To Be Of Convenience

The photo shoot went on for longer than Alice anticipated with the sun already dipping low into the sky casting amber rays over the school building and illuminating the art room with the golden light, as they all packed up their stuff to leave for the day, putting away the set and the cameras carefully.

She and Noah had to do five outfits in total with the third one being a black and white peasant dress and Noah wearing a smart-looking outfit that included thin-rimmed glasses.

The fourth change was the sailor one with navy blue and white stripes. Bella was determined to get a good shot in that outfit, and Alice laughed since Noah was too funny wearing long shorts becoming a young schoolboy once again with a sailor hat perched on his head.

Alice was able to quickly leave since their last outfits were their everyday school uniforms which seemed to be quite ordinary, but the photos can attest that they were not with the quaint images that portrayed the youthful and hopeful love.

Before leaving, Alice bowed her head to everyone, thanking them for their hard work. She waved one last time to Bella before taking off down the hallway.

She wanted to head straight to the convenience store to get some homework done because she found it too quiet at home when her parents were both at the convenience store and didn't want to be alone. She and her mother were close, and Alice wanted to catch her mother up on the drama today or the lack thereof.

The light tapping of footsteps right on her heels made her stop abruptly and turn back with a tired look. Noah was fixing the collar of his button and gave her an innocent smile. Alice shook her head since he was full of it making her wait without saying anything and continued forward walking away, making him reach out to grab her briefcase.

"I can walk you home, Alice. It's getting dark."

She inclined her head in thanks but declined his offer. "It's okay. My house is close, so I don't need to take the subway station."

He didn't press any further, so Alice gave him another bow before going down the stairs, picking up her pace since Noah was still close behind her. She went out of the main doors and saw that there were still club activities going late. She whipped around once more when stopping right before exiting the main gate.

"I'm okay. Seriously," Alice said.

"I know. I'm also leaving."

She squinted her eyes in suspicion. "Hm, sure."

Alice turned to the right, lugging the briefcase over her shoulder, and to no surprise, Noah trailed after her. She didn't know what his game was, but she didn't want to bother. Alice blew out a tired sigh and continued down the route that she normally took to get to and from school.

The sidewalks leading to the school were nicely maintained with the green grass lawn and large flowering trees lining the roads which made all the petals drift onto the sidewalk.

The convenience store was popular enough since it was the corner intersection between the busy main roads and the small streets that led up to the academy. On foot, it took her about fifteen minutes, and it was manageable every day.

She preferred to walk rather than get dropped off because the cars that took up the driveway space were practically limousines and other expensive cars. She smiled at the thought of her mother's tan sedan pulling up into the driveway. That would certainly be a sight to behold.

Some bikers came through, and Alice shifted to walk on the right-hand side with her hands idly trailing along the cinderblock walls. The streetlights came on, a signal that nightfall would come soon, and Alice glanced down at her thin watch which said that it was seven. She rounded the next corner, and the familiar building came into sight situated at the end of the street.

The neon lights that read the name of the convenience store were her childhood, and it seemed to not be busy at first look through the wide clear windows. Her mother was standing behind the register, organizing the new stock judging by the clipboard in her hands and the small furrow of her eyebrows.

Her parents had started the store on a whim, but it was their pride and joy after all the blood and sweat, and tears they poured into it. Alongside Alice, they truly cherished the store despite it being no different from the other ones around the city, but Alice loved to talk with the regulars that made their rounds. Some INVU students also tended to come in, but not as often as they used to when she was younger.