Canon | (Harry Styles AU)

[three]

"There's a nice stand right across, it's about two tents over," She tells me, handing me back my change, her other hand pointed in the direction she's talking about.

"Thanks," I smile taking the change and shoving it into my pocket. I toss the bag of lemons into my backpack on top of the chicken, and walk across the cement walkway before stopping.

You've got to be kidding, I think to myself when I see the girl from the restaurant standing with a woman choosing cucumbers. How small is this town?

"Those aren't any good, grab a few near the bottom, hurry now," I hear the woman say to the girl as I near closer.

"They all look exactly the same," She says with a quizzical look on her face, putting the cucumbers back down.

"The ones at the bottom of the pile look best, choose one of those and meet me near the carrots,"Her mother I assume, says, nervously glancing down at her cell phone, "Your father should be home soon and you know how he hates to wait on his lunch."

I pretend to be interested in the potatoes just so I can stand in the busy tent next to her, simply watching her. Then watching turns into picture taking, discretely between strangers shoulders.

She's sifting through the top pile, studying the outer skin of each cucumber before following her mother's advice, choosing a cucumber from the bottom of the pile.

The second she pulls that cucumber from the pile, all the others tumble to the floor, rolling all over. I take a picture at the perfect moment, just as the first cucumber fell, her face completely caught off gaurd.

"Shit," I hear her mutter, dropping to her knees to pick them up quickly. I watch her for a few minutes wondering if anyone else will help, but no. Everyone just steps over the mess giving her a look only making her cheeks redder. Feeling bad I walk over and drop to my knees to help her.

"Thanks," She says not bothering to look up at me, her long hair flowing around in every direction around her face as she collects the cucumbers.

"Honey, what on earth are you doing on the floor," Her mother sighs, a bag of carrots in her hand, her face completely annoyed.

"I dropped the..."

"We need to go, we don't have time for you to joke around," Her mother tells her, cutting her off before she can even finish. She then walks away, the bag swinging in her hand.

"I'll pick them up," I tell her, noting the worried look on her face as she tries to pick up more cucumbers only to drop them down again from how full her hands are. Her mom clearly is in a rush and I don't mind.

"Really?" She says sounding relieved, looking over at me.

"Yea, I got it," I say wondering if she remembers me from yesterday.

"Thank you so much," She says before quickly getting up and following behind her mother. I guess she didn't remember me.

I pick the remainder of the cucumbers up from the floor and stand, noticing the owner staring at me now that the other customer he was helping has left.

"Did you drop these?" He asks me pointing to the pile of cucumbers I've put together on the table.

"Yea, they kinda just all fell," I tell him dusting off my knees.

"You'll have to pay for them then," He says sternly.

"What? Why?" I say looking down at the cucumbers. There are at least twenty plus that fell. What the hell am I going to do with twenty cucumbers?

"You drop it you buy it."

"But it was an accident," I say hoping he can make an exception.

"Sorry kid, rules are rules," He shrugs.