In a flurry of excitement and nerves, Sarah slipped into the denim mini dress Mrs. Mara bought for her, pairing it with Nike Airforce sneakers and a pink cross-body bag. She had prepared for this moment, and it didn't take long for her to finish dressing.
Arriving at the mall, she felt a mix of happiness and sadness. Her little brother wasn't there with her, and the weight of her nerves pressed down on her. She had never tried so hard to get someone's attention. As she walked into the mall, her steps faltered, uncertainty creeping in.
The mall had always been a place of joy for her. Memories flooded back of her parents, alive and vibrant, taking her and her little brother out on Sundays. They would visit amusement parks, attend family gatherings, or simply stroll through the mall, which had always been her favorite.
The smell of fresh popcorn wafted from the theatre, and the distant laughter from the arcade filled her with nostalgia. Bright, colorful signs reflected in her glasses as she searched for Victor, her mission clear: to find Victor and bump into him.
As she wandered through the mall, her heart raced with each passing moment. She spotted a group of teenagers laughing near the food court, their carefree joy contrasting sharply with her anxious demeanor. She took a deep breath, reminding herself of her brother's health.
She continued to scan the faces of the passerby, searching for him. Then she spotted him.
She had a picture of him, a snapshot that Mrs. Mara had sent her just a day before.
"Charcoal grey eyes, short curly brown hair, strong jawline, and an imposing tall stature. Look at those broad shoulders. Got ya!" she whispered to herself, a smile creeping onto her lips.
Victor stood a feet away, engaged in a conversation with a man who appeared to be in his sixties. They shared a warm rapport, laughter punctuating their dialogue. Sarah watched as Victor smiles, his eyes lighting up, while the older man affectionately patted his shoulder.
But Sarah knew the man couldn't be his father as she had been briefed of his tragic loss. "Could that be his uncle?" she muttered, curiosity piquing her interest.
Time seemed to stretch as she waited for their conversation to conclude. The vibrant mall buzzed around her, but all she could was focus on Victor. She felt a mix of excitement and anxiety, her heart pounding in her chest. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the men bid each other goodbye.
As the older man walked away, Sarah took a deep breath, ready to follow Victor's every move. She needed to find the right moment to bump into him, to make her presence known. But the right moment seemed to take forever to arrive.
Just as she was about to lose hope, she saw a blonde girl approach him. The girl was striking, with cascading waves of hair and a confident stride. Victor's body language shifted: he tried to sidestep her, but she was relentless, her smile wide and inviting.
Sarah felt a surge of fury at the sight. The blonde girl leaned in closer, her laughter ringing out like a siren's call, trying to draw Victor into her web. Sarah clenched her fists, her heart racing not just from the thrill of the chase but from a sudden, unexpected jealousy.
Victor's eyes darted around, looking for an escape, but the girl was adamant, her voice sweet and persistent. Sarah's mind raced. This was not how it was supposed to go. She had envisioned a chance encounter, a moment where their eyes would meet, and the world would fade away.
Following a lengthy exchange between Victor and the blonde girl, Sarah finally began her task immediately after the blonde girl stormed off in frustration.
With determination, Sarah walked behind Victor, her heart pounding in her chest. Just as he turned to leave, she bumped into him, feigning a stumble. She held her right shoulder, wincing as if she were genuinely hurt. But instead of concern, Victor shot her a glare that could freeze fire. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Sarah feeling a mix of anger disbelief.
"I know I intentionally did that, but he could have at least said 'sorry'" she whispered to herself, frustration bubbling within her. She couldn't let him walk away like that. She needed to get his attention.
With a burst of courage, she hurried after him, grabbing his hand to stop him. "You could have at least said sorry!" she blurted out, her voice trembling slightly.
Victor turned to her, his eyes narrowing. "What will my sorry do to you?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" Sarah shot back, her cheeks flushing with indignation.
"Look, I don't have time for this stunt you're trying to pull right here, so just get the hell away from my face," he yelled, his voice echoing in the mall.
Sarah was momentarily speechless, her mind racing for a retort. But then, the unexpected happened. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she thought, 'Oh my God! Am I going to cry? Oh no! Not now!'
"Are you crying?" Victor's voice cut through her thoughts, and she quickly wiped away the tears that had started to roll down her cheeks.
"Oh my God! Miss 'I want a sorry' here is crying. Wow! All this charade for a mere sorry?" he chuckled, tilting his head to one side, a smirk playing on his lips.
In that moment, something inside Sarah snapped. "You know what? You can keep that apology to yourself, I'm listening to your nonsense!" she snapped back, the words spilling out before she could stop them.
Relief washed over her as she let out the tension, but she could feel Victor's eyes narrowing, his expression shifting as he looked closely into her eyes. Realizing the gravity of words, she quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any of those things I said."
"Sorry," he replied, his tone flat.
'Did he just say sorry?' she wondered in her head, her heart racing.
"I'm sorry about your shoulder," he added, pointing at her should er with a hint of sincerity.