𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 | 𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 [1]

cross country

—

Austin walked with his phone pressed firmly to his ear, backseat door open as he placed last minute groceries in his car.

His mother, Jennifer, had gotten a cold earlier in the day and asked him if he could stop by the store to pick up some medicine on his way home from hanging out with Ryder. He had no issue as the store was only a few minutes away from his girlfriend's house.

Once Ryder had found out that he would be going to the store late at night, she immediately offered to go with him, only to get shut down.

"Yeah, I got that weird throat spray- stuff and theraflu." He finished listing the items to Jennifer, "You know, you technically shouldn't even be speaking right now if your throat hurts so much."

"I just want to make sure i can hear you get in your car. The last thing I need is my eldest son getting kidnapped."

He huffed, getting  into the drivers seat and shutting his door, "There, you hear that? Doors closed, I'm okay."

"Alright. Drive safely, i love you."

"I love you too, mom."

With that, he let her hang up the phone, throwing his own device into the passenger seat. His eyes snapped to the side to see he had accidentally knocked over Marco the Monkey.

"Whoops. Sorry, Marco." Adjusting the stuff animals seating, knowing Ryder would kill him if he didn't, he finds his heart racing as a knock is heard on the window.

He looked back to see a woman asking him to open his door. Instead, Austin locked his doors and cracked the window a open a bit.

"Can I help you?"

"I hope so." She smiled, "I can't carry my case of water into my trunk, do you think you could help me?"

"I'm sure there's employees that can—"

"Please? I'm too nervous to go in there and ask, i've given them enough trouble."

"Ma'am—"

"Please."

He cursed his ability to be so nice to random people. His mind went back to the conversation of Ryder saying how his niceness would get him in trouble.

He stepped out his car, making sure to lock in on the way out. He followed the woman to her own vehicle, which wasn't too far away from his.

"Thank you so much."

Austin gave her a closed lip smile, "No problem."

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he looked down uncomfortably, preparing to walk away only for his eyes to widen in shock at the sight of her bare feet, sharp nails sticking out.

•••

"She didn't even have any shoes on. We were in a freaking parking lot! And her toes, God her toes were horrendous." Austin whisper shouted, left hand flying dramatically as he spoke to Ryder, right hand holding her tightly. "And you know I'm never one to pick someone else for their appearance, but Jesus Ry, you should have seen it."