2 goddesses, One abandoned Mall

[LANE ERICHSON]

Lane slowed down the car, finally reaching the creepy little neighborhood that mapquest had sent him to. Jesus, could Carly have found a worse side of town? Then again....it WAS Carly. It was a surprise that she hadn't mysteriously found herself lost in some kind of brothel yet.

Lane shudered as he passed by a hooker standing like some kind of creeper on the side of the road. Where the hell was Carly? And how the fuck had she gotten down here in the first place? She had been pretty damn vague on the phone. It was a miracle he had gotten her to look out the window in the first palce to give him an address.

He remembered the moment he picked up the phone. he had been lying there on the couch, like he had every day after school, trying to decompress and running through that night over and over in his head, trying to figure out what he could have done differently to make things, ANY things, turn out right.

“…Lane? Lane…can you come pick me up? Jordan…he…he won’t come get me, and I’m scared, and I don’t know where I am, do you think you can find me? Please.”

It had been like a sign from God. He was being shown the right path to take. He was SUPPOSED to go with Carly! The relationship with mitchie was going nowhere. hell, it had started in a fucking BURGER KING! What good was supposed to come of anything that started in a Burger King! Even Ollie and Grace had failed before Oliver moved back to Texas!

Lane pulled over to the side of the road, in front of the small, run-down house marked 121. Not willing to get out of the car in case he or carly had made some terrible mistake, he pulled out his cell phone, dialing Carly's number.

"Hey, uh, Carly? Could you look out the window? Am I at the right place?"

[CARLY GRANT]

when the devil wants to dance with you ,
YOU BETTER SAY NEVER

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because a dance with the devil might last you forever[/color][/font]
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Carly leaned against the wall, a silent smile spread across her face. Jordan? Who the fuck was that? She had a new Prince Charming, and he would be here, to carry her away from this horrible place. She jumped when her phone vibrated.

"Hey, uh, Carly? Could you look out the window? Am I at the right place?"

She eagerly looked in the window, her eyes immediately lighting up. It was him. He had come to rescue her. Without answering him, she stuffed the phone in her shirt pocket, racing down the stairs, and into the driveway, the very sight of him making her want to sob with joy. Before she could help herself, she ran straight into his arms, resting her head on his chest so she could hear his heart beating.

"Lane," she whispered. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you. You are so wonderful. I’m so sorry for…anything I’ve done to ever hurt you, because you don’t deserve it, Lane. I hope you always know that."

There was a silence for a moment, and she simply stood there, her arms around his neck, completely caught up in the moment. Everything about him just made her feel perfect. And now everything about their life would be perfect! She had to be his, he had to be hers, right? He was going to love her forever, and ever, and ever…

As she finally let go, and started towards the car, she was greeted by a surprise. Her pants... they were still yet to be found! And her bra! Here she was, in just a t-shirt and lingerie. Her cheeks immediately heated up and a dreadful feeling began pounding on her chest. He probably thought she was a total idiot…or…a whore.

What if he thought she was a whore?!

Eris laughed.

Sweetie, calm down. He could never think that. You’re gorgeous. This is just helping him see even MORE of your beauty! You do want him to know how beautiful you are, don’t you?

The comment boosted her confidence, and she smiled quickly. Of course he’d never think that. But she should at least acknowledge it, right?

"Oh, and…I’m sorry about…" She looked down at herself and bit her lip. "You know. But I couldn’t find them. So…I hope you don’t mind.”

495WORDS
WHO??? Lane Erichson
template by LISA@GBBS, lyrics by immortal techniqueCREDIT
RAWRR! NOTES

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[LANE ERICHSON]

Nervously, Lane looked around the house for any sign of movement. Jesus Christ, for all he knew he could be parked in front of some kind of brothel or crack house. A click on the other end of the line was all Lane needed to hear to figure out that this was some kind of trick. Goddamnit, Carly WOULD do this. This was some kind of psychotic revenge, right? She was pissed about the whole mitchie thing and now she had decided that she was gonna send lane out into some god forsaken place just to fuck with him. Hadn't he heard stories about her doing this to other people? This was bullshit.

Opening the car door and getting ready to get the hell out of there,he saw someone burst out of the house, but instead of the drug dealing pimp he expected he he was both happy and disturbed to find Carly Grant come dashing towards him half-naked.

Upon further consideration, Lane decided that rather than this being some kind of ploy to utterly end Lane's life at the hands of some gang-bangers, it was some kind of failed attempt at seduction. It wasn't long before he was wrenched into a bear-like hug. He didn't exactly know what was going on when she just started gushing her feelings in what seemed like a heartfelt speech.

"Lane, thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you. You are so wonderful. I’m so sorry for…anything I’ve done to ever hurt you, because you don’t deserve it, Lane. I hope you always know that."

Looking down at the girl now clutching his body with such intensity he was worried about the potential of their bodies fusing together, he immediately whipped his head back up. After the incident after the game, the LAST thing he wanted to see was Carly without her pants. He knew, he just KNEW that Mitchie would somehow find her way to the area and rip Lane's had off.

...Then again...it was over with him and Mitchie. Why the hell shouldn't he take this opportunity given to him by God? Sure, this same situation had led to him breaking it off with mitche, but what if that was like, fate or something? What if he was SUPPOSED to be with Carly and he was supposed to take advantage of this while he could?

" Oh, and…I’m sorry about… " She looked down at herself and bit her lip. "You know. But I couldn’t find them. So…I hope you don’t mind."

He smiled, making his final decision. Things had been turning sour with Mitchie anyway, this was the hot relationship he should be focusing on.

"Hey, yeah, it's not problem. Why don't you hop in the car and we can get outta here?"

Carly Grant. He was going to have the hottest girl in school in his car, and this time there was no ball and chain to hold him back.

[CARLY GRANT]

when the devil wants to dance with you ,
YOU BETTER SAY NEVER

[/color][/font]
because a dance with the devil might last you forever[/color][/font]
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Carly smiled. The last time she’d been this happy, she had been stabbing someone to death.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, squeezing him into a tight hug again. Then she hopped into the passenger seat, the material cold on the back of her legs. The seatbelt hung limply on the side, and she struggled to fasten it. When it didn’t work, she sighed, hugging her knees to her chest, the faint smile still twitching at her lips, her eyes fixated straight ahead as he drove. It was hard not to look at him. Her skin was still tingling from his hug.

“Okay, I’m gonna tell you something, but no one else at school can know yet because it will ruin everything. Especially my reputation.”

She took a deep breath. Now that she thought about it, her reputation would be ruined without fail.

Don’t worry about it, dear, Eris crooned. Once you’re in power…once you find your castle…you won’t even need to think about your reputation…

“Jordan dumped me,” she admitted, almost choking the words out. “He wouldn’t even come get me! I could have been dying and he wouldn’t have cared! That son of a bitch mother fucker just left me there all alone! He never even loved me, Lane. Not one bit.”

She didn’t want to cry anymore. But she could feel that lump in her throat…and she knew what was about to happen. The tears were trickling coldly down her cheek, but for some reason, she couldn’t stop smiling.

“But it’s okay,” she muttered gently, finally letting herself look at him. “Because you came to rescue me. You’re like…my hero. My knight in shining armor. So what if Jordan doesn’t love me? You know what, I don’t love him! I love…I have always loved…OH MY GOD, STOP THE CAR.”

The car skidded to a stop. Carly jolted forward, almost diving headfirst into the windshield, clamping her hands onto to the dashboard, her heart skipping a beat.

Goldenview Mall.

Closed? They closed this place? Were they out of their fucking minds? Memories began flashing through her mind like a haunting slideshow. Her and Neve used to shop here like crazy. She remembered getting things for her first photo shoot, trying on stilettos, testing lipsticks, slipping into size zero dresses. This was the first place she’d ever felt right. The first place she’d ever felt…powerful.

Everything made sense.

“Lane…do you realize what this is?” she cried, shoving open the door and stumbling out. “This is THE GOLDENVIEW MALL! This is it!”

434WORDS
WHO??? Lane Erichson
template by LISA@GBBS, lyrics by immortal techniqueCREDIT
RAWRR! NOTES

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[LANE ERICHSON]

Lane didn't really know what to think. Half his mind was currently imagining exactly what lay beneath those sacred Grant panties, while the other half was on high alert, scanning the roads for any signs of roaming gangs or crazed drug addicts. The last thing he wanted right now was for some creepy freak to decide to 'pop a cap in his ass' while driving around with Carly Grant.

He had to admit, he wasn't really paying attention when Carly started talking. He was mainly consumed by relief that they were reaching the edge of the shady area and starting to head into the outskirts of the city. Here the scenery was almost rural, with only the hot sun beating down and the occasional run-down building standing by the side of the road.

“Okay, I’m gonna tell you something, but no one else at school can know yet because it will ruin everything. Especially my reputation.”

God, her reputation. Lane had almost forgotten about it. What the hell was he doing? If he did the dirty with miss Grant here then wasn't some of that slutty reputation going to rub off on him? He had ditched Mitchie for Carly! She had a boyfriend for christ's sake! he couldn't go around screwing with taken girls! Jordan was a friggin' model! Why the hell would Carly want Lane? he was just a ride that she was bumming-

“Jordan dumped me. He wouldn’t even come get me! I could have been dying and he wouldn’t have cared! That son of a bitch mother fucker just left me there all alone! He never even loved me, Lane. Not one bit.”

oooor not. the cogs in lane's mind started turning, and he almost missed what Carly said next. What did this mean? They were both single, they were both hot for each other (well, he hoped that part was true) and they were both currently in a car with nowhere else to be for a while...

“But it’s okay, because you came to rescue me. You’re like…my hero. My knight in shining armor. So what if Jordan doesn’t love me? You know what, I don’t love him! I love…I have always loved…OH MY GOD, STOP THE CAR.”

He slammed on the breaks. He had been totally absorbed in Carly's every word. She was over Jordan? he was her knight? Or fuck yeah! He didn't care if he was a rebound relationship, if this girl wanted to have her way with him, she would get it. He looked over to her, expecting to get a hot stare back, but instead he found her practically falling out of the car, still practically nude.

She wanted it on the side of the road? It was different, but Lane was up for it. if this was what she did with jordan, then hell, he wouldn't be objecting. He just couldn't imagine how comfortable the rocks and pebbles felt-

“Lane…do you realize what this is? This is THE GOLDENVIEW MALL! This is it!”

Oh...right....Mall.

" Uhh...yeah. I guess this is it. Isn't it closed down now or something I thought it went out of business like a year ago or something..."

[CARLY GRANT]

when the devil wants to dance with you ,
YOU BETTER SAY NEVER

[/color][/font]
because a dance with the devil might last you forever[/color][/font]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -[/color][/center][/color][/font]

" Uhh...yeah. I guess this is it. Isn't it closed down now or something I thought it went out of business like a year ago or something..."

The words echoed in her mind. She felt almost guilty for forgetting about this place...leaving it all alone, and just now realizing what had happened to it. She felt like she owed something to this mall.

"A year ago?" she gasped, grabbing his hand. "A whole year ago? And no one told me! Those bitches!I can't believe this! I simply..."

Her eyes narrowed as she turned toward Goldenview, the doors shut tight, the paint fading. All her memories trapped inside. But she could unleash them. No...she could create a new life. She didn't need Audrey or Neve. She already had a best friend, and her name was Eris. And this best friend had opened new possibilities in her mind. Her castle...her castle...her castle...

"Come with me," she muttered, pulling Lane toward the door, running her trembling hand down the frame. She finally wrapped her fingers around the door knob, the familiar metal cold on her palm. As she turned it, her mouth twisted into a grin, her mind racing.

It was empty inside. But other than that, it was the same as she always remembered it. The escalators were still by the entrance. The walls were still white, but they had been stripped of their posters. Barely any remains of models in tight jeans and advertisements existed. Carly suddenly felt a bubbling anger creep into her chest. How dare they. How dare they close this. How dare they take away Carly's favorite place. However, the anger was replaced with nostalgia, when she noticed the store on the right.

"It's still there..." she muttered, almost frantically, racing towards the sliding doors she remembered. "Oh thank God...I mean, thank goodness it's still there..."

Shoes.

Everywhere. Boxes and boxes of shoes. Most of them were so last year...but seeing so many of them in one place made Carly dizzy with joy.

"Oh my God, aren't they beautiful?" she gushed, running her hands over the boxes like a little girl on Christmas.So many days she had spent in this store. They had carried all of the latest designer pumps. Now, it was old and worn out...abandoned. But there were ideas still pulsing through Carly's head. Crazy ideas...so crazy, they could come true. She could live here. At first, the idea hadn't been literal. It had come to her mind the moment she'd swept through the door. But now that she thought about it...now that she had powers. Why shouldn't she live here? Her and Lane...together...they could live here together.

Goldenview Mall. Goldenview Mall could be her palace.

"You know what would make this place even more beautiful?" she murmured softly, thinking aloud. "If everything...every single last inch of it...was really made of gold."

475WORDS
WHO??? Lane Erichson
template by LISA@GBBS, lyrics by immortal techniqueCREDIT
RAWRR! NOTES

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[LANE ERICHSON]

Lane followed her towards the abandoned behemoth of a building, not really knowing what else to do. He had to admit, the whole place gave him the creeps. They were alone in a practical desert walking into an empty building that was probably home to who knew how many hobos and animals.

Wasn't this like, the premise for every horror movie ever written? It certainly didn't seem like a good idea at any rate, but Carly just kept marching up towards it, apparently not going to rest until she had strutted down memory lane.

Walking inside of the mostly dusty and grimy place was even worse. It was built to accommodate hundreds of people at a time, and hearing Carly's determined footsteps reverberate throughout the cavern-like corridors was just plain creepy. He felt like they were breaking into some kind of ancient temple to the gods of credit cards and cell phones.

"It's still there... Oh thank God...I mean, thank goodness it's still there..."

One minute Carly was there beside him, trespassing quietly and the next instant she was sprinting through the open room to some store that was practically falling apart in disrepair. Not know what else to do, he followed her, looking anxiously up at the rafters of the mall to see if the year without maintenance had left them threatening to collapse at any point.

She was muttering something to herself in a large pile of shoes, and Lane tried his best not to interfere. he'd never seen Carly, hell, he'd never seen ANYONE act like this. It was perhaps the most frightening thing he'd ever seen.

"You know what would make this place even more beautiful? If everything...every single last inch of it...was really made of gold."

"You mean instead of a run-down rat hole that's covered in grime?" he ventured, trying to bring her back to reality. He instantly regretted it. He'd seen how easily girls could snap and Carly seemed dangerously on the edge of sanity at the moment. He was pretty sure that anything could and would set her off.