AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I gape at her. “Umm, okay…”
She gives me a little smile and a pat on the arm before shuffling away.
My brows take a nosedive as I watch her approach another woman farther along the aisle, and she does it again, her wrinkled hand shooting out lightning fast to grab an apple the other woman was reaching for. The woman just rolls her eyes at the old betty and waits for her to move on before going back to her task.
What the fuck?
My gaze stays with the old woman as she waddles toward a couple by the potatoes, and sure enough, she goes in for the kill once more, stealing the vegetable right out from under the person’s fingertips. I’m not sure what’s weirder, the thieving old lady or that nobody seems to care.
She continues making the rounds, snagging fruit and veggies from other people until her basket is full. Then she toddles off toward the exit, darting quick glances over her shoulders as she makes a break for it.
I’m still standing by the zucchini’s, wondering what the hell I just witnessed when a pimple-faced teen pops a gum bubble right beside my ear, making me jump.
“That’s old Mrs. Clancy. Word is she used to be a bit of a klepto, and this is how she satisfies her urges in her old age,” he says.
I blink at him. “By stealing fresh produce?”
The kid nods and pops his gum again. “Yep. Sad, ain’t it?”
“Umm, yeah… I guess.”
“I’m Arthur, by the way,” he says, sticking his hand out toward me.
I accept it with what I hope is a friendly smile because I’m still reeling over Klepto Clancy and her mad—albeit slow—dash out the doors with her stolen stash. “Arlo,” I mumble.
“You new in town, or just passing through?” he asks.
Forcing myself to focus on the conversation, I give Arthur my full attention. “I just moved here. Yesterday, actually.”
“Cool! Well, welcome to Shiloh Springs. What brings you?”
“Job at the community center. I’ll be the new youth social worker,” I tell him with a genuine smile this time. My job is my passion. Or it will be… once I get started.
“Cool-cool-cool. I’ll see you around then. I hang out there sometimes… when I’m not working. Anyways, I better get back to it or Jethro might not let me sleep out back tonight.”
My jaw drops, but he wanders off, straightening rows of fruit and restocking various vegetables before I have a chance to absorb his words.
Sleep out back? Is this kid homeless? That would explain why he spends time at the community center.
It’s another hour before I’m finished at the grocery store, and not because that’s how long it takes to get everything I need. I people watched as I shopped; the locals here are… interesting.
I think moving to Shiloh Springs may be a bigger adjustment than I’d expected.
ChapterThree
It’s Saturday afternoon,and I’m chilling on the couch with Bosco. We’re watching a movie while I stuff my face with extra buttery popcorn in the apartment I share with Snow and Ariel when Snow strolls in and drops down beside me.
She has the gall to dip her fingers into my popcorn bowl and help herself to my snack.
“Do you mind?” I snap, slapping at her retreating hand, Bosco backing me up with a little growl in Snow’s direction.
She ignores our outrage and pops a few pieces in her mouth as she shuffles around on the couch to face me. “I saw old Edie Belesky when I was doing the groceries earlier. Old bat was giving me the stink eye, so I jacked off a cucumber. You should have seen her face. It was fantastic.”
I side-eye my older sister. “You… jacked off a cucumber?”
Snow’s evil grin lights her face as she nods. “Yep.”
“There’s something wrong with you.” I tell her, tugging my popcorn closer to my chest, farther away from her nasty hands.
