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I grabbed a plastic shopping basket and got busy

There were only a couple of other custo in low voices, over by the beer fridge I highly doubted either one of thee students manned the shop counter, identifiable by the textbook he’d chosen to hide behind Note to self: Study like crazy all through senior year if you want an offer from Berkeley

Hershey bars, Reese’s Pieces, Oreos, Gummy Bears, Milk Duds, Skittles, Twinkies, Doritos, and a jar of salsa The bottle proclai on the side It all went into the basket, each and every roup represented Still, there was a little rooo all in since we’d driven to the other side of town Why, it’d take a good ten to fifteen ia’s parents’ place Sustenance for the journey alone would be required

A tube of Pringles for good luck and prosperity, and ere done

I due boy jurossed in his studies Startled brown eyes gawked at lasses

Shit, he was cute

I an entire stand of titty e of sales went toward helping women with lower-back proble ht have started raining again So wearing flip-flops had probably been a mistake

Beep, beep, beep went the sales register, adding upeach other No further eye contact was made This was the best of all possible outcoeneral were a trial, but attractive people were far and away the worst They unnervedred, my brain an empty, useless place

All of uaranteed to tear halfway across the parking lot Never ainst my front, stretch the botto Easier than asking hi it

I shoved the otMission accomplished

Except a scrawny guy entering the store was in an even bigger hurry thanout from underbefore dropping, hitting the cold, hard ground The plastic bag broke and shit went everywhere Fother mucker

“Awesome,” I muttered sarcastically Followed up fast with a sarcastic, “I’m fine No problem”

How e e on the way down because I had a scratch onlike a bitch, both it and my bruised ass

College boy gasped Fair enough I’d be pissed too if so her stuff everywhere But the douche canoe who’d sentsoe boy stuttered, “P-please D-d-don’t”

I froze, realizing this wasn’t aboutinto the shelf

Not even a little bit

College boy fuister, panic written all over his face This rong All of it Ti down his face because it wouldn’t open for so in the air like he’d lost his mind

Suddenly the drawer flew open with a discordant little jingle

College boy grabbed a wad of cash, shoving it into a plastic bag as the skinny guy slaain, full of frustration and anger Then the scream of a police siren split the air and I heard tires screech I watched in horror as a battered car careened out of the parking lot, knocking over a garbage can and spilling trash across the pavement A cop car followed it over the curb as another ca

Theso indecipherable as he twitched, his eyes e Red patches—sores—covered his face, and his teeth were nothing un in his hand and my heart stopped