seven months ago
Emma slid out of her bedroom window, unhooking her belt buckle from the catch on her way down. She dropped to her feet on the grass, bending her knees to reduce the impact. She didn't even need to sneak out anymore to buy her cigarettes on a night, she'd left home months ago, but Emma had problems with change and she couldn't calm the anxiety that sparked in her chest if she changed to the routine she'd been stuck in for the last four years.
She unlocked the garden gate and headed down the shortcut towards the off-licence, craving the warm sweet antiseptic smell that the pharmacy attached to it gives off. She never stayed long though, no matter how much she loved the feeling it gave her there, she could never give up the adrenaline rush it gave her pretending she was young again, pretending she was still trying to get there and back in five minutes flat to buy her cigs before anybody noticed she'd left.
She raced through the aisles towards the counter, the staff never asked for her ID which was good because she didn't have one to give them. She was nineteen, old enough to smoke by a year but she'd been served here with a friends ID since she was around fifteen, knowledge she didn't think the staff would appreciate learning.
'Hey Bernie just my usual JPs please' she called as she approached the counter, 'you're not bernie' she said hesitantly as she looked him up and down. 'Nope' he laughed, and Emma couldn't help but notice the way his sharp canine teeth caught on his lower lip 'I'm his nephew, I'm taking over the shop for a while because he's gone to visit his other family in America'
'Oh um, he didn't mention he was going' she said, trying not to freak out. She didn't need change right now, she needed stability and routine. She laughed shakily and then stretched her hand out in a handshake before mentally facepalming herself for being so awkward. She pulled it back to her chest and then done the same with her other arm, trying to play it off as a stretch but ending up looking more like some kind of malfunctioning robot. 'So, um, what are you having then' he smiled
'Just classic JPs please, and a pack of matches to light them' Emma grinned back, pulling a tenner out of her purse and placing it flat on the counter. He passed her the stuff and her change and she turned on her heel and started to walk out, walking faster and faster as she got closer to the door and became increasingly aware that she had spent much longer in there than usual. She slammed out the door and stormed all the way home, before she noticed the phone number scrawled at the bottom of the receipt.
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