Awkward

I rubbed my forehead as I put in the cash at the self-checkout. The beeping all around me was not helping much. After a whole day of stress, Mary and I decided it would be a good idea to go partying all night. Now I wished I had stayed in and simply eaten some ice cream to make myself feel better. It would have been much better than the throbbing pain I was experiencing.

I packed up my groceries in two paper bags. I was about to get out of the mall when I noticed the landlady, Mrs. Abbott, come in. I did not want to have to deal with her again. She’d spent two hours yesterday telling me how when she said she didn’t allow boys, she meant she didn’t allow for any sort of indecency to happen, and that she had reason to suspect Mary and I were more than friends. By the end of it all, I was ready to just throw a shoe  in her face, but I managed to grin and bear it. I was getting sick and tired of her butting into our business and I started seriously considering moving away. Needless to say, I did not want to see her again today, so I made my way left, hoping to reach the other exit before she saw me.

But no, of course something had to go wrong. From the other end, Franny, Mrs. Abbott’s best friend and her main gossip supplier (probably the bitch that spilled the beans this time around, too) was heading my way, her flabby skin billowing in the wind. I had to think fast. It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place coated in really old leather. I lifted up my bags, hoping I could maybe cover my face at the last moment. And just when I thought all hope was lost, a man spoke to me.

“Looks like a pretty sad day to be doing the groceries,” the man said to me. He was an East-Asian dude, about my age, very handsome. His smile made me think, yes, this is my chance.

“The days don’t get much happier than this in Ohio,” I replied, to which he blinked and grabbed my hand and we started making our way up the escalator. For a moment, I didn’t even think about where we were going, as long as I got to get away from those two. Before I knew it, I was at an abandoned part of the mall’s parking lot.

“Thank you so much,” I said to the man. He didn’t reply. Instead, a large, black car arrived, and three with face masks came out and handed me a rifle. I wanted to protest, but no words came. Before I knew it, I was sitting in the car, facing three strangers, synchronizing watches and tending to some explosives. I also noticed some sacks of money in there.

I was pretty sure I was going to rob a bank.