The Christmas Note | ✔

Sixteen

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Chapter 16

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I placed the bottle of perfume down on the counter. I sat there looking around the room at all the other check registers. The lines were wrapping around the ends of each checkout location. The store had sprung into the life as people were beginning to get off work and rush for a little bit of afternoon shopping. The money this place was probably making at a time like this. I looked down at the bottle of perfume once more. I knew I couldn't give this to Amber in front of Miranda. Especially not at the party. Miranda would immediately know what it was and who has been sending her all those notes. That's if Miranda knew about the notes. She had to. Amber probably told Miranda everything.

My face went red as I realized how embarrassed I was thinking about Miranda reading all of my stupid little notes to Amber. They weren't for her to read. I glanced up the line moving forward another step. There was a quick breeze as the door flew open causing my hair to whip to the side. I glanced at the door silently cursing it. That's when Amber rushed in.

My heart jumped in my chest. I didn't know whether to duck or not. Without thinking I quickly grabbed the bottle of perfume and tried to push through the line while keeping my eyes on Amber. She searched the crowds like she was looking for someone. I tried to keep my head down to not draw any attention.

"Hey, watch where you are going here!" A woman shouted in my direction. I quickly mumbled an apology finally making it to the end of the check stand. I wanted to scream back at her as she didn't understand the Christmas I was going through. "To the end of the line!" Another man shouted. I shot him a quick glare finally free from the crowd. I could understand everyone's annoyance but technically I was lessening their wait in that line. They should have been thanking me.

I kept my eyes on Amber watching her as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She glanced around the store one more time before taking off where I had just come from. The perfume aisle. I quickened my pace trying to keep up with her while keeping enough distance behind her. I knew it, wherever Miranda was Amber was not far off.

I sneak behind aisle searching for new hiding spots as I had. I wasn't sure why I was following her but something told me I should. I watched as the two girls had a quick littler banter before Miranda sprayed some more of that awful perfume in the air. My throat went dry again as I remembered the putrid taste of those chemicals. Why did girls put themselves through that kind of torture?

Miranda grabbed Amber by the arm dragging her off to some random aisle. I took a moment to gather myself almost terrified to walk where the perfume had been sprayed. I did so closing my mouth and my eyes for a quick moment before bringing my attention back to trying to keep close but not too close. Maybe this would give me an idea of something Amber really wanted. Instead of this silly bottle of perfume her friend picked out for someone she didn't even like. Poor Barbra did nothing wrong but Miranda had a vendetta against her.

I heard the girl chatting as I sat in the aisle behind them. They were looking at different card games before they moved on to something else.  Sneaking around the edge of the aisle. A tiny little kid looking up at me. I realized how dramatic I had been. I stood up pulling my back away from the wall. Yeah I needed to grow up and act my age a little bit. I searched around realizing the girls had disappeared. I waved at the kid before carrying on in the direction I had last seen them head in.

I rounded the corner nearly running into Amber as I found them staring at Christmas stockings. Amber was holding up a simple white stocking with green lettering on the side of it. It had the letter A embroidered into the material. It was cute. I watched her as she placed it back on the shelf. I backed up slowly hoping to escape before she turned around and caught me. I was able to hid by the Christmas cards as her and Miranda made their way to the tiny little ornaments.

She kept picking up little decorations showing them to Miranda before placing them in her basket. I wanted to steal the basket from her as she should never be forced to hold something like that. I watched as she moved from decoration to decoration her fingers dancing across the packaging. I shoved my hand in my pocket pulling out the note that I had written for her. I was going to send it to her as a text but maybe I could do something better.

My heart was beating hard as my mind realized what I was planning on doing. I had to somehow figure out how to sneak this note in a spot that I knew she would see it, and she would see it before anyone else. I searched the shelf looking at where I should put it. A place she would go to next. She had plenty of tree ornaments but I was willing to guess she didn't have a tree, especially if she was buying all of these decorations this close to Christmas. My eyes brushed over a box with a small Christmas tree held inside. One big enough to put on your counter and decorate. My heart leaps as I knew where I needed to place it. Now I just needed a distraction. I searched around looking for a child that I could pay to sneak over and place the card where it needed to go. There was absolutely no one around. I let out a sigh before I saw my opportunity arise. A younger gentleman rushed around the corner to ask if the two girls needed help. At least I assumed that's what he was doing.

I realized that this was the only chance I would have so I made my move. Sneaking forward using the large trees as my cover. I held my breath as I got closer to the two girls, the gentleman's eyes caught mine and he quickly looked away as Miranda made some grand gesture. I stopped for a moment to look at her, what was she doing now? I shook my head realizing I needed to keep going so I didn't get caught. I slipped the note on the box before rushing around the corner pulling my hood over my head. I took in a few deep breaths before deciding it was time to leave the store as a whole. I had risked it too long. But I was leaving with an idea that I didn't have before coming here.