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KAT
"NO- GET THAT OTHER END," Kat said, and Pawel quickly grabbed the other end of the metal roll-down cover, locking it in place.
In all honesty, Kat didn't know how she got as lucky as she was to have a job at Jazzercise. It was one of the most successful businesses at Starcourt, her and Pawel only worked five days a week, only taught a maximum of four classes per day, and most of the time they started past ten and were done with the day before five o'clock. That was why they were pulling the folding cover down to close Jazzercise far earlier than the rest of the stores.
"Got it," Pawel said, flipping the keys in his hand proudly. "You goin' home?"
"No," Kat sighed. "I've got...other responsibilities,"
"Damn," Pawel grinned at her, his blond hair in a man bun and a gray crop top barely covering half of his chest. "I was gonna offer to drive you,"
"Oh," Kat smiled sheepishly at what he was insinuating. "Other responsibilities,"
She repeated the phrase, nodding meaningfully until Pawel got it in his head that there was someone else in her life. His brownish eyes widened in understanding, and he leaned back a little, creating some more distance between them.
"Right. I'm sorry, I wasn't-" he said.
"Oh, no, no, it's totally fine!" Kat covered up. "Uh, you were great today,"
"Thanks," Pawel grinned. "You were amazing too, though you, uh, didn't do much,"
"I get it," Kat laughed. "You know the only reason Spinnet gave me the job was because I'm pretty and therefore invisible,"
"Woah," Pawel said, holding his roughened hands up. "That's a generalization,"
"Which is true," Kat said stubbornly, looking at Pawel until he gave up.
"Well, to change the subject," Pawel's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Did you see what Dorothy Yanke was doing during the three o'clock sesh?"
"Oh, my god. Yes," Kat's eyes widened in dramatic effect. "That bike's so rusty,"
Pawel laughed as a group of preteen girls ran past them, scrambling to Claire's. They walked to the escalators, chatting as they blended among the crowd. Pawel said goodbye to her as he walked to the entrance, but Kat turned the other way to the food court.
Jazzercise was exactly one floor and two stores to the right of Scoops Ahoy, aka Kat's favorite flavor ride of the entire mall. She walked across the wooden booths, highlighted with plastic lights that didn't work. A few cushions printed with gold pirate ship steering wheels and sails were pressed against people of all shapes and colors, a three-person line at the counter.
"G'day, sailor or sailorette, let us set sail on th- oh, thank god, it's you," Steve said in one breath, looking rather bored and tired, though he plastered on a smile.
