Back to School Shopping

"Why?" Max complained.

"Otherwise you won't have a nice new outfit for your first day of school." Mom affirmed.

"I don't care. I don't want to go to the new school." Max persisted.

"We are going to the mall today and that is final. You need to start getting excited for back to school." Mom continued.

"Ugh." Was all Max could manage.

Changing schools was not his idea. It was thrust upon Max when his parents got divorced. Nobody asked Max what he wanted, nor were they concerned how it affected him. All his parents thought about was their happiness.

"Fine. I'll go but I won't enjoy myself." He said stubbornly digging into his position.

"That's more like it!" Max's mother said in her chipper sing-song voice.

Being 13 was tough enough as it is, let alone starting a new school and moving to a new neighborhood.

Max grabbed his cellphone and hopped into the dusty blue sedan to go back to school shopping with his mother. The 20 minute car ride felt like an eternity as mother and son battled it out over which tunes to listen to. They compromised and left the music off as they each stared out their windows in silence.

Jennifer turned on the right indicator to signal her turn to the mall. Max longed for the day when he could drive himself there.

The parking lot was full so they parked a distance away from the main entrance. He pulled open the mall door and was hit with the familiar mall scent of food court, recirculating air and brand new goods assaulting his senses.

How many times have they come here before for back to school shopping? Every year. Except this time, it wasn't with dad. The escalator gleamed as it carried shoppers with armfuls of treasures up and down in a smooth rhythm.

"How about we try this store?" Mom pointed to the first store she saw kids around Max's age in.

"Sure. I could use a new pair of jeans. As long as you are prepared to shell out $200 per pair." Max said knowing that since the divorce, money was tight for mom.

"Uh, how about we try somewhere else instead?" She said realizing that she hadn't hid her financial stress from Max as well as she thought she had.

Max felt guilty. He was acting like a brat and knew how much his mother sacrificed for him.

"This store is okay mom." Max pointed to a store on the lower level. The escalator swiftly delivered them down and they stepped into the store. Max instantly recognized the throbbing music. He found himself humming along to the music to which Jennifer's shoulders instantly relaxed as she sensed the shift in Max's mood.

"There's some jeans over there." Jennifer guided.

Max obediently went to the rack. "I want wide leg jeans, not these." Max complained.

"They have wide leg jeans on the back rack." A non-descript guy said to Max. He must have heard him complaining and Max was embarrassed by his outburst.

"Ugh, thanks." He said self consciously.

"Are your parents taking you back to school shopping too?" The guy inquired.

"Yeah but it's just my mom this year" Max said flatly. "My parents split this year so we are starting a new tradition."

"Oh that is tough. I remember when my parents split, it's rough. I'm used to it now. I still see both of them, it's just different."

"Are you going to try anything on?" Mom interrupted.

"Yes these." Max held up a pair of light blue stone wash wide leg jeans.

"All right. Let's find the sales clerk and get you in a change room." Mom pushed.

The change rooms were packed and Max was ushered into the available space. He dutifully tried on the jeans and stepped out of the change room.

"Don't you look cute!" Mom said causing Max to blush. "While you are in there, why don't you try this shirt on too?" She held up a gray short sleeve shirt.

Max looked at it, shrugged and went back into the change room to try it on. Max stepped out of the change room for a second time and saw the person next to him had the exact same outfit on!

Wait, it was the boy from earlier!

"Well, that would be awkward if we went to the same school!" The boy exclaimed.

"For sure. I'm going to a new school this year, Garland Academy, at the top of the hill." Max informed him.

"No way! That's where I go!" He said. "I'm Josh"

"Max."

Maybe this new school would turn out to be ok after all?