Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈. Ludus- Eleven

Eventually we did go to the grocery store. Jane woke me up this morning, early, making a fuss about not having anymore coffee and eggs, forcing me out of bed.

Now dressed and awake, we were one of the first cars in the parking lot by 8:45 at the local FoodMart. The store was small, no more than 12 aisles and a produce section the size of the living room. Truly the type of thing you'd expect to see in a small town.

"Get a cart." She was being short with me, bossy. Frustrated about whatever she thought happened last night at the bar.

After I had changed, I overheard her on the phone, cursing Nicky and hastily moving around. She wasn't too happy, Nicky on the other hand seemed to think she needed to chill.

"I will not!" She shouted, sometime around one in the morning. "I swear to God, Nickolas. What did you say?" She seemed to be more paranoid than actually irritated.

After retrieving the basket I presumed my position at her side. "Jane?" She hummed, I hesitated. "Are you mad at me?"

"Should I be?" She picked up a box of strawberries.

Shrugging I leaned against the handle, bringing the zipper up to my chin as we edged closer to the frozen section. "No."

Sighing as her arm brushed my shoulder, she looked down at me. "Alright then."

I gulped. "I still feel like you're mad." I drifted behind, watching as the cart began to fill with produce. Her back was straight and her movements were rigid. I wondered if she were tired, certainly she had a lot on her mind and was trying her best to avoid me, if that were possible.

"I'm not." She is.

I was desperate to get something out of her. "But you seem so—"

"I'm fine." Though her tone wasn't reassuring.

"Can you look at me?" I asked.

She licked the tip of her finger to open a plastic bag, still facing away. "Jane." I said more sternly, "look at me." There was a sudden sharpness to my voice. I was upset with her, but I was growing even more impatient with the inconsistency of her moods. She stomped and turned around.

Shrinking pack into my hoodie and pushing the cart. "You're not fine. You can tell me things, you know that, right? I'll listen to you."

She shook her head. "You don't deserve my weight... or even yours. It wouldn't be fair." Her eyes remained averted. Fingers fiddling with the fruit, squeezing to see if it were ripe.

"Who's to say what I deserve?" I felt like I was begging, partially because I was.

"You have to show me you're worth trusting."

She was being impossible—stubborn. "Do I worry you Jane? Is that what it is?"

The freezer door slammed shut, "Yes." She said plainly.

I needed to choose my next words carefully, "I worry about you too."

Jane peered over her shoulder, the pin that pulled her hair up causing little strands to rub against her eyebrows. With the chill engulfing us, her cheeks flushed a bright pink. "How?" Her eyes fluttered innocently.

"Whenever you go." I worry that you'll come back drunk or not at all, then forget I'm there. Like I don't mean anything except when I'm convenient to help make deliveries or hold back your hair after a long night.

She had to know what I meant. Humming, "Neither of us like when the other leaves." She smirked, "Sounds like we have a bit of a problem on our hands."

I scoffed despite being quite frustrated. "Appears so."

Tapping aimlessly on the metal, I rocked the wheels back and forth with the edge of my shoe. I was tired, still weak from last night, and longing for breakfast and sleep.

Jane browsed the shelves, hands behind her back like she was studying the prepackaged meals and frozen vegetables. She let out a huff, "I forgot to get something on the other aisle. Do you mind grabbing it for me?"

"What is it?"

"My ice cream." She handed me the list of groceries and pointed to which direction I should go in before continuing her gaze back on the frosted glass. I briefly smiled at her, turning to walk away.

"Need any help?" A voice called. Looking up from the list there was a person stacking boxes. Their green vest fastened over their black hoodie and jeans.

"Yeah, uh, peach ice cream?" Noting that next to the request there was a note to make sure it had real peach chunks inside.

Hopping down from the ladder, she offered a kind smile before pulling the handle. "Any specific brand?"

I checked the list again, "No." And was handed the tub soon after. "Thanks." I muttered, ready to return to Jane.

"I'm Harper." She smiled wide, uneven, with a gap at the center of her mouth. There were a million freckles tattooed on her face, warm brown eyes in contrast to her dyed pink hair.

"I know." Her eyebrows perched. "Your name tag." I reminded.

"Oh! Sometimes I forget it's there." She laughed, "are you new? I've never seen you around here before."

The condensation from the ice cream was beginning to numb my fingers. I pulled down my sleeves before I cradle it again. "Yeah, something like that."

"Here for the summer?" She continued to stock the shelves.

I nodded, "Staying with a friend."

She looked over her shoulder and gave me another large smile, a pink curl bouncing between her eyes, "Well if you're interested in getting a job, we're hiring."

I'd be around longer than I initially thought and I couldn't keep living off of Jane. "Sure."

"See you around...?"

"Florence."

"Right," And waved goodbye.