Aubrey Garcia's Journey home.

Chapter Twelve.

(Warnings) 

Aubrey clutched the book in her hands until her knuckles turned white. It was almost impossible for Aubrey not to be nervous, considering her track record with shopping. Spoiler alert, it wasn't exactly stellar. Worst of all, it wasn't even a foster thing. It had been a problem way before she was dumped in the system. Even when she was only seven, she would be dragged out of class and brought to the principles office for 'making up excuses.' Aubrey remembered how frustrating it had been, trying to explain the humming sounds that fluorescent lights made, or how some of it seemed to physically pain her. 

Aubrey flipped anxiously through the pages of the books and tried not to think of every single time her visits to a store had ended horribly. Which of course, didn't work at all. 

Aubrey remembered house three, who had thought it was a good idea to take her shopping to 'get her own stuff.' Which wasn't that bad of an idea, it would've been nice to have some stuff that she liked rather then what her foster family thought she liked. The only problem was that shopping had never been her strong suit. So when she'd gotten in the store everything was suddenly too much. The sounds of hundreds of people talking assaulted her ears and the scrapping of trolley wheels against tile flooring seemed to follow her everywhere she went. It was all just too much. It was so so painful. It felt like the fluorescent lights above were searing her eyes. That was bad enough, but the worst part had been afterwards when her foster family got a hold of her. They had found her in the bathroom with her hands over her ears, crying. The woman had grabbed her arm and dragged her into the car while they shopped, locking her in the scalding hot car. In there she had waited for hours, trying not to let the heat pull her under. When they got back she had been crying even harder then before. 

She hadn't gotten food that night. 

"Aubrey?" Aubrey looked up from her book. 

"Yeah?" Mrs. Sara sat in the front seat of the car, and only then did she notice the engine was off. "Oh, sorry" Aubrey quickly unbuckled herself and stepped out of the car. Before she could start walking to the store, Sara laid a hand on her shoulder. 

"Hey, I just wanted to ask, why did you want to come here?" 

"I'm going swimming with James and Eliana tomorrow but I don't-" Sara interrupted her, "I know about that." Aubrey's face twisted into a confused frown. "Then what are you-" 

"I wanted to know why you, a girl who has a bad record with stores, would ask to go to one." Aubrey blinked in shock for a few moments. Was that on her file, she thought with a horrified grimace. Did they really think it was bad enough to put on her file for everyone to see? Just as she opened her mouth to ask how she knew, Sara said "Your case worker told me." 

Aubrey groaned silently at the mention Mr. Florence. It was just like him to go around telling people about what she could or could not do. Even if she was a little annoyed by the idea of him running around telling people that, Aubrey knew that he probably saved her from multiple catastrophic shopping trips. She sighed and answered, "because I want to go swimming tomorrow." Sara raised a delicate eyebrow before continuing on her way to the store. Aubrey followed close behind and tried not to look like a child clinging to their parents  shirt. Soon enough they stood in front of the entrance of the supermarket, Aubrey looking more and more like a scared child by the second. 

"You don't have to do this you know." Sara offered with a pitying glance. That was all Aubrey needed to push her over the edge. She shot one final glare at Sara and marched into the store. 

                                                                                               ----

At first, it was fine. She strode across the long aisles as she made her way to the swimsuit section, only flinching when people got too close for comfort. And she was fine, even as a nearby trolley made a horrid screeching sound that despite the echoing sound, nobody nearby seemed to pay much attention to. It was fine, even though someone walked too close behind her and made her jump. She was fine, even though she barley choked back a scream when a box cluttered loudly to the ground. She was fine, despite the constant noise that seemed to fill her senses and make her feel detached. 

She stumbled her way to the swimsuits, and tried to focus on picking one out. A saleslady walked over with a saccharine smile and began asking her questions. "Are you here for a swimsuit?" Aubrey must have nodded, because the saleslady continued. Was it hot in here?     "So, young lady, what size are you?" Um, It was definitely hot in here. "I'm a uhh-" Aubrey had no idea what size she was. Oh for heavens sake why couldn't she just remember? The saleslady looked at her expectantly, and Aubrey tried not to scream. "I don't remember." She managed, and the saleslady just smiled and held up a two piece that looked about her size. "What about this, then?" She just grabbed it hesitantly and turned around, almost bumping into Sara in the process. 

"Aubrey...? Are you alright?" 

Aubrey felt her breathing quicken and she nodded, flinching when the saleslady behind her suddenly whisked away. 

"I-" 

Aubrey wrapped her arms around herself. 

"I can't-" 

Sara bent down, till they were eye-to-eye. 

"I can't do this." She whispered, and Sara nodded and touched her shoulder gently. She led Aubrey out of the store, stopping only momentarily to pay for the suit that she was still clutching in her hand. Before Aubrey could register what happened, they were standing outside by the car. "Please don't make me go back in there." Aubrey mumbled, and Sara bowed her head. "I won't, my child." 

They stood there for what felt like hours as Aubrey tried to mentally relax herself. After a while the adrenaline left her body and she nearly slumped against the car. Sara opened her arms, and after a moment Aubrey carefully let Sara embrace her. 

"Let's go home." Sara offered, and Aubrey- for once once, agreed.