Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
We soared through the supermarket, weaving through aisles and picking out snacks and food like kids on a mission.
"Should we buy some vegetables?" Samantha asked, tilting her head with a curious smile.
"How much budget do we have left?" I asked, eyeing the growing pile in our cart.
She pulled out her phone.
"How much do you have?" she said, opening the calculator app and handing me my own phone.
"I've got about 500 pesos in my wallet," I replied.
Her eyes lit up, wide with surprise.
"Five hundred?! How do you have that much?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
"I've been saving up. I don't really go out much, so the money just piles up," I said with a small shrug, hoping it satisfied her curiosity.
"Dang... I borrowed like 200 from my mum," Samantha admitted, pouting, her guilt flickering through her tone. "Looks like you'll be spending more than me."
"Don't worry about it," I said, offering a reassuring smile. "At least we've got 700 pesos to work with."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes softening—wide and hopeful, like a puppy's.
"Yes. Don't worry," I assured her, my voice gentle as I turned my gaze elsewhere, avoiding the pull of her eyes.
She looked around and spotted a jar of pickles—her eyes lit up as she dashed toward it. I followed behind, pushing the cart.
"Have you tried these?" she asked, holding up the jar like a treasure.
"Not yet," I replied.
"We should make sandwiches with them! We already bought bread slices and ham," she said, excitement buzzing in her voice.
"Alright," I said with a small smile, amused by her enthusiasm.
Once we finished gathering all the snacks and drinks we wanted, we headed to the checkout line.
People's eyes drifted toward Samantha—drawn by her straw hat and flowing white dress—but she didn't seem to notice, or maybe she just didn't care.
"I've recently started reading this novel..." she began, her voice light as we waited in line.
"I cried when I got to the part where the main character falls into a coma," she added, her face animated with emotion.
I watched her speak, her expressions dancing between sadness and wonder.
It was... very cute.
And somehow, my chest warmed just watching her.
That's when the cashier waved us over, signaling it was our turn at the register.
We began placing our items on the counter one by one as the clerk started scanning them.
"Going on a picnic?" the cashier asked casually.
"Yes!" Samantha answered with a burst of energy.
"That's nice," the cashier said with a smile. "A picnic is such a sweet date idea—for a cute couple like you two."
C-Couple?!
"U-um, no—we're not dating," I stammered, feeling my cheeks burn. I glanced at Samantha, who was holding her face like she'd just been caught in a secret.
"You really think so?" Samantha asked, hands still on her cheeks, her tone playful and flustered all at once.
"Hehe, yes ma'am," the cashier giggled.
YOU ARE READING
Timeless Regrets.
RomanceA young, silent college student accustomed to his predictable routine encounters a girl from another country, whose vibrant spirit shakes him from his self-imposed isolation. As their friendship blossoms, he is forced to confront the regrets and pai...
