Mega Mall Mega Problems - Part 4

It took a while but Mrs. Bennet had found the Mall executive offices. However, while the meeting started out well, it soon went downhill.

 

“How about you? How many times a year do you go to the mall?” one of the executives asked.

 

Daria could see through him and his colleagues. “Don't people usually get paid for participating in market research?”

 

“Research?” the executive asked in a strangled tone.

 

Mrs. Bennett interrupted. “Now, Daria, these busy executives have been nice enough to give their time to help educate us on mall economics. Tell us about flow, would you?”

 

“OK,” one of the executives said.

 

“I bet that is a two-way mirror,” Daria said.

 

“You don’t say,” Jennifer said. She reached for a light switch. “You mean if I do this…” She flicked off the light, revealing that the mirror Brittany had been posing and examining herself in front of was a two-way mirror.

 

“The focus group is, um, a very important tool in mall management…” another of the executives began.

 

“I feel used. I feel abused. I feel that this is not a fun mall after all and the media should be made aware of it,” Jodie said.

 

“Alright, little lady,” the first executive said. “Here is a coupon for a free frozen yoghurt.”

 

“Don’t insult me,” Jodie said.

 

“Make it a ten-dollar merchandise coupon?”

 

“It’s still an insult!” Brittany pointed out.

 

The executive covered his ear in discomfort at her shriek.

 

“Okay, a twenty-five-dollar merchandise coupon for everyone in the class.”

 

“You don’t get it. There is a principle involved,” Daria shot back.

 

“No, there isn’t,” Jodie said.

 

“So, much for idealistic youth,” Daria said.

 

“For twenty-five bucks...” Jennifer mused. “But this is something you can use!”

 

“Of course,” Daria responded. “But the blame may be placed on our Fuzzy Wuzzy Weebit loving teacher.”

 

“It’s a start,” Jennifer pointed out.

 

Daria gave a small smile.

 

 

“Definitely an insult,” Brittany grumbled as she left the office.

 

“What are you going on about?” Jodie asked.

 

“If I had known it was a two-way mirror, I wouldn’t have been posing in front of it!” Brittany answered.

 

“I see,” Jodie said. “There’s not much I can say, other than, be careful.”

 

Brittany nodded.

 

 

The class all looked at the coupons they had been given. “Scissor Wizard?” Daria wondered. “What is this?”

 

“The Doo Dad shop?” Jennifer wondered.

 

“Books by the Ton? Like I would want to go to a bookstore?” Brittany said, disappointed.

 

Mrs. Bennett then gave the class practical assignments to do. “Daria and Jennifer, you observe the traffic patterns at the food concessions. Jodie and Brittany, you will study and report back on shrinkage.”

 

“Understood,” Jodie said.

 

“Now, we'll meet back here at quarter to three. Remember, area F, section Moss, level three. Got it? F Moss Three.”

 

“Nothing to it,” Daria said.

“We should probably write it down,” Jennifer said.

 

“Definitely,” Daria said as she took out a notebook.

 

 

Xavier, Quinn and the Three Js entered the department store, but they found that it was a mess of aisles. “Is there a map for this store?” Xavier asked.

 

“We better turn around,” Quinn said.

 

“Are you sure?” Josie asked.

 

“Yes, we may find another way through from the entrance,” Quinn responded.

 

“A good idea, Quinn,” Xavier said.

 

 

Brittany looked at her coupon again. Books by the Ton. ‘Maybe I can turn this to an advantage?’ she thought as she twirled her hair. Despite her earlier outbursts, there were still subjects she was interested in. ‘But where is that store?’ She looked around as she twirled one of her pigtails. It would take forever to find it. ‘Maybe if joined with someone else?’ she pondered. She looked around, but there were very few of her classmates still in the area. Jodie had gone, but she did see Daria and Jennifer in the distance.

 

 

“You hear that?” Daria asked.

 

“Daria! Jennifer! Wait!” Brittany called as she ran up.

 

“Hi Brittany,” Daria said.

 

“Can I come with you?” Brittany asked.

 

Daria looked at Jennifer, who shrugged. “Sure,” she said. “But, why?” she asked, with confusion, while trying to ignore her pounding heart.

 

“Most of the others had gone,” Brittany answered. “Besides, I’d like to know you more.”

 

‘Of course,’ Daria thought.

 

“You can come with us,” Jennifer said.

 

“Thanks,” Brittany said.

 

“Just don’t ask too many questions,” Daria added.

 

“You mean personal questions?” Brittany asked with a twirl of one of her pigtails, “or questions in general?”

 

“The former I guess,” Daria responded.

 

“Right.”

 

 

Quinn and the others got back to the entrance of the department store. She asked one of the assistants for help.

 

“Sure, I’ll get a map for you,” she said. She grabbed a map from a counter nearby. “Here you go.”

 

“Thanks,” Quinn said. She then looked at it. “We turn right here, and go the next left, then the third left, then the second right.”

 

“Are you sure?” Josie asked.

 

“Yes,” Quinn said.

 

“There are other ways,” Xander said, after looking at the map himself.

 

“But that’s the quickest,” Quinn said.

 

“And we can look at clothes on the way,” Jessie said.

 

Josie and Jamie looked at her.

 

“What?” Jessie said.

 

“We can look at clothes later,” Josie said.

 

“We can look at some clothes,” Quinn said.

 

Xander sighed.

 

“Let’s go then,” Sam said in a bored tone.

 

 

Daria, Jennifer and Brittany stopped. “So many stores,” Daria said. “How are people supposed to choose?”

 

“Maybe they plan ahead?” Brittany asked.

 

“Only some would,” Daria said. “A place like this is meant to draw people in for the novelty of it.”

 

“I suppose so,” Brittany said after a brief twirl. She took out her coupon. “I got Books by the Ton. If we find it, we could stay there for a while.”

 

“Probably,” Jennifer said.

 

“Certainly,” Daria said with a blush. ‘I don’t know what book she would want to get. It would probably be one on cheerleading.’ She shook her head. It could be about anything to do with sports.

 

“Is it anywhere near here?” Brittany asked.

 

“We’ll need to look at a directory,” Jennifer answered.

 

“Of course.”

 

 

They soon found a directory. “Here it is,” Jennifer said. “D Tangerine Five.”

 

“D Tangerine Five,” Daria repeated. She wrote it in her notebook after the reminder of where to meet. “Done.”

 

“That’s a good idea, Daria,” Brittany said.

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

It took longer than expected for Xander, Quinn and her friends to leave the department store. Jessie had to try on a stylish tracksuit that had caught her eye.

 

“OK, we’re on track,” Quinn said as they left the store. “Now it’s a straight shot.”

 

“Good!” Xander said in a bored tone.

 

“We can look at more stuff later,” Jamie said to Jessie.

 

“No problem,” Jessie said, clutching the bag to her side.

 

 

“D Red Four,” Brittany said, twirling her hair.

 

“Not quite D Tangerine Five,” Daria remarked. “But we should be close.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be up another floor?” Brittany asked.

 

“I think so,” Daria said. She saw yet another escalator a dozen meters away. “Let’s go.”