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Shopping for anything at this time of year can be downright crazy. Stores are filled to the brim and people have broken out into fighting over--what, things? The best deal on jewelry, the newest toy craze. Honestly, no one sane should be out right now.

But, for some reason, here you are. Something out there compelled you to join these crowds--so what is it? Why did you brave this busy time of the year to shop? Are you one of the many looking for that one perfect gift? Or did you just so happen to run out of toilet paper at the same time someone started a major sale? Whatever it is that's got you out--just be careful; those crowds are dangerous!




Taking in a deep breath, Priscilla Stratford closed her eyes. All around her, the hustle and bustle of last-minute Christmas shoppers surrounded her, the symphony of chatter and plastic bags crinkling echoing from one corner of the mall to the other. A newspaper was folded nearby, a tired shopper taking reprieve at an adjacent bench to continue glancing over potential deals in stores they had yet to conquer. Teenagers loitered by the nearby fountain, gossiping about classmates and love interests while a child cried crankily as they tugged on their mother’s coat.

This was her world. This was her territory. This was what she lived for.

Eyes still closed, her thumb rubbed gently over the pink slip of paper in her hand. The strawberry scent on the paper had faded away, but her recent addition of Parisian perfume overpowered the lingering remnants of fruit that may have wafted in the air. Her free hand moved to adjust the fluffy white fur trim of her coat, pulling it away to avoid tainting the purity of the color once again with her rose-colored lipgloss.

Pinching the list between her fingers, her eyes finally opened and drank in the scene around her. The chaos of shopping Christmas week was upon her, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, what better way to stifle one’s feelings than to shove them aside entirely?

Things were far from normal, nowhere even close to how they used to be. But shopping, wasting hours on finding deals and perfect little trinkets was about as close to “normal” as Priscilla could be. Nevermind the fact that she’d wasted the past three months shopping away her time, wining and dining and pretending to enjoy the artistic side of Paris and Rome instead of being constantly troubled with thoughts of what was going on back home. She’d abandoned Kat, just as she’d been abandoned by Chase and the fact there was way too much abandoning going on was in and of itself a troubling factor. When she’d finally responded to KittyKat’s text only to find out her bestie had parted ways with the one other person keeping her stable, Prissy knew it was time to come home and face the music. Or lack thereof, rather.

So here she stood, back in one of the only places that made sense to her. Sure, Destiny City’s malls paled in comparison, sure, she’d already purchased more than her fair share of presents to pass around, but right now the only therapy she wanted to have was her favorite of choice: shopping.

There was a Christmas tree already en route to the house, thanks to the wonders of Amazon and cell phone internet. It was pink, to boot, which tickled her endlessly. After all, who would be around to argue with her over it? Once KittyKat got off from her shift, she’d be forced to an evening of decorating, of starting a fire (like Prissy would get soot on her hands) and then munching away on cookies and cocoa as Priscilla dominated the TV with Christmas-themed movies.

And, once Prissy was done being the human shopping whirlwind that she was, there would be presents to put under the tree when she arrived home. Pre-wrapped, if the stores cooperated properly.

It didn’t matter if some of the recipients weren’t around to open them - they’d be there, nestled beneath the pink branches, just in case.