The Summer Emergency Kit

Day 10: Acting Like Children

July 20th, 2016

"Alex..." Katie said, dragging out his name. Even though Alex's house had air conditioning, it still was more than a little hot.

"Katie..." Alex mimicked her, putting his phone down in his lap.

"Let's go do something today. Something to cross off the list." By this point, Katie had taken to folding the bucket list and putting in her pocket every day. She also rewrote the list on to an index card, seeing as it was messy and water had split on it at some point. The giddy look on Katie's face made Alex want to laugh, but he stopped himself, only letting himself smile a bit.

"Sure. What's on the list?"

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"Okay, um..." Alex mumbled, looking at the card in front of him. "How about we go see Finding Dory. It's almost the end of July, and I haven't seen it yet."

"Sucks for you." Alex gave her a pointed look, and Katie put her hands up in defense. "I had to watch it with Lilly the day after it came out. It was pretty good though." Alex rolled his eyes, but unlocked his phone after handing Katie the card.

"I've got the guys."

"And I've got the gals."

Of course, it was a good five minutes before any kind of text went out to any of their friends.

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"Alright. Let's do this!" Emma shouted, as seven of them entered the mall. Ethan had told Zach that he was being forced on camping with his parents and two younger siblings, and Paige had forgotten to tell any of them (except Ethan, of course) that she was visiting her grandmother for two weeks.

Zach, Conner and Andrew all started shouting along with Emma, which attracted many looks, some curious, some disgust. Mara, Alex, and Katie only laughed, but stayed a bit farther back from their louder friends.

"And we're going to see a movie with them?" Mara asked, a look of false disbelief clear across her face.

Katie nodded, the same look on her face. "Apparently so. I'll get the tickets, but I need the money." Everyone -- including the idiots screaming throughout the mall -- handed over their ten dollars to see the movie, and while the rest of them went to get popcorn and food, Zach stayed behind with Katie to get the tickets.

"Hi, how can I help you today?" The woman behind the glass said through the microphone.

"Hi, I need seven adult tickets for Finding Dory." Katie said, picking at her nails. Zach held her slightly shaking hands to stop her from messing with them, and Katie felt a bit warmer at his touch.

"Alright, uh, seventy forty two." The woman replied, and Katie handed her the seventy dollars and a single dollar bill.

Katie thanked the woman, and she and Zach walked through the doors to the large concession area.

"Hey Katie! I got you popcorn, water and a box of Reese's Pieces!" Alex all but shouted across the room. Katie threw her hand up with her thumb up to tell him that was good, and Conner did the same for Zach.

"I got you popcorn, Pepsi and M&M's. Hope that was good." Conner told his friend once they got closer. Zach nodded, and Alex glanced down at their intertwined hands, and gave Katie an odd look.

"Let's go see this movie!" Emma said loudly, getting another round of odd looks from passerbies. Katie, Mara, Zach and Alex all rolled their eyes at her antics, while Andrew and Conner joined in with her.

"Tickets please," Another worker demanded, looking displeased with the large group. Katie handed him the tickets and he pointed them in the direction of their theater. "I hope you are aware that you cannot talk during this movie." He gave them all a pointed look and Mara nodded, trying to keep the rest of the loud ones quieter.

"That dude does not like us, does he?" Zach whispered to Katie. She chuckled and nodded.

"I guess not. But ya can't please everyone."

"Nope, no you can't."

Needless to say, Emma, Conner and Andrew almost got the seven of them kicked out of yet another place.

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"Alright, what do you all want to do now? It's only two." Alex asked as they walked out of the theater. The amount of weird and disgusted looks Emma and the two boys gained were unbelievable as they walked through the mall again.

"I've still got twenty bucks. Ice cream, anyone?" Mara replied, taking out her wallet.

"It's definitely hot enough. Let's go." Katie added, taking out her wallet as well.

"TO THE ICE CREAM SHOP!" Andrew shouted, putting his fist up like superman.

"ON WARDS!" Conner yelled, copying Andrew's actions. The rest of them just laughed and followed the pair halfway through the outdoor mall to the ice cream shop.

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"So Katie, when do you plan on not taking sick and vacation days?" Alana said from behind the cash register. "Anytime soon? I'm seriously getting fed up of everyone else here."

Katie laughed in reply, "Well, how about tomorrow I come in like I'm supposed to. And I took two days off. Give me a break, won't you?" The both of them laughed, and Katie placed the orders for all of them.

"Do you wanna take a break for a bit? Come sit with us?" Katie offered as Alana helped bring the ice cream to everyone.

"Uh, sure. Why not? Let me just tell Logan I'm taking a break early." The red-head replied, and after handing out the ice cream, went to the back to tell her boss.

"So, uh, Katie? Who was that?" Andrew asked, almost breathless. "She's really pretty, and if I wasn't gay, I'd totally ask her out." Conner laughed, but hit him on the back of the head, which caused Andrew to realize what he said and went completely red in the face.

Katie laughed a bit, and replied, "That's Alana, she's an old friend and coworker here. And I told her she could come sit with us, I didn't think there would be a problem." Around the table, everyone said they didn't care and/or shook their head no.

"Hey, so, plan on introducing me to anyone?" Alana said, returning from the back without her apron or name tag.

"Yeah, so, you already know Emma and Alex, and the brunette there is Mara, that boy next to her is Zach, and the older looking boy is Conner, and the boy on the other side of Emma is Andrew."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you all. Now, tell me what you're all doing here at once?"

And so the story began.

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