Chapter Twelve: Shopping

The supermarket was busy even for a Friday. I groaned inwardly but grabbed the cart. I pulled my list out of my pocket and began to prepare myself for the insanity of the store. If I hurried, I could get in and out without too many hassles.

I quickly grabbed everything on my list, happy that it seemed to be going well. I rushed to the last item on my list: cherries. I wanted to spend a bit more time picking out the perfect ones for the pie to make sure they were extra good. Happily, I went through and picked between the ones that were worthy of my pie and the ones that weren't.

I was still looking them over when I felt someone come up behind me.

"Looking for your cherry, pretty little school girl?" a horrifyingly familiar voice whispered in my ear.

I jumped and spun around, knocking some of the fruit onto the ground. Keith was standing right behind me so close that I was terrified that he would reach out and grab me. I tried to inconspicuously step back to put some space between us.

His eyes took a leisurely stroll down my body, making my skin crawl. They didn't miss a single thing. Not the messy bun that my hair was in nor the tight tank top I had thrown on after school. I even regretted the shorts I had scrounged up due to the warm weather.

Though it was coming up on autumn, we were still gripped by the warm summer weather. I couldn't stand the idea of walking out of the house in anything more. Now, however, I really wished I had worn a snowsuit and a parka… even that made me feel too naked for Keith's eyes.

"Did you find them?" Keith asked.

"Fi-Find what?" I stuttered out.

"Your cherries," he responded with a disturbing low chuckle.

I shook my head.

He leaned in close to grab a cherry from the stack and popped it into his mouth. He closed his eyes almost blissfully as he chewed it up, enjoying the fruit a bit too much.

"Delicious," he groaned, then opened his eyes again.

In an instant, he was crowding me again. Though I tried to back away, the fruit stand behind me halted my retreat.

"Here, taste," he instructed and leaned down to kiss me.

I panicked and ducked out of the way, causing him almost to fall face-first into the display. His head snapped towards me as his eyes flashing in anger while he reached for me. He had obviously forgotten we were in the middle of a store.

I jumped back, slamming into a firm unmoving body. I spun around eagerly, intending to greet the person like they were an amazingly good friend as if I had been waiting for them.

"Mr. Jones," I breathed out as our eyes connected.

Relief swamped me, and I threw myself into his arms. I don't know who was more surprised, him or me, but he wrapped his arms around me without hesitation.

"Hi! I'm so glad you found me! It's crowded here!" I said a little too loud.

"Hello, sweetheart. Didn't mean to make you wait so long. What's going on?" he greeted me as well, playing along.

To anyone walking by, he sounded just as happy to meet up with me. But I could hear the underlining tone that showed he was well aware of the situation and wanted to know what was going on with Keith. I pulled away and looked up at him, catching the disapproving gaze and the stiff shoulders.

"It's okay. Just picking up the last of my things, and I'll be all ready to go," I said with a wide grin.

I was praying that my voice didn't shake as much as the rest of my body did.

"Sounds perfect. Planning on baking me another cherry pie?" he asked with a slow, teasing smile.

Despite everything that had happened, I felt my body respond to the look he was giving me. I almost stepped back into his arms, uncaring who was watching.

"Need a ride?" he spoke once more, distracting me from the butterflies that had suddenly taken up refuge in my stomach.

"Oh! That would be great! Thank you!" I replied, jumping on the opportunity to get away from Keith.

I heard a low growl of jealous anger coming from the object of my desire to escape. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Keith turn and stalk off. My breathing didn't return to normal until Keith's back completely disappeared from sight.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Jones," I breathed out, feeling my body deflating.

"What happened, little one?" he asked softly, caressing my cheek soothingly.

I stuttered, trying to think of some sort of explanation that didn't make me sound like a tease or that I was asking for Keith's attention.

"Nothing, Sir," I finally admitted, unable to find the words.

A myriad of emotions crossed Mr. Jones's face before he seemed to shut down and back off a bit.

"That is the wrong answer, Rebecca," he said in a firm gruff voice.

Was he angry at me for not telling him what had happened? Surely he didn't want to get involved any more than I had already done so. Why was it such a problem that I wasn't demanding he step in?

"Who was he?" Mr. Jones tried again, jerking his head over my shoulder.

I looked in that direction Keith's back had disappeared to.

"No one, Sir," I responded.

"Strike two, Rebecca," Mr. Jones growled.

Out of nowhere, he grabbed my arm and pulled me through the store to the checkout line. His grip was not painful at all, but it was unbreakable as well.

"Sir, I-"

"Hush," he ordered softly. "You will not speak again until we get to the car."

I shut my mouth immediately. The anger radiated from Mr. Jones's stiff body as he led me to the register. He let me go long enough to move all of my items on the conveyor belt. I could see several people giving me a strange look, but Mr. Jones paid them no mind.

The cashier that rang up my items was vaguely familiar to me, but I did my best to not look her in the eyes. When she told us the total, I reached for my wallet only to find Mr. Jones was already pulling out the cash needed.

"I have-" I began but swallowed my words when he gave me a look out of the corner of his eyes.

He grabbed the bags and gave the cashier a happy farewell and a smile before nodding for me to lead the way out. As soon as we left the store, I stepped off to the side and reached for the bags. He pulled them away and all but glared at me.

"I am giving you a ride. Go to the car, little one. You are on thin ice as it is," he stated, jerking his head towards his car.