Tied Fate • ✓

8

Regina didn't actually know what she wanted to buy. She didn't even really want to buy anything. She just wanted to warmth of somewhere inside, somewhere with a bathroom - if dodgy and smelling strangely of pineapples - so she could wash off the stain. Or, at least, attempt to. And attempt she had, without success.

It shouldn't matter to her what that man (Thomas) thought about her. It shouldn't matter if he called her strange for coming in here and buying nothing.

She should have just left anyway.

Instead, she glanced at the shelf next to her and grabbed something, anything; her most reasonable option was a bottled energy drink. That worked fine.

Wondering at the extent of her idiocy, Regina reached for the bottled energy drink and walked down the rest of the aisle where Arnold was.

The drink was two-dollars, fifty.

She didn't even think she had two-dollars, fifty.

Regina's eyes fluttered closed, annoyed and fed up. When she opened them again, her eyelids felt heavy.

"Can I just pay you back? Like, tomorrow?" She blurted, and instantly regretted. Extent of idiocy: 100%. "I, uhh, I have the money at home."

Arnold just looked at her, eyes sullen and uncaring, "Can't do that, miss. The drink stays here."

A harsh sigh ripped from her nose. Regina blinked, glancing down at the drink on the counter and back into Arnold's bored eyes. The inside of her bottom lip was suddenly immensely swollen - she realised she'd been biting it.

She whispered finally, "Okay."

Unprepared for what was coming, she turned to exit the convenience store, embarrassed and annoyed. She was startled when a hand next to her thwacked down a five dollar bill.

She glanced up sharply into Thomas's face.

"Take it, Arnold," he said, expression devoid of warmth, but not unkind. He turned to look at Regina.