Heartbreak and Love: A Luke Hemmings Story

3- Familar

The next day, I decided to get out of the house and do some grocery shopping for a change. Usually I get mum or even one of the boys to do it - because they practically live with me when they aren't with their own family. But no, I wasn't going to be lazy this time. I slip on some black jeans and a plain black polo, and tuck my wallet, and phone in my pockets and steal the car keys off mum.
Well, I told her that I was stealing then and she laughed and said, "to steal something, you don't tell someone that you're stealing it, doofus." God, I love her.
I put my old, dirty converses on and went out to the car. The sky was a dark grey, it was going to rain later this afternoon. Possibly even storms.
I love storms. So I wasn't worried.
I started the engine and reversed out of the drive way, cranking up the radio. 'Im on the top of the world' by Imagine Dragons was on. I sang along even though I didn't know half of the lyrics (as one does).
I arrived at the shop, and I got out of the car to realised that the wind had picked up a bit - perhaps the storm was coming early. So if better hurry.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I took it out to see Michael saying:
'Where are you?'
I was about to cross the road to go into the door of the shops and then I step back, and took a quick snap of the shops and replied with:
'Here' and the picture as a link.
I then locked my phone and crossed the road and went inside. I grabbed a trolley and started down an aisle.
After a few aisles, Michael texted back asking my to get some Peanut Butter and he'll be at my house around 12 PM.
'Smooth or Crunchy?'
I text back to him and about a second later he texted back saying Crunchy Peanut Butter with at least seven exclamation marks, and to make sure it's a big tub. I gave him the thumbs up emoji (👍) and 'k'ed him (k).
After I finished shopping, I went to the counter where a blondish-red hair girl served me. She had a small bruise at the right top corner of her forehead but I didn't fuss over it. "How are you today?" She asked like she had no idea who I was.
"I'm okay..." I replied, looking at her name tag. "How are you, uh, Jane?"
She smiled, whilst beeping three loaves of bread all at once, "good thank you." She seemed familiar. That smile.. Those blue eyes... All seemed like a dream; but also, so much like reality.
"I know you," I said, smiling - trying not to seem creepy. "You probably don't remember me because we only met once. But, you're, uh, what's her name? Susan's daughter, right?"
"Uh, yeah." She seemed a bit hurt.
"Sorry, is that creepy?"
"No no," she was beeping cans now. "Just... Susan... My mum, she passed away last year." Her happy blue eyes now seemed sad.
I felt so stupid. "Oh..." I tried to figure what to say. "I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine. And yeah, I think I remember you. Liam, isn't it?"
I shook my head, "Luke," I smiled.
"Oh yeah! Right!" She giggled. It was one of the most amazing sounds I have ever heard.
Then there was silence as she continued beeping food. She glanced at me as she picked up a tin of baked beans and looked away to beep it. I realised I was staring at her.
She seemed the same, somehow. She was still happy and cheery, and her eyes had so much emotion. They were so blue.
Though, her cheeks were higher and they had some tiny freckles and they formed dimples when she smiled. Her teeth were white, and her hair was longer, curlier. And the bruise was a dark blue-purple. "So how old are you now?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"Seventeen," she said. Still in school, probably. "You?"
"Twenty-six." I said. She smiled and then realised she had finished. I wish I had chosen more things, so I could talk to her for longer. Because, I swear she was about to say something and then she said something else.
"That's one hundred and twenty dollars and ten cents." I gave her my card, and paid for it. Then placed all the bags in the trolley... She wished me a nice day, and I said thank you.
That was the end of it.
I left the girl.
I left the bruise.
I left.

...