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 had sleep. A soft, husky edge to it, 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 formed a cat-like smile 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 knew 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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