Renae

Chapter Three

Renae sat on her bed trying to figure out how to solve her math assignment when her mum called.

"Renae, Renae! Get here now!"

Renae jumped up from her bed to meet her mum "Yes mum."

"I need you to run down to McGregory's now and buy a crate of egg4 and some butter and a carton of milk."

"Okay mum." She collected the money and stopped. She had seen a lot of things in the kitchen that her mum wouldn't normally prepare, what's the occasion

"Why did you stop?" Mrs Stephen asked

"What's the occasion, why all these dishes, are you throwing a party?"

"One question at a time,Renae. Anyway your dad's coming back tomorrow evening."

"I thought he was coming on Friday."

"He was supposed to but they finished their conference early. He isn't coming alone, he's coming with the Advisory Secretary of the Mayor of this town the Mayor's wife and some other people."

"That explains all the new dishes you are preparing."

"Now would you go get what I asked you to buy."

Renae turned around to go but was stopped by her mum."Since you're already going out why don't you branch the grocery store down the street and buy this items." She said handing her a list.

"I thought you didn't like that grocery store, that their goods are not of so much quality yet they are expensive."

"I have no choice unless you want to go to Marley's grocery."

"No!" she said "Definitely not."

"Well then, get going and be quick."

"Yes mum."

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Renae went from shelf to shelf picking items and ticking the list. She had finished with all the food items and moved on to the clothing accessories and in no time was done.

She moved with her shopping cart as a boy stepped in front of it and the tire rolled over his foot.

"Hey watch where you're go......."He stopped abruptly as he stared at her hooded face

"I'm sorry, are you hurt?"

"Um, no-- I mean yeah right here, ouch owww." He said

"I'm sorry. Uh- I uh I have to go." She turned the cart and started to move

"Hey"he called after her.

She kept on going. She got to the cashier payed for what she bought and watched as the cashier put everything into paper bags. "Here you go." The cashier said

"Thank you." She said and left the counter. She got outside the store,walked to the curb and trekked some distance before stopping a taxi. She told him where she was going and got in.

She looked beside her and there was another passenger seated.

"Hey mystery girl." The boy said

It was the boy from the store "ugh" she said under her breath

"You owe me a drink."

"I don't have money for that and besides I apologised, isn't that enough?" Renae replied.

"Don't worry the drink's on me."

"Do you flirt with every girl you meet?" She asked tired of talking to him

"Only the pretty ones."

"You think I'm pretty, you can't even see my face well. I could be a hideous monster for all you know." She said even more tired

"Something in my gut tells me you're pretty and my gut never lies."

"Yeah right." she siad sarcastically

"Besides I'm not flirting, I'm simply trying to be nice. I just got back into the country."

"You did?"

"Yeah," he said picking the sacarsm in her voice"But you probably think I just said that and don't believe me." he said "I don't always talk about things like that to people but there's something about you."

Glancing to her side,she took a good look at his face and turned away, her hood still shielding her face.

"What's your name?" he asked

"I don't tell my name to strangers." she said to him. "Sir,"speaking to the driver"I'll like to get down here." The car stopped and Renae came out amd paid the driver.

"Good bye mystery girl." the boy waved

"Same to you." she said. She had dropped a few blocks from her house. The boy seemed nice enough but she didn't want him to know where she lived, and besides she wanted to walk and stretch her legs a little.

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Renae walked into her house. "I'm back mum."

"Renae,finally. What took you so long?"

"I ran into a little bit of a situation."

"Nothing serious I hope." Mrs Stephen said.

"Nope." She said as she dropped th grocery on the kitchen counter top. She knew he mum would call her to help in preparing the food but she wanted to at least try to set away"I'll be in my room if you need me." she said walking out of the kitchen

"Do you mind helping me in here, there are a lot of things to do." her mum said not really asking.

Couldn't hurt to try, and yes I do mind she thought. But my mum's in here preparing all these dishes, I have to help. "Okay mum." she answered.