ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝐄𝐗-𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 ༊*·˚ ┊͙ 𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘴

✩ chapter two

『 ↝ an unexpected discovery ↜ 』

~ ✩ ~

AFTER BEING SCOLDED BY AUNTIE for coming home without the toilet paper, she asked her for, Andie went back with a pout on her face and with strongly set intentions to actually reach the toilet paper shelf.

However this time, she didn't feel like fantasising about her crush while walking the shortest way, so she decided to distract herself a bit, by going another way. Through the centre of the town.

Who knows maybe there's something interesting happening. Maybe Maria will say hi to her or the nice bartender will strike up a little conversation about the weather. Or maybe she might just completely coincidentally bump into the strong and muscular silhouette of her crush and magically have her feelings be reciprocated. Or she might as well stop being so delusional for once in her life.

Even though Andie wasn't very keen on human interactions, it was good for her to take a walk in a busy environment once in a while. She thought that maybe she'll stop for a drink or see if there's some mail for her, which never happened before but she dreamed of getting a vintage letter from someone.

And with her intentions set in her mind she paved her way through many adults, who were just stopping by to chat with their friends, kids running around playing tag and people just leading a very calm life while buying apples and pears at the town market.

While passing by the bartender, she decided to treat herself to a drink, as a 'I deserve to care for myself once in a while' moment. She entered the tavern, where her favourite bartender was currently chatting up with some elder man, while pouring him some sort of alcoholic drink.

The girl pulled out a few coins and came up to Mr. Whitlock, the barista.

"Hello." Andie said with a relatively high and shy tone, to try and get her acquaintances attention. She pulled out her hand with some change and said, "Could I have some apple juice please?"

"Hi! There's my favourite kid in this town!" He smiled and warmly, "Yeah of course, I'll make it right away. Don't worry it's on the house." He replied in the sweetest tone she's ever heard a man use.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to bring your business down.." she answered a bit shocked, pulling her still open hand a bit closer to herself. "You worry too much, Dennie." Mr. Whitlock answered.

Dennie was a nickname he came up with for her, in one of their late night-long talks with some apple juice in hand. Even though Andie thought Dennie would be a suitable nickname for someone named Denise or something, she learned to accept that from now on, in his eyes she was Dennie.

Unless she told him about something she did, that she wasn't supposed to or how she skipped a class. Then he'd call her Andrea. Apparently, before the outbreak, Andie was just short for Andrea. Andie had no idea and she wasn't used to being called by her allegedly full name. She's also never been called that before, even by auntie.

Her relationship with Mr. Whitlock was pretty unique to say the least. She wouldn't consider him a friend, but he was one of the nicest men she's ever met. He told her a lot about the world pre-outbreak which seemed almost unreal to her. Because you could go outside on walks, explore the wilderness and even travel to other countries without being afraid of getting bit by one of the roaming infected? It seemed like a wild fantasy for Andie who was born 7 years after the outbreak.