Two Love

Chapter 5

Marty's heart picked up as he glimpsed a girl with blonde hair in the frozen aisle. Leaning surreptitiously, he hoped to see the beautiful face that had started appearing in his dreams.

It wasn't her. Marty sighed, running a hand through his fluffy hair in exasperation. Was he going mad? Would he always get his hopes up when he saw anyone remotely like Lucy?

He returned to his humdrum task: buying a few bits and bobs for the family. Tomato sauce, biscuits, carrots. A bottle of knock-off Coca-Cola somehow snuck its way into the basket despite not being on the shopping list.

Just as he turned to go down the chocolate aisle, a flash of blonde hair caught his eye. It was probably the girl from earlier; he resumed his chocolate browsing, debating whether his sister would prefer a Crunchie to a Twirl.

"I'd get a Crunchie if I were you," said a feminine voice - Marty jolted and saw that this blonde-haired girl was actually Lucy. She was wearing dungarees over a ribbed mustard yellow top - so cute - and a mischievous smile not unlike his own. Butterflies erupted in Marty's chest, bursting out in a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, Crunchies are pretty good. Very... crunchy." Marty cursed himself for his lack of originality, but Lucy seemed unfazed.

"Or maybe you could get both. You know, if you put one in each pocket." Marty nodded, not fully comprehending what she'd said - he was too preoccupied with trying to calm his crazy heartbeat. Lucy leaned in closer, her lips brushing his ear: "I'm daring you to steal some chocolate, Marty."

Thrills went through the boy's body, starting from the tips of his fingers and travelling down his arms, through his chest. Contrary to the gossip that had been bruited at Ferndale High School, Marty's mischief had never involved any criminal activities. He cared too much about his future to tarnish it with a criminal record. But if he could get away with it... what fun it would be! 

"It's on," whispered Marty to Lucy; he watched in awe as the girl beside him slipped a Snickers into her dungaree pocket. With her phone being in the same pocket, it didn't look at all suspicious. Looking around for security cameras and finding none, he picked up a Crunchie and a Twirl, putting one in each of his coat pockets. 

"I'll go pay for this shopping; you wait outside," said Marty as he walked up to the self-service checkouts. There was no way he could face an in-person checkout without breaking out into a suspect sweat. He scanned his big items, constantly aware of the chocolate bars in his coat pockets. Then, finally, having paid for his shopping (mostly), he picked up his shopping bags and glided out the automatic double doors, adrenaline pumping through his veins like he was on a rollercoaster.

Once Marty was out of the store, he let out a tense breath - and promptly peered in the shop to see if anyone had heard it. Lucy laughed. "Aah, it's your first time? Good job, rookie."

The two of them high-fived and skittered down the road, smiling madly with relief. Far from the shop now, Marty laughed. "That was awesome! I would totally do it again!"

"I know, right? I've only done it a couple of times - so they won't suspect, you know - and every time, it's such a thrill! It's like a little bit of heaven on Earth."

Being with Lucy was a big bit of heaven on Earth for Marty, though he wouldn't tell her that. At least, not yet.

Lucy picked up her Snickers from her dungaree pocket, peeled open the wrapper and took a big bite. She sighed happily. "Stolen food tastes the sweetest. Go on, give it a twirl!"

Grinning giddily, oblivious to the bitterness of the winter winds, he took out his Twirl and gobbled it up. "Whoever invented chocolate deserves a Nobel Prize."