Anonymous

Part X - Shopping For Halloween

Nat and Nessa had been playing one hot summer afternoon (actually Nessa had been teaching her friend how to play baseball and introducing some self-invented terms alongside to give more emphasis to her knowledge).
Natalie Verona only followed as per what Nessa said, recited definitions of Grand Slam Double and Hidden Hat trick and unsuccessfully tried to swing a bat (and missing the ball everytime, much to Nessa's annoyance).
"Nat! This is not lacrosse! You don't hold the bat up so high! Put it low to the ground." Nessa shouted.
"That way I can't be flexible; and you throw the ball very faraway from where I position my bat." Natalie complained.
"I am doing my job perfectly fine." Nessa insisted proudly. "You need to learn to position your bat nicely."
They played another series of I-throw-and-you-hit, and it was then that Natalie had a sudden outburst of nose-bleeding.
Nessa was scared out of her wits at seeing Natalie with one, and within seconds transformed from the haughty baseball instructor to a dumb, helpless girl with a friend who required medical attention.
Under limitless stress with obvious difficulty, Nessa somehow managed to get Natalie back home, the child's head raised high, with a weak arm draped around her best friend for support. Nessa might as well have carried her all the way home.
As soon as an adult jogger saw them - a fierce, yet pale, ten-year old girl carrying her fragile, blonde and bleeding friend, he provided the children the rest of the help they needed.
Natalie's mother was given a call; the jogger guy helped Natalie into a comfortable posture, gave her a drink of a water, and so far even carried her inside a building (with a possessively-jealous Nessa trailing them) so that the girl could lie down.
Natalie's dad - as she had told - was out of the town most of the time (for work purposes), so Mrs Verona arrived to tend to her daughter.
Thankfully by then Natalie was slightly better, and the bleeding had comparatively lessened.
Mrs Verona thanked the jogger immensely, and then took both the girls in her car. She dropped Nessa at her house with a few words of thank you for helping her daughter, and then probably took a sleepy Nat to the doctor.
At any case, Natalie didn't come to school for the next two days, and Nessa - without her only friend - began to form some rather terrible theories on what all could've happened. She waited at the school gates everyday, hoping that Natalie would arrive, but had to leave with an unsatisfied heart like always.
On Thursday when Nat finally did make her appearance, Nessa ran through the irate crowds of other children entering and wrapped her platinum-haired friend in a tight embrace.
"Oh my god, Nat, where the hell had you gone?!" Nessa exclaimed.
"I was in my home all the time - just slightly unwell." Natalie replied.
"God! I missed you so much! I'm so sorry! I forced you into my stupid baseball classes, when you were . . .not so well."
Nat laughed. "I don't believe I'm hearing an apology from you."
Nessa smacked her in a friendly manner on the arm, and then admitted "I don't believe that either."
"So, that means no more baseball classes now?"
"Uh...I'll think about that." Nessa joked.
And it was since that day that Nessa - who had thought herself as some kind of a strong badass woman who wasn't dependent on anyone - had a glimpse of the consequences of being dependent on someone. Knew how truly dependent she was on some fragile yet intelligent blonde artist girl.

Sundays in Wiscott's Academy took pity on the students, and gave them the liberty of not having to attend regular classes; and especially on this one, many were leaving the campus to visit the downtown markets.
Nessa learnt later that it was because of the much-needed Halloween shopping which everyone had prioritised before homework and extra classes,
Well, to be honest, Nessa was probably not going to the party afterall (and if she was, she had clothes good enough for that). But just as an excuse to explore what was outside the school campus, she pulled on some heavy coats and set out.
The uniform path of students walking down the mountain streets told her exactly where she was supposed to go, and after a half-mile walk, Nessa could finally see the shops beginning.
For a not-so-developed town in Wyoming, the Jackson markets weren't bad. There were all sorts of things you'd want - perfumes, china cutlery, carpentry tools, fast food, romantic coffee shops, florists, bookstores, and then of course the fashionista pavilions (glass doors that gave passer-byes a glimpse of the exotic gowns inside, and aisles inside lined with an array of silk, sash, chiffon and lace).
She sauntered around, killed time exploring dress shops and boutiques in sly envy and for fun, hit Titania with a paper ball (and scuttled away before she could figure out the culprit).
While fast-walking away from Titania with a smile of cruel victory, Nessa practically bumped into a girl - actually, the girl, the one with messy red hair who had explained her about the Halloween party in the art room the other day.
"Oops! Sorry!" The girl called out merrily, and Nessa saw that she had just exited a store carrying a bundle of chart papers under her arm.
"'Ts okay." Nessa muttered, and wanted to brush past and continue her solitary journey to nowhere, when the girl stopped her with a "Hey. I remember we had a slight conversation the other day. You might not remember me, and trust me, I do not blame you either."
"Eh, no; I do remember, actually."
"Sorry, I never got to introduce myself; I'm Kate. Kate Thorne." And she raised out her hand in a friendly manner, clumsily dropping a roll of chart paper on the pavement while doing so. "Oops." Kate whispered.
Nessa shook her hand, and replied "Vanessa Orville."
"Nice to be acquainted. I assume you've come to shop?" Nessa wanted to reply that she hadn't, and was merely faffing around, but Kate didn't wait for a reply "Well, because I know the best places to get the awesomest clothes at pretty reasonable rates. And, because I've come here for the same purposes. Wanna join me?"
"Um, actually I'm just . . .wandering around. I may not turn up for the party afterall." Nessa admitted.
"Well, I'm sure you'll change your mind today once you come along and have a look at all the wonderful dresses, decorations and all our plans for this year's party."
"I'm very sure I wouldn't change my mind." Nessa muttered, but got pulled along by Kate anyways.
Kate was a sophomore, and apparently some kind of an art geek. She was very casual and friendly with Nessa all the time, and in fact showed the younger girl some pictures of her works. Nessa had to say that her portraits were quite life-like and realistic; the girl did have quite a lovely potential for art. But like everytime, it only reminded Nessa all the more about Natalie and her vivid interest in art.
The two girls explored a few clothes' boutiques, and in each one Kate tried on a billion dresses and asked Nessa to pass the verdict, which usually went like -
"Ta da da! Ta da ta da! Do I look sexy?"
"The skirt is too long, and that drowns the sexiness."
"Okay, how about this one?"
"The colour doesn't suit you."
"Well, now let's admit this looks fantastic."
"Get a bigger size; it's too tight."
"Should I get this one?"
"Duh, it's a teenage Halloween party, not my grandmother's funeral."
"This one's perfect, isn't it?"
"Too obscene."
"Well, now don't I look a goddess?"
"You might, if you change out of the outfit."
"Please don't reject this dress!"
"Rejected."
Ultimately though Kate finally bought a purple lace dress - fitting, with a window at the back. She urged Nessa to go get something because a good outfit gave you a good standard in the Halloween party, but Nessa refused.
She had clothes to wear; buying from these shops would be quite useless.
The girls had frappes from a Starbucks, where the cashier seemed to have a small crush on Kate (and clever Kate did use it to get some extra cocoa on her frappe).
Nessa and her friend (she guessed) had to part finally when Nessa decided to climb up on the branch of a thick and very cool-looking tree, and Kate had to go back to the building to finish the posters.
Beholding the view of the lakes and hills below, Nessa was practically lost inside her own thoughts - and in the buzz of the people beneath her - when she heard someone whistling in amusement from below.
"Hey Nathan." She greeted slyly.
"'Sup, nice view up there, I presume."
"Indeed. Wanna join?"
"Maybe another day." He replied. "Who's taking you to the Halloween party by the way?"
"Are you asking me?" Nessa meant it with a mocking essence, but Nathan Davis seemed serious when he replied "I was considering it."
"I'm not going at all."
"Come on, no one doesn't go to the Halloween party in Wiscott's Academy. You're missing out on a lot if you are already firm about your decision." Why does everyone say that same fricking line?!!
"What is so special about this event anyway?" Nessa asked annoyedly.
"Say yes, and you'll know."
"Okay, so you're actually serious about taking me to the party?"
"I am not a very good prankster, trust me."
"I'll think about it, Nathan."