Waterproof

FIFTEEN

The following Thursday, Carson and I prepared for grocery shopping.

We figured we'd probably end up stopping at fast food places most of the time, so seventy-five percent of the things we were going to buy with that money would be healthy.

We decided to make a list: apples, water, trail mix, bananas, raisins as well as other things. And then we had the unhealthy options list: chips, snickers, Laffy Taffy, and other various items.

I headed out to the garage when Carson pulled up in the driveway. I signaled for him to give me a second and then stepped inside and looked for the cooler we used to take with us on camping trips.

I finally found it buried and dusty underneath pool noodles and a picnic basket, plus the aquarium that held the family lizard when I was in eighth grade. Liz, we'd called her (which was super cliche' for a lizard) had died while Josie and I were at school the next year. I pulled it out and hauled it into the back seat of Carson's dusty Malibu. "You ready?" he asked when I hopped in the front seat. I nodded.

He backed out of my driveway and we made our way to Walmart. When we pulled up, I grabbed the list out of the back pocket of my light wash denim shorts. I saw Carson's eyes follow my hand to my pocket, but chose to ignore it.

"Let's head in," I told him, making sure he would walk ahead of me. He nodded and died what I had hoped he would.

"You take this list," I said, handing him the one with all the healthy food on it, "And I'll do this one."

Carson whined a little bit at having to look at healthy foods, but I ignored him and grabbed two baskets, handing him one. "If I finish first, I'll text you," I told him.

"Ditto."

I gave him a small smile and wave before heading towards the candy aisle.

The first thing I grabbed was Oreos. I went down the aisle, grabbing everything that was on the list plus a bag of M&M's.

Ten minutes later, I was grabbing chips off the shelf from the aisle over and smiling in satisfactory once I'd finished.

I was, of course, done way before Carson. He had more list to cover. I texted him and asked him for his location, and when he'd responded a few seconds later, he said, grabbing the fruits now then ill b done. I ignored the grammar again and instead headed towards the produce section of the store. He was staring at the apples when I got there. "You didn't specify which ones."

I laughed. "I like Granny Smith apples the most. But whatever floats your boat."

He shrugged and grabbed my preferred apple species and set them in his basket that was filled with all sorts of healthy things. "Two more things, and then we're good."

I followed Carson as he grabbed the last two things on his list, bananas and oranges, and then we headed towards self-checkout.

We spent almost every dime of what we'd brought.

"That was a close one," Carson whistled as we carried our bags outside. I had two and he had six.

"I know. But, we have change now if we need it."

"Good point."

I sighed. "Where are we going to keep these for the next few days?"

Carson thought about it. "We have a fridge in our garage that no one uses. We can keep them in there until we pack up."

"Perfect."

We sat in a comfortable silence until I realized something. "I've never been to your house before."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I don't know why I'm surprised. It's not like we were friends back then."

Carson shrugged. "We could have been."

"What do you mean?" I was confused.

Carson stopped at a red light and turned to face me. "You don't remember?"

"How can I remember if you don't tell me what I'm supposed to be remembering?"

Carson laughed, and then immediately turned red as someone behind him honked. I wondered how long the light had been green. "Every time I'd come over when Josie first started hanging out with Kirstyn, Sarah and I, I'd always end up being the third wheel. Well, the fourth wheel, but whatever. So I'd tell Josie that I needed to go to the bathroom, or some other lame excuse like I'd had a hard time with football practice and needed to shower, and then I'd go hang out in your room with you."

Of course I remembered. How could I forget? I always felt special when Carson came to hang out with me. I was in sixth grade, and they were in seventh. THe seemed so much older then than the did now. "I remember. I just thought you weren't interested anymore when you stopped coming."

Carson chuckled. "Nah. Josie caught me coming out of your room once. I had to stop, then."

"She made you stop?"

"No! I just meant... she accused me of 'making out with her little sister'."

I scoffed. "We were in middle school."

Carson nodded, pulling into his driveway. "I know."