Mega Mall Mega Problems - Part 1

 Mega Mall, Mega Problems

Lawndale didn’t have everything. That was the issue that had vexed Quinn Morgendorffer over the past few weeks. Of course, it had more things than Highland did (and she was thankful that her family had finally got out of that place).

 

“There’s that Mall of the Millennium,” her friend Jessie Brown suggested as they left the High School one Monday afternoon.

 

“I have heard of it,” Quinn admitted, “but isn’t it out of the State?”

 

“It’s only 100 miles away,” Jessie said.

 

“I suppose that isn’t too far,” Quinn decided. “I’ll see what my parents will say.”

 

“Good luck,” Jessie said. Quinn had told her what her mother was like.

 

 

It wasn’t just her mother Quinn had to think about. When she broached the subject at Dinner, it was her father who reacted to it first. “A hundred miles? To go to a mall? Dammit, there's a mall five minutes away!” he said, as he stood up.

 

“Sit down, dear,” her mother said. “We’re not going.”

 

“Oh!” he said.

 

Quinn tried another tack. “It’s not a mall. It’s a super mall! The Mall of the Millennium. Shop there forever!”

 

“Shop there forever? That doesn’t sound right,” her younger sister, Veronica interrupted.

 

“If you play that John Lennon song backwards, it says, ‘Imagine all the people, browsing in a mall.’ Isn't that weird?” Her older sister, Daria, said.

 

“It’s too far away, Quinn.” their mother said. “And you’ve done enough shopping for this quarter.”

 

“Mo-om! I need to know what’s out there.”

 

“No more malls until you bring up your grade point average!” her mother said.

 

“Exactly!” Her father said. “What’s wrong with her grade point average?”

 

Quinn sighed. Her grade point average was fine. It may not have been Daria’s 4.0, or Ronnie’s 3.6, but she was still doing well.

 

 

“So, they both said no?” Jessie asked.

 

“Yes! We may need to skip school later this week,” Quinn said quietly.

 

“DeMartino has one of his ‘surprise’ quizzes on Thursday. We could go then. I’ll call Josie and the other one and we can talk more tomorrow.”

 

“Sure,” Quinn decided.

 

 

The next Morning, Daria Morgendorffer met her friend Jennifer Burns on the way to School.

 

“So, Quinn tried to get us to go to that Super Mall. One time I do agree with both of our parents on something,” Daria said.

 

“Which Mall is this?” Jennifer asked.

 

“The Mall of the Millennium,” Daria answered. She then ran her hand through her short hair as a gesture of annoyance. ‘Hmm, probably time for a cut.’

 

“It certainly is a place where you can get things you can’t get here in Lawndale.”

 

“Then I don’t know why Quinn won’t just order them via one of those shopping channels, through Sears, or online.”

 

“It seems she just likes the actual shopping experience,” Jennifer responded.

 

‘Rumour spreads fast,’ Daria thought.

 

 

After the Economics class in which Mrs. Bennett had announced that the class was going on a field trip to the Mall of the Millennium, Daria had retreated to the Library. Jennifer found her intently reading from an Edgar Allen Poe story collection. “Daria?”

 

“I’m feeling quite like the guy in The Raven.”

 

“You lost Lenore?”

 

“More like, going ‘Nevermore’! I don’t like being manipulated. Mrs. Bennett twisted my words. I hate it when people do that!”

 

“So, you’re going to skip the field trip?”

 

“…Still is sitting above my chamber door. And my soul will be lifted. Nevermore,” Daria quoted. She closed the book. “No. I will need to go to gather more evidence against Ms. Li.”

 

“I still think a teen doesn’t need to do what you’re doing,’ Jennifer whispered.

 

 

Late in the afternoon. Quinn, Jessie and their friends Josie Black and Jamie White met in the Morgendorffers’ lounge room.

 

“So, we’re going to the Mall of the Millennium?” Josie asked.

 

“Yes,” Quinn answered. “But we need to organise a way to get there.”

 

“What about Xander Griffin?” Jamie asked.

 

“What about him?” Jessie asked.

 

“He hasn’t been shy about his interest in me,” Quinn explained.

 

“But are you sure you want to encourage him?” Jessie asked.

 

“I’ll have you three with me.”

 

“So, we’ll call him?” Jamie asked.

 

“Yes,” Quinn decided.

 

 

“Xander, phone,” Sam Griffin called.

 

“Who is it?” Xander asked his sister as he came down the stairs.

 

“It’s Quinn Morgendorffer,” Sam said. “Again,” she added in a playful tone.

 

Xander snatched the phone from her. “We’re not together!” he said.

 

“Yet!” Sam teased.

 

“You’re, like, impossible.”

 

Sam responded by poking her tongue out at Xander.

 

“Hello, Quinn?” Xander said.

 

“Hi Xander,” Quinn said. “My friends and I are going to the Mall of the Millennium on Thursday. Would you like to drive us there?”

 

Any excuse to skip school. He didn’t want to do DeMartino’s ‘surprise’ quiz! Boring! “I’m in,” he said, although he was sure there was a catch.

 

“Cool! It’s going to be great day,” Quinn responded.

 

“In what?” Sam asked, in her most annoying tone.

 

Xander gave a shooing motion, but Sam just sat back down at the other end of the couch. He rolled his eyes. “Who else is coming?”

 

“Oh, just myself, Josie and the other two.”

 

“That’s fine,” Xander said. He was sure he would be able to borrow his father’s car.

 

“See you Thursday, bye!” Quinn then hung up.

 

Xander hung up, and turned to Sam, whom he was sure had heard everything. “Don’t tell Mom,” he said, his voice low.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Sam said in a serious tone.