“Oh God, now I'm a stalker.” Danny lamented, shaking his head in dismay.
“Why did I even let you talk me into coming here?”
Daniella laughed at his misery.
“You're not a stalker, you big baby! This is a mall! Lots of people come here, you know? I heard it was a booming enterprise.” She said sarcastically, leaning forward to flutter her fingers against a silk scarf hanging on the closest kiosk to her. Her twin brother, Daniel was both her best friend in the whole world and the biggest worry wart in worry wart history. She usually convinced him around to her way of thinking by ignoring his whining.
“Ooh! Do you think Mom would want one of these for Christmas? What about Grandma? She could be trendiest granny at the nursing home.”
“Don't change the subject! You convinced me to come in here for one sole purpose and that was to stalk the object of my affection. See? I'm calling her an object now. I'm such a creep!” He stood in front of his sister with wide, imploring eyes, looking genuinely upset. Daniella rolled her eyes at his antics.
“Danny, get it together. She's not going to think you're a creep. Hell, she probably doesn't even know you exist.”
“Oh thanks, Sis! That makes me feel so much better. Ugh, why do I even listen to you?”
“Because I'm your sister and I'm brilliant? Oh my god, is that a pizza cone?” Daniella shrieked, pulling him along with her at breakneck speed into the “As Seen on TV” store. Seeing her the way she was right now, no one would guess that Daniella Helfenbein nee Archer, was a successful police detective. Most people just assumed that she was a lawyer because she loved to argue so much; however, right now, in her childish glee over an ice cream cone shaped object that could be filled with pizza toppings, she just looked like his pain in the butt twin sister.
“Daniella, be serious!” Danny started but she impatiently cut him off.
“No, you be serious. You own the bookstore that the girl of your dreams frequents every Wednesday and Saturday. The very same bookstore that she's probably in right now, sitting there on the couch like she always does, reading some terrible, terrible book. By the way, she really has bad taste.” Daniella made a face that had her brother doing a smirk-eye roll combination that he seemed to use solely when she was around.
“Anyway, you finally have a day off, Danny. The first one in the four years since you've opened, so take advantage of it, go find her. Just so we’re clear, I’m not letting you leave this mall until you talk to her. I’m more than prepared to leave my child at her ballet class longer than necessary. And I’ll make sure to blame you for my lateness.”
“Ugh, I know you're right but I can’t. Maybe liking her from afar is good enough?” Danny clawed through his shaggy ginger colored mane, nervously. He hadn't expected to be around people that day, so he looked like a mess, with a washed out uncombed hair and a wrinkled pair of jeans on.
He'd planned to veg out in front of the television and catch up on his shows on Netflix when Daniella had come barging into his apartment demanding that he go last minute Christmas shopping with her. When he’d casually mentioned to her that it was only December tenth, the look she gave him, well... he feared for his life. So when she threw his coat at him, he went with her quietly. If he'd known what she had in mind, Danny would have tried to look his best.
“Shush! look, she's coming out of the bookstore now. What's she doing?” Daniella asked squinting in confusion. The siblings stood side by side in the middle of the busiest part of the mall corridor, watching with rapt interest as Danny's dream girl stopped in the middle of the mall and searched around for something inside her satchel-style bag that was slung diagonally across her chest.
“There's something almost regal about her, isn't there? I mean look at her posture. Her poise, it's beautiful. She's beautiful.” he said wistfully. The girl in question straightened up, tossing her cascading curls across one shoulder in one smooth move. Her dark hair complimented her dark-gold complexion and pink glossy lips.
Even Daniella had to admit she was stunning in a classic way.
“Uh okay, sure. Whatever! Seriously she's just standing there looking around. Do you think she's lost or that she's waiting for someone? This could be your moment to help her find what she's looking for. Go!”
Danny took a step forward but stopped as a guy not much older than them, carrying what looked like two medium sized easels under his arms, approached the curvy brunette. They smiled at each other in way that caused Danny's heart to lodge in his throat and constrict.
“Is that her boyfriend?” he croaked out. He knew Daniella wouldn't know any more than he did, but he had to ask anyway.
She squeezed his hand in sympathy, choosing to remain silent for once in her sassy life. Instead, she continued staring along with Danny as the man with the easel which now didn't look like an easel after all, handed one to Dream Girl who smiled and thanked him. She then slid it over her head, as did her acquaintance, before they parted ways with a wave.
“God, isn't her smile the best thing ever?” Danny mused aloud.
Daniella craned her neck to read the sign on the small sandwich board that they both now donned. A second later she cackled loudly.
“What! What is it?'
“It's your lucky day, that’s what, brother of mine. Your future girlfriend is wearing a 'HUG Me' sign. Isn't that awesome?” she clapped her hands excitedly, beaming widely at him.
“A hug me sign? What's a- oh my God! No way!” Danny said, in disbelief.
“I know right? Now let’s go get you a hug.”