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The ceilings were high, the lights just a bit too bright. The floors a bit too sticky in one location, and too slipper just around the corner. Colours flourished every visible angle. It was a headache to most. But to Shawn, the supermarket was one of the places he felt the most home. “Thanks again Laney.” “It’s no problem Shawn. Though you know, I ask this every time… and you never give me an answer,” the teen girl raised an eyebrow, her eyebrow piercing catching the light above. Her hair was dirty blonde; dyed a deep earthy green at the ends, she had brown eyes, and a heart shaped face. She was 17 now and Shawn had know her since she started working at the store at 14. “Ah yeah,” Shawn rubbed the back of his neck. “ Do you really go through all of this in two weeks?!” “I do. And what of it?” Shawn teased as he waited for the next half of her question.His jacket was beginning to feel a little tight. his anxiety had been running a little more wild lately. But his health insurance wouldn’t cover his medications for another two months. He tried to go for refills, but all they had was more expensive versions of what he couldn’t take, and he was cutting the pills in half just to take them with an ibuprofen to try and set his head straight. He felt buzzed. Almost in a drunk way; because nothing seemed to want to make sense. He followed the movement of Laney’s hands as he gestured to the same old groceries he always bought. Her voice sounded like it was under water, and the fluorescents burned into his retinas. This was fine.Ｃ𝐢𝕡𝔦Ｃ𝐢𝕡𝔦
Shawn Spencer’s Shopping List:
A Bag of Trail-mix
Bag of Dried pineapple Dried Apple slices
Dried raspberries
Dried Mangos
Dried Kiwis
A loaf of Bread
Jar of Nutella
Case of Strawberries
A pineapple (which he would never do without-)
24 yogurts. In the smallest bunches possible.
A case of plastic water bottles
And two cases of 20 Redbulls.
Ｃ𝐢𝕡𝔦Ｃ𝐢𝕡𝔦Shawn watched: with eyes that burned through tears ready to be cried in the very corners of his sight; her lips stopped moving. “And I tell you every time Laney,” he chuckled. It always went like this. “The dried fruits and trailmix stay in my bike for a road snack. I have a special garage I keep the water and the second case is redbulls, and then everything else goes in my fridge. Even the Nutella.”Laney gave a soft smile, the way she always did and called over the teen boy to help Shawn bag. It was, Dunce? No. Duncan. Stupid dyslexia. It was Duncan this time. Pimples littered his face and the braces clearly weren’t working yet, but it was all pretty much the same. ”I worry about you Shawn.” Laney sighed? She handed him a blue sticker with a smile face on it. Shawn marked his calendar with the stickers from the store. It eased his anxiety.But she had never told him that before… Shawns heart raced painfully in his chest. Ow. “You don’t have to. I’ve got good people all around me. I swear.” Laney blushed just the same as Shawn did. She from embarrassment. He from shame. God, another person he had concerned for him.What it took to feel human, got harder and harder each day.