Evangeline
I have just barely made it onto Main Street when I hear someone call my name.
"Evangeline!" I turn behind and see Christopher, Asher, Lucas and Max sprinting down the path like madmen. I stop walking immediately and wait for them to catch up. I raise my brows. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Asher pants."You were gone-"
"and we got worried-" Lucas cuts in.
"So we followed you!" Max and Christopher finish breathlessly.
They are all so cute. Guilt pools in my stomach. "Sorry for making you worry. I should've mentioned where I was headed."
Lucas waves a hand dismissively. "Nah. We shouldn't have panicked and gone running to search for you. You're pretty independent, and would've been able to take care of yourself. Sorry."
"Since you're all here now, how about you follow me to the supermarket?"
"Yay!" Christopher claps his hands excitedly.
-
Not long after, we reach the supermarket. Cold air blasts my face. I'm glad I wore leggings today.
"Been a long while since we came to the grocer's," Lucas remarks with his hands in his pockets, surveying the countless aisles.
"What do you need?" Asher walks alongside me, his eyes fixated on the floor. Over the past week, he actually reciprocated to greetings and 'how are yous'. He still is kind of stuffy. Nevertheless, he's gonna be my stepbrother soon, so we both have to make the effort to get along.
"Can you get me eggs , milk, and flour please?" He nods, face flushed and quickly departs.
Lucas gets sent off to retrieve raw meat: mince beef, chicken and pork belly. Christopher, Max and I go in search for fruits and vegetables. We arrive at the produce section. A vast array of colourful produce greets us. I make a beeline for the tomatoes and begin selecting ones without bruised skin before placing them into a plastic bag.
"How do you pick them?" Christopher sidles up beside me. A little way behind him, Max picks up an orange and inspects it.
"Look at the skin for colour and imperfections. bruises, or insect marks. Check the texture for ripeness too. It depends on the produce you're picking." I run my fingertips over the smooth skin, then drop it into the bag
Max comes to stand on my other side. "What the hell are these?" He holds up a bright fuchsia fruit with green spine-like structures.
"Dragonfruit," I reply. "It originates from Central and South America."
I hesitate a little. "Do you want some? You can have it after dinner tonight, I guess."Christopher and Max's faces light up with a smile instantly. "Hell yes!" They are always the most enthusiastic ones.
We grab a few more things before meeting up with Asher and Lucas at the cashier. "Thanks for getting these!"
"Hold on. Did you bring cash?" Lucas reaches for his pocket. "Yeah, I did!" I quickly reply before he pulls out his wallet. I can't have him pay for all this stuff. "Are you sure?" Asher pipes up. Well, isn't he chatty today? "All this has got to be a little over sixty bucks. We can help with the bill, anyway."
I shake my head furiously."Oh, no. I can't have you do that. I brought enough. Don't worry, I know how to budget! Dad gave an allowance for groceries." I reassure them.
In truth, I still have yet to request funds for groceries from Dad. He's earning lots now, but I'd still feel bad asking him for money or disturbing his prep with Mariam. Of course, he'd also say no, so my savings will have to do for now.
I don't know why, but I feel a duty to ensure the boys eat proper, healthy meals, seeing as we've had takeout or dined at restaurants for the past few days. I got sick of doing that like before and hence decided to make this little trip.
I shoot them a small smile and pull out a wad of cash from my pocket as the cashier starts scanning the products on the belt.
