Chapter 34-2

"To the grocery mart." I explain as I turn to her and smile. "Can I come? There's a couple things I need to pick up." She explains as she comes to a stand next to me. I wrap my arms around her waist as she does the same. It was different not being able to see Vera all the time and I missed her so much. She was still my best friend through and through. "Well, I'll write you guys a list." Mom explains as she pulls out a little pad and begins to write things down. When she was finished, Vera, Chase and I all climb into Sam's Mercedes. I had to drive because A; Chase's licence is still suspended and B; Vera is a terrible driver. The sun was setting over the cloudless sky when I pull into the local supermarket parking lot. It was ablaze with blues and pinks and purples. A pleasant breezes washes over me as we all step out of the vehicle. Chase grabs a hold of my hand as we walk across the parking lot and I smile up at him. Yup, I'm never loosing any of this again. "Did I ever tell you I tried getting a job here in my freshman year?" I question as Chase sticks his other hand in the pocket of his grey hoodie. He shakes his head and I continue, "Yeah, the manager at the time who interviewed me was a gigantic pervert. He asked me what my bra size was and blamed it on figuring out what size uniform I needed." "What the fuck?" Vera asks from where she stood on my other size, "If anyone ever asks my daughter that I will castrate them and send it back to their family's with a mislabel of 'lamps'." Chase and I stare at her for a few silent seconds in shock. She reminded me so much of Levi in that very second until she brushes back her black curls and gives as an award-winning smile. "What did you say?" Chase asks as he glances down. "Well, let's just say 'suck my dick' was not the answer he wanted." I reply as we all chuckle lightly. Yeah, I definetly had more enemies than friends in Holden Bay. But I wouldn't want it any other way if I'm being honest. When we enter the supermarket, Vera goes to grab us a cart while Chase and I start in the produce section. I was looking over the oranges when Chase wraps his arms from behind and places a kiss to my temple. "I miss grocery shopping with you." He mumbles as I turn my head and smile up at him, "I miss doing anything domestic with you." "You have weird kinks, Everett." I tease him as for some reason I feel the urge to glance across the space. Emily was standing by an aisle, staring over at us before she turns and hurries away. I narrow my eyes. Weird, why didn't she just come over and say hi. Oh yeah, that's right. She was in love with my boyfriend. Ha. We continue to shop around the store without anymore run ins with Emily. I think she was avoiding us because we were going literally everywhere over the shop. I had no clue where half the shit my mother had written on the list was located, so it was basically an adult-version of a treasure hunt. "But wouldn't it be in the spices?" I ask as I lift the list up to Chase. He hums, "But if it's Korean, then wouldn't it be in the international section?" "Okay, ten bucks to whoever's right." I ask as I extend my hand out to him, "Deal?" "Deal." He nods as he shakes it and turns. He hurries off as I sprint in the other direction. There was no way I was giving ten bucks to Chase even if he was my boyfriend and I loved him. When it comes to any competition between the two of us, he can suck a cactus for all I care. When I turn down the spice aisle, I see Vera with the cart and Emily standing in the middle talking to each other. Vera spots me and smiles widely. "Look who I found." Vera asks as Emily turns around and her expression falters slightly. "Hey Em," I smile as I slowly near them, "I didn't know you were working tonight." "Oh, I'm just covering for someone." She replies with a small, awkward shrug. I noticed her dark roots had already started coming through and I wondered if she was ever going to fix it up. If she does, hopefully she goes back to being brunette. It kinda freaks me out how similar she looked to me. As if she was trying to be me or something. She wouldn't do that, right? "I was just saying how we haven't seen Em in so long. We really miss you back at the house." Vera smiles as she touches Emily's arm softly, "How about you come over tomorrow and we can all hang out like before?" Shit, Vera doesn't know that I'm spending the day with Chase. Curse Stella's cuteness for making me forget. I open my mouth, "Ah, Vera—" "Sure." Emily smiles as she glances at me out of the corner of her eye. She then frowns slightly in sadness, "I hope you don't mind Hayden. I just don't have many friends and it would hurt if you were trying to exclude me." Vera glances at me with a look of confusion on her face as my lips part. Is she really trying to make me seem like a bitch in front of my own best friend? "Of course I don't mind." I smile at her softly, "I was just going to say Chase and I have plans on tomorrow. But feel free to come over and hang out with everyone else. Levi misses you so much." "Well, it won't be as much fun without you two but we can manage, right Em?" Vera questions with a grin. She was too kind and sweet for Emily. One of the most beautiful things about Vera is how she will always believe in the best of someone no matter what. It's probably why her and Levi got along so well right from when I introduced the two of them. Emily's smile becomes a little too tense, "Sure..." "Okay, so I didn't find the spice. But I did find a fucking great deal of tortillas!" Chase says as he bursts into the aisle. He walks over to us carrying said tortillas in his hands. His eyes move from me to Emily, "Oh, hey Emily." "Hi Everett" Emily smiles as I notice her gaze on was was a little too adoring, "How have you been?" "Great." Chase beams a bright smile as he comes to a stop beside me, "What about you? I, uh, i haven't seen you since the gala." "Yeah, I've just been working a lot recently." She shrugs while flipping a strand of hair over her shoulder. Sure, no problem, just act like Vera and I aren't standing here at all. "You still look great." "It's only been a couple of days, Em." I scoff, joining in on the conversation and fold my arms, "Everett, we have tortillas back in the house." "Yeah but were they bought three for the price of one? Huh?" He questions with squinted eyes as we all laugh at him. "Well, we better let you get back to work Em." I smile as I put a hand to Chase's chest, visually showing her what was mine, "Maybe we'll see you tomorrow?" "Ah yeah, sure. Have fun with your shopping guys." Emily says, seemingly having trouble taking her gaze away from Chase. I told her to respect our relationship but it doesn't seem like she's listening very well. Maybe if I let Levi light her on fire, it'll melt all the wax in her ear and she'll be able to hear properly. Emily then turns and leaves the aisle just as I spot something on the shelf. "Aha!" I shout as I leap forward, "That'll be ten bucks, Everett."