth before more tears welled up. I looked down at my feet awkwardly, hoping he wouldn’t see my tears.
“I’m going to miss you too, Crystal. You are an incredibly amazing person, and I have enjoyed every second in your company. Ha,” he chuckled softly, “I find it kind of funny that you’re leaving this place before I am. I’ve been working here since the ground dried up on my farm in the drought of ‘92.” Ernie began to tear up as well. “You remind me so much of my daughter. I miss her dearly. Sh-she doesn’t even answer my calls now; too busy I guess. Doesn’t have time for her old man anymore.”

More tears began rolling down his sagging cheeks. He wiped them away with the back of his hand and began staring at his feet while he leaned on his broom. I hugged him again, smiling at him one last time.

“I’ll come back and visit you, Ernie. I promise.”

He waved me goodbye as I turned and started walking towards the main doors; the only ones that weren’t locked this time of night.

As I stepped out into the humid, nighttime air, I took a deep breath. I looked back at the gigantic, concrete building I worked in-- the Independence Center Mall. The paint was dreary and peeling. I sighed and began glimpsing around, as I did every night on my way to the car. Everything was the same as it had been the day before, and the day before that. More cracks had formed on the sidewalk, and the paint was fading more and more each day. But the buildings existence hadn’t changed since I first began working here 2 years ago.

I was slightly sad I was going to be missing my favorite no people-mall-moments--perusing about, helping Ernie and the other janitors sweep, spending lots of money on the massaging chairs that were upstairs, finding cool things lying around, and most of all, the funny moments that happened. At the same time though, I was glad my time here was finally done. Throughout the time I had worked here, I had managed to save up enough money to live off of for 3 years. I had fixed up my car and was ready to travel the county.

Almost to my beautiful Mustang Cobra, I glanced up from the rock I had been kicking, to see a man standing by the light pole nearest to my car. He was leaning up against the concrete bottom the pole was bolted onto, smoking a cigarette. I could only see him faintly as he was being silhouetted by the light that was towering above him.

My eyes met his. He slowly exhaled one last cloud of smoke, dropping the cigarette to the ground and putting it out with his foot. His characteristics became more clear as I got closer to where he was standing.

He was tall, probably about 6ft. He had shoulder length dark brown hair: the right side of his hair was shaved off, and his bangs were slightly covering his left eye. He was wearing tight black skinny jeans, black boots, and a black v-neck t-shirt. His arms were filled with beautiful tattoos.

I knew right away who he was, but pretended not to know. I worked in Hottopic, and saw his face 8 hours a day on a bunch of merchandise that hung in the store. Of course I knew who he was. Plus, I’ve listened to the band he’s in since I was 13.

“Hey there.” He charmingly spoke, smiling down at me.
“Hello.” I replied as I stopped walking.

Smiling at people was usually as far as my gestures went when encountering other human beings; one’s that I didn’t know at least. But talking? He’s talking to me? Shit.

“How is your night going so far?” He seemed as though he was searching for something to say.
“Uh, good and bad. Yours?” I tried to keep my anxiety at bay, and pulled on my act of confidence. But it was just that, an act.
“Its going alright, I guess.” He shrugged.
“You guess? How can you guess on how you’re feeling? You should know how you’re feeling since, ya know, you’re the one feeling it. You seem like one of those guys who’s really in touch with his emotions, so instead of the bullshit, small-talk answer you gave me, why don’t you tell me how your night is really going.” I spoke with a touch a sassiness in my tone. I smirked, and he kept smiling at me. Look at me go! I sound confident as shit!
“Well…I just got back from a long, worldwide tour. I’m glad to be back in my home state, and off that crowded bus. My friend, Andy, dragged me up here because he, ‘just had to see what a mall in Missouri is like’ even though I told him by the time we got here they would be closing.” He said, air quoting.

I laughed a bit. “Well if I wanted to know your life story, I would’ve just asked. Haha.” I gave him a grin.
“Feisty…I like it.” He smirked at me and began looking me up and down. “You’re kinda really beautiful though.” I’ve been told I’m many things, and think I’m many things, but feisty has never been one.
“Thanks. But you couldn’t handle me even if I came with instructions, honey.
Fuck, I can‘t even handle me. I don‘t see why someone would chose to have to deal with me.” He just laughed. I guess he didn't know I was being serious.

He pulled another cigarette out of the pack he was holding and began checking his pockets for his lighter. As he was, I noticed it was sitting behind him on the concrete slab. I walked over and reached behind him. I pulled the cigarette out from between his lips while I stared into his hazel eyes. I put the cancer stick in-between my lips while taking a few steps back, lit it up with his lighter, and took a big drag. I bent my head up and blew the smoke up at the sky. The smoke looked majestic as it rolled out of my mouth, almost as if it was in slow motion; I was mesmerized by the beautiful scene. He smiled wildly, and I could tell I had made a good impression. Shit, he might even be in love with me now.

“I guess in the midst of this conversation I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Ashley. And you are?” He said like a gentleman, holding his hand out for me to put mine into it.
I held the cigarette between my fingers and spoke, “I’m Crystal,” while exhaling another cloud of smoke from between my colorless lips. “I already know who you are, though. I’ve listened to your band since I was 13.” I softly set my hand in his. As I did so, he brought my dainty hand up to his lips and kissed it slowly.
“You aren’t completely fangirling right now?” He smirked a bit.
“I do appreciate your existence, but fangirling isn’t my style.” I said with a straight face.

Right as he was pulling another cigarette out of the pack, I heard a voice behind me.
“Hey, fucker. Quite smoking my cigarettes.” His voice was deep and luscious. Could it be?

He pulled the pack out of Ashley’s hand and grabbed the cigarette from between his lips. He starting patting his pockets for his lighter; I flicked the one I was holding and held it up, lighting the man’s cigarette.
“Thanks.” He muttered.
I looked up and was met with the gaze of two icy blue orbs--they were shining brightly, even through the darkness.

“You must be Andy. Ashley was speaking so highly of you.” I shook myself from the trance his magnificent eyes put me in, and laughed as Andy shot Ashley a dirty look. When his eyes returned to meet mine once again they were filled with…pain? They were filled with hurt and distress. I must not have noticed that before. He looks so sad. I frowned at the realization, andI stood there puzzled at how such a handsome man, who practically lived his dream every day, could be filled with such a look. It broke my heart to see him like that. I think he could tell that I could see through his fake smile and fictitious laugh, as he looked down at the ground and frowned.

“Where’d you meet her?” Andy finally glanced up and looked over at Ashley.
“She walked out here and I said, ‘hey’.”
“I guess it is always just that easy for you.” Ouch. Does he think I’m one of the girls that are just going to jump into bed with Ashley? Do I look like that kind of girl? I looked down to assess my outfit.
“This is Crystal, Andy.” Ashley replied to his comment.
“I’m Andrew, nice to meet you.” He stuck his hand out and I shook it with mine. His voice was charming, and a bit enchanting. I bet it’s all just an act—I put up the same walls so people don’t see how broken I really am, or how bad my anxiety really is.
“I think I’ll stick with Andy.” I smiled at him and he gave me an embrace with his handsome, but artificial smile.

My shoulder ached from holding my heavy purse. I walked a few feet over to my car and threw it into the passenger seat. I closed the door and turned back to the guys, who were staring at me.

“I know, I know. I do have a nice ass.” I smirked at them, wiggling my hips a bit.
“I’ll say.” Ashley remarked back. I took a couple more drags off the cigarette then threw it to the ground, stomping it out. “Well Crystal. Where do you live?”
“I don’t know if you’ll know where it is, but I live in between Leeton and Warrensburg.” I replied.
“Holy shit, no way.”
“Yeah, last time I checked.”
“My house is off Y highway. Do you know where that is?” Holy shit, he lives that close?!?!
“Haha. Yeah, yeah I do. I live off Y highway myself.”
“Damn, what a small world.”
“Right.” I said, chuckling.
"Well,” he looked over to Andy. He could see Andy was ready for our encounter to be over. “We have to go. But, if you'd ever like to hang out," he pulled a pen out off his pocket, grabbing my hand and scribbling something on it, "here's my number."

I stared down at my hands, and managed to make eye contact with Andy as he got into the driver’s seat of the black, Dodge Challenger that was parked a few spots away from mine. The same look filled his light blue eyes; he gave a half smile, and closed the door. The car's engine started up, and they drove off into the distance. As quickly as the encounter had begun, it had ended just as fast.

I stood by the light pole, half dazed, and trying to wrap my brain around the confrontation I had just had.

I walked over to my car, opening the door. I took the hoodie I was wearing off, revealing a black, loose fitting, crop top that fell off my left shoulder, and had the batman symbol on it. It showed my two belly button piercings, my hip piercings, the tattoo I had across my pelvis region, and a decent amount of my cleavage.

I was in short, black, denim shorts that barely went past the bottom of my butt, wide fishnet stockings, and loosely tied, black, fashionable, combat style boots, that had studs and rhinestones down the side. I was glad I at least had a decent outfit on today, and not my usual sweat pants, tank top, and no makeup, look.

I pushed my hair onto my back and climbed into the driver’s seat of my beautiful Mustang. I started it up, and the purring from under the hood sounded wonderful. I settled into the seat, shifted into first gear, released the clutch while giving the car gas, and took off.

The streets were surprisingly empty for a Friday night. I looked around as I drove around the big town. I witnessed a few loud bars, a lot of closed stores, and the strip club I used to work at. I cruised through the big town, just doing something to kill time-- I didn't want to go back to the dreary existence of my life just yet. For some reason I couldn’t shake the look that filled Andy’s eyes. The memory kept replaying in my mind, but I couldn’t understand why.

I had my window rolled down, playing music, and driving around. I spotted a Walmart, and decided to stop. I need to stop. I’m out of some of the essentials.

I was strolling through the aisles, looking for the makeup section. I found what I needed, paid, and decided to make my way home.

I lay in bed that night, fully awake, with the events of the day playing in my head over and over again. I occasionally glanced over at the cell phone that sat on my night stand. My fingers would slowly find their way over to it, picking it up, only to set it right back down again. I couldn't let myself call Ashley so soon.

When the thoughts of calling Ashley left, a scene from the ecounter entered. The moment Andy walked out of the doors and I heard his voice for the first time, it took my breath away; I knew his voice instantly. It replayed in my head as I just lay there, fully taken into the details that swirled in my mind. It was like being in a movie; it was so beautiful.

There was a yearning inside of me that night; an intuition that there was a reason our paths had crossed. I tried to push all the thoughts, and all the over analyzing of the situation and the details out of my head. My weary eyes slowly shut, and finally, I was wisp away to dream land; a land filled with many wonderful things.

Notes

Hello guys! This is my first fan fiction/story, so feedback is welcomed! I’ve worked very hard on this, and I shall be updating regularly, [most likely every day, or every other day]. I fell in love with fan fictions after the very first one I read; all of you writers are so very talented. If you have any questions, or anything at all, feel free to comment or chat with me. Also, F.Y.I everyone, (so it doesn’t confuse anyone); the words that are italicized are her thoughts. Enjoy! :D