Luna Dea

21) I Can Force A Laugh

I was in the biggest breakdown of my life when I stopped crying long enough to let the words of my epiphany really sink in. That whore, karma, had finally made her way around, and had just bitch-slapped me right across the face. The realization only made me cry harder.
- Jennifer Salaiz

Avalon pov

I know I said I like shopping, but this is too much. We've been at the mall for 4 hours, no break, going from shop to shop. I've only bought 4 jeans, 5 shirts, 6 pairs of socks and some underwear.

My legs are aching and I desperately need food. I have gotten everything that I need, but Haley, Calla and Diana insist we carry on. They have more bags each than me, and I am the one we all went shopping for.

"Can we please get some food." I groan.

"If it'll shut you up." Haley rolls her eyes.

I immediately start smiling and skipping along to the food court. The smells when we got there, it was overwhelming.

I could smell everything, the fried halloumi, the cheese burgers, the curry's. The list could go on forever. This was the biggest sensory overload I've ever felt.

"Woah. What is this place, its amazing." I gasp.

"You've never been to a food court?" Haley asks.

"No, I'm a goddess who lives on a magical island in the sky, do you think I would have ever been to a food court?"

The girls all look at me, then burst out laughing.

"Of course." Diana says in between laughter.

While I wait for them to finish, I look around. There is food every where. A place called McDonald's, burger King, and subway. There are sandwiches, burgers, salads. Any food and any drink you could ever want. It was amazing, absolutely out of this world.

"What do we do?" I ask in amazement.

"You choose whatever food you want." Calla says.

"Whatever I want?" I ask.

"Whatever you want." Diana says.

I laugh and run off to wander around. I dart through the crowds. Everyone's carrying a tray with food on it. Everything is in plastic packaging. It's so different. Everyone is rushing around, chatting to their friends at tables, ordering food. I can hear the sizzles of frying pans, the ding of timers.

"Oh my guardians." I whisper, "This is amazing."

I hear a laugh from behind me and see that Diana, Calla and Haley have caught up to me.

"You've really never been to a food court, have you." Calla asks.

"No." I say.

"Come on, let's show you the ropes." Diana leads me away from the crowds and to some open food shops.

"What would you like?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say, looking around, "There is so much to choose from."

"She's right there." Haley says from behind us.

"We'll go off to get our food." Calla says, "Diana, show Avalon how to do this."

Diana nods. Calla and Haley walk off to get their food.

"I always get a chocolate milkshake and a cheese burger." She says, "What do you usually eat?"

"On Epidoro, I can get whatever I want, whenever I want." I say.

"That's so cool, I wish Earth was like that."