Emily and Samuel ✔️

NINETEEN

DEDICATED to: everyone out there who feels like they're in this big world alone, everyone who self-harms because they've been hurt by the people around them countless of times. You probably heard all sorts of comforting crap from people but despite how idiotic some of what they say sound, I know some part of what is said is true. Remember that you are loved and remember that things will get better one day.

And this chapter contains content regarding self-harm so please proceed with caution.

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It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now

Tapping my fingers on the handle of the cart I was pushing, I pressed my lips together tightly as I try to restrain myself from belting out the lyrics of my all-time favorite song in the middle of a supermarket. It wasn't fair how the supermarkets always knew which radio station to tune in to for the old songs because I can never find a station to my liking whenever I sat in my dad's car. Which was why I gave up and went with my own playlists instead.

Not wanting to waste any more time since I've already made one too many rounds around the store because they kept playing really good songs which distracted me from my task, I headed over to the frozen aisle.

Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now

Trying to tune out the song playing so I wouldn't get distracted again, I looked over at the variety of cakes in the refrigerator. I could feel my mouth water as I spotted my favorite vanilla cake hiding from me in the corner of the fourth row behind a box of Fruit Loops –

"I can't believe you." I chuckled as I continued pushing the cart away from where his standing and towards the spices aisle. "No. Get back here and tell me you made a mistake."

"Come along. Grandmother will have our heads if we go back late with the spices she need."

And then it was like my words made him realized his mistake for even attempting to stall because she had deliberately warned us not to dilly dally earlier. Even though grandmother has had her moments, it was funny knowing a guy like Samuel is scared speechless by her right now and the best part was, she wasn't even here.

"Cat got your – "

The teasing smile on my face slipped away when I turned around and was met with nothing. No arms crossed over his chest Samuel glaring at me because he knows what's about to come. Was I dreaming? Did I sleep walked here? Was all this even real? Was Samuel even –

Before my mind could conjure up more scenarios, Samuel came tumbling over with a piled-high of cereal boxes in his arms. Once he was sure his standing in front of the cart, he threw the boxes into the cart. "I'm going to buy these for you and you're going to eat these like a normal teenager. And by the end of these, you're going to tell me which one is your favorite cereal instead of those old granny sugar-free oat cereals that shouldn't have even been invented."

My eyes trailed over the boxes of cereals in the cart with a bewildered look before I settled them on Samuel. He shrugged his shoulders when he saw the disbelief on my face as though he hasn't just taken one of everything from the cereal aisle and dumped it in our cart.

"You'll love this." He said with a confident tone as he picked up the box that had a colorful label across it that says 'Fruit Loops'. Once he was sure I knew which one his talking about, he placed it back and gestured to the whole cart. "But you need more exposure towards cereals which is why, these are on me. You're welcome."