Now, Check That

[Laurels]

Ok, two different calls of approval at varying degrees of excitement. Worked for Shoshanna.

"Alright, let's go with it," she said. "No need to waste any more time on this."

Shoshanna stepped back into the dressing room and changed back into her clothes. She didn't entirely love the dress, but if Marya and the shop girl told her it was good, then surely it was enough for her.

Once Shoshanna was changed, she walked over to the checkout counter.

"Marya, I'm buying it and leaving. Get your shit too."

"Okay, fine," Marya replied.

Shoshanna could see Marya scooping up a few accessories. She started to suspect her sister had already found an outfit or was just going to reuse one from a previous event. Whatever. She found an outfit that wasn't humiliating and she could reuse for at least three years or so. She was just ready to buy it and go.

[Maraoone]

Oh my god they were leaving. They were actually, finally leaving. This fucking forest nymph finally decided on something to wear once and then throw in the back of her closet. Never mind that Britnee would have done it much more justice tyvm, but it was done. She was done. They'd be out of here.

Britnee walked briskly towards the checkout counter, a bit of a pep in her step, smile on her face actually genuine, almost effortless. Never mind the smile lines, she'd get rich enough that she could probably fix those with a few bits of surgery in the future. She was Britnee, she could do it.

Head tilted, grin genuine, she spoke in a sing-songy tone.

"Alrighty, glad to see you've got everything you need. That'll be 10 dollars!"

[Laurels]

Shoshanna reached into her pocket and pulled her wallet out. She reached through and found a $20 bill to give to the girl.

As the girl made her change and bagged the dress, Shoshanna looked over to Marya.

"Marya, you ready?"

"No, I'm still making choices," she replied.

"Yeah, making choices is how life works," Shoshanna countered.

"Look, just wait outside," Marya told her sister. "I'll be quick."

Shoshanna sighed and took the change from the girl. Once the bag was on the counter, Shoshanna grabbed it.

"Thanks a ton," she said to the cashier. "This'll last me a few years."

Shoshanna turned to Marya.

"Ok, bye then!" she shouted to her sister.

Before she made her way out of the store, she turned back to the shop girl.

"Thanks again. See you at school."

Shoshanna made her way to the exit. It finally occurred to her that she went to school with the shop girl. Couldn't really remember her name at the moment, but yeah, she saw her in the halls and in various classes.

She seemed nice.

((Shoshanna Kowalczyk continued elsehwere))

[Maraoone]

"See you around!" Britnee said, waving them off, grin still on her face, almost effortless. Shoshanna and her sister had been the last customers for the day, so now she could finally finish folding clothes, checking inventory, pull down the shutters, go home, huddle in her bedroom, and then return to the group chat, her natural habitat, and find out whether Tiffany would settle down with Trevor or if she'd find some new baby daddy that didn't look like his face has been set on fire and put out with a fork. She was concerned for Tiffany, you see. She deserved better TBH.

It was while she was checking the money, shutting down the cash register and such that she realized that something she'd said sat odd in her mouth. That odd little feeling when you're not sure if you said something right, if you couldn't remember whether or not you said bye just once or if you did that weird awkwardish thing where you say bye, she says bye, and you say bye again.

See you around, she said... see you... around...

See you at school...

Oh.

Oh.

Grin stuck on her face, she retreated to the backroom where a pile of clothes remained, also waiting to be folded. She plunged her face into the pile and let the clothes muffle her scream.

((Britnee Joyner: pregame concluded))