𝑻𝐇𝐄 𝑵𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒━━ 𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘯𝘢𝘱

12

the next day, karl and nick were streaming with the other feral boys and i didn't want to intrude, so i called peyton and asked if she wanted to hang out with me. luckily for me, she agreed and came over right before they started streaming.

"good morning," i chirped, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

"good morning thalia," she said, equally as chipper.

"so what would you like to do today?" i asked, taking a sip of my coffee. i immediately cringed as the taste hit my mouth. "ugh that is atrocious."

"i'm down for whatever," peyton said. "anything fun and i'm game."

"where have you been all my life?" i asked her, shaking my head.

"texas," she responded with a small laugh.

"i lived in texas most my life. had you been in the same town as me and nick, we would've been an inseparable trio," i told her.

"or we'd ditch nick and take over the world," she added.

"we need an army for that."

"what about a raccoon army?" peyton mused.

"yes! we can train them to be assassins and it would be perfect since they can fit into small spaces," i said excitedly.

"is this a bad time?" karl asked from behind us.

"of course not," i responded. "what's up?"

"i just came to grab a drink," karl said. "and i heard about your plans. you aren't going to kill me, right?"

"aww, of course not. you're too precious to die. our raccoons will protect you," i told him, leaning in and ruffling his hair.

"yayy," he said happily. after karl grabbed a monster from the fridge, he returned to nick's room to do the stream.

i turned my attention back to peyton and said, "how do you feel about grocery shopping?"

"can we get cookie dough?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"it's an essential," i responded solemnly.

"then i'm in."

because it was just peyton with me and not nick, karl or dream, we went to the closest grocery store from the house. i let peyton choose the music and learned that she has exquisite taste, which only made me like her even more.

"alright, i know we need hamburger meat and tortilla shells cause i'm making tacos tonight and we don't have either of those at home," i said as i pushed the cart towards the grocery side. the store was surprisingly empty, only a few stragglers here and there.

"yum tacos," peyton said.

"i think i'll make chicken casserole tomorrow so i'll grab stuff for that, too," i said, mainly to myself.

"so do you always get the groceries and cook?" peyton asked as we made our way through the aisles, randomly grabbing stuff.

"sometimes. i'm a better cook than both of the boys, and i actually really like cooking so i choose to do it a lot. most nights we order pizza or takeout, though. as for getting the groceries, nick and dream both would rather do a pickup or have them delivered, and i like browsing through the aisles and buying what i feel like, so i do the grocery shopping. if they want something, they tell me and i get it," i explained.

"it seems like you guys are really close," peyton commented, almost sounding wistful.

"we are. it wasn't always that way and we've had some fights along the way, but they're my family. i wouldn't trade them for anything," i said.

"i love that," peyton said. she smiled at me and i realized that maybe she didn't have the kind of friends i did.

"what about you?" i asked. "where are your friends at?"

"back in texas. i left on a journey to explore and find myself and no one tagged along. after the show i went back home and i was just so bored. nothing there was exciting to me anymore. then my friend who lives here in orlando texted and we arranged for me to visit. once i got down here, i remembered that dream and nick lived here too, so i texted nick and he invited me over. and here we are," she said.

"i'm glad you're here. you may be my soul sister," i said dramatically. "my platonic wife."

peyton laughed at that and said, "i feel the same way about you. i can't believe we haven't met sooner."

"it's a tragedy."

once we finished getting the groceries and loading them into the car, i shut the trunk and grinned at peyton, a fun idea playing in my mind.

"peyton, get in the shopping cart,"
i said.

"okay," she responded, not bothering to ask why.

as soon as she was settled, i took off running and pushing the cart, waiting until we had gained a lot of speed to jump on and ride with her.

"woooo!" peyton yelled, hands high in the air.

i laughed as we slowly stopped and turned around to go back the way we had come. there were only two other cars in the parking lot, so i wasn't worried about hitting anyone.

after a couple of times riding, peyton switched with me and pushed me up and down. we were making our fifth or sixth lap when one of the employees came out.

"excuse me, but i'm going to have to ask that you return our shopping cart and immediately leave the premises. if you return here again, i'll have to call the cops," he said solemnly.

"aw john, you wouldn't do me like that," i said as i climbed out of the shopping cart.

his lips twitched and he couldn't keep his smile back any longer. "i wouldn't. i just haven't seen you in awhile and thought i'd give you and your friend a scare."

i slung my arm across his shoulder and grinned. "do you want to go?" i asked slyly.

he checked his watch. "yeah, i'm on break for ten more minutes, might as well give it a go."

"thalia, you get in too and i'll push you both," peyton offered.

i got in beside john and waited until peyton started pushing us to get out my phone and video it. the only sounds in the parking lot were our laughter and joyous yells. after john went back to work, peyton and i decided to leave to. before i pulled out of the parking lot, i sent the video i had taken to nick, just because i wanted to.

word count: 1076