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★19

After what felt like hours on the road, Tayla finally spotted the familiar blue and yellow sign of Walmart shining in the distance. Relief washed over her as she pulled into the parking lot, the 

excitement in the car palpable.

"Finally!" Kai exclaimed, stretching his arms above his head as they parked. "I thought we'd never get here!"Amber looked out the window, her eyes wide. "This place is packed! Look at all those cars.""Yeah, but it's a Saturday," Tayla said, shutting off the engine. "What did we expect?"As they all climbed out of the car, the hustle and bustle of the parking lot hit them. Families 

were loading their carts, couples were chatting, and kids darted around excitedly.

"Okay, let's stick together," Tayla instructed, adjusting her purse on her shoulder. "We don't want to get lost in this crowd."

"Lost? In Walmart? I'd like to see that happen," Kai joked, smirking as he walked ahead.

Amber rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, because you're such a great navigator. Remember last week when you got us lost looking for that coffee shop?"

"Hey, that was one time!" Kai defended, laughing.

Tayla shook her head with a smile, leading them toward the entrance. The automatic doors slid open with a whoosh, revealing the bright, fluorescent lights inside. The atmosphere was buzzing with activity, the sounds of shopping carts clattering and announcements echoing over the intercom. Tayla glanced at the long lines at the registers and 

the shoppers navigating the aisles.

"Wow, this place is huge," Amber said, looking around in awe. "Where do we even start?""Let's go to the grocery section first," Tayla suggested, pulling out the list. "We can split up after that to get clothes and other stuff.""Good idea. I'll grab the snacks!" Kai announced, already striding toward the aisles."I'll find the toiletries," Amber chimed in, her voice filled with determination. "You better not forget the ice cream!""I won't! I'll make sure it makes it home in one piece," he