Carson Bailey is not an easy girl to befriend. With her constantly changing attitude and confusing actions, Griffyn Rivers is in for the friendship of his life. It wan't always this way. After a summer away, Carson (Cara) comes back with new friends...
"There's no need to thank me for doing what I'm supposed to do." My mom smiles and brings the plates over to the table, sitting next to me. "Now eat up and get ready. You look awful and we are going grocery shopping. You don't want to be seen in public like that, now do you?"
I laugh through a bite of food because I know she's joking and it feels good to finally put on a genuine smile for the first time in a while.
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"We just need to get the butter and then we'll be good to go home, Carson." Mom tells me, while putting the milk in the cart.
"Good, because this has been the longest grocery shopping trip I've ever gone on," I say. I eye the overfull shopping cart, remembering the grocery trips we went on before this summer.
My mom and dad had really good jobs, so we've always been really well off on money. That's a huge reason as to why we've been able to live so well off after my mom lost her job after she fell into a sort of depression. But my mom has always gone a little overboard every time she goes shopping, no matter what for.
As if the world wanted my life to get even worse, the only other people inhabiting the butter aisle were, of course, Griffyn's parents.
"Mom, let's go." I tug her arm, silently begging her to turn around and leave before they spot us. "Who needs butter, right? It's only used with corn and macaroni and rolls and cake and bread and cookies and many other things. See? Not so important."
"What? Oh, Carson, look! It's Griffyn's parents," my mom exclaims. And, of course, she walks straight up to them and starts up a conversation.
I groan under my breath and force a small smile on my face which I'm pretty sure looks like a grimace instead before heading over to my mom and Griffyn's parents.
They both notice me at the same time and Griffyn's mother goes, "Carson! Oh, where have you been recently? It's like you dropped off the grid."
My mom sends me a side glance, raising her eyebrow. I avoid it, looking back at Griffyn's parents immediately. My mom may have been in a near coma-like state for the past few months, but even she knows how inseparable Griffyn and I are.
"Um, not--" My eyes start to burn as I think about it. "I mean, I've been kind of busy lately. So, um, I haven't been around much."
I see Griffyn's father giving me a narrow eyed stare which suggests he finds me guilty of lying but I avoid his eye for more reasons than that. I don't like looking at him after what Griffyn's told me about him cheating on his wife. Even though it's not my fault, I still feel guilty every time I see him with her, acting like he loves her unconditionally when he does disloyal deeds behind her back.
