Love Is A Strong Word But I Really Like You

Chapter Two

The occupants of the car were deathly silent. After the two couples piled into their own cars, Kathryn loaded the suitcases into the car boot and ushered the remaining people into her car. Esmèe immediately jumped into the passenger seat, leaving Jenna and Brett to ride in the back seat together.

The car roared to life as they settled into their seats, preparing themselves for the awkward two hour drive home.

Kathryn chatted casually to Esmèe, occasionally glancing back at the two. Jenna was sat so she was crushing herself against the door of the car, with Brett mirroring her actions on his side. They both sat with their arms crossed like sulky children who had been told to be quiet by their parents after an argument over who the owner of an Optimus Prime toy was. Jenna sighed and plugged her headphones in again, closing her eyes and resting her head on the window.

Two hours later, she was awoken by a sharp kick to the shin. She looked up and glared at Brett, daring him to do it again.

"Esmèe said we needed to pick some things up from the store before we went home," he said dignifiedly, staring at his shoelace. "I think she said something about needing more crisps? Anyway they've headed in and left me to wake your lazy ass up."

Jenna narrowed her eyes in his direction. "Well I apologise for being tired after having to catch a plane at 6am!" she snapped, and got out of the car. Brett jumped out and slammed the door behind him.

"Are you forgetting I took the same flight as you and a flight before that one?" he said fiercely as they walked into the store. "I had to stay up until 2am! And the flight from Paris was only an hour long!" Jenna scoffed and rolled her eyes before grabbing a box of Jaffa Cakes.

"Oh shut up, I couldn't care less," she said coldly. "A flight from Belgium to Paris is barely a trip around the world. Grow up." And with that, she stormed away from Brett, leaving him in the middle of the biscuit aisle. Jenna turned a corner and ran straight into Esmèe, sending both the girls and a tube of Pringles to the floor.

"No!" Esmèe screamed as she scrambled to grab the Pringles before they were crushed under the wheel of a trolley. Jenna yelped as she realised who she knocked to the floor.

"I'm so sorry Esmèe!" Jenna said quickly, trying to grab the same tube of Pringles. The two collided into each other, and thus the Pringles were crushed. Esmèe gave a wail and let Kathryn drag her off the floor as Brett turned around the corner. His eyes were wide with worry from hearing the commotion coming from the aisle the girls were in, but soon went back to normal as he saw Jenna sprawled across the floor. He laughed loudly, tears rolling down his face. Jenna pulled herself off the floor, and narrowed her eyes at the laughing boy, her lips pressed firmly together.

"Shut. Up." She hissed through her teeth. This only caused Brett to laugh harder. Jenna walked up to him, her hands clenched into tight fists. "I said, shut up." She said, getting angrier by the second. Brett took no notice of her, nor any notice of the fist that was coming straight for his face. He stood stunned for a second before Kathryn ran over and stepped in between the two.

"Stop it now!" She said frantically, her eyes flitting between Jenna and Brett. They both looked down and walked away, trailing slowly after Esmèe. Kathryn sighed, her shoulders slumped, and ran to catch up with Esmèe. Jenna threw her slightly crushed box of Jaffa Cakes into the basket Esmèe held and walked obediently beside Kathryn.

They all climbed back into the car after the long wait to pay. Esmèe stared lovingly at the tube of Pringles she held in her hand, and for once wasn't moping around on her phone. Jenna eyed the girl as if she had just confessed to having a foot fetish, before turning back to look out of the window once more.

This is only going to get worse.