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Post by Golem on Jun 18, 2023 14:10:14 GMT -5
| WHEN I WAKE UP, I'M AFRAID, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT TAKE MY PLACE... |
Adam took a step into the mall and stopped short at the sheer size of the place.
Olivia crashed into his back. "Hey, buddy, keep moving," she said, squeezing in around him and tugging on his arm to get him to move forward once more. "You can't block the entrance, especially on a Saturday morning. Haven't you ever been in a mall before?"
"No," Adam said, keeping pace with his housemate.
Olivia glanced back at him, her eyebrows raising in apparent surprise at his response, and she used her free hand to pat his arm. "Well, then. Didn't expect that, gotta say. Don't worry, you're not figuring this out alone."
"Thank you," Adam murmured, and he let Olivia take the reins for their shopping excursion.
Armed with the money that Todd had given them for Adam to expand his wardrobe, Olivia led Adam into a couple of stores that, according to her, boasted the current fashions for their ages. Adam wasn't quite sure about any of it, but she helped him pick out some jeans and shirts that fit well and were comfortable.
At one point, however, Olivia directed him to a shoe store and said, "You should be able to get shoes yourself. I have to do a bit of personal shopping, but I'll meet you back here, okay? Try to find at least a pair of comfortable sneakers. And don't let the employees try to sell you any extra add-ons. No one ever needs a bag of extra aglets."
Adam didn't know what aglets were and he didn't have a chance to ask as Olivia gave him a gentle shove in the direction of the shoe store before she briskly walked towards a shop that had images of women in their underwear in the windows.
Adam glanced back towards the shoe store, took a deep breath, and walked in. He was greeted rather quickly by an employee that started rattling off a few sales they were having before Adam could get a word in edgewise. When the employee asked if Adam was looking for anything special, Adam took a moment before remembering to say, "Sneakers."
He was directed to an aisle and left alone among the stacks of shoeboxes. He stood there, briefly wondering if he was allowed in that store with the underwear-clad women to go and find Olivia to tell her that he tried. Maybe she'd believe the shoe store was out of sneakers.
Sat. July 22, 2023 | 407 words | Andrew Harvey | Yay for seeing Andrew for the first time! LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Andrew Harvey on Jun 18, 2023 21:34:35 GMT -5
245 words | Golem | Glad to bring Andrew to life! Andrew bounced on his toes, trying to get a feel for the new pair of shoes currently on his feet. His mother had complained enough about his old pair of brogues (it's not his fault that she insisted on having her coworkers over for luncheons in the summer, despite his certainty that they were not judging him based on his footwear) that he figured he may as well get a new pair sooner rather than later. He'd have plenty of time before school to break them in and scuff them up a bit, after all.
He was walking around one of the cramped areas of the shoe store near the window (and almost tripped over one of the little benches that kids sit on to get their feet measured when he saw a pretty brunette walk past towards Victoria's Secret) to test the shoes further. Andrew paused when he saw a tall guy, probably around his age, enter the shoe store with a deer-in-the-headlights look that didn't go away when the employee spoke with him. The other teenager was directed to the sneaker aisle and left alone, resulting him in looking even more lost if such a thing was possible.
Andrew raised an eyebrow and, after inwardly wrestling with the idea, made his way over to the guy.
"Shoes are arranged by size," he said when he reached the edge of the aisle. "Smallest on the top. I'm guessing your size is probably closer to the bottom."
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Post by Golem on Jun 18, 2023 21:57:19 GMT -5
| WHEN I WAKE UP, I'M AFRAID, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT TAKE MY PLACE... |
A voice from the side broke Adam from his stalled thoughts, and he looked over at the other teenager that was standing there. He mentioned something about the shoe sizes and suggested that Adam maybe look towards the bottom of the columns of shoeboxes, and Adam murmured a, "Thank you."
He could start with that. Bending down, Adam started looking closer at the boxes, trying to decipher if any of the small pictures on the sides were interesting enough to him. He found a box with a picture of black sneakers and white shoelaces, something simple, and took it off the shelf. Opening the box, there was only one shoe and Adam frowned.
Even if both shoes were in there, judging by the size of them compared to his current, ancient sneakers, they would have been too small.
Adam glanced over at the other teen, who seemed more helpful than the employee, wherever that guy had gone, and asked, "How do you know what size to get?"
167 words | Andrew Harvey LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Andrew Harvey on Jun 19, 2023 11:10:33 GMT -5
241 words | Golem | Should have known I was going to have to do random research when playing Andrew. The guy's shoes looked older than Andrew's, and that was saying something. Andrew tended to not care about the state of his shoes unless and until they started literally falling apart at the seams or reeked so much that washing them didn't help. By the sounds of it, the other guy hadn't ever gone shoe shopping in his life.
"The Brannock Device," Andrew said when the guy asked how to figure out his shoe size. "It was named after its inventor, Charles Brannock."
Andrew expected a blank look in response to his words (despite the fact that, hey, the guy asked), and glanced around to find an employee to help the other teen. Considering the two employees on duty were chatting by the cash register together and a free Brannock Device was close by, Andrew grabbed the tool and gestured for the other teen to sit down on one of the free benches at the end of the aisle.
"This thing," Andrew said, tapping his fingers against the tool and instructed Adam to take off one of his current shoes while explaining how the tool worked. Andrew honestly could have also suggested that the other teen's current shoes may have the size listed as well, but they looked so old that Andrew wouldn't have been surprised if the size information wore off.
"Name's Andrew Harvey," he said after a moment. "Considering I'm helping to measure your feet, introducing myself seems logical."
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Post by Golem on Jun 19, 2023 12:48:41 GMT -5
| WHEN I WAKE UP, I'M AFRAID, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT TAKE MY PLACE... |
Adam wasn't sure why he expected to know what the hell the Brannock Device was after the other guy promptly answered him in regards to figuring out his shoe size. After a second, he blurted, "Do you know what aglets are?"
He listened to the other teen when a funny-looking metal tool was found and sat down on one of the unoccupied benches. The request to take off one of his shoes seemed odd, but Adam glanced around and noticed another customer helping her presumed-daughter do the same a few aisles over. Adam stretched his toes when he freed his foot, glad that they could get a brief respite from feeling cramped, before putting his heel against the back part as the other teen instructed.
Andrew introduced himself at that point, and Adam gave him a small smile. "Adam Clayton," he said. "…Thank you. For the help. I haven't… I've never done this before…"
After figuring out how to read the device, Adam said, "It says 8. Is that my size? I'm looking for shoeboxes that have 8 on the side?"
181 words | Andrew Harvey | we'll all learn! xD LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Andrew Harvey on Jun 19, 2023 14:01:50 GMT -5
285 words | Golem | glad my research will not be in vain, lol Andrew quirked an eyebrow at the sudden question, an amused smile twitching at his lips, but dutifully answered, "Yeah. Aglets are the little plastic ends of a shoelace."
The other guy took Andrew's advice and instructions in stride, and introduced himself as Adam. He mentioned that he had never done this before, which Andrew took as shoe shopping in general. He snorted and, without any bite to his tone, said, "No shit. Your parents always buy your shoes until now?"
Looking at the Brannock Device, Andrew nodded when Adam mentioned his shoe size. "Yep, a size 8 is what you're looking for." He frowned briefly when he glanced at Adam's current shoes and added, "Which, man, seem to be a little bigger than your sneakers now. Don't your feet hurt?"
Andrew went into the sneaker aisle to look at the box that Adam had originally pulled off the shelves and said, "This is a size 6, and the other shoe is probably on display somewhere. These the ones you want?"
They were rather simple, which maybe Adam was going for. Andrew glanced over at the stacks and found the right size in that style but also found a pair of sneakers that were more for athletes. Gray with shoelaces that were in a mint-green shade, the soles of the sneakers had more cushion than the other style Adam had chosen.
"Here," Andrew said, giving both boxes to Adam. "See if you like the other ones, too. They got a bit more flair. I'm going to go and find my original shoes before the workers here accidentally try to sell them, but I'll be right back."
Andrew just kind of remembered that he was still wearing the brogues.
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Post by Golem on Jun 19, 2023 21:49:44 GMT -5
| WHEN I WAKE UP, I'M AFRAID, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT TAKE MY PLACE... |
Oh. The little plastic end pieces had a name? Adam glanced down at his current shoes, realizing he only had one out of four aglets left on them. Maybe that's why his shoelaces came untied so easily and were starting to unravel, and maybe Olivia had been wrong. Obviously sometimes people could use extra aglets.
Andrew continued to be nice enough to help Adam decipher the tool and confirm that a size 8 was what Adam wanted. He lightly ribbed Adam about it being obvious that Adam had never bought shoes before on his own, and Adam murmured, "Well, no… Don't have parents…
"Are they not supposed to?" Adam asked back when Andrew asked if his feet hurt from the size of his current shoes. It seemed to be a rhetorical question, since Andrew went back into the sneaker aisle and brought back not one but two boxes of shoes. He instructed Adam to try them on while he himself went to go and retrieve his original shoes.
Adam kept his mouth shut, not wanting to voice aloud whether or not Andrew also worked at the shoe store. Obviously Andrew wasn't wearing the uniform, but Adam had half a mind to think that maybe Andrew was shopping on his day off. It was more likely that Andrew saw Adam struggling and was either nice enough – or Adam had looked pathetic enough – for Andrew to come over and help.
Per Andrew's suggestion, Adam tried on both pairs of shoes, going with his original pick first. They felt nice, definitely had more room for his toes, and were the cheapest of the pair, most likely because they were simple. The other pair that Andrew had suggested felt much more comfortable, though, and Adam liked the colors. He wasn't quite sure about the higher price tag, though…
Trying to make the decision, Adam had one shoe on each foot and he was staring down at them as if they would start talking and tell him which one to pick.
336 words | Andrew Harvey LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Andrew Harvey on Jun 20, 2023 6:14:10 GMT -5
Well, shit. Of course Adam had to reveal that he was an orphan.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Andrew said. "Now I feel like a heel. Pun completely intended, in an attempt to lighten the mood again."
Andrew cleared his throat, left Adam to the two pairs of shoes, and returned to where he had left his own. Thankfully, they were still there and Andrew switched back to them, figuring the brogues he had been wearing were comfortable enough considering he had been walking around and squatting down to look at shoeboxes for someone else and barely noticed the things. He paid quickly enough, not feeling bad at all about interrupting the employees (and had half a mind to ask for the employee discount since he had literally just done their job for them by helping another customer), before making his way back to Adam.
"I like the gray pair," Andrew said when he realized that Adam seemed to be trying to make up his mind. "I'm only partially just saying that because I picked them out. They're pricier, but that brand will last longer than the other. Unless you throw them in a garbage disposal or something, of course."
He paused a moment before asking, "You play sports or anything? Those sneakers going to make themselves at home on a field?"
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Post by Golem on Jun 20, 2023 7:26:06 GMT -5
| WHEN I WAKE UP, I'M AFRAID, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT TAKE MY PLACE... |
Andrew returned and gave his opinion about the sneakers, and Adam gave him an unsurprised look when his choice was the gray pair.
A little baffled at the idea of throwing sneakers in the garbage disposal – they totally wouldn't fit – Adam mulled over the question about sports before saying, "Well, not right now, but I'm gonna go to Bayville High in September. Was told that I should try out for some sort of sport, like football or something."
"I really think you should." Olivia wandered in the store at that moment with a pink-striped bag hanging from her arm, ignoring the employees who tried to give their greeting spiel to her, and going straight to Adam. She gave Andrew a curious glance before zeroing in on the sneakers. "Those the contenders?"
Adam turned to fully face her so she could see the sneakers better. "Yeah. Think I like the gray ones better, but the black ones are cheaper…"
"We have the money for the gray ones," Olivia said. "Rather, Todd does. Get those, especially if you like them better. Who is this?" She gestured to Andrew at that moment.
"Andrew Harvey," Adam said. "Andrew, this is Olivia Nolen. Andrew had helped me with… all this." To Olivia, he motioned to the sneakers he was wearing.
"Well, that was nice of him," Olivia said, giving Andrew a smile. She turned her attention back to Adam and said, "If you made a decision, let's get going. It's about time for lunch."
"Sure." Adam gave both pairs one last look before carefully boxing both pairs back up. He returned the black sneakers to the shelf and borrowed the debit card from Olivia to pay for the gray ones. Once he got the receipt, he made his way back to the entrance of the store and said to Andrew, "Thanks again for your help. I appreciate it."
312 words | Andrew Harvey LAIKA OF THQ
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Post by Andrew Harvey on Jun 20, 2023 20:28:14 GMT -5
272 words | Golem | I'm good if this is the end of the thread! Thank you! Adam mentioned the football team and Andrew said, "You got the build for it. Bayville High's not too bad. It's got plenty of clubs, decent teachers, and enough school spirit without going overboard. I'll be a junior next year."
A feminine voice joined their conversation and Andrew did his best to school his features from being too surprised that it was the brunette he had been checking out earlier. A contrast from Adam, Olivia's tone had more confidence when she spoke, mentioning some dude named Todd that was apparently funding their shopping trip, and was evidently behind the original thought that Adam should go out for the football team.
"It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you," Andrew said, giving Olivia a crooked grin when the pair were officially introduced to one another. He wasn't sure if Olivia was Adam's girlfriend, as the pair didn't look like siblings, and he was certain that he didn't remember Olivia at Bayville High last year.
He certainly wouldn't mind getting to know more information about Olivia. Adam too, Andrew supposed, particularly if Adam did join the football team. Having an inside with the football team wouldn't be the worst thing for Andrew's social life.
For now, though, Olivia was obviously keen on getting some food and suggested to Adam that he make a decision and pay. Adam did so and thanked Andrew again for his help.
"No worries, man," Andrew said amicably. "If it's lunch you two are looking for, may I make a few suggestions? The food court here isn't too bad, but there are some decent restaurants on the strip a few streets down…"
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