Campbell's (Chris Collins)

Baggage Claim

Exiting his car, Chris took a good look at the convenience store before making his way towards the entrance. Part of him prayed to relive the moment they'd met — to erase their arguments and wipe any tears he may have caused Naomi to shed. But he sighed to himself; resolving that he was being a little too sentimental about the events that had happened here a year ago.

She's not in there, Chris. he told himself, Not this time.

However, he was welcomed with a familiar face upon entry.

"So, what happened this time?" asked Zoey knowingly. It had been a premonition that if either of them entered the store without the other, there was definitely something wrong — because since the day they've met, neither of them had entered the convenience store alone.

As soon as it had been brought up, Chris instantaneously recalled the reason why they were at war in the first place. He felt the heat rush to his face in anger as the words she'd used against him echoed in his head, which caused him to frown all the more.

"I don't know...but I'm guessing she thinks it's not worth it anymore."

He sighed indignantly as he looked up from his phone, free of text messages or phone calls from Naomi which had only justified his decision, "See, she doesn't even think it's worth a try to contact me today, of all days..."

"Do you still think it's worth it?"

"Zoey, seriously? Does it look like it?" frowned Chris, letting his anger speak.

"Yeah, it does." replied Zoey bluntly, "Because you wouldn't be so damn furious that there was a possibility she didn't want this anymore if you didn't either. You'd be relieved. But you're not because you still think it's worth it enough to stay."

Zoey watched as Chris rubbed the back of his head bashfully, a little ashamed of how he had let his anger speak and how his intentions had been a tad too obvious this whole time. When he looked up at her, rather flushed, Zoey only laughed.

"Look, I was here that very day you guys met and how you came running in here the day you asked her out." smiled Zoey, "I know you guys too well to join in on your act of pretending like you guys don't care anymore. And I'm sure, wherever Naomi is, she's feeling the same way."

"How are you sure?" asked Chris

"Come on, nobody meets anyone at a convenience store with one can of soup left. But you guys did; that should be enough to say it's meant to be."

Chris was left with a smile on his face, until Zoey reverted her attention to the customer approaching the entrance of the store.

"Christian." said Zoey, her gaze still fixated on the person approaching, "Am I the only one seeing this?"

As Chris followed Zoey's gaze, the phone he had looked up from was almost dropped as he had been just surprised as she was. It was unmistakable; in a pair of joggers and a blue Yankees shirt, the familiar light haired girl Chris had first noticed the day he met her approached.

Naomi checked her phone a final time, wondering perhaps it was time she give Chris the call. Despite her efforts in ridding her face of the evidence that she'd cried, her nose's red tint would not fade. She relented, knowing there would be nothing that awaited her in the store anyway and made her way inside.

"Naomi!"

She turned to see a Zoey greeting her with a cheerful smile and shrugged to herself, deciding to put on a smile for Zoey. "Hey Zo."

With a genuinely surprised look, Zoey decided to inquire about how Naomi had been doing — without giving away the fact that she had known about her and Chris's little situation.

"How's university?" she asked, "Ooh, your nose is a little red there. Are they working you too hard?"

"I'm just a little tired." shrugged Naomi in reply, a little surprise herself, that Zoey hadn't asked about Chris.

"Where's Chris? I hardly ever see you two without each other."

Looks like she spoke too soon.

"Oh gosh, there's nothing wrong, is there?" added Zoey, putting up with the facade as Chris asked her to play along with his plan.

Trying not to allow the tears to continue welling up in her eyes, Naomi shook her head. "We've been at war for a week." she replied, "I just... I think I'm at the point where I don't really care..."

Chris felt a slight pain in his chest, hearing those words emerge from Naomi as he hid in a nearby aisle. He had been looking for reasons to prove to himself that his theory wasn't right; and as those words were uttered by Naomi, nothing hurt more than seeing all his efforts go down the drain.

He heard Naomi sniffle, "Excuse me." she said as she blew her nose in a tissue.

"I mean, I don't really care about whose fault it was or who's wrong or right anymore." she continued, "I didn't even think we'd get to fights as big as these about something so stupid.

"Oh crap, am I rambling again? I'm sorry, Zoey. Today's just not a good day."

"No, no." smiled Zoey in relief, "You know, it's obvious you still care about him. And if anything, the way you felt this time last year is the same — if not, stronger. And I'm sure wherever Christian is, he's feeling the same way."

"Doesn't look like it right now, but thanks, Zoey." smiled Naomi, "So, you guys got any Chicken Noodle Soup or am I gonna have to fight someone for it again?"

"Nope, plenty in stock. You know where to find 'em."

The moment Naomi turned her back towards Zoey, was the moment Chris was given the go signal to make his way towards there too. His plan of making his way incognito was going smoothly up until the moment Naomi had decided to finally give him a call — which sent his phone ringing. He groaned; absolutely gutted that he had to silence his phone which meant disregarding Naomi's call.

He caught her fixated on her phone as she had her hand on a can of the flavour of Campbell's soup they'd shared the day they met. It had given him enough time to make his way over there and place his hand on the can as well, resisting the pull as Naomi loaded it onto her basket.

Taken aback by the pull, Naomi fidgeted with her phone as she muttered, "You know, there are plenty of other cans in..."

She stopped her sentence midway now that she had fully turned around, facing the perpetrator, who was the very person she was trying to reach on her phone.

His gaze fixated on her bright green eyes, whose colour was brought forth by her rather flushed face. He could barely turn away as he stood face to face with them once again, 

"But I want this one."