I was already regretting my decision to come out. The sun was so intense I felt like I was going to melt down like cheese in an oven.
"Hey, is that you, Bree?"
I froze on the spot as I heard the voice that I recognized all too well. I hesitated for a moment, not so much because I was debating what to do, but because my knees grew weak.
A fatal mistake.
"Long time no see! How have you been?"
It was Abigail. Best to just say she wasn't exactly my best friend back in high school and leave it at that.
Without saying anything back, I just nodded as she came around from behind to stand in front of me, her back straight, chest puffed out slightly, looking confident. As she always did.
"What have you been up to these days?"
"Not… nothing much."
I wished I could add 'but better without you in any case,' but of course, I didn't have the balls to say that to her face. If I had balls, I would have been Brian's brother.
"I see, I see."
Awkward pause. She tortured me with silence and a grin on her face. I pulled my hood down lower.
"Jeez, aren't you hot?"
"…yes."
She giggled, then laughed.
"You haven't changed at all," she said.
"Thanks."
After uttering the words I didn't mean to, I started to walk away, but the bitch got me. Either I'm a sloth, or she's too quick for me. She grabbed my wrist and playfully yanked.
"Hey, that's rude."
I said nothing. Again.
"Don't you have anything to say?" She asked, with her tone ambiguous. I couldn't tell if she was genuinely annoyed or just teasing me.
"I'm sorry."
Better to play it safe.
"Haha, you are always like that."
You don't know shit about me, bitch.
"How… how are you?"
I swallowed more than my pride.
"I'm good, I'm good. I'm back in town for the summer break."
Right. Abigail got into a good college. She had it all. Brains, beauty, and bitchiness.
"We should like hang out sometime."
"Sure."
Why the fuck did I say that?!
"Oh cool! Do you still have the same number?"
"No."
"Then let me have your new number."
I lied too quickly without thinking about it. She reached out, invaded my jeans pocket as if it belonged to her, and fished out my phone. She held it up to my face to unlock it, found the call button and called herself. Her phone buzzed, and then she looked at me.
"It's still the same number."
"I'm sorry."
She let out a short laugh through her nose, once, and put my phone back in my pocket.
"I will be seeing you around then."
Shit.
Without saying anything further, she turned and walked away, like a graceful slut.
It was a grave mistake coming out here, but…
Yes, marmalade. I came out to get that damned marmalade.
As I entered the corner shop, Uncle Joe raised an eyebrow, albeit with a smile.
"Good morning. It's rare to see you at this time."
"Good morning."
"Actually, it's rare to see you at all these days."
"I just came to get something quick."
Uncle Joe, as everyone around the neighborhood called him, was a friendly man, probably in his early sixties by now. He was one of the few real people that I was somewhat comfortable interacting with.
"Bree?"
As I was going through the aisles, another voice called out my name. Not exactly as unpleasant as the little encounter earlier, but it was someone to be confronted.
"What are you doing here, Mom?" I asked her, but as she simply smiled and shrugged, I saw her holding a bottle of wine.
"Please put that back, and—at this hour? Seriously?"
"What brings you out at this time? That's what I'm wondering, heh." She challenged me back instead, now hugging the bottle in her arms, holding it close to her chest like a baby that she was concerned I would snatch away.
"That's not the issue here. Where have you been?"
"At Mike's."
"You are back with MIKE?!"
"No, it's a new Mike. A better Mike."
My hand trembled a little. So this was what the bad feeling was about. Not that I expected anything else.
"Whoever he is, please don't bring him home," I declared. I had to be firm on this one.
"Aw, you haven't even met him."
"I have no intention to. Let's keep it that way."
She looked at me, her eyes filled with ridiculous tenderness, then reached out and stroked my arm.
"You might get more popular with a bit more friendliness, darling."
"I'm trying!"
I shot back and turned away, fuming. I could hear her walking toward the counter, humming.
I felt a short pang in my heart as something caught in my throat.
All I wanted was just to get some marmalade.