Anti-Heroine

The Shopping Trip From Hell

A/N: Again with the "none of the familiar names belong to me" nonsense oh and I am currently on oxycotin so please don't flame me for this chapter, I am a bit woozy.

The rest of the week was awkward. Ethan tried as hard as he could to entice Jessie out of her shell. He had even bought her a book, which she thanked him for. But she was obviously avoiding him. She didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know him, what his favorite color was, what made him happy, what made him tick, and more importantly, what books he read.

He didn't even seem to be a Darcy. And every girl wants a Darcy.

Every day and lunch, Molly and Lizzie forced Jessie to sit at the lunch table with the boys, and every day, Adrianne made a point to come by and drop not-too-subtle hints. Luckily, she was too much of a traditionalist to ask a boy out herself. That was beneath her. Lisa always looked apologetic that Adrianne had decided that Jessie was competition, but they were best friends.

Friday finally came around and Jessie was happy to leave the school. Ben was having a giant party tonight, but Jessie wasn't going, she hadn't been invited, but Ethan had. Somehow, that angered her, he didn't play football, and he was new. How did he get an instant in with the populars?

Walking out of school at three, Jessie heard someone call her name. She turned to see Ethan jogging after her. Ugh.

"Hey, wait a second Jessie," he said.

Jessie stopped, she may be nervous but she wasn't rude. Ethan didn't make her feel comfortable, she was like this with all unknown people, but he made it worse. She waited for him to speak.

"Are you going to Ben's tonight?" he asked.

Shaking her head profusely, she refused. "I wasn't even invited."

"You don't have to be invited to go, anyone can come."

Great, newbie just took a step up in the popularity rung. "I couldn't do that, plus if I was there, I am sure I would end with up a drink in my lap just like the mashed potatoes that ended up there last time I sat next you at lunch." She replied quietly. 

That was probably the longest thing she had ever said to him, let alone the first real conversation they had had.

"Oh," he said, disappointment showing in his green eyes, "I was hoping to have a buffer from her." There was no need to explain, they both knew who it was.

Jessie had thought that Adrianne was advancing in her seduction of Ethan, which somehow disappointed her. He had been the first one to deny Adrianne an accessory. "Sorry."

Ethan opened his mouth to say something when Lisa and Adrianne also emerged from the school. Glancing at them, Jessie waved a good bye to Ethan. She couldn't help but feel a pang of anger, at both the red haired beauty and the new kid. She had never had problems with people in school before, she was a drifter, no enemies, and no real friends, except Lizzie. But this boy had changed that, Adrianne was cold to her, and Lisa was distanced, at Adrianne's orders. But, Ethan had brought her the friendships of Molly, Paige, and Emma, to whom she had been anonymous to before.

No matter how she looked at the situation, it didn't change. There was no way out, Ethan didn't like Adrianne, and Adrianne wasn't giving up until she had him. This year would suck, big time, and hopefully, they would get a new kid next year for her to pounce on.

Jessie drove home listening to the Jack Johnson c.d. that Lizzie had left in her car, she wasn't a big music fan, but Jack Johnson was an artist that she actually liked. Why couldn't some boy make her banana pancakes? Lost in her thoughts, the fifteen minute drive home flew by, which meant, shopping day was coming closer.

As she opened the door, Jessie realized she had yet to ask her mother's permission to go to the mall tomorrow. That was her out, she wouldn't have to go, and it was too last minute. Suppressing a cheer, Jessie put her bag down and went upstairs to take a shower and curl up with an old favorite book. Preferably The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, she could use some Richard Selwick.

"Jessie, I'm home, help me start dinner." Her mother yelled up the stairs, "Your father is going to home from the convention today."

Running downstairs, Jessie realized that, this week may have been horrible, but two good things would happen tonight. Her mother would ban the shopping trip, she was grounded after all, and her father would be home. Impressive Dr. Sanders had been in New York, giving a speech on oncology at NYU. "Ok mom, what are we making?"

"Veal parmesan, you can start on the pasta and salad," she replied. They both were in an unusually happy mood, Jessie's father was the glue that held the family together, and kept the women from each other's throats.

The two attempted small talk, discussing the week, making more effort than normal. They were elated by the return of the patriarch and were less frosty towards each other. Jessie thought that it would be the perfect time to bring up the trip to the mall. "Mother, Lizzie invited me to go to the mall tomorrow, but I am grounded so I told her I would probably not be able to go."

Her mother smiled, she wanted Jessie to be like what she had been in high school, a socialite, just as she was today, "But Jessie, you are only banned from the book store, which I did in hopes you would socialize for once."

Grimacing, Jessie wished she has never brought it up. Tomorrow was going to be painful. She busied herself with dinner, looking forward to seeing her father and the presents he would bring.

"My two girls where are you?" The booming voice rang out through the large house. It belonged to Andrew Sanders, the famed oncologist, standing over 6 feet tall he had silver hair and a stature that fit his voice, broad shoulders, and a face that had been handsome in his youth.

"Daddy!" Jessie said happily, running into the foyer to help him with his bags. She never understood how this amenable man, much like Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice could have married her ice queen of a mother. "How was your trip?"

"Just fine, I will tell you over dinner." He replied.

Jessie went back into the kitchen and set the table before bringing out the salad bowl and spaghetti. Her mother followed with a plate of veal parmesan and the family began to eat.

"Now, I know you two don't care about the lectures I gave or the boring people I met, just presents right?"

Jessie smothered a grin, her father knew best.

"Ah well, for you by dear wife, I brought this." The man said producing a burnt orange box displaying Hermes across it.

"Oh you shouldn't have," Susan Sanders responded in a simpering tone. Maybe that was why Jessie's father had married her, she could see a small glimpse of it every once in a while.

"And you, darling daughter, this." He handed over a heavy box, without any words or hint of what it might be.

A gasp escaped Jessie when she realized what it was, a leather bound copy of Mansfield Park. She was so excited that she rushed over to her father's side, enveloping him in a hug.

All was well in Sanders land. Her parents didn't care what she was doing tonight, or for the rest of weekend, and Jessie didn't mind. After dinner, they went to their respective bedrooms, to do whatever pleased them.

"Jessie, get up, get up!" a happy voice said, making Jessie's bed jump.

"Uhmulf" responded Jessie, she was still registering the voice and hoping she wouldn't have to wake up.

Lizzie's smiling voice peered down at her and peeled off her covers. "Into the shower you go, we have a long day ahead of us, and, I brought you Starbucks." She said, brandishing a frappicino, which she whisked away before Jessie could grab it. "Tsk, tsk, not until you are dressed and ready to go.

Jessie stumbled to the bathroom, awakened by the desire for caffeine. Lizzie, meanwhile, was going through Jessie's clothes, attempting to find something slightly fashionable for Jessie to wear.

As Jessie emerged from the shower, Lizzie shoved clothes at her. She had found the secret stash of clothes that Mrs. Sanders bought for Jessie that Jessie never wore. Shortly after, the petite brown haired girl emerged from the bathroom wearing an ensemble that was actually fashionable and form fitting. A pair of Seven skinny jeans, grey converses, and a tunic tank top from Anthropology. "Now, give me the Starbucks, and I won't hurt you for making me wear this."

"Yay, you look adorable," Lizzie responded, she was, of course dressed in jeans, boots, a thermal shirt, and a cropped vest. She couldn't have displayed her alternative fashion sense any other way. "Now, let's get going, you, need a new wardrobe."

Jessie was drug to the car and shoved in, iced coffee drink in hand, and driven to the local mall, about 30 minutes away. She still wasn't functioning properly until they arrived. "Oh god why did I- Is that Molly?"

"Yea, I invited her, she has killer fashion sense." Lizzie said.

"Hey guys!" Molly responded.

Oh great, two chipper morning people who like shopping. Hello hell, Jessie thought.

After hours of trying on clothes and attempting to make her own style, Jessie was tried and grumpy. She didn't want to see anyone, she didn't want to talk to anyone, and she most definitely didn't want to talk to Lizzie and Molly, who were the people putting her through this hell.

"Ok Jessie, let's go to Urban Outfitters, I swear it will be the last store," Lizzie said.

"Urg," was Jessie's only response. She already had been outfitted in what Lizzie and Molly were calling an indie/preppy style. Skinny jeans, converses, khakis chords, tunic tops, sweaters, and polos made up the most of the bags she was carrying.

"We swear we won't make you try anything on, it's just for us!" Molly happily added. These two liked shopping way too much. "Well, maybe some cute accessories, and leggings to go with those two new miniskirts."

Wandering into the store, the three had linked arms, much to Jessie's disliking, she wasn't in a friendly mood, she didn't really know Molly all that well, and she hated acting like an annoying teenage girl, who giggled far too much.

The top floor consisted of the women's clothes which was where the girls were meandering through, while the bottom floor held house goods and men's clothes. Jessie had been looking at the brightly colored patterned leggings and tights, thinking she could wear those miniskirts if she was covering her legs, when she heard a few familiar guffaws. She looked over the railing to the bottom floor and recognized a group of boys, Brian, Kevin, and, of course, Ethan.

Looking behind her, Jessie found Molly and Lizzie. "Come on guys, let's go." She said, hoping they would leave.

"But we just got here, plus, we need to buy a few things too you know," Molly said loudly, attracting the attention of the boys downstairs.

"Is that you Molly?" Brian shouted up.

"Oh god, hide me," Jessie said, attempting to make her way towards the dressing rooms, or at least one of the full racks of clothes.

"Of course cupcake, and Lizzie and Jessie are here too," she responded as Brian made his way of the stairs, while Jessie had been attempting to signal Molly not to mention her name.

Brian smiled to Ethan, what a chance to get these two together. The trio finally made to Molly where Lizzie greeted them too, asking Molly's opinion on a dress she had on.

Whistling, Kevin smiled at Lizzie, "So where is Jessie?" he asked.

"Oh hiding behind that stack of clothes," she responded, waving her hand in Jessie's general direction.

Jessie blushed and stood up, "I am not hiding, I was uh, looking at these shirts down here."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, and Jessie flushed a deeper shade of red.

Lizzie took charge, "Well, let's just buy these things and then go to the food court for some Auntie Anne's pretzels."

"Sounds good to me," Ethan responded for his group. They awkwardly waited as the girls paid and grabbed their bags.

Wandering down the halls towards the food court, Brian attempted to start conversations. "What are you girls doing at the mall today?"

"Buying Jessie a new wardrobe," Lizzie responded. Jessie was ignoring the boys, hoping to fade in the distance of their reality.

The group got to Auntie Anne's, ordered pretzels, and grabbed a giant table. Molly and Brian were getting through their slobbery kiss moments, Jessie was staring blankly at her food, Ethan was staring at Jessie trying to figure out something to say, and Lizzie and Kevin were staring at Jessie and Evan, trying to telepathically send conversation starters into their heads.

"So, Ethan, Jessie got some really cute new clothes today," Lizzie said enticingly.

"What sorts of clothes did you get Jessie?" Kevin added, trying to set an example for the two.

Jessie didn't even look up, "Just clothes."

This was going nowhere. The two were two stubborn and shy to speak to each other. Ethan's momentary bravery at the beginning of the week had already been squashed, a man could only try so hard.

"Well," Molly said, once she had gotten her fill of kisses from Brian, and awkward silences from the rest of them, "we had better get going girls."

"Oh yea, we do have something else to do don't we," Lizzie said, jumping up after checking the time on her cell phone.

Dragging Jessie with them, who was all too happy to leave the dreaded mall, the other two said adios to the boys and headed towards the cars. "Thanks for making up an activity guys," Jessie said.

"Oh we weren't making it up," Molly said, "You have a hair appointment at Pierre's in ten."

Jessie blanched. She hated hair dressers, they talked way too much and always wanted personal information.

"Pierre darling," Lizzie said as the girls entered the salon.

A flamboyantly dressed skinny Frenchman entered into Jessie's view, wearing a leopard print shirt, tight jeans, and frosted tips on his honey blonde hair, he was most definitely gay. "What are we doing today Lizzie?"

"Oh, we are giving this girl here," she said, pushing Jessie forward, "A new look."

"Well I must get to work then." He responded, whisking Jessie off to a chair where he could begin to work.

Molly and Lizzie sat down ready to wait for two hours with magazines, chatting while piecing through them.

A while later Pierre was ready to show them what he was calling his latest creation. He had seated Jessie behind a screen, with a covered mirror, she would see her new hair at the same moment her friends did.

He peeled back the screen and tore off the clothe covering and all three girls gasped. Jessie was sporting a blowout layered cut with honey blonde highlights and auburn lowlights, with fashionable straight bangs. She looked like the kind of girl boys would turn their heads and look at.

"Oh god," Jessie muttered.

"Oh yes," Lizzie responded.

"I cannot wait for you to show this off in school," Molly gleefully exclaimed.

"And I am coming over on Monday, early, to help you put together an outfit and some makeup." Lizzie said.

Jessie was guessing that next week was going to be worse than this one. Adrianne would think she was trying to get Ethan, Ethan would look at her longer, and so would all the other boys. This was not good at all. She had no interest in this Clueless style makeover.

A/N here it is, in all it's oxycotin glory. I shall leave you to put icepacks on my face and take my antibiotics and read some more cheesey fictionpress style romances, oh and watch my tenth movie of the day, please read and review!

Special Thanks to: XxBREAKxXxMYxXxHEARTxX and Shadowgirl618 for reviewing!