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How long had Penny been standing in the line to get a smoothie? Had the line even moved? Did anything exist anymore beside the line? Perhaps she had been trapped once again in another dimension, cursed to forever wait in the line for the promises of a smoothie that’d never come. Around her the mall stopped, as if frozen in time, as the lights began to click off one by one until even the back of the person in front of her was lost to the darkness. Penny felt a chill run down her spine as she stared forward into the dark void, feeling something stare back at her. Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness and she could start to make out shapes. She realized then that her eyes weren’t adjusting. Instead, on the horizon, a light was beginning to glow.

[color=f26522]“Penny, Penny!” [/color]

Penny snapped out of her daydream with a start as the mall reappeared around her. In her stupor, she had moved forward a few more spots in line. What a relief. She looked over at the source of her name and saw the yellow bundle of energy that was Isla. Penny returned the wave as the girl rushed over. 

[color=f26522]“Are you getting a smoothie too? This line is crazy! I’m getting Mariah to show me around because I have no clue where anything is and might as well experience America while I’m here!”[/color]

[color=goldenrod]“Well, there’s nothing more American than the vast capitalistic wasteland  of the shopping mall, except for shooting guns into the side of a hill or going tens of thousands of dollars in debt for a degree you won’t ever use,”[/color] said Penny, flashing a smile. 

She was about to suggest other American things that Isla could experience while visiting, like eating a warm slice of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, not caring about soccer and refusing to call it football, or getting addicted to prescription drugs.  However, before she could teach Isla how to bleed Red, White, and Blue, Emily joined them with a smile that looked alarmingly unnatural. Still, Penny was about to pretend that she was excited to see the girl she’d been forced to share an awkward car ride with. However, her smile faltered as Emily suggested she had saved Penny’s life—as if she had been in any real danger. Hah!

"And after you nearly fuckin' ended mine with that stunt you pulled," said Emily. Penny’s eyes went cold as she looked down at the accusatory finger poking her in the chest.  "So you owe me a thank you. And an apology. You can repay your debt with smoothies. I want the Passion fruit." 

[color=goldenrod]“Oh, you’re absolutely right,”[/color] snickered Penny as she brushed Emily’s hand away, not bothering at all to hide her insincerity as she rolled her eyes. [color=goldenrod]“I am so dreadfully sorry that something almost happened to you on accident, and am truly grateful  that you think you somehow saved my life. I believe a smoothie is not enough to repay what I owe you. I will think of something...”[/color]

However, as she spoke Penny could feel the eyes of the other people waiting in line focus in on them. Their looks were angry and judgmental, the faces of people that could quickly be whipped up into an angry mob with a single call for action. If she didn’t get the girls to go away, a riot would surely breakout in response to their line cutting—intentional or otherwise.

[color=goldenrod]“You know what? Fine, ”[/color] said Penny, dropping the fake apologetic tone. [color=goldenrod]“All of you go hangout over by the bench and I’ll grab us some smoothies. Tell me whatcha want and go, before these people behind you start grabbing pitchforks.”[/color]

After hearing what the other two wanted, Penny waved the girls off and continued standing in line. After a few minutes that felt like a couple of lifetimes, she made it to the front. She ordered the girls their smoothies, although she accidentally on purpose ordered the wrong flavor for Emily. Penny walked over to the group holding the paper drink carrier with a triumphant smile on her face. She handed Isla and Mariah their drinks, took her own, and then turned to Emily with a smirk as she offered her the wrong smoothie.

[color=goldenrod]“They were out of passion fruit, but said this one was pretty good,”[/color] said Penny, smirking, as she handed Emily the cayenne pepper kale smoothie.