Chapter 31: Store

Chapter 31: Store

I kept my steps lively as I marched down the street towards the store. I only needed a few things. I jammed my hand in my tote bag and fished around for my wallet. I had twenty dollars and some change. That should be enough for some campfire food. I ducked into Grocer Outlet. I knew I shouldn't be here, but it was the cheapest place to get food.

I darted around the aisle to avoid eye contact with my manger. If I was careful, I could get out of here without getting seen by anyone that would rat on me. I sunk in low as I waited for the manger to pass.

"What are you doing?" Angie asked.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I knocked several cans of beans from the shelves as I danced around in an awkward spin to avoid stepping on them and to get a better look at the intruder trying to blow my cover.

"Shut up," I breathed. "I'm trying to be covert here."

His stony face stared at me.

"What are you doing?" He repeated.

"Why do you care?" I whispered harshly. "I'm not in any danger so piss off. I have stuff to do and you're drawing attention to me."

He crossed his arms and grew taller. A lady with mouse ears walked by pushing a cart in front of her. She paused, looking Angie up and down. She turned to me and winked, then continued her shopping.

My face went pale. "Oh my god, just leave. And put some pants on. Your armor skirt is making people look."

Angie frowned. He looked down at his breastplate, cuffs, and skirt. "But they're shiny."

I rolled my eyes. I linked my arm through his and pulled, well tried to pull, him further down the aisle away from my whistling boss.

"Why are you running from him?" Angie asked as he followed along my tug at his arm.

"I just don't want to talk to him, okay? He's a creep," I whispered.

Angie looked back behind him at Mr. Kline. "Hmm... Yes."

I stopped. "What? What did you just do?" I tried to peek around Angie's huge form to see if the manager was still standing.

"I just read his aura. It's very black."

"That could mean anything. He could just be unhappy about his job." I continued down the aisle away from Mr. Kline.

"You said he gives you the creeps."

I waved him off. "Stop trying to help me. Why are you even here?"

"I can't say."

I stopped in front of the marshmallows and grabbed one up under my arm. "Is that an official line?"

"Yes, but it's also true."

I huffed as I walked to the candy aisle where I picked up some chocolate. "Look, everything is fine. I'm going to get Mila back. That's all. So, can you just go? You're drawing too much attention to me."

Two teenagers with pointed teeth giggled as Angie and I walked passed. They whispered conspiratorially as I turned the corner.

"Hmm..." Angie growled.

I spun on him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't say."

I smacked him on the chest. It was really solid. Like so solid it made a thunk noise when I hit it. I smacked it again for good measure then I couldn't seem to pry my hand off his chest. I stared at it for a few seconds. It looked so small against his broad chest.

Angie's hand closed over mine as he gently pried it off him. I tore my eyes away to look in his bright blue ones.

"Don't go messing around with things you don't understand. That's what happened last time."

"Last time?" The words fell from my lips just as he vanished in front of me.

What did he mean by last time? I haven't meddled in stuff I didn't know about. I never did that. I always had some sort of plan for everything. I prided myself on knowing all the details for executing the plan.

I continued on to the crackers section. Last time... Last time... A faint memory, maybe that of a dream whispered through my mind. I was in a forest filled with pink roses... or something... The scrap of memory faded as I stood in front of the cracker section. I grabbed up a box of graham crackers then headed to the front counter.

Angie's warning left my mind as I concentrated on the paper again. Campfire items, check. Pine needles, check. Creepy node point, check. Now I just needed to figure out how to get Mila in the forest. I looked out the windows into the night sky. The store would be closing soon. I grabbed up a flashlight from the checkout stand as I made my purchases then shoved all of it my tote bag and headed out the door.

"Kira," Mr. Kline said.

I turned to see him leaning against the outside of the customer service counter. I internally swore, but externally I plastered on my fake smile.

"Manager."

"Fancy seeing you here on your day off."

I nodded. "Yes, sir. I was just picking up a few items on my way home."

"Looks like you're having a fire tonight. You have all the items for s'mores. I sure do like those, they are my favorite."

"A... yeah well, they're for a friend. He just asked me to pick them up on my way over."

"I see. Going to see your boyfriend, perhaps?"

My plastic smile couldn't get any tighter. "Yep, that's it." I slowly started edging towards the door.

"Well, that's new. You'll need to bring him by sometime. I want to make sure I get a good look at him so he can have my stamp of approval."

"Yeah, okay. Sounds good." I felt my plastic smile turning into a frown. "Okay, gotta go. He's waiting, you know."

"Well, you have a nice evening. I'll see you in the morning. Don't stay out too late!"

He called as the door swung and I escaped the incredibly awkward conversation. That was one of the many reasons I never wanted to get stuck talking to him. Why did he need to know if I was dating anyone? And why did he need to give his stamp of approval? Who the fuck did he think he was? Angie had more authority in the matter than he did and I'd only met him twice. As if I needed approval anyways.

The more I walked, the more I thought, and the more heated my thoughts got. I was piping mad by the time I reached my front door. I didn't even notice the nighttime darkness I had just walked through to get home.

I stared at the stairs to my front door. I took a deep breath. I could do this. All I had to do was get Mila out there.