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Description
Valenthia stared at the full body mirror before her as she turned different angles to assess the currently chosen outfit: a sea-green flowy blouse and a black skirt that stopped just above her knees.
The young woman had spent the last two hours going through her meager wardrobe to find something suitable for the date later in the evening.
She smoothed down the blouse and pulled her wavy copper-dyed locks into different styles.
Dissatisfied once more with her choices, she removed the articles of clothing to lay them over a small hamper and went to her laptop to do more research.
She re-read a portion of the conversation she had recently with her soon-to-be date to see if she could find any more clues for what she should wear.
“It’s going to be a little chilly. I haven’t a clue where we’re going … I mean we talked about movies, places to eat, the mall … ” She shuddered visibly at the thought of the crowded mall and cast a glance at the hamper that held all the rejected clothing. “Suppose I shall go through them again in a different fashion.” She set to laying each piece out on her bed to mix and match.

Valenthia stood outside the entrance to the mall fiddling with the small dragon-shaped pendant on her necklace. The sound of the metal against the chain had a strange, calming effect on her nerves. Sharp deep green eyes surveyed the parking lot, trying to spot her date amidst the parked cars whose owners were making their way into the mall.
She looked down at her phone when she felt it vibrate gently against her fingers. “Just parked.” said the message that glared at her from the screen. She expelled a heavy sigh and looked up again, stuffing the phone into the shoulder bag hiding beneath her grey cardigan.
“It’ll be fine, I will be fine.” she whispered repeatedly to herself, taking in deep breaths through her nose to release them with each word in a small puff of cool air.
Her stomach knotted when a face she somewhat recognized came towards her dressed in a long black leather coat, scarf and dark blue jeans.
He stopped just short of her, peering down at her through eyes that reminded her of a piece of frosted glass behind his glasses. “Ah, might you be Valenthia?” he asked, a small smile curling his lips.
She felt her face flush. “Yes. Um … Jonathan?”
He nodded, his smile widening. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Shall we go inside? It’s a little nippy out here.”
She blinked in surprise when he quickly moved past her to pull open the door.
He gestured through the doorway. “Ladies first.”
She pulled her cardigan tighter against her body and walked forward. “Thank you.”

The pair conversed as they walked around the crowded mall, looking for any stores they would both be interested in exploring.
“So, where should we go to first? Are you hungry?”
Valenthia’s fingers unconsciously wrapped around her dragon pendant. Her stomach felt too knotted still to be hungry. She wracked her brain to remember which stores were in the mall. “Um...”
“We can walk some more until you think of something.” he said reassuringly.
“What about you?”
“I’m up for whatever you might decide.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “No preferences?”
“Well…” He started, looking thoughtful. “Anything to do with games or animals. Or food.” He shot her a lopsided grin.
Just as she was about to speak, someone bumped hard into her shoulder, sending her crashing into Jonathan. “Oof!”
“Hey, hey, watch where you’re going!” the person spat over their shoulder at the young woman before disappearing into the crowd.
Valenthia bit back a small sob and rubbed at her shoulder. She turned her head in surprise when she felt pressure about her back.
Jonathan, a look of annoyance to his features as he readjusted his glasses, pulled her close to him with his free arm. “Let’s move to a less crowded section.”
“Sorry.” she mumbled as she was guided into a small bookstore.
It was thankfully far less crowded, giving the pair some breathing room. They perused several sections, mainly the comic books. After picking out something for each, they sat down at a little table in the back to look them over.
“I know this hasn’t been very exciting so far.” Jonathan said apologetically over the top of his book.
Valenthia shook her head. “Oh. No, this is fine.”
“It’s a lot more crowded here than I last remember, but that’s been a couple years. Do you think you want to try heading to another part of the mall?”
“I know there’s a couple game stores and a pet shop near the back end.”
Jonathan’s eyes lit up at the mention of the pet store. “That sounds great.”
Valenthia had to bite the inside of her cheek to hide a smile at the sudden change of her date’s expression. She could not help thinking it was cute to see his eyes dancing with such delight.
“You know, I’ve always wanted a pet. Living here in the city, you can’t find too many places that let you have one, let alone exotics.”
She tilted her head questionably. “Exotics?”
“Yeah, like certain types of cats and dogs are considered exotic.” He dropped the book and pulled out his phone from the pocket of his jacket and started poking at the screen.
Valenthia leaned closer when he held it out to her. “Oh, that’s so beautiful!” she said upon seeing the pictures of bobcats.
“Yeah, and they bond super well with anyone and any creature they’re raised with. Isn’t that just awesome?”
She blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah!”
“That’s really cool.”
“Is there any animals you like in particular?”
Valenthia blushed slightly at the sudden question. “I’m particularly fond of um…” her voice trailed off, suddenly feeling like she would be judged for her answer. She dropped her chin towards her chest and folded her hands together.
Jonathan gave her a look of confusion but then quickly started sifting through his phone again. “Here, what about this? This is a pet fox playing in snow.” He presented her with his phone.
She watched the short video, stifling down a small giggle at the fox’s antics.
“You know … we should go see the pet store.”
She looked up and handed the phone back. “Yes, that sounds fine.”
He gave her a small wink. “I’ll make sure you don’t get bullied around.”
She flushed darkly and quickly got to her feet to hide her embarrassment.

Description
Valenthia stared at the full body mirror before her as she turned different angles to assess the currently chosen outfit: a sea-green flowy blouse and a black skirt that stopped just above her knees.
The young woman had spent the last two hours going through her meager wardrobe to find something suitable for the date later in the evening.
She smoothed down the blouse and pulled her wavy copper-dyed locks into different styles.
Dissatisfied once more with her choices, she removed the articles of clothing to lay them over a small hamper and went to her laptop to do more research.
She re-read a portion of the conversation she had recently with her soon-to-be date to see if she could find any more clues for what she should wear.
“It’s going to be a little chilly. I haven’t a clue where we’re going … I mean we talked about movies, places to eat, the mall … ” She shuddered visibly at the thought of the crowded mall and cast a glance at the hamper that held all the rejected clothing. “Suppose I shall go through them again in a different fashion.” She set to laying each piece out on her bed to mix and match.

Valenthia stood outside the entrance to the mall fiddling with the small dragon-shaped pendant on her necklace. The sound of the metal against the chain had a strange, calming effect on her nerves. Sharp deep green eyes surveyed the parking lot, trying to spot her date amidst the parked cars whose owners were making their way into the mall.
She looked down at her phone when she felt it vibrate gently against her fingers. “Just parked.” said the message that glared at her from the screen. She expelled a heavy sigh and looked up again, stuffing the phone into the shoulder bag hiding beneath her grey cardigan.
“It’ll be fine, I will be fine.” she whispered repeatedly to herself, taking in deep breaths through her nose to release them with each word in a small puff of cool air.
Her stomach knotted when a face she somewhat recognized came towards her dressed in a long black leather coat, scarf and dark blue jeans.
He stopped just short of her, peering down at her through eyes that reminded her of a piece of frosted glass behind his glasses. “Ah, might you be Valenthia?” he asked, a small smile curling his lips.
She felt her face flush. “Yes. Um … Jonathan?”
He nodded, his smile widening. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Shall we go inside? It’s a little nippy out here.”
She blinked in surprise when he quickly moved past her to pull open the door.
He gestured through the doorway. “Ladies first.”
She pulled her cardigan tighter against her body and walked forward. “Thank you.”

The pair conversed as they walked around the crowded mall, looking for any stores they would both be interested in exploring.
“So, where should we go to first? Are you hungry?”
Valenthia’s fingers unconsciously wrapped around her dragon pendant. Her stomach felt too knotted still to be hungry. She wracked her brain to remember which stores were in the mall. “Um...”
“We can walk some more until you think of something.” he said reassuringly.
“What about you?”
“I’m up for whatever you might decide.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “No preferences?”
“Well…” He started, looking thoughtful. “Anything to do with games or animals. Or food.” He shot her a lopsided grin.
Just as she was about to speak, someone bumped hard into her shoulder, sending her crashing into Jonathan. “Oof!”
“Hey, hey, watch where you’re going!” the person spat over their shoulder at the young woman before disappearing into the crowd.
Valenthia bit back a small sob and rubbed at her shoulder. She turned her head in surprise when she felt pressure about her back.
Jonathan, a look of annoyance to his features as he readjusted his glasses, pulled her close to him with his free arm. “Let’s move to a less crowded section.”
“Sorry.” she mumbled as she was guided into a small bookstore.
It was thankfully far less crowded, giving the pair some breathing room. They perused several sections, mainly the comic books. After picking out something for each, they sat down at a little table in the back to look them over.
“I know this hasn’t been very exciting so far.” Jonathan said apologetically over the top of his book.
Valenthia shook her head. “Oh. No, this is fine.”
“It’s a lot more crowded here than I last remember, but that’s been a couple years. Do you think you want to try heading to another part of the mall?”
“I know there’s a couple game stores and a pet shop near the back end.”
Jonathan’s eyes lit up at the mention of the pet store. “That sounds great.”
Valenthia had to bite the inside of her cheek to hide a smile at the sudden change of her date’s expression. She could not help thinking it was cute to see his eyes dancing with such delight.
“You know, I’ve always wanted a pet. Living here in the city, you can’t find too many places that let you have one, let alone exotics.”
She tilted her head questionably. “Exotics?”
“Yeah, like certain types of cats and dogs are considered exotic.” He dropped the book and pulled out his phone from the pocket of his jacket and started poking at the screen.
Valenthia leaned closer when he held it out to her. “Oh, that’s so beautiful!” she said upon seeing the pictures of bobcats.
“Yeah, and they bond super well with anyone and any creature they’re raised with. Isn’t that just awesome?”
She blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah!”
“That’s really cool.”
“Is there any animals you like in particular?”
Valenthia blushed slightly at the sudden question. “I’m particularly fond of um…” her voice trailed off, suddenly feeling like she would be judged for her answer. She dropped her chin towards her chest and folded her hands together.
Jonathan gave her a look of confusion but then quickly started sifting through his phone again. “Here, what about this? This is a pet fox playing in snow.” He presented her with his phone.
She watched the short video, stifling down a small giggle at the fox’s antics.
“You know … we should go see the pet store.”
She looked up and handed the phone back. “Yes, that sounds fine.”
He gave her a small wink. “I’ll make sure you don’t get bullied around.”
She flushed darkly and quickly got to her feet to hide her embarrassment.