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Description
Jack narrowed his eyes and mumbled under his breath as he crossed the street and stood in front of the store. Freshly opened about 2 months ago from today, it was already a huge success. Then again, the three things that always did well in college towns were bars, restaurants, and cheap clothing stores. Who didn’t want to get a new, comfy outfit without emptying their wallet? The clothing that the aforementioned store sold, called Cocoon oddly enough, WAS in fact insanely comfortable. And it was cheap. A little too cheap...

Jack thought back to when one of his friends told him about the weirdly named store...

***

“Holy CRAP!! One’s here!!!”

Jack turned his head away from the show he was watching to look at the girl literally bouncing on the balls of her feet. He raised an eyebrow.

“Wanna share with the rest of the class?” He chuckled.

“Yeah yeah yeah one sec.” she replied in one breath.

“Still waaaaaaiiiiting...”

“Ok!! So you know how college students are basically broke right?” She said still staring at her phone.

He snorted. “Yup. Why?”

“And you know how college students also wanna look good and impress... you know...” she trailed off.

When she didn’t respond he looked at her again and saw her cheeks were a shade pinker than usual.

“Impress people they like...?” He finished for her, feeling a blush creep up into his own face as well.

She smiled wide and nodded vigorously.

He chuckled. “Sure... so what does that have to do with this store you’re so excited about?”

A phone was immediately shoved in his face. On the screen was a model in a rather cute top. He was no fashion guy so he didn’t really know what kind it was, but one thing was certain: it looked expensive. He sighed.

“How much is it...”

She squealed and scrolled down.

He blinked.

He blinked again.

He took her phone and zoomed in so there was NO possibility he was reading it incorrectly.

“Five....? Only five dollars. This HAS to be a scam Kate. There is NO way it’s that cheap!”

She giggled and showed him more. Everything looked super high-end, yet when she showed him the prices, nothing was over $50, and even THAT was rare to see!

“I’m going in an hour when it opens it’s doors! Wanna come??”

He looked at the phone and then down at himself.

“Not many selections for guys there, from what I could see...”

“Psshhh. Yes they do. I mean yeah, they’re more catered to women but they do have men’s stuff! Same prices and quality too!!”

“Well, I would love to buuuut...”

He stood up and stretched.

“Unfortunately I having some studying to do and therefore cannot accompany you. Test tomorrow. But have fun and try not to buy out the whole store.”

She giggled, gave him a hug, and left his apartment.

He never saw her again.

Steps were taken. He helped her friends file the report of course. A search was done, her apartment was investigated. People were interviewed. Not a trace of her could be found. She hadn’t dropped any hints she was moving or had a boyfriend out of state or country. Even the CCTV from the store was requested. They humbly gave it up and it was combed through. But it showed her leaving the store, after trying them on and then purchasing two or three things. There was no CCTV of the changing rooms though... the cops found that suspicious and jumped on it. As they should. But when they grilled the employees they swore nothing had happened. They said they have two positions that are solely focused on watching the rooms and making sure customers are satisfied, or can help them if they require any. Eventually the cops relented after both broke down from being yelled at so much. The police just couldn’t find a lead. And eventually, the case was dropped.

***

Jack huffed and glared at the store. This was the ONLY thing she went to that day. Whatever happened, happened here. He had been in the store countless of times, looking around for anything that would help him locate his missing friend. But nothing. It was just filled with clothes, cute girls, some guys, and the employees that always seemed to have an easy going smile on their faces.

He didn’t like it.

Something was off.

He had combed every inch of the store, always looking like he was looking for something for a friend, or maybe keeping an eye out for a new pair of jeans, but he found squat.

He had been in the changing room too. And still nothing out of the ordinary. He must have had a pretty sour look on his face, because a retailer came up to him with a gentle smile.

“Can I help you with anything...?” She asked in a soft voice.

“No... sorry... just...uh...” he grasped for words but his mind was too focused on Kate and what had happened. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

“It’s alright...” he heard her voice say again.

God it sounded like caramel. He opened his eyes, ran his hand through his hair, and looked up.

Wow.

She had on high-waisted, soft looking, red pants that had a cute bow tied at her stomach. A black spaghetti-strap top and collar looking thing that connected to a strip of... leather possibly, went down to her waist as well. She had hair that started off as brown but got lighter and lighter as it traveled down her back, eventually ending in blonde. Her kind hazel eyes twinkled playfully.

“If you see anything you’d like to try on, the girls in the fitting room over there are very helpful...” she cooed.

He felt his body grow light as he looked into those luscious eyes...

Then a shriek from the front of the store snapped him out of it.

He whirled around and saw a girl clutching her chest and then covering her face. She stamped her foot and groaned while another girl with red, frizzy hair suppressed some giggles.

“Do NOT scare me like that again!!” She hollered.

Her friend started cracking up and soon they were both giggling.

Jack smiled a little and turned back, but the lady was gone. He turned in a slow 360 degrees but didn’t see her at all.

Weird.... really weird....

He shook his head and walked out. He would be back tomorrow.

Description
Jack narrowed his eyes and mumbled under his breath as he crossed the street and stood in front of the store. Freshly opened about 2 months ago from today, it was already a huge success. Then again, the three things that always did well in college towns were bars, restaurants, and cheap clothing stores. Who didn’t want to get a new, comfy outfit without emptying their wallet? The clothing that the aforementioned store sold, called Cocoon oddly enough, WAS in fact insanely comfortable. And it was cheap. A little too cheap...

Jack thought back to when one of his friends told him about the weirdly named store...

***

“Holy CRAP!! One’s here!!!”

Jack turned his head away from the show he was watching to look at the girl literally bouncing on the balls of her feet. He raised an eyebrow.

“Wanna share with the rest of the class?” He chuckled.

“Yeah yeah yeah one sec.” she replied in one breath.

“Still waaaaaaiiiiting...”

“Ok!! So you know how college students are basically broke right?” She said still staring at her phone.

He snorted. “Yup. Why?”

“And you know how college students also wanna look good and impress... you know...” she trailed off.

When she didn’t respond he looked at her again and saw her cheeks were a shade pinker than usual.

“Impress people they like...?” He finished for her, feeling a blush creep up into his own face as well.

She smiled wide and nodded vigorously.

He chuckled. “Sure... so what does that have to do with this store you’re so excited about?”

A phone was immediately shoved in his face. On the screen was a model in a rather cute top. He was no fashion guy so he didn’t really know what kind it was, but one thing was certain: it looked expensive. He sighed.

“How much is it...”

She squealed and scrolled down.

He blinked.

He blinked again.

He took her phone and zoomed in so there was NO possibility he was reading it incorrectly.

“Five....? Only five dollars. This HAS to be a scam Kate. There is NO way it’s that cheap!”

She giggled and showed him more. Everything looked super high-end, yet when she showed him the prices, nothing was over $50, and even THAT was rare to see!

“I’m going in an hour when it opens it’s doors! Wanna come??”

He looked at the phone and then down at himself.

“Not many selections for guys there, from what I could see...”

“Psshhh. Yes they do. I mean yeah, they’re more catered to women but they do have men’s stuff! Same prices and quality too!!”

“Well, I would love to buuuut...”

He stood up and stretched.

“Unfortunately I having some studying to do and therefore cannot accompany you. Test tomorrow. But have fun and try not to buy out the whole store.”

She giggled, gave him a hug, and left his apartment.

He never saw her again.

Steps were taken. He helped her friends file the report of course. A search was done, her apartment was investigated. People were interviewed. Not a trace of her could be found. She hadn’t dropped any hints she was moving or had a boyfriend out of state or country. Even the CCTV from the store was requested. They humbly gave it up and it was combed through. But it showed her leaving the store, after trying them on and then purchasing two or three things. There was no CCTV of the changing rooms though... the cops found that suspicious and jumped on it. As they should. But when they grilled the employees they swore nothing had happened. They said they have two positions that are solely focused on watching the rooms and making sure customers are satisfied, or can help them if they require any. Eventually the cops relented after both broke down from being yelled at so much. The police just couldn’t find a lead. And eventually, the case was dropped.

***

Jack huffed and glared at the store. This was the ONLY thing she went to that day. Whatever happened, happened here. He had been in the store countless of times, looking around for anything that would help him locate his missing friend. But nothing. It was just filled with clothes, cute girls, some guys, and the employees that always seemed to have an easy going smile on their faces.

He didn’t like it.

Something was off.

He had combed every inch of the store, always looking like he was looking for something for a friend, or maybe keeping an eye out for a new pair of jeans, but he found squat.

He had been in the changing room too. And still nothing out of the ordinary. He must have had a pretty sour look on his face, because a retailer came up to him with a gentle smile.

“Can I help you with anything...?” She asked in a soft voice.

“No... sorry... just...uh...” he grasped for words but his mind was too focused on Kate and what had happened. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

“It’s alright...” he heard her voice say again.

God it sounded like caramel. He opened his eyes, ran his hand through his hair, and looked up.

Wow.

She had on high-waisted, soft looking, red pants that had a cute bow tied at her stomach. A black spaghetti-strap top and collar looking thing that connected to a strip of... leather possibly, went down to her waist as well. She had hair that started off as brown but got lighter and lighter as it traveled down her back, eventually ending in blonde. Her kind hazel eyes twinkled playfully.

“If you see anything you’d like to try on, the girls in the fitting room over there are very helpful...” she cooed.

He felt his body grow light as he looked into those luscious eyes...

Then a shriek from the front of the store snapped him out of it.

He whirled around and saw a girl clutching her chest and then covering her face. She stamped her foot and groaned while another girl with red, frizzy hair suppressed some giggles.

“Do NOT scare me like that again!!” She hollered.

Her friend started cracking up and soon they were both giggling.

Jack smiled a little and turned back, but the lady was gone. He turned in a slow 360 degrees but didn’t see her at all.

Weird.... really weird....

He shook his head and walked out. He would be back tomorrow.