"Get the things on this list and I mean everything on the list. If they tell you they don't have something, you tell-"
"-the employee that they must go check for their stock at the back because I won't be leaving till they bring it out." I completed cutting her off.
"Good. I'm just going to the other shop, I'll meet you at the restaurant for lunch when you're done." She said and hurried off
Geez, my mother couldn't sit still, the woman was always on the go and never willing to be patient. Yet when I did that, I got scolded for being unladylike. What was with mothers and telling us to do the opposite they did.
Sighing, I entered the grocery store with a trolley and began looking for the things on the list. Butter, check. Orange juice, check. Pasta, check. Mince… mince… mince. I walked around the meat fridges, looking for the mince packaging but I couldn't find it.
Oh no, I couldn't find the mince, how didn't they have mince.
Taking a deep breath, I approached the employee with a small forced smile, knowing that if I didn't, I most probably wouldn't find it, and leaving without it would result in a fight I was not trained for.
"Hello." I greeted
"Hello ma'am, how can I help you?" the employee asked with a small smile, her kind smile seeming tired but I guess it came with the job description. Smile even if you don't want to.
I would have probably given the customer a bitch face just to scare them off.
"I'm sorry to ask but I can't seem to find the Mince-meat. Do you know where exactly it is please?" I asked
"Should be in this same aisle, next to the drumsticks." She said
"Yeah I know but I looked and I couldn't find it."
"Then we must have sold out, I'm sure the new stock will be brought out in twenty minutes or so." She said
"Is it possible that you can go and get one for me please, I have a stubborn mother that will most probably skin me alive if I don't get it." I said while giving a pleading look.
"I will ask one of the employee's ma'am please give me a moment or so." She said and walked away. Turning away I watched the customers shop around, some kids begging their mother for certain things and others just minding their own business.
Stores always had their own drama sometimes and sometimes it made no sense, others just brightened your day. There's always a customer complaining, a customer bored, a customer excited, and a customer in a rush. It was always an episode. There were those rare episodes where customers would literally get into fights for something.
So many customers would just stare and watch the whole thing, others would try and break the fight up and others just get involved. I'm the one that's always watching and slightly laughing. I liked drama honestly. It brightens up your day and other times you're just like 'whatever'.
"Ma'am here we go, I was lucky to find it ready to be packed in the cooler. We do apologize for the inconvenience." The employee said.
"Thanks so much," I said and walked off to look for the other stuff on the list. As soon as I got to the last aisle for laundry soap, I caught sight of a tall stranger in a coat. Curiosity began to get a hold of me as I followed him, trying to figure out why someone would wear a coat in the middle of summer.
As soon as I gained some ground the stranger began to walk off quickly, I followed him slowly and as soon as he turned an aisle, I waited for a couple of seconds before I did the same.
But he wasn't there, in fact, no one was there. It was as if he just disappeared.
"Aria." Someone whispered in my ear and I turned around slightly spooked by the surprise but there wasn't anybody behind me.
A note was on the floor instead and I slowly bent down, keeping my eyes around as I picked it up and came up with it. opening the note, the color in my skin drained as I read the note.
Quickly looking around, fear ran through me as I tried to see who it was that could have left the note but the customers were just going on about their business. No one stopped or dare made eye contact. The man with the coat, completely gone.
Shaking my head, I quickly paid for the stuff and hurried to the restaurant. Feeling as though someone was watching me. Who was the man and why would he leave a note like this…