AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, right, I am,” Betsey says, and I can’t tell if she’s kidding.
“You’re not seriously both going,” Ella says.
Betsey and I hold gazes for a few seconds, and then, when soundless words have passed between us, we both look at Ella. “Let’s all go,” I say. Betsey nods, then stands up.
“We can’t,” Ella says, but I know she really wants to see if Dave’s at the pizza place.
“Sure we can,” Betsey says. She’s already in the doorway. “Mom’s out. And besides, if she catches us, we’ll just ask her where she was today.”
“But what if someone sees us?” Ella protests even as she’s following me down the stairs.
“Ella, I’m not convinced there are any ‘someones’ who care about us anymore. And if there are, at this point, I might just take my chances.”
“Go, Lizzie!” Betsey says happily, opening the front door.
And then, for the first time in seven years, Ella, Betsey, and I step out of the house… together.
There’s a little shopping complex at the bottom of the hill boasting all the stores neighborhood residents could need or want. There’s a small grocery store, a pizza place, an ice cream shop, a coffee hangout, a nail salon, a gift shop, a dog groomer, and a dry cleaner. Ella’s driving, and she finds a spot in front of the least-frequented business—the reading-glasses store—and we all get out. Without words, we split up and walk to our destinations: Ella’s in charge of pizza, Betsey will grab ice cream, and I’ll stock up on toiletries.
I get what we need, pay, and leave the store, swinging the bags in my hands as I weave through parked cars. I breathe in the smell of pizza and environmentally friendly dry cleaning and feel at peace with things for the time being. Someone pulls into the space on the right side of the car, and even though they’re parked way too close, I’m content to wait for the driver to get out.
Until I realize that the driver is Grayson.
“Hi, Elizabeth!” she says when she sees me standing there. “Sorry, let me get out of your way. I thought this space was bigger.” She looks embarrassed as she shuts her door and has to squeeze between the cars to get out. “So, what’s up?”
“Just getting groceries,” I say, holding up my bags.
“Oh, cool,” she says, glancing into the car. I do the same: Betsey and Ella are both purposefully looking away. “Who’s that you’re with?”
“Just—”
Beep! Ella lays on the horn at exactly the right moment.
“Some super impatient people, apparently,” I say, laughing it off. “I guess I have to go. I’ll see you next week.”
“Okay, bye,” Grayson says, looking confused but moving aside so I can get in. She waves and starts walking away.
“This was so freaking stupid,” Ella says as I buckle my belt.
“She didn’t see anything,” I say.
But then, because apparently luck just isn’t on our side today, there’s a backup of cars leaving at the same time—right as Grayson makes it across the lot.
She has to walk in front of our car.
I hold my breath as she does, hoping she won’t look over and notice us. She keeps her eyes ahead, but then once she’s on the sidewalk on the other side and we start to creep forward, she glances at the car. Grayson sees me and smiles, then raises her hand to wave. But then her forehead creases.
“She’s looking at me,” Bet says through clenched, smiling teeth.
The car ahead of us moves. Ella floors it and almost hits a bicyclist, who swerves and shouts. I see in the side mirror that the commotion pulls Grayson’s attention away from us; she covers her mouth in surprise and pulls out her phone—probably in case she needs to call an ambulance. Thankfully, the guy’s fine. But by the time Grayson looks at us again, all she can see is the backs of our heads.
“Freaking stupid,” Ella says as we pull into traffic.
I turn around and look at Betsey, who seems like she might agree. Probably sensing my worry, she tries to lighten the mood.
“At least we got ice cream.”
