"Alright, I'm heading to aisle 5! I need to get snacks for tonight."
"You and Ophelia have plans?"
"No. The snacks are for me..."
"Hahaha~ Why that face? Nothing wrong with that."
"I don't need anyone thinking I'm fat!"
I looked her up and down, this time were she could follow my eyes and then I reconnected our eye contact.
"Trust me, no one will ever think that."
"AH! Shut up idiot! Pervert!" She hit my shoulder and ran off.
"Alright, I'm heading to aisle 5! I need to get snacks for tonight."
"You and Ophelia have plans?"
"No. The snacks are for me…" Her face turned slightly pink, but she didn't break eye contact.
I couldn't help but laugh at her antics. "Hahaha~ Why that face? There's nothing wrong with that."
"I don't need anyone thinking I'm fat!"
I scoffed, looking her up and down—making sure she noticed—before meeting her eyes again.
"Trust me, no one will ever think that."
"AH! Shut up, idiot! Pervert!" She smacked my shoulder and ran off. Her little reaction caught the attention of a few nearby shoppers, who smiled in amusement. Awkwardly laughing, I decided to go for the first item on my list. Thankfully, a certain someone had already told me which aisle it was in.
"Ugh. How am I still short?! Actually, why is this thing so high?!"
I turned into aisle five, only to be greeted by the sight of Katelyn on her tiptoes, struggling to reach a bag of gummy fish. The packaging literally just said Sweet Fish. I had to agree with her—it was placed ridiculously high.
I stretched just a little higher, barely lifting onto my tiptoes, and grabbed the bag of candy. As I did, the faint scent of her shampoo and perfume drifted toward me—both carrying the citrusy essence of citrine. Somehow, it suited her. Maybe it was the way her golden eyes gleamed, or perhaps it was her vibrant personality. I couldn't explain it, but the orange-citrine hue just fit her.
"I-I could have gotten it," she mumbled.
"Uh-huh. So convincing."
I handed her the bag with a smile and grabbed one for myself. Mom wanted one too, and seeing Katelyn grab a pack made me think they must be good. However, I was more of a dark chocolate fan. The bitterness was wonderful, though strangely, I preferred my coffee sweet.
"Idiot…"
'I wonder if she knows I can hear her…'
My lips twitched at her whisper. Our shoulders were basically touching, and she wasn't that quiet if you were paying attention.
I paused, thinking of a way to get at her. Playfully, of course.
"Shorty…blergh!"
She pouted with a spiteful gaze. Sticking out my tongue only made it worse.
"Gah!" She stomped down on my foot, and damn, she put her whole weight into it.
Crossing her arms under her chest, she looked at me in triumph.
"That's what you get for making fun of me!"
"Ahahaha~ Are you a child?" I ignored the pain as best I could, laughing at her cute gestures.
I didn't know why, but even though we just met, it already felt like we were close friends. Maybe it was her openness, or maybe she just had that kind of energy—the kind that made it easy to let your guard down.
Katelyn wasn't heartless—she waited for my foot to calm down. I limped for a bit since it stung to walk, but the pain faded in seconds, so maybe it wasn't that she chose to be kind—she just didn't have time to be mean.
"Hey."
"Hm?"
"How are you going to bring this entire list home?"
"Ah! Uh. I'll figure it out, I guess."
"That's such a man response."
"Thank you!"
"That was—whatever. Do you want me to help you?"
"Oh my~ already trying to meet my family?"
"…"
"Yeah, I figured that was a bad joke. You can put away the disgust!"
"You are so lucky I didn't have my phone out."
"Don't tell me."
"Heh, I would have posted it so quick!"
"I'll sue, woman!"
"I doubt you'd win with how you act…"
"Nah, I'd win."
"Pfft~, why are you doing that?"
"'Cause I'm locked in, obviously!"
"Look, you scared the baby! Even she knows you are annoying."
"Yeah, yeah, just grab that dish soap for me, shorty. Plus, it's because I'm so good-looking that she didn't know what to do! In the future, she'll have trouble finding someone as good as I." I flicked my hair back dramatically, causing Katelyn to freeze.
"Y-You are so insufferable!" She insulted me, but I could tell she was having fun. One, she was still here, and two, her eyes gave away a lot of her emotions. I'd learned she spoke with her eyes. When she was amused, they'd shine brighter, and when she was embarrassed, she'd frantically look away.
We wandered through the aisles, lost in conversation and laughter, unfazed by the occasional glances sent our way. For me, this makeshift hangout was more than just playful banter. It was a welcome distraction, easing the quiet anxiety that had been building beneath the surface.
"The total will be $293.43." Since all the self-checkout lanes were taken, we had to go to a cashier which wasn't anything to annoying. Thankfully, the cashier was quick and efficient, making the process much smoother.
We walked out of the store through the automatic doors, and the city's familiar hum greeted us—horns honking in the distance, students chatting on the sidewalk, the towering university casting its long shadow over the streets.
"I can drive so I'll help you with this. Next time, maybe don't try doing everything in one trip."
"I told you I could have figured it out!"
"Yeah, a way to dropping everything and wasting money!"
"No..." I couldn't make eye contact with her because I knew she was right.
'The sky is a beautiful blue today!'
I could feel her eyes peering into me which didn't help how awkward I felt. But, before long, she tapped me on the shoulder and let me know that she'd be right back.