Splinters In Time

Lili's experience with malls was mixed. On one hand, they were brilliant- great palaces of fashion and fun, filled with every delight that could ever be wanted. On the other, any place that drew crowds like that could prove to be a problem- it was easy to get overwhelmed with all the churning emotions.

But, she couldn't avoid those situations forever. It was all good practice.

When Lydia heard about the Starcourt Mall opening in Hawkins, she immediately wanted to go, and... well, Lili could never deny her anything.

"I can't believe you actually got that thing." Lili groaned as the two of them headed towards the escalators.

Lydia grinned, tapping her new tongue piercing against her teeth.

Lili rolled her eyes to the heavens. "Esther's going to kill me."

Inside Starcourt Mall was like a world of its own- shining with colourful lights, beautiful displays enticed from every window as upbeat music filled the air and delicious scents stroked the senses. As around them crowds of people moved, dressed in brightly-coloured summer clothes, Lydia stuck out like a sore thumb- decked out as she was in her dark clothes, skull-print t-shirt, heavy eyeliner, black lipstick and purple hair. The storm cloud to everyone else's sunshine, just the way she liked it.

Her sister, by contrast, looked like she had stepped straight out of the pages of a Parisian fashion magazine, in her wide-legged cream trousers, pink blouse and oversized sunglasses, a cream tote bag swinging on her arm. She strode out in high-heeled boots so confidently Lydia could have believed she had been born in them.

As they stepped off the escalator onto the next floor, Lydia tugged on Lili's arm. "Ooh, I know where we should go next!" She towed her towards the food court, making a beeline for a sign that read Scoops Ahoy.

Lili frowned. "Are you sure you should be eating with that metal in your mouth?"

"Oh, ha-ha. I'll have you know ice cream is very good for a tongue piercing. But no, it gets better than that. Look, look!" Lydia pointed to a young man working behind the counter. "It's Steve Harrington in a sailor suit!"

"... Who?"

"You know, Steve Harrington? Co-captain of the swimming team? The king of Hawkins High. He's kind of their golden boy— at least, he was. Heard he's not so golden now!"

"Right..." Lili said slowly. "...Lydia, I don't go to your school."

"Never mind." Lydia dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "If you knew, trust me, you would find it hilarious."

Lili looked at her sister for a long moment. There was something strange under the surface here, a kind of malice she wasn't used to feeling from her sister.

"Come on, come on!" Lydia urged, grabbing Lili's hand and pulling her inside the shop.

They joined the queue just in time to see Steve fail at flirting with two pretty young women in sundresses. "...Yeah, college... uh... It's a big decision and I thought I'd just take a year to, you know... Oh, you're going? Maybe I'll see you— bye then."

Lydia sniggered. "Oh god, this is tragic."

This earned her a light elbow in the ribs from Lili. "Behave."

In the kitchen behind Steve, a blonde in an equally unfortunate sailor suit was also laughing.

"Hey, knock it off." Steve turned around to glare at her.

"Watch this." Lydia chuckled as she and Lili stepped up to the counter.

"Ahoy there!" Steve greeted them. "What can I get for you today? We have some—"

Leaning across the counter, Lydia hissed, lips pulled back in a snarl, eyes bulging as she waggled her new tongue piercing at him. She laughed as he visibly recoiled.

"Seriously?" Rolling her eyes, Lili pushed Lydia behind her. "I'm so sorry about that." She said to Steve. "One Rocky Road sundae please.

"And a Banana Split for me!" Lydia grinned over Lili's shoulder.

A/N: So it's been... a week. Stuff happened. It's a whole thing. XD So sorry about the lateness of this chapter!

It was meant to be longer but I've been struggling with the tone of the second half, so I'm publishing the bit I like and thinking about the rest later. XD Oh well, I was struggling with ideas of what to do next anyway.

Don't forget to like and comment. Luv ya all!