Chapter 18: Post Apocalyptic

Amy laughed drunkenly.

She was with Elissa at the mall, and the two 14-year-olds were celebrating the coming of Winter Break with 20-ounce bottles of Coke mostly filled with some Vodka William had given them earlier. Amy had gone straight to her best friend's place after her dad went berserk, she broke down, and he took off. She hadn't wanted to be home when he got back. Besides, she and Elissa had planned to hang out that day, and he hadn't taken her money with him when he left so abruptly.

Might as well enjoy myself while I can, thought the girl.

Going to the mall had been her idea, too, once she'd arrived at her best friend's house. Amy didn't put it past her dad to come looking for her at Lessy's home and she didn't want to be there if he did. While there, though, the two teens had concocted this idea of getting drunk in public. It was something Amy had never done.

William hadn't even asked for a blowjob to let the teens raid his alcohol stash and 20-ounce bottles of Coke were plentiful in Elissa's family fridge. Her mom had agreed to drive them to the mall to "shop", oblivious to the fact that the Cokes the girls' drank in the back of her minivan were 60/40 mixes of Vodka and Coca-Cola. Since William would be picking them up later, getting trashed wasn't an issue, either.

Currently the two girls were stumbling away from the food court, alcohol laden Cokes clutched in their hands.

"Ooo, let's go sit by the fountain!" Elissa suggested giddily.

"Yeah!" Amy concurred, all thoughts and fears regarding her father now drowned in a sea of drunkenness.

The two girls made their way across the mall toward the water fountain at its core. It was a busy evening there, and the two teenagers giggled whenever they accidentally stumbled or bumped into other shoppers, which was often. They were pretty drunk already. Amy, who wasn't used to drinking hard liquor, was probably the drunker of the two. When they got to the fountain they immediately took a seat on one of the stone benches in front of it.

"I'm pretty wasted," Amy whispered loudly in her friend's ear.

Elissa laughed as though this was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "Me, too!" she agreed.

Amy heard someone yelling in her direction, and she briefly glanced across the way. Her eyes slowly focused on a girl roughly her age whom she didn't recognize. The strange girl yelled something again before moving excitedly toward her and Elissa. She had a shopping bag clenched in each hand and she was wearing very expensive designer clothes—it was the kind of outfit Amy only ever saw in magazines, actually. The girl's shoes alone easily cost $300.

She had long blonde hair and wide blue eyes. Currently she was smiling stupidly from ear to ear as she shrieked like an idiot. "Holly! Oh my God, oh my GOD!" Amy gave Elissa a wayward glance. Elissa was stifling a laugh. She found this stranger as ridiculously out of place in their presence as she did.

When the girl got to within a few feet of her and Elissa she stopped moving and instead began to bounce in place like a moron. "I can't-believe-you're-here! Oh my God! What are the odds?!? Like, I thought you were going to Aspen and like, my parents brought me to this lame place except, you know, we fly down to Florida on Monday, and can you believe how lame this mall is? God! What is up?!?"

Amy raised an eyebrow and took a long sip from her alcoholic-Coke. The longer she went without speaking the more this stranger's smile lessened. She caught Elissa grinning, making Amy grin, too.

"Do I know you?" Amy finally asked.

The girl laughed in disbelief. "It's me, Cassie! You know... ," she said, her voice trailing off. "Cassie? Like, your friend Cassie?"

"I don't know any Cassie," Amy said, trying not to giggle.

The girl's smile completely vanished at this point. She looked hurt. Finally she asked, "Like, why are you being like this, Holly?"

"Like, her name isn't Holly, you like, retard!" Elissa suddenly chimed in, mimicking the stranger's prep-girl voice.

The blonde girl looked briefly at Lessy and then focused on Amy again. She was forcing herself to laugh when she asked, "Uhm, is this a joke?"

"No joke," Amy said, a drunken grin on her face. "My name isn't Holly, and I don't fucking know you."

Elissa laughed at that.

"Oh," the girl, Cassie, finally whispered. She looked incredibly embarrassed suddenly, like she didn't know whether to just leave or to explain herself. Finally she added, "Uhm, you like, look just like this friend of mine..."

"Us redheads all look the same," Amy smiled, sounding sarcastic.

When the girl finally did turn around, Amy and Elissa burst into drunken laughter before she was ten paces away. "Blondes!" Elissa laughed. "I swear, I swear, it's not a stereotype!"

The two teenagers continued to laugh at the retreating prep-girl, who was obviously making a beeline toward the nearest store she might disappear into. Elissa continued to make derisive comments about "Cassie" but Amy's focus had settled onto a group of boys not far away.

"Hey, look," Amy said, her words slightly slurred. She'd already forgotten about the prep-bitch ditz who was almost out of sight by now. She was focusing her attention on a group of three boys sitting on a bench in the opposite direction. They were probably a year or so older than her and Elissa, and they were very cute, and they were very much trying to look like they weren't checking them out.

"Hmm, nice," Elissa purred. "What do you think?"

Amy grinned. "Let's go talk to them!" she suggested.

"Why Amy Torch!" Elissa exclaimed with mock surprise. "I've never heard you so forward!"

Amy giggled, but inside she felt sudden embarrassment. It was true: Elissa was usually the one to make such suggestions. In fact, Amy had always counted on it. But right now, after her scary blow-up with her dad, Amy felt compelled to take the initiative. She wanted to feel wanted, she wanted to feel desired. And these boys were checking her (and Elissa) out.

Fuck you, Dad, the drunk teen thought with a grin. Suddenly she said to Elissa, "Can't I be the slut for once? Let's go hit on them!"

Elissa grinned drunkenly in response. "I have a better idea," she said.

Amy was caught completely off guard when her best friend pressed her lips against hers. After being stunned momentarily she realized what her friend was up to. The two girls had never kissed in public before, and it was thrilling to suddenly do so. Plus, giving these boys a show—teasing them while pretending they weren't— was exciting!

If she'd been sober she might have been too embarrassed to continue. But the feeling of Lessy's tongue inside her mouth and the thought of defying her father even more drove her into a passionate frenzy. Soon the girls were eagerly going at it, hugging each other close and rubbing their legs together. Amy felt her heart rate increase dramatically as she ran her hands up and down her friend's back.

Elissa was the one to finally break off the kiss. The two were still holding each other, though, as they both looked back in the boys' direction. They—and possibly many others—had just witnessed the two 14-year-olds display of wanton affection. And as predicted, the three boys were practically salivating.

"They so want us," Elissa giggled as she gaily nibbled Amy's ear.

"Duh!" Amy replied breathlessly. "So what next?"

"We introduce ourselves, of course," Elissa said with a wink.

The two girls sat up and grabbed their coats. Elissa took Amy's free hand in hers as they sauntered toward the boys. It felt oddly erotic to hold her friend's hand like this as Amy followed Elissa's lead toward the boys. She was doing her best not to giggle as they got close to the teens, and the looks they had in their eyes was priceless.

"Hey," one of the boys, a tall and decently built brown haired teen, said. He was trying to sound casual, nonchalant. He almost pulled it off, too.

"Hey," Lessy replied with a grin. "What're you guys doing?"

"Just chilling," the same boy replied with a shrug.

Amy's face suddenly flushed red. It was all the drunk 14-year-old could do to keep from giggling. She felt silly all of a sudden, even if she was incredibly turned on.

"I'm Lessy," Elissa said, letting go of Amy's hand to offer a handshake.

"Adam," the boy grinned before shaking Elissa's hand. He thrust his head in his friends' direction and added, "these are my boys, Cameron and Judas."

"Judas?" Elissa asked, her eyes going wide with interest.

One of the two other boys, who had bleached white hair and pierced ears, grinned. "I know, betrayer of Christ, all that shit. My parents are fucking weird."

"Pretty cool," Elissa smiled at him. If Amy hadn't known better she would have sworn her friend was actually impressed.

"So you guys from here?" Amy asked after clearing her throat. She was trying to sound as sober and in control as Elissa, but the alcohol was really getting to her now. Also, the red-head was beginning to really see where this encounter might lead. The possibilities excited and scare the girl at the same time.

"Yeah," the boy named Adam said casually. "Well, not the city. We're from Twinsburg."

Amy cringed when he mentioned that suburb. In her drunken state it was hard to force away the recent memories of her trip there to meet her dad's boss, to get fucked by a d--

"Aim and I were thinkin' of sneaking into the old Penny's," Elissa said. This was news to her, but Amy nodded in agreement during the ensuing pause.

The JC Penny's store had been closed for six months—it was being converted into an area suitable for other, smaller shops, but construction had stalled a couple months back because the Cleveland City Council had basically decided the space was worth more money, or something. Amy wasn't clear on the details, but she did know that some of the kids from school had bragged about sneaking in there to get high. Neither she nor Elissa ever had, though, of that Amy was sure.

"Cool," Adam nodded. "Guys, whadda ya think?"

The two other boys nodded stupidly. Of course they'd love to sneak away someplace private with them, Amy thought with a drunken grin. However, she was getting even more nervous now. Not because of the guys anymore, but because of Penny's. What if they got caught? Wasn't that trespassing? The girl could just imagine being put in jail, having to call her dad to bail her out. The idea made her shudder all over.

"Let's go, then," Elissa smiled to the boys, Judas in particular, as she took Amy's hand in hers again and started to back away.

Soon the two girls, who were a good fifteen paces ahead of the slower, trying-to-be-cool boys, were getting close to the mid-level entrance of the giant, abandoned department store.

Amy whispered nervously to her friend, "Less, what are we doing?!"

"Shh!" Elissa replied. "It's okay, I think I know a way in. Just be cool."

Amy nodded, gulped, then gripped her friend's hand. Again it felt really good to hold hands with her in public like this, but her paranoia was ruining it this time. Paranoid of being caught trespassing, that is.

The large entrance of the J.C. Penny's had been dry-walled over. A giant sized font written across it read: "Coming Soon to the Cleveland Mall: Exciting New Shopping Opportunities!" To Amy it looked like a dead end. And thank God.

Not to Elissa, though. She gave Amy a wink as they waited for the boys to catch up and then said, "Okay, see that service door?"

Everyone, including Amy, looked where Elissa pointed. The girl then said, "One at a time, we go in. I'll go first. There's got to be an entrance to Penny's down that hall."

"What if it's locked?" the most nervous of the boys, Cameron, asked, echoing Amy's concern.

"Then we pick the lock!" Elissa said with a manic gleam in her eye. Even as she spoke she was backing away from the group, toward the service-entry door.

Amy looked around their surroundings anxiously. This end of the mall was pretty dead right now, and the few people entering and exiting the nearby shops didn't seem to notice the group of teenagers. And when she looked back toward Elissa she saw the plain door just closing behind her.

Amy weaved in the direction of the door suddenly. She was trying to walk straight but booze and nervousness kept her from doing so. Finally she threw the door open and went inside. The hallway was dark and narrow, and Amy squealed when Elissa poked her from the darkness.

"I found a way in!" she whispered. "Let's wait for the guys."

One by one the boys joined them. Adam was first, and he provided a lighter for a bit of illumination. Next came Cameron, who seemed out of breath and appeared as nervous as Amy felt. Judas entered only a moment after.

The five teenagers made their way down the hall with Elissa in the lead. She brought them all to another door only a short ways down. Amy could just make out her smile in the lone flame's light as her friend opened the door.

The J.C. Penny's Amy remembered from years past had changed. Instead of racks of clothing and jewelry laden counters there were stacks of cardboard boxes, empty metal clothing racks, and sawhorses set up here and there. The large empty space was lit up with what appeared to be the store's emergency lighting: basically it was dark except for some soft, yellow glowing here and there. It was dead. It was a relic.

"Whoa," Amy said softly, sure that her hammering heart could be heard by all.

"This is kinda creepy," Cameron whispered as the teens moved slowly into the store.

"I think it's pretty cool," Judas observed. "Sort of a post-apocalyptic department store, you know?"

The teens were basically quiet after that as Elissa led them further in. Amy came up next to her and was about to ask where they were going when her friend said, "There!"

She was pointing toward a dead, motionless escalator. Just beyond it, though, was an undisturbed register area. Amy immediately knew why her friend had decided on the spot, too. If they were sitting down inside the countered area no one would be able to see them. Other areas might be easier to hide in, but there was lighting here too, which was a big selling point.

Amy followed Elissa toward it. When they got up to the counter Elissa lifted up a dusty divider and entered the small space. Amy was just behind her, and soon the two teenage girls were sitting with their backs against the counter, the boys quickly snaking their way in behind them.

"We should be quiet, here," Elissa said softly to the group. "Just to be safe."

"I doubt security comes around often," Adam said, though he did keep his voice low. "I mean, if they were worried about security those doors would have been locked."

Everyone nodded. And no one else said anything. Amy's head sort of spun as moments passed in silence. Each teenager settled down into their place, including Amy, who found herself staring nervously across the way at the boys. What's next? was probably the question on everyone's mind, Amy's included. She looked toward Elissa for guidance.

"Anyone got a joint?" her Goth-garbed friend suddenly grinned.

"God damn I was hoping someone would ask that!" Judas exclaimed, a bit too loudly.

Everyone laughed softly. Amy watched with interest as the largest of the three boys, who was probably the oldest too, produced a pack of cigarettes from his jeans pocket. From it he pulled out a thickly rolled joint.

Amy hadn't smoked weed in a while but she figured, what the hell? When the doob made its way to her she took a long hit and then passed it to her left. After only a few trips around the circle of teenagers the joint had been reduced to a small, nearly unholdable roach.

"God," Amy said, keeping her voice incredibly soft. The weed had hit her hard. "I think I'm really, really, really drunk, Lessy..."

Everyone laughed at her words. She joined them, brushing her long red hair away from her face. She heard Adam ask, "You meant stoned, right?"

Elissa grinned and held out her bottle of Coke, which was just over half empty. "Nope, we're drunk, too!"

Amy passed her Coke, which was emptier than Elissa's, to Cameron while Elissa passed hers to Adam. Once again a drug went around the circle, but this time Amy didn't take part. She'd had enough Coke and Vodka to last her quite a while. Things were sort of spinning and though the weed had made her thirsty what she really wanted to drink was some water. Or orange juice! Yes, juice sounded great to the girl...

After both bottles were empty they were dropped to the floor and once again the teenagers didn't have much to say to one another.

"So," Cameron suddenly blurted. "Are you two like, lesbians?"

Amy started laughing uncontrollably. The question was so funny! Are we lesbians? she thought. Duh, I mean, no. Are we? No... so funny! Why would they even think that?!

"Just because we kissed a little bit earlier?" Elissa asked suggestively. Her eyes were only half opened and she was grinning slyly, Amy noticed. She was definitely as baked as she was, but more in control, too.

"Sorry," Cameron replied, obviously embarrassed.

"Noooo!" Amy exclaimed suddenly feeling bad for the boy. "No sorry, I mean, don't be! We're just... you know, friends!"

"Good friends," Elissa added.Judas grinned. "These guys are my good friends, too, but I'd never kiss 'em."

"Maybe you should," Elissa winked.

"No way!" Cameron exclaimed.

The boys talked over each other for a minute, and Amy watched them with fascination. Suddenly she felt Elissa slide up even closer to her and her attention went back to her best friend and her soft, tantalizing body.

"I was thinking," Elissa said loudly, though she was pretending as though the boys couldn't hear her, "maybe we should give these guys a show. You know? Show them that we really do dig each other, that we're not some posers..."

Amy grinned back at her friend. She did in fact feel like a poser in the presence of these older boys. More than that, though, the thought of making out with Lessy in front of strangers again was a huge turn-on. Especially when her drunken, stoned, teenage-mind remembered the things her father thought about her.

"You're mine!" he had said to her many times.

Not right now I'm not, the girl thought with drunken teenage rebellion.

"I dunno, Lessy," she played along suddenly. "They seem pretty cool... would they really wanna watch two 14-year-olds make out?"

"Shit, I'm only fifteen!" Cameron exclaimed.