Wouldn't Change A Thing

Stacie/Dove

       I should have never talked. My life has been uprooted and redesigned by procedure, instead of choice. My new name is Stacie, but before my hell broke loose, I was Dove Neckles, and if you would have asked me a year ago if I was happy, I would have said yes.
       I was married to the man of my dreams, in a stable home with a career I loved, until the lies cracked. It turned out my husband had been working with a branch in the cartel moving packages and skins until some packages went missing, as well as my husband. When they couldnt find him they came to me.
      For 3 days I was held and tortured, being burned and cut to their sick pleasure until one of our older neighbors called the cops for a noise complaint. I was found and saved, but to avoid being found again or involved in anyway, I had to work with police and higher agents to get more intel, so to protect myself I've given up my life and started a new one.
Now, I'm known as Stacie Hall with a part time position at a nearby cafe in this hell of a small town. Being under protection, they moved me out here a couple months back, settling me in a nice standard single family home in a repeat neighborhood, with no individuality. I'm assuming this is supposed to be unpredictable in some way but its ridiculous to think I'd afford to own such a nice place on the salary of a barista, but theres some story I'm supposed to have memorized but I'm going through my denial period of being in this bullshit in the first place, so I'll get to it.
Anyway, I just came through the front door drenched from the pouring rain coming with the approaching storm. I stay on the rug at the door and kick my shoes off and shake myself crazy to get all the loose water to fall as my stomach grumbles. I kick my shoes to the side and walk to the kitchen and go through it to find not a damn thing. I exhale deeply and squeeze the bridge of my nose. I probably should make sure theres food in the house before the storm gets here.
"God damn it." I mumble to myself going back to the door. I get ready again putting my hood and shoes on. They didn't give me a car when I was finally placed so I have to walk everywhere. Lucky, I live just a block and a half from the shopping center.
When I finally get there, I start my typical grocery routine starting in produce. I bag up some naval oranges and continue shopping when I feel a tap on my shoulder.
"Excuse me?" I turn around to a woman about my size but a little thicker but gorgeous none the less. I smile at her and raise my eyebrow expecting to hear what she has to say.
"Oh hi, sorry, I..I just... you're so pretty." she says, clearly distracted. I giggle at her reaction and shake my head at her.
"Thanks. You're not exactly ugly either, if were just stating general facts. Is there something you needed from me?" I ask her curiously raising my eyebrow.
"Oh shit..oh damn... shit." She says looking to her feet with the deepest blush. I dont know what possessed my brain to process the thought but I couldn't help thinking how cute it was she was so embarrassed, but I couldnt help letting out a belly laugh and bending over to hold my knee.
"Oh my god, that's funny. But now I know what would be rude so... the fuck you want girl? I'm trying to shop." I tell her with a smile when her eyes light up with her smile. She lightly giggles at me.
"I'm sorry." She says sounding defeating but holding the same smile. Her eyebrows crease and she gets a defeated look. "I just saw you get oranges and I was just wondering you're preference. I need them for a recipe but I dont know the difference." She babbles on. She looks away again and nervously plays with her nails. I give her a suspicious look.
"For a recipe it shouldnt matter. But naval have more orange flavor and blood oranges have more tang I know that. Oh and the thinner the peel, the sweeter and juicier they are." I say before I turn back to my cart and push to walk away.
"Wait!" She shouts to me making me stop and turn again.
"I..I'm sorry, I'm just new here and it seems everyone I so tightly wound. Your the first person I met here that's kinda like me. Can I get your number and maybe have coffee some time?" She asks. With my aggravation already at an all time high for the day, I grab my bag digging for a pen. When I finally find the pen, I walk up to her and take her hand and lay it in mine before I write my name and number on her hand. I drop her hand and cap my pen as she lifts her hand reading the writing.
"Stacie? You dont look like a Stacie." She say crinkling her eyebrow.
"Well I am. Call me." I say and leave her standing there. I get my groceries and make my way home.
When i get there, i put the groceries away and take a shower a while before relaxing on the couch and turning the tv on. I watched a few shows on Netflix before I started to drift off when my phone rang to a text message. I picked up my phone and read the message.
-Hey Stacie

Confused I read it again. Who knows me without me knowing them.

-uhm hey who's this?
-oh yeah sorry. Its becca

I read the name thinking it over. I dont think I've ever met a Becca before.

-uhhh who?
-oh shit sorry again. We met today at Karen's

Oh right. The orange bitch. I really didn't think I'd ever hear from her. What do you know.

-oh right. The orange bitch. Wassup lol

I'm trying to keep it casual. She seems like the type to be easily stressed or maybe anxiety.

-lol you remember me awesome I'm just sitting in my lonely🤣

I smile to myself. Of course I remember her. She trips over her words enough to catch any needed attention. And if it wasnt her words,her looks would do it. With her dark brown hair pulled back to a pony tail, her lime green eyes, and damn near marshmallows for lips.
What the hell is that? I dont do that. Why did I notice her lips? Whatever. She just stood out I convince myself and move past it.

-How could I forget the random wreck I gave my number to?
-hey I'm not a wreck maybe you just have that affect on people
-Rarely. Or maybe it's just the town I'm new too.
-see I knew we were meant to meet so do you wanna do coffee tmw.
-I work tmw but it's my friday. I can do the next day...Wednesday?
-fine I guess we can do it wednesday...
-Hey I didnt have kids for that reason exactly. You wanna be a baby talk to someone else.
-ill be your baby...😉
-Ha. You wish.
-haha sure do see ya wednesday
-lol whatever
I locked my phone, shut down the power in the living room and made my way to bed for the night as I have a 5am shift at the cafe tomorrow.