XII - Kicked Out

“Let’s go to the store first! I want to eat real food!” I exclaim, bouncing around in excitement. I can finally have my chocolates.

Chocolates…

“Alright! Then I can call my parents after eating,” Keith says in amusement. “What do you want to eat? We earn more than expected.”

“Let’s go to Famous Amos!” I yell, attracting attention from whoever is nearby. I’m too happy to care about them.

Keith chuckles and then wrinkles his nose. “Sure. Don’t get disappointed if they kick us out because of our stench.”

I take the moment to sniff myself. He’s right; we stink.

“You’re right. Let’s wash up in the public restroom,” I suggest.

Keith nods before realizing something. “What am I going to wear?”

I think for a second, and then remember something. “I think I have something for you to wear.” With that, I dig into my knapsack.

“Aha!” I say victoriously, holding up Gerard’s old clothes. I don’t know why I bring it with me. Maybe because it reminds me of the Gerard I used to love. His clothes are too big for me, but it is comfortable to wear.

Keith gives me a questioning look which I pretend to not see and he accepts the clothes. This is the least I can do after dragging him into this mess.

Once I enter the restroom, I stare at my reflection. My used-to-be curly brown hair is in a total mess. It might as well be a birdnest. My skinny figure is visible under my dirty hoodie and jeans. In conclusion, I look like I just came out of a real game called Temple Run.

I take a warm shower and put on a new set of clothes which consists of a band t-shirt and jeans. I look at my reflection again. My hair is damp and my golden-brown eyes shine brightly. At least I don't look like Tarzan's wife anymore.

By the time I come out of the restroom, Keith is leaning against the wall with his bagpipe and plastic bag of dirty clothes in his hands, wearing Gerard’s old t-shirt and baggy pants. His face used to be scruffy is now shaven clean. His red hair is brighter than before.

I can barely recognize Keith without his kilt and red checker hat.

“You look nice,” I comment.

“Thanks. You look pretty,” he compliments. When he realizes what he said, his face turns as red as his hair.

“Thank you,” I say shyly.

Keith gulps and then say, “We should go and eat now. I’m hungry.”

“Well, I’m so hungry that I can eat a horse.”

The red head smiles widely. “Where do you want to head?”

“Famous amos,” I sing loudly.

Keith shakes at how happy and hyper I am. “Famous amos it is, then.”

We spend an hours in Famous Amos, arguing which cookie flavor to buy due to our shortage of money.

“I want butterscotch cookies!” Keith argues.

“No! I want those Pecan cookies!”

“We can’t buy both, Kaya. We don’t have enough.”

I give him a pointed look. “That’s why we should get the Pecan cookies.

“Butterscotch!”

“Pecan!”

“Butterscotch!”

“Pecan!”

The cashier is so terrified that she called her boss over, who kicked us out of the store. The worst thing is that I didn’t get my Famous Amos cookies at all! No thanks to the dumb redhead.

“If only you listened to me and buy the Pecan cookies, we would have eaten the 100 gram delicacies by now,” I complain.

“Or if you listened to me, I would have eaten all the butterscotch cookies.”

I shot him a dirty look. “Hey, I earned that money too! I sacrificed my pride and dignity to get that money. Admit it, without me, we wouldn’t have gotten a shower.”

“Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten kicked out of the Famous Amos store,” Keith says in a matter-of-fact way.

“That’s mean.” I pout.

“You’re meaner,” Keith pointed out.

I sigh when my stomach makes a loud growl. “Let’s just go and eat at a pizzeria or something.”

“We walked past Madeline’s Pizzeria just now,” Keith informs me.

The both of us quietly change our route. The stillness does not last long because…

“Hawaiian!” Keith yells out and then starts to run towards the pizzeria.

“Spicy Tuna!” I argue, trying to run after him.

And that is how we got ourselves kicked out. Again.