First of all, allow me to explain why this next short story might be weird:
1. It's late.
2. I have no caffeine.
3. I'm doing this out of the kindess of my heart (those who know me well will agree that it is a rather limited field.)
4. I couldn't think of anything better.
It's not really a romance, and the characters are a bit out of, well, character. You no likie, you no readie. Simple. Got it?
EXTREME POINTLESSNESS AHEAD!
Holly snatched up a large bottle of purified-fresh water, shook it, peered into its depths, and dropped it into her shopping basket, deeming it worthy of purchasing.
Joining it were assorted vegetables and a magazine, as well as minsdoc, a style of rice that grew quite nicely under the Earth. There was also a small loaf of full-grurn bread, which was yet another grain that only grew in the cultivated spots just outside Haven.
Holly was shopping for the first time in a week. She bought in bulk when ever possible, so that she didn't have to go the stores for life's trivial necessities, like food.Produce went quickly in her household, hence this trip.
She didn't mind shopping, but she didn't like slow-moving crowds. And if Haven City's supermarkets had one thing, it was slow-moving crowds.
She waded up and down the aisles. If she saw something that caught her eye, she would snap her attention to it as she passed, because she didn't think it necessary to spend more time than absolutely required in the supermarket.
Holly passed the beets and smiled grimly, noticing that they were, in fact, the exact color of Commander Root's face on a bad day. She was able to have memorized the color by now.
She passed the bakery section and took a cookie from the free samples table constructed beside it. A weary-looking sprite glimpsed up at her, and Holly shot the worker a small smile. She deliberately took one of the cartons of cookies from the rack, carefully putting it into her basket and walking away, not looking back. It was a pretty good cookie, anyway.
Holly came up to one of the cashiers. The line was long, but she wouldn't fit in the express line. She stood, waiting.
She recognized her cashier right away.
"Hey, Cedric," she said, tossing a bundle of asparagus onto the conveyor belt.
"Afternoon, Miss Short," Cedric responded, not missing a beat. He looked up at the LEP captain as he scanned the minsdoc. "I mean, you are off duty, right?"
"Yes…"
"So that makes you Miss Short, correct?" Holly smiled and rolled her eyes. The kid knew his airs.
"Yeah, yeah. How's school, kid?"
"Fine, thanks. Work?"
Holly gave him a look. "Take a wild guess."
"Wouldn't know."
Holly always spoke to her cashiers this way. They seemed to like it, and so did she. She had always noticed that no one really ever paid much attention to these fairies, so whenever she could and/or wouldn't bite their head off in the process, she struck up a conversation. She made a point to try to remember their names. Holly believed in personalized moral boosts.
"Nice shirt," Holly commented as she forked over the cash for she groceries.
"Thanks," Cedric said.
Holly hauled up her purchases and walked out, waving a bit to the other cashiers as well as Cedric.
On her way home, Holly's eyes kept darting from the foliage to people outside to vehicles to the foliage again, her senses tingling with alertness. Or, some alertness. If Holly had been using all of her alertness, she probably wouldn't have walked into someone.
"Oof!" she said, and dropped one of her bags. Sighing, she got down to pick her things up, offering a half-hearted "Sorry to whoever it was."
"Hey, no big deal. Just try looking where you're going next time. I heard that it works wonders. Here," Foaly's voice said, and Holly's head snapped up. She smiled and took her magazine.
"Hi. Why…are you not surrounded by technology?" Holly asked, putting her "Vegetarian Times" magazine back in her bag.
"Sadly, I have discovered through trial-and-error that buying food online can be a very bad thing. And this supermarket up here is the only one with decent produce."
"Oh. Thanks. See you on Monday?" Holly asked.
"Only if I don't have a nervous break down due to technological withdrawal," Foaly replied with a smirk.
"See that you don't. Root may die of happiness if you do. Then who'll sign my paycheck?"
"You make a good point. See you."
The two went there separate ways, Holly to her apartment, Foaly to the crowded supermarket.
'You learn something new every day,' he mused. 'Who knew Holly was a vegetarian?'
Review if it sucks, review if it rocks, review, review, or I'll steal your...socks. I must be tired.
You know what, see reason number one again. Late at night, people!
Meh. I'm going back to bed...
(The following does not apply to people who are about to tell me how fabulously wonderful I am (yes, I am very aware that that was a redundant statment, thankyouverymuch Ms. Donovan and Mr. Cowan!))
P.S. If this is devoid of my usual sweetness and light and you need the overpowering urge to flame me for that reason, I say that you are petty and rude. Love ya, mean it! -Semine, exhausted.
