On Thin Ice

28

Since Dad had to work late the next Thursday evening, he enlisted Josh and me to do the grocery shopping after hockey practice. We were both tired and Josh was trying to get through the aisle as quickly as possibly while I slowly dragged my feet behind him.

"Where the hell is the lemon juice?" Josh said in frustration as he scanned through the items on the shelves.

"Maybe if you slowed down a little, you'd be able to find it," I muttered, Josh turning around to glare at me.

"Maybe if you were actually helping me, we'd be getting out of here quicker," he said in a sharp tone.

I sighed and plucked the lemon juice off the shelf he had just passed, tossing it into the carriage.

"Oops," Josh said with an innocent looking smile. "Why are you so down today?"

I knew he had noticed my sour mood by the looks he had given me all day whenever he saw me. He was able to refrain from saying anything while we were at school, but it was obvious his curiosity got the better of him.

"My mom called me yesterday," I admitted, causing Josh's eyes to widen.

"You need to tell Dan," he replied.

"I know."

He didn't respond, though I could tell he had more to say.

"What's that on your neck?" Josh asked after a few moments of silence between us, poking the bruise I had tried to cover.

"Nothing," I immediately replied, shoving his hands away.

Josh's eyes widened again. "Who have you been kissing?"

I rolled my eyes. "No one."

"You're a liar," he said. "But I already knew that."

I just scoffed and ignored his words.

Josh squinted in confusion at the list Dad had given us and then looked over at me.

"Do they even sell tampons at the grocery store?" he asked, scratching his head.

"Yes you idiot," I replied, walking ahead of him to direct him.

"Well I don't know," he defended. "I don't usually grocery shop."

That much was obvious.

Admittedly, when we got to the aisle even I was overwhelmed. There were so many different kinds and sizes. I had thought I'd just be able to pick up a box and that would be it, but it turned out to be much more complicated.

"What kind do they like?" I asked Josh, staring at the shelves filled with every type of tampon known to man.

"How should I know?" he replied.

"Well does it say it on the list?" I questioned in an annoyed tone.

"No."

The two of us stared at the shelves for at least five minutes before I just picked out a box that said regular.

"Do you think these are good enough?" I wondered.

"Probably?"

"If Ava is pissed about it then I'm telling her you picked them," I said as I threw the box into the carriage.

"Whatever."

After we finished getting everything on the list, we quickly checked out and headed home. We were the only two there when we got there so we put all the groceries away before Josh told me he was going out with Emma.