"Let's just get it all!"

Libby takes no time for debate.

She dumps all the candy the she and I have selected and puts it into her plastic bag and brings it up to the counter. She then dumps the contents of our bag all over the counter as the sleepy clerk begins to ring it all in.

Skittles (I have a serious addiction. My dentist and mom tried having an intervention with me. It didn't work, but I have cut back, a lot). Blow Pops (Libby's addiction). Sweet Tarts. Mentos Rainbow.  Jolly Ranchers. Doritos. Bugles. Chex Mix. Oreos.

I can almost taste all the love in my mouth.

I lick my lips in anticipation. I want those Skittles in my mouth.

I wanna rip a little corner of the red bag off and just tilt my head back and let 'em fall into my mouth...

It's been a whole week since I've had any. I can feel my breath quickening.

The clerk's name is Ted. He knows all about our junk addiction. We are regulars here.

With no words, whenever we enter this gas station, which is the closest one to my neighborhood, he always has his hairy hand out with a plastic bag in it as soon as he hears the ding of the bell at the door and sees us come in.

It's nice having such V.I.P. treatment. We are only a couple of teenagers.

"Ah," he says, "I see you've chosen Oreos for this evening. What's the occasion, ladies?"

"Last day of school, Ted! Duh!" Libby looks at him like he's from outer space.

Ted might as well be. His eyes kind of bug out a little strangely. But he's cool.

He's not a junk food kind of a guy, though. He's a six pack kind of a guy. Budweiser. He's got the gut to show for it, too.

"So what're your plans for the summer?"

"I dunno," I tell him, musing about how I'll probably just be hanging out with Libby all summer long just like last summer and the summer before that and the summer before that...

"I am going to Canada with my family!" Libby has a huge smile on her face.

I am distraught and totally confused. What did she just say?

"Uhhh, what? You're going to where?" I ask her as Ted is finishing up ringing in our junk for the night ahead.

"I already told you, Elle. My family and I are going to Canada. It'll only be for a month. Our family is having a huge reunion up there. My mom wants to show us all around where she used to live and see distant relations and stuff. You know, ever since Grandma died last year, she's gotten all sentimental I guess and. . ." She shrugs and pouts, looking down at her Blow Pops.

I take a moment to put my arm around her, lovingly.

And then I smack her arm, hard. She winces and rubs her arm where I smacked her. It really wasn't that hard, though. "Ow, Elle!"

"You so did not tell me this!"

Ted's eyes are looking at me and then at Libby. Like he's watching a tennis match.

"I sooo did! Perhaps you were too busy drooling over that LL Cool J music video, though." She rolled her eyes at me and then nudged my ribs with her elbow. It didn't hurt one bit. I was thinking about LL Cool J.

Ugh. Those muscles. You can't not look at them and... Ugh. You just can't! It's impossible.

Like so many other things in life. They are there, right in front of you, and you just have to look. No matter what the consequences...

like not hearing your best friend in the whole world tell you she is going to abandon you for an entire month! Oh, wait. That's me. I am the one being abandoned.

Who the crap goes to Canada over the summer anyway?

I hate her so much right now.

She hands Ted some cash, "I'm paying for all of it this time, Ted."

I love her so much right now.

"Bye, Libby. Bye, Elle." Ted gives us a limp wave and scratches his ear before ringing up the next customers.

Libby and I get into her cherry red Honda Civic. She puts her key in the ignition and presses the button for her sunroof to open. She sets the dial to our favorite radio station, and we drive to my house with Beck's "Where It's At" blasting on her speakers.

I have the plastic bag full of junk food in my lap, my window is down all the way, and I allow myself to smile and look out the window at the trees whizzing past as she accelerates and my hair flaps wildly around my face in the rushing wind.

This is the life.

☮💜☮

A/N:

Hello!

Thanks for reading!

Please let me know if you are enjoying my story thus far.

Voting and commenting are great ways to show you care and want me to continue this stroll down memory lane...

I would love love love to hear from you!

Song: Soul For Real "Candy Rain"

Peace!

<3
Leanne