Next Chapter || chaennie

Speechless, breathless, useless.

Winter

Rosie is an overthinker. Rosie spent all morning deciding whether to wear the blue blouse or the green sweater. She contemplated too long on which shirt would make her look effortlessly casual and after much internal debate, she settled on the blue. As she walked out of her apartment, it just felt wrong so she turned back to change into the green sweater. She’s behind schedule now but she feels better in green so it was worth it.

Hi, I’m Rosie, the internal monologue rushes her along the street.

It’s a beautiful day isn’t it. I’m sure you hear this all the time, but your produce stand is by far the best one at this market.

Rosie repeats the mantra repeatedly as her feet pull her towards the market by the water. The breeze picks up and the words fly around as she struggles to keep them contained on her tongue. 

Rosie is late to the market as a result of the agonizing shirt decision. Her favorite (popular) produce stand is out of the Cara Cara oranges and she wonders if the green shirt was worth missing out. She’s never this late to the market and everything good has been claimed and off to their next destinations including Rosie's favorite cashier, Jennie. She glances around the stall and rocks on her heels. 

“Can I help you find anything today?” Rosie is motioned over by a guy with a name tag that says “Jackson”. 

“Hello,” Rosie breathes out, “are you all out of the Cara Caras?”

Jackson winces. “Ah, yeah I just sold the last few. We have some regular navels though if you’re interested.”

“Can I please get 2 bags?” It’s hard for Rosie to hide her disappointment about the oranges and otherwise. 

“2 helpings of navels coming right up,” Jackson leaves to bag the oranges and returns with a grin, “that’s a lot of oranges for one person.”

“I’m making chocolate dipped candied orange peels for my book club,” says Rosie as she retrieves the bag from Jackson, “and they’re addictive so you need a lot of them. I’m going to make juice with the actual fruit and Cara Cara juice is just superior.”

“Sounds delicious! Our Cara Caras are very popular but better luck next time, right? It’s going to be 7768.86 won for two bags of navels.”

Rosie hands the bills over but stutters when she looks up to see Jennie standing next to Jackson. Like she appeared out of nowhere.

“Hi there! I didn’t think you’d make it today,” Jennie beams as she takes the money from Rosie.

Rosie blushes. Was Jennie waiting on her? Does Jennie notice her? 

Hi, I’m Rosie. The words are on the tip of her tongue. 

“What do you plan to do with all that citrus anyway?” Jennie looks at the oranges clutched in Rosie's hands.

Rosie opens her mouth to respond and nothing comes out. She’s obviously a fish out of water and she’s never been more grateful to hear Jackson's voice say “they’re for chocolate dipped candied orange peels.”

Jennie quirks her eyebrow first at Jackson and then at Rosie. Rosie could say anything at this moment to make things less awkward but Jennie curious smirk is too loud for her to figure out how her mouth works. 

Jackson notices and saves her again. “They’re for her book club. Can you believe we’ve never gotten an invite? And she actually came for the Cara Caras but we just sold out.”

Rosie nods, confirming that Jackson has all of the right information. She manages to smile at Jennie and hopes that it didn’t come out as a grimace.