Animo - Avengers {Completed}

Prologue: Sixteen

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“Happy birthday, Mo!” some person from school said as they walked by. I turned and waved, giving them a smile, and returned to the serious task that I was dealing with in that moment.    

Okay, white or wheat? I thought to myself. With a glance down at my hand, I studied the shopping list that my mom had given to me. “Wheat,” I said, looking back up and grabbing the first bag of bread I saw, tucking it under my arm. Then I was off again, speed-walking down the aisles to the frozen food section.

“Do you need any help, miss?” some random store attendant asked.

I called a ‘no’ over my shoulder as I sped by her. I wanted to go home, not stand around and discuss the best kind of frozen pizza, which I was picking out at that moment. I settled for supreme, knowing that my family liked it best.

Next item on the list: ice cream. Get at least two flavors, Mom had written. You pick, we’ll eat whatever. Score.

I thought over the selection of ice cream that the store had to offer. There was an entire freezer full of my options. “Chocolate? No, chocolate is too boring…,” I mumbled to myself. Ben & Jerry’s Half-Baked sounded good, paired with their Phish Food ice cream. I added those to the pile of groceries in my arms.

I hobbled my way to the bakery section. Mom had requested that I get a cake from there, claiming she’d already ordered one. All I needed to do was pick it up.

While I stood in front of the display case, peering around the pizza I had squished into my armpit, another attendant strolled over with a cart. I thanked her graciously and arranged my food items inside. She walked off again.

“Monet?” someone from behind the cases called out.

“Right here,” I answered, assuming they meant me. I didn’t know anyone who’s first name was Monet. I made a face at the thought. It was bad enough my first name was Kristy. I felt bad for the possibility of a chick walking around with her first name being Monet.

I blew out a puff of air. My thoughts were becoming weird and random. I was confusing myself.

The lady handed the cake to me. “What kind is it?” I asked her, trying to summon up a scrap of x-ray vision to see inside.

“It’s vanilla, with white frosting.”

“Is the frosting whipped?”

“No, I don’t believe so.”

I thanked the lady for the cake and set it in the cart with a grimace. Frosting was disgusting. The only kind I liked was the whipped stuff. The rest I refused to eat. I wondered who the cake was for. Probably someone at Mom or Dad’s work.

I was picking out different flavors of pop when someone yelled. “Mo!”

I nearly dropped the bottle of Pepsi I had in my hand. I turned toward the girl’s voice, spying Jenna fast-walking toward me with a big smile, her cousins in tow.

Her cousins.

My heart thudded loudly in my chest as the three of them grew nearer. I tried so hard to not stare at Brendon, but God, it was so hard. His blond hair was slightly tousled; his cheeks were a little flushed from the effort of keeping up with his ever-energetic cousin, Jenna. His twin brother, Brayden, looked similar. I smiled at the irony of those thoughts.

Jenna, my best friend, threw her arms around me. “Happy birthday, Mo!” she squealed.

“Thanks!” I exclaimed, hugging her back while awkwardly trying to place the bottle in the cart. Someone took it from my hand and set it in there for me. Jenna let go and I saw it was Brayden who’d done it. I nodded acknowledgement to him.