Let's go to the mall

Posted on Sun Feb 6th, 2022 @ 11:21am by Cameron Hood & Bliss Hawkins
Edited on on Thu Feb 10th, 2022 @ 9:22am

1,054 words; about a 5 minute read

Cameron was in a foul mood. This was a part of his new job he truly disliked. He didn't mind helping with the occasional plumbing issue, or assisting the kitchen staff, or even fighting off mutants with machine guns for arms. But he hated being the driver and escort for minors when they needed to head into town. But here he was, the good soldier, waiting by the Professor's new black Lexus.

Bliss emerged from the house like someone on a mission. She had a lot to shop for today, and she was working on the list in her notepad. She was dressed in the best clothes she had at the moment--jeans with more holes than fabric, a Viva Las Vegas t shirt, and black Converse sneakers. A functional leather purse hung from her shoulder, swaying with her gait.
She slid to a stop in from of the grouchy looking guy standing by the car.
"Hi there. Is it just the two of us?"

"There is one more kid that needs to get some clothes." Cameron answered tersely.

Bliss crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hips.
"Look I recognize it's no fun driving Miss Daisy, but if you're going to be a grouch I'll sweeten the pot for you. If you can occasionally smile and not frown constantly, I'll buy you something. I bet I could find you a nice shirt that would go if those big brown eyes of yours."
She gave him a big smile.
"And if you're especially nice, I'll get you a pretzel and a drink from Orange Julius. Deal?"

"No, thank you. I prefer getting my own clothing." Cameron replied, ignoring the big smile and glancing at the house. His frown deepened and he glanced at his watch before looking back at the girl. "Why don't you get in the car, Spicer should be here any second."

Bliss's grin disappeared, seeing that being nice had zero effect on the baleful Brit.
"Maybe we can get you a proper tool to tug out that stick you've got up your arse."

She intentionally used the British pronunciation for the slang.

With that, she fluttered her eyelashes at him with a toothy fake smile and climbed aboard the car.

"I'm here..I"m here." Gabe said. The young Texan was dressed in a simple white t shirt and jeans. He climbed into the car. "Sorry I'm late." He said to Cameron. He turned to the other passenger, whom he didn't know. He put on his best smile. "Hi, I'm Gabe."

The striking blonde looked up from her list and offered her hand with a genuine smile.
"I'm Bliss, nice to meet you."

Walking around the car, Cameron sighed again. He should've tried to convince Jade to go on this trip instead. Then again, she wasn't much better with teenagers than he was. And with that thought concluded he climbed into the driver's seat. "Everybody, seatbelts." and lead by example.

Bliss snapped off a jaunty salute.
"Aye, aye captain!"
She snapped the seatbelt into place and reached into her purse. She pulled out two tootsie roll suckers and offered out to Gabe.
"I share. Want one?"

"Sure! Thanks." Gabe said

She waved one in the mirror for her driver after giving a sucker to Gabe
"You want one, Captain?"

"No, thank you. And please don't call me captain. I worked for a living." Cameron replied as he put the car in drive and drove off the estate and into Salem.

"Fair enough. So what should I call you when we're not wearing spandex."
She swirled her sucker in her mouth as she contemplated the back of her driver's head. She found she liked him despite his hard ass demeanor. She normally detested supposed authority figures. But there was an underlying sadness she felt she wanted to somehow lighten.

"Or are you always on duty?"

"My name's Cameron Hood. Mister Hood, or Cameron if you prefer." The driver replied as he turned the corner onto the main road.

"That's a good name..." Bliss said around her sucker. "So Cam, how long have you been with the international house of mutants?"

"Not Cam, Cameron. Only my parents get to call me Cam." he replied, slowing down for a turn. "And I've been here for a few months."

Bliss sighed around the sucker, she couldn't find a way to talk to this guy and not to annoy him. But still she persisted.

"Okay so you've been here long enough to learn the ropes at least. Any recommendations for a new person starting out here? I don't want to step on any more toes that I can easily avoid."

"Don't use your powers to hurt others, don't use your powers to damage the property. Study diligently if you're here to study. And use the pool as often as you can, good weather seems to be rare in Salem." Cameron replied.

Bliss was actually impressed with the terse advice. It was to the point and useful.
"Good to know about the weather. I grew up in the desert, so hot and dry is what I'm used to. I didn't have a pool then. But now I do but the weather sucks. Maybe I'll figure out a way to enclose the pool and heat it."

"I mean we got all these cool resources and talented people. Having a pool that can only be used a couple months a years is too much of a waste to tolerate."

"There's always the gym if you want to exercise." Cameron suggested, "Gabe and I are there a few times a week."

"Yeah." Gabe said. "Theres a track. Weights. All kinds of stuff."

Bliss took her sucker out of her mouth and chuckled.
"I don't think you got the equipment in the gym to really challenge me. Besides, I can't get a tan in the gym, boys. You got to have priorities."

Gabe nodded. "Got a point there I suppose" he laughed

"We're here." Cameron announced as he parked the car in one of the closer spots in the large parking space. He then climbed out of the car without anything further.

Bliss climbed from the car like she had a mission.
"Essentials first. Clothing, then shoes. If we have time, accessories."
With that she aimed herself towards the mall.

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