When We Were Wildflowers

Chapter 13 - Cherry Red

While Dad and Teddy inspect rows of dusty comic books in the corner store of a strip mall, Poppy and I wander to the mini mart across the parking lot where we fill two paper cups with sticky, sweet cherry slushies. The icy concoction gives me a brain freeze on the spot, and I grab Poppy's arm and wince in pain as we approach the cash register.

"Don't drink it so fast." She laughs and takes a long, slow slurp.

"You have to pay for that first, darling." The cashier's steady gaze dips to Poppy's long, lean legs and he licks his lips. "You know what, that one's on the house--and your little sister's too."

Eew. This doughy, middle-aged man hitting on Poppy makes me want to gag on the straw of my slushy. I give him bombastic side eye.

"No thanks. We're not looking for any freebies." Poppy reaches into her pocket for four wadded-up dollar bills. "Right, lil sis?"

I snicker. "Right, big sis. Mom said to never take slushies from strangers."

The man behind the cash register grunts andd snatches Poppy's money off the counter. When he reaches to give Poppy her change, she shakes his hand away. "Keep the change."

We bust through the glass door roaring with laughter, but I still have the eerie sensation my skin is crawling. "He was so gross. Hitting on middle schoolers? Can you believe it?"

"Wouldn't be the first time." Poppy shrugs like its no big deal.

"Really?" I don't want to believe it, but my best friend is about eight inches taller than me, probably wears a C-cup, and could pass for a college student. "I'm so sorry, Poppy. That really sucks."

"It's awkward for sure." Poppy frowns and releases a frustrated sigh.

"Awkward? It's disgusting. Like why would you ever want a piece of that? Why do guys think it's okay to make oogle at women, make passes and treat them like objects?" I take a sip of my slushy and nearly choke when I spot Teddy walking towards us as we cross the parking lot. "Speak of the devil."

Poppy perks up when she spots Teddy: its subtle but I know her well enough by now to read her facial expressions. When her eyebrows raise, her lips part and she take a quick inhale, Poppy is pleasantly surprised--maybe even eager. For what, I don't know.

"Sup, girls." Teddy walks like he's got a pebble in his shoe. It's his feeble attempt at a swagger.

I roll my eyes in disgust. "Too much nerding out with Dad in the comic book store?"

"You could say that." Teddy addresses Poppy (not me) and I groan in frustration. "Whatcha got there?"

"Cherry slushies." Poppy draws up her mouth into a bashful smile and blinks her big, brown doe eyes.

She's flirting. I nudge her in the ribs gently with my elbow and point across the parking lot. "Check it out. A thrift store. Let's go shopping."

"Yeah, okay." She motions for Teddy to follow and leads us across the scorched pavement with long strides. "This place has a great book section. I think with the university so close, they get most of their donations from students. I've gotten some amazing humanities textbooks, classic literature like Tolstoy and Dickens, and some amazing women's fiction here."

"Really?" Teddy state of shock makes me chuckle. "So, you're a big reader?"

Before Poppy can even open her mouth, I answer his question with distain. "Yes, beauty and brains, Teddy."

"Come on, Violet. I didn't mean it like that." A sheepish look crosses Teddy's face. "I was just surprised because so many girls our age are into following beauty and fashion influencers or playing sports. I just don't come across many girls who talk about literature."