"I can't see over the pile," I said, my words muffled by the pile of clothing in my arms that was currently blocking my line of sight.

"Just let me lead you to the dressing room, you won't hit anything," Sheela said, the sales person.

"Oomph," I groaned.

"Oops, well except for that. My bad. Here ya go, come out and show me the pieces as you get them on," Sheela said as I heard her close the changing room curtain behind me.

Dropping my overly large pile I groaned as I looked at it all, I wasn't much of a shopper really so this was like unwanted homework. I never really had friends who took me shopping growing up or in college so it seemed like a chore. Then as I picked up a shirt I saw the tag, it read six dollars, which was not bad, but it was going to add up.

Sliding off my newly acquired Cure hoodie and old white beater I threw them on a chair that was in the room and slid the t-shirt over my head. It was a pale green with a picture of a dog on it with x's for eyes and underneath it said "Chinese take out". It made me smile. Shirt straightened I pulled aside the curtain and stepped out.

"Tada!" I said half heartedly as I posed for Sheela.

"Shirt looks killer but if you don't put on multiple pieces at a time you'll never get everything tried on by the time Christmas rolls around. You don't shop much do you?" Sheela asked playfully, an eyebrow raised in question.

"No," I sighed down heartedly.

"Well here is a good place to learn. Now, GO. Put on more clothes, then come out and do your little dance on the catwalk. Now, SCOOT!" Sheela said as she ushered me into the cloth draped room.

Chuckling to myself I walked in and started slipping off the shirt.

"Jay what size bra do you wear?" Sheelas voice came in over the curtain.

"34 C. Why?" I asked back as I was rummaging through the piles of clothing.

"Here," I heard shouted and then was hit in the head by a flying object that had been thrown over the top of the curtain.

Picking it up I looked at it and smiled. It was a black bra that was cut straight across and had little white skull and cross bones on the fabric. Atop the straight cut line of the cups was bright blue lace, the strap were thin rolled strips of the same skull and cross bones material. It was cute. I liked it and threw it onto my stuff, knowing I was going to get it.

I pulled on a tank top that was styled similar to a beater but was of thicker material and went down over my ass quite a bit, instead of ending at my hips. It was white and had a black spray painted, graffiti style skull and cross bones on the lower corner. I was guessing this was theme, not that I minded, I had a skull and cross bones tattooed on my shoulder blade.

Next I slipped on some black leggings and a jean skirt that came mid thigh, I pulled the shirt over it, pulling it to its almost full length. Taking Sheela's advice I grabbed the short-ish leather jacket Sheela had seen me eyeing and had thrown into the pile. It came to just above my waist, and while the sleeves were not 3/4 length they did stop shorter than my wrist. It had a small band collar at the top and the leather smelled good as I pet its shiny outer layer.

I grabbed the black and white kaffiyeh I picked out since my old one had gone to some homeless guy in Indiana since he had been cold. I tied it loosely around my neck, letting drape on my shoulder I decided to go barefoot since my brown flip flops would kill the outfit. I pushed aside the curtain stepped out with more enthusiasm this time.

"Ta freaking da!" I said loudly as I struck a funny model pose.

"Oh bravo, BRA-fucking-VO! You're walking out this store with that on today, whether you like it or not," Sheela said as she clapped her hands together excitedly.

"I think I might be able to handle that," I replied and then turned a bit for dramatization and then went back into the room.

"What size shoe do you wear Jay?" I heard Sheela asked from the outside.

"Promise to not chuck them over the top and hit me in the head with them?" I asked, a laugh in my voice.

"Cross my rock star wanna be heart," Sheela joked.

"Size 7 and a half," I said loudly.

I didn't know if I needed more shoes as I more than likely had a pair to go with this in my closet in my apartment, but I wasn't going to spoil Sheela's fun. She was having fun playing dress up with her very own life size doll. And I didn't want to disappoint her right yet with the fact that I was not going to be able to buy nearly half of this. I didnt like spending carelessly. And if I did decide that Jersey wasn't for me then I was going to need cash to help me make my way to where ever was for me.

Sighing I shrugged off the current outfit and and grabbed for the next.
-xXx-
"Dear god," I exclaimed as I dropped everything I had tried on down on the counter with sigh.

"And too think most of all of it looked good on you. Dusty mustard yellow as we've found out is NOT your color, nor is split pea soup green. Though how those are ANYONE'S colors is beyond me, but I carry them anyway," Sheela said as she started sifting through my items.

"Okay now to pick what I am going to buy, I have to keep my budget under wraps," I said as I started picking through the items.

"Nah," Sheela said as she smacked my hand away.

"Go outside, smoke, do something, come back in five and I'll have you set and ready to go," she said as she shooed me away.

I shrugged my shoulders and then made my way outside with my bag slung on my shoulder. Outside I slipped my silver reflective aviators down onto my face to protect my eyes from the glare of the sun and grabbed a spot to sit on a bench. Grabbing and lighting a cigarette I made for my journal.

"Jersey. Odd names are as common as the Sunday newspaper. Retailers share business, lunch and contacts. Everyone knows everyone for the most part. I look horrible in dusty mustard yellow, but all right in baby blue. I think the sun reflects brighter now because of my hair. Like recognizes like."

I shut my book and slipped it back into my purse that was starting to bulge since it was carrying my button up shirt from earlier. I smiled and stuck my one free hand into one of the hoodie pockets and leaned back to watch the city unfold in front of my shaded eyes.

After a second cigarette and a people watching mega session I got up to walk back inside. In the doors I lifted my shades onto my head and readjusted to the diffused light. As I got to the counter my eyes bulged in shock.

"Sheela, that's, that's like EVERYTHING I tried on," I exclaimed as I saw the pile of black, white and bright green printed paper bags.

Beside them all was the full outfit I had first tried on, the one she had said I was walking out the door with on my body. I gulped.

"I know right? Cool huh, and I even added a silver studded belt and a mini chain and a spike bracelet. Gotta have the killer accessories. And while you may own them already, new ones always seem special," Sheela said gleefully.

"I, uh. What? Sheela how much does this total to?" I asked, still in shock.

"Oh don't worry, it only comes to sixty four dollars and seventy two cents. Which is random, but that's tax for ya," Sheela said happily as she looked down at the registers price display.

"WHAT? How on earth did it only total that? Do you know how many items are in those bags?" I asked loudly, my voice cracking a bit.

"Tisk, tisk Jay. I'm not stupid, I rang up, folded and placed each and everyone of those items in the bags. Of course I know how many there are," she said as she leaned her elbows on the counter and rested her chin on her hands while smiling gleefully at me.

"But, but, how?" I asked.

"Simple, I sell shit cheap here for one. Two, you spent over fifty dollars which gets an automatic discount. And then Star sent you, which she rarely uses that power, and that means she sent you with her discount as well," Sheela explained as if it was nothing as she straightened up to a standing position.

"But, why?" I asked as I handed over cash, which oddly enough was less than one weeks worth of pay working for Reta.

"Because one, Star and I are best friends, have been since we were little. And well we know one another pretty well. I ran away from Jersey to find myself in the world, and didn't. I finally came back here, to Jersey, knowing it was here all along. So I guess she saw some of that in you and I do too. Like recognizes like, and with that comes a certain amount of help," she said as she handed me back my change and an empty Waste of Breath bag.

"I don't really know what to say, other than a lame thank you," I said sheepishly, I really felt inadequate with my words at the moment.

"A thank you is all I need. That and that at some point you return the favor to someone else who looks to be in the same shoes you've worn. Possibly grabbing a coffee sometime as well," she said as simply.

I just nodded my head yes and then stared down at the empty bag in my hands. Questioningly I raised it up.

"For the clothes you have on now. I told you you were walking out in this outfit whether you liked it or not," she said as she pushed said outfit forward and placed hot pink ballet flats on top along with a single row spiked bracelet, two large chunky hot pink and yellow bracelets and some silver bangles.

Guess she was serious. Smiling I took the items and went to go change.

Notes

Yay for meeting new people!
And so her circle grows!!

That's it for updates tonight!
More tomorrow maybe!
Maybe not as it's New Year's Eve.
We'll see!!!