Truths

A Pleasant Surprise

          The day had come.

          The Sunday after the awards ceremony was the day in which my first official and long-awaited album would be sold in stores. Without the acting classes and publicity events in between studio recordings throughout the past few months, the album had been set to come out earlier. Sure, Jeremy would have the company release a single every now and then following my EP just to keep the people interested. But now that I officially had a CD out, the necessity for a tour would be greater than ever.

          "Ena, wake up!" my mother called from the opposite side of my bedroom door. She nearly broke the door off its hinges upon entry. 

          I had been sitting Indian-style on my bed, scrolling through my phone to see if Lindsey had texted me recently. Ever since she left in the summer, we had hardly spoken. "I'm already awake, mom." My mother rushed towards me, pulling me off of my bed by my arm a little more aggressively than need be. 

          "We're going to Walmart immediately," she began whilst pulling out random articles of clothing from my clothes drawer. "Get dressed. It's a big day."

          I laughed, running my fingers through my bed head. "Mom. We already have my album. Jeremy snagged one from Hollywood Records and gave one to us for free, remember?"

          It was my mother's turn to chuckle. "No sweetie. There's a sale on groceries and 2 liter soda bottles. First one hundred customers get certain things for free!" I shot her a look of both confusion and dejection. "I'm kidding. There is a major sale going on, but we're going to buy your first released album. After all, at least some of the money will be returned to you."

          "You have a point," I considered. "Fine. Get out of my room so I can get dressed, please?"

          "I'll wait downstairs. Hurry up too, before they're all sold out."

          "Unlikely, but okay," I motioned for her to skedaddle and she did as hinted.

          I got ready in a rapid pace, beating my own record of twenty minutes for preparation. Hair dried and styled, contact lenses on, comfy Aero jeans, a simple long-sleeved brown blouse,  and Doc Marten boots for my outfit, and I was ready to go.

          "You're driving," my mother tossed me the keys to her Mercedes as I descended down the stairs. I gave her a look of disbelief. "The Mercedes? You must really love me."

          She glared at me condescendingly. "Don't make me regret it."

          We made our way to the nearest Walmart, no farther than seven miles away. The trip there was simple enough, but finding a space for parking was more difficult than usual.

          This must be a pretty big grocery sale.

          Just my luck I found an empty parking space behind the main building. "Sorry mom. Looks like we're not getting any free groceries today.

          "Oh well. Our refrigerator is full anyway," she merely shrugged, unbuckling and stepping out of the passenger side. "It's ridiculously packed. Walmart must be at its maximum capacity of people." I nodded in agreement as I locked the Merecedes and scurried to walk beside my mother. We entered from the back, knowing that the influx of people would more likely come from the front.

          The store must have been at its maximum capacity, for it seemed as if every square foot was occupied by some teenager.

          "Okay, teenagers don't get this thrilled about grocery shopping," I analyzed. "There must be some hot male celebrity shopping for stuff in here."