-Norse mythology recognized nine realms of existence. Eight of the realms were embodiments of opposites: fire and ice, heaven and hell, creation and destruction, and light and darkness. These realms all converged on the center realm where humans lived out their lives.-
Part 3 Heaven
"We need to get two dollars!" He said while on his knees looking under a shelf for any type of change.
"And you think we're going to find that much change in here?" She asked, but lifted a few items off the ledge anyways.
"It's a possibility!"
Dana and Logan were rummaging through isles at a convenience store near PCA. Dana picked up boxes of cereal and looked in the way back for any lost change.
"This is your entire fault. I don't understand how you of all people had forgotten your wallet," she rambled with a sigh before crouching down and crawling into the shelf space.
"I got a dime!" Logan emerged from the tight shelf space as particles of dust covered him, and boxes of pop tarts were knocked down everywhere.
"Oh great, only a dollar and ninety more cents to go," she said sarcastically before murmuring, "fantastic."
"Just come on and help me look," he said running down the isle, getting on the ground, knocking boxes down, and doing the same process again. Dana shook her head and rolled her eyes but ran after him.
They made it to the cleaning supply isle, with a dollar in change so far.
"We can always get the small pack…"
"No," Logan stayed firm on locating two dollars in change.
"What about, you know… 'Borrowing'?"
"I don't steal Dana," he said, and she growled.
"This is so not worth it," she mumbled while jogging to the next isle. She noticed it was where the few pieces of furniture are, and it seemed like the outdoor couch was calling her name. She weighed her choices.
Go look for more change she'll never find…
Or sit down and let Logan do all the looking.
It wasn't even a question; she was now laying all sprawled out on the couch. She didn't know where Logan was, but she hoped he would find this change quicker.
Time passed, and in the back of her mind she was hoping he had found it. She guessed he had seen her, because the next thing she heard was his voice.
"Dana! I thought we were looking together!"
"We are," she whined, "but I was taking a fast break."
"Well I already found all the change, so don't bother," he started walking away with a pathetic look on his face. Yes, he can say he hates her, even if it is such a strong word.
She rolled off the couch and landed on her feet lifting herself up walking faster than normal. She would deny trying to catch up with him. But if she did, by some off chance- then it was all just coincidence.
"I'm sorry I was tired looking for all your change," she groaned not far behind him.
"I'm sure you are." He looked sensibly ticked off while he searched for the item they had come to get. Finding it in the candy isle, he swiped it off the shelf not looking in Dana's direction. He began heading for the counter, and she wasn't about to be ignored.
"Stop ignoring me, I apologized a billion times!"
He slightly turned his head in her direction, "then it's not enough I guess."
"How are we going to make any friendship work if you get mad at something like this?" She sounded enraged now.
"Did I say we were friends?" Logan said, with no hint of humor. She looked slightly set off for a moment as that comment caught her off guard.
"Then why did you drive me out here if we're not friends?!" She yelled louder than she should have. Both Logan and Dana were stopped in the middle of the isle now, not taking notice to a few eye-rolling looks from elders.
"Look, let's just get these," he said trying to calm her down.
"No, because apparently we're not friends."
Then he walked off.
Not saying another comment, and once again- Dana felt like she had just been smacked in the face. She was furious at the moment. Nobody ever treated her like that. No one dared to; they were all scared of her. Why wasn't he?
She started walking towards the exit noticing he just gave the cashier all the change he had found, before something shiny caught Dana's eye.
A quarter had just dropped from an older woman's hand, and she took no notice of it. Dana looked from the quarter, to Logan, and back to the lady before picking it up herself.
"I'm sorry kid, you're short some money…"
"Wait," Dana said after she picked the change up. She jogged over to the counter and set the quarter down.
The cashier looked annoyed but put it in the register anyways, handing Logan his bag and extra couple cents. Logan looked slightly over towards Dana, grabbed the bag, and motioned for her to come along with his head.
Like a puppy, she followed.
It was October and outside the leaves were a mix of reds, yellows, browns, and greens. The sun was above making it warmer with a cool breeze. He was walking slightly in front of her, heading for a large rock behind the store.
"What are we doing?" She asked.
"Enjoying our hard earned Warheads," he smirked and plopped down on the rock. Dana could tell he wasn't mad any longer. She stood in front of him, while he began opening the package of Warheads with his teeth. Inside were tiny single packets of different flavors and he put his hand inside rummaging.
"You're so weird," Dana laughed, and the next thing she felt was something hit her in the stomach. Looking down, she saw a single packet of a black cherry Warhead on the grey pavement street. Picking it up, and opening the package she held it. She sat right next to Logan as they both held a piece in their hands.
"What flavor do you have?" Dana asked.
"Watermelon, you?"
"Black cherry." Dana observed the little piece of candy in her hand. "You know when I was little I was terrified of these things."
"Why?" Logan seemed to ask, in all seriousness. She contemplated the thought for a moment basking in her childhood memories before answering.
"I thought they would blow my mouth up or something… they just scared me."
"You're not scared of them now, are you?" He asked still observing the candy he held.
"No, I don't think so." She paused and looked him in his eyes. "Who's first?"
Logan looked like he was considering something for a moment before agreeing on, "Same time."
She looked at him and nodded. "On the count of three…"
"One," Logan started.
"Two," Dana held up two fingers. He said three, and they dropped the little sour candy pieces in their mouth.
Dana was making some kind of noises while shaking her head and hands as if having a seizure.
"Ith-tho-thour," she tried saying. And Logan laughed, handling the sourness quite well.
"What was that?" He asked his head cocked to the side with an eyebrow raised. A smile spread across his face none-the-less.
"It's so sour!" She said holding it in between her teeth. Logan laughed even more, watching her freak out.
"My watermelon is fantastic," he boasted. She rolled her eyes.
"My black cherry is better though."
"I doubt it," Logan said and leaned back on the rock, so he was on his back still sucking on the candy. It finally turned from sour to sweet for both of them.
"Let's put it to the test," she said still sitting up but turned her body around to face him.
"Trade?" Logan asked and Dana shrugged her shoulders. She gave him a long look while he was laying down before leaning over him. They were both in such a close proximity, you could probably see steam rise.
A figure of speech of course.
Somehow they both knew what was going to happen, so Logan put his arms around her pulling her closer while their lips connected.
Dana easily dropped her piece into his mouth, while he struggled to get his piece into hers. She laughed and pulled away.
"It's gravity," he justified.
"You blame everything on something else. Maybe you're just a lousy kisser? Ever think of that?"
But he didn't take an answer from any girl like that. He sat up and grabbed her face. The right piece of candy somehow made it to her mouth and before she knew what had happened he was back lying against the rock.
"Your black cherry is okay," he said, and she rolled her eyes again.
"The watermelon is decent, even though it's covered in your spit."
He emptied the bag of Warheads on the ground between the two of them.
"There are ten of these… Five pieces each?" Logan asked starting to split them up.
"Fine by me," she said but noticed how he divided up the candy.
He didn't have the same ones as her.
"What if I want a lemon one? Only you have the lemons," she began.
"You can get a lemon the same way if I want a blue raspberry. Because only you have those..."
"Trade?" She asked with the smallest, hardly noticeable smirk worn on her face.
It was chilly outside, and their mouths were almost in pain from so much sour they had consumed, but regardless- they both fell into a place that was even better than heaven.
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