2:35 PM. Thursday.

Mrs Clean's Dishsoap... $2.50. Wasn't it $2 just weeks ago?

Claudia squints suspiciously at the curvy bottle, lifting it near her ear and shaking it upside-down and back downside-up to hear the bubbly swish of the soapy contents. Not noticing the polite side-stepping and maneuvering of other shoppers pass her as she compares one bottle to another.

All the while giving small hums in response to her best friend through her earphones.

"-Can't be a queen sized but, BUT, I spoke to the Landlord and we came to a compromise." Looking down at her phone in her other hand, Maddy's chipmunk-cheeks turn strawberry red from losing breath in her excited rant. "There's like enough space to fit two single beds, so all we got to do is push them side by side so we technically can have a queen size kind of bed. Eh? Pretty good compromise. What do you think, Claud?"

Mmm. Just two bottles should be good enough. Claudia hums absentmindedly, putting the dishsoap bottles into her shopping basket supported by her elbow.

"Claud?"

Her dark eyes twitch to her phone screen, oh right! "Sorry, Maddy, I didn't catch that."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Maddy pouts close to the screen, swollening her blushed cheeks cutely like she does whenever she wants attention. "I asked what you think of the double bed idea. Less expensive than a queen bed and we can match our bedsheets! The landlord finally gave in to my genius negotiation skills."

Trying to keep track of her mental grocery list, Claudia only smiles in default at her phone. "Sounds nice, good for you, Mad." She tried to sound like she meant it while side-browsing the other items near her eyelevel.

Oh, Cranberry juice is 50% off this time! Jenna loves mildly sweet things.

Into the basket it goes. Plop.

An impatient huff comes from the phone as Maddy continues another rant on decorating the flat while Claudia keeps going down the aisle to her satisfaction. Every shiny packaging with cookies tempting her but the lightness of her pockets makes her hand wither back to her side. Just one more day until her paycheck arrives.

She looks longingly behind her shoulder as she's about to pass the sugary treats section, humming occasionally to keep her best friend talking on the call.

She counts everything in her basket, noting one last thing missing. An essential.

. . .

Bright purple bags line infront of her, a laminated green tick in the center of each.

Lavender detergent would be boring again for Jenna even though Claudia herself never minds the same old classic scent. Floral, soothing and relaxing.

Oh but next to it, there's a limited edition cherry scented one. That's new. Jenna's been whining about getting her hands on some fancy cherri perfume, this could be a way the universe was trying to tell Claudia to take a risk. Or to get cherries.

When's the last time any fruit has been stored in the fridge? Claudia blinks, old memories too hazy to make anything of. Has it been so long since.

She tugs one of the cherry medium-sized bags, heaving as it plummets into her basket and almost causes her to topple over from the instant add-on weight.

The heavy strain on her elbow makes her shuffle fast towards an empty line where a cashier stands. Claudia apologetically smiles at the pouty face on her phone as she brings it up, "I'm done shopping. I don't think we can keep calling, Mad."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." A playful eyeroll, "just text me when you're home. I'm going to find more paint options for the walls, buh-bye." The call ends right as Claudia sets her full shopping basket onto the conveyor belt, relief washing away the fatigue in her arm. Surely Maddy won't be too mad.

She slides her phone into her pocket, lowering her gaze as the cashier clicks a button, the conveyor belt moves until it stops and the items start being scanned. Claudia's hand hovers over her other pocket where her wallet visibly bulges. Hopefully there'll be leftover change.

Beep. Beep.

Beeeeeep. . .

"That'll total up to $12.50," piped the cashier after putting her items into plastic bags stamped with the supermarket logo. "Will you be paying with cash or card?"

Claudia pulls out all the money in her pocket, the wrinkles in the bill deep and sad as she shoves it over the counter unintentionally. "Um cash, please." It should be enough.

When the cashier plucks the money from her hand, effortlessly flipping through the bills then pausing mid count. It set off a small jump in Claudia's heart as the next words were something she forgot to steel herself for.

"Miss, you're 2 dollars short." Like a gunshot ricocheted inside her chest, Claudia sputters a sorry as she runs through her pockets, spilling them inside-out in a hurry. Come on! There had to be a doller or something- somewhere. Please.

- Her fingers caught on a few coins, probably not enough to pay off everything but Claudia snatches them out her wrinkly pocket to hand over.

"I've got this." A large hand overtakes hers in the race, offering a black plastic card to the waiting cashier.

Too stunned, Claudia's mouth gapes as she watches the cashier swipe the stranger's card along a small machine before handing it back to the person standing next to her. Everything went by faster than she could blink, the cold coins in her drooping fist, the familiar tall stature beside her and the 'have a great day' wave from the cashier.

"Here, your things." Moving within her line of vision is a plastic rustle and Claudia finally gathers the wit to look up at the person holding her groceries. Oh, him.

With too many nerves in a twist, especially her tongue, she takes the plastic bag from Chucky's large hand and thanks him. "I'll... Pay you back tomorrow," she promises softly while cringing inwardly at forgetting her manners. He didn't need to do that for her but it really did help.

"Is alright. Think of it as a thank you for welcoming me into town," one side of Chucky's pale lips lifts before he turns and leaves. "See you next time, Claudette."

The seconds she continue to stand in place after he has left was embarrassing. Claudia speed walks out of the marketplace, coins and the handle of the plastic bag digging painfully into her palm like a sweet distraction.

She hopes her paycheck arrives first thing in the morning now.

. . .

Home.

Tired from the walk back, Claudia sets the groceries on the kitchen counter and heads straight to her bedroom. What an unproductive day today has been.

Before Claudia could lean back in her chair, the lights in her room clack out. Darkness shocking her eyes as a banshee scream erupts from somewhere in the house. Something must've exploded...