So I left this morning around 10 o'clock. The car didn't have much gas left, and because I didn't feel like paying for a refill and because the store was so close, I chose to go on foot. As I made my way down the street, I looked around. The day was bright and the weather cool, but a brown tint wreathed the horizon ahead. If there was one way to ruin a nice day, it was to be reminded of the displeasures of the current climate.
After about twelve minutes I walked through the front doors of the store. That heat... It was hotter in the store than outside. Annoyed, I hurried to the office supply aisle and scanned the shelves for the notebook. A pathetic selection of dusty notebooks that were likely second-hand leftovers were all they had, so I snatched three of the best looking ones and tucked them under my arm.
I checked out, placed the receipt in the bag, and strolled out into the now stronger sunlight as the automatic door made its wirr sound. On the way back I thought I'd be completely alone. I needed to be alone, for my mind was going crazy in anticipation. To my surprise and to my disappointment, I saw my cousin in the distance standing beside another girl whom I had no familiarity with. What was I going to do? I couldn't just ignore them—they were right in my path to the house.
My thoughts consumed me while I treaded to where they were standing, acting like I didn't notice them from afar. My cousin perked up when she saw me. She waved with an expression of half confusion and half interest.
"What's up?" I began. In my mind I had no idea where this was going, but I figured a simple hello-goodbye couldn't hurt.
"Not much, just hanging out with my friend," my cousin pivoted to her friend, then back to me. I didn't bother to look yet. "What are you... doing?"
"Uh, I had to run to the store for some stuff," I said in embarrassment.
"What stuff? Can I see?"
She peered inside the bag as I opened it. "See, just boring stuff."
"Oh," she shrugged. Then she turned toward her friend again. "This is my friend Cheyenne. I've told you about her before."
Now I finally looked at her. So this was the "Cheyenne" that she mentioned before. She had wavy, reddish-brown hair past her shoulders resting behind her ear that was studded with diamonds. I stood close enough to see the constellation of freckles across her nose, and a pair of lightning blue eyes reflecting the sunlight of noon. Worst of all, I swear, her mouth, in an idle state, was turned up at the corners. I shuddered instinctively in terror.
So what was the deal? I was forced to break the awkward silence that followed, and I was also suddenly aware that in examining her I was staring at her.
"Nice to meetcha," I said finally.
Cheyenne looked up at me. "Silly."
Her voice was huskily soft, and it could be so sweet as to be horrifying. But there must have been some knife in her throat; her voice cut like a file at that response. I stepped back in defense.
"What? What's silly?" I asked nervously.
Suddenly she smiled and acted as though nothing was said at all. "Oh, forget it. What did you say your name was?"
I told her my name. A bad feeling came over me, so bad that I felt that I had to get home right now. I gave a curt good-bye and sped-walked the rest of the way, checking with great certainty that the door was locked.
(A fictitious passage)
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