Chapter 7

Everyday after school, my friends usually meet at Lily's, a cafe not far away; our favorite hangout. They still have the best food, in spite of the new French restaurant across the street from them. Everything there is irritatingly fancy and expensive, even their name, Chic et Cher.

I could bet half their customers don't know the meaning.

Anyway, today, I was going to skip our little meeting; my house was in the hands of potential danger. "Hey Taurus," I greeted after he picked up.

"You left without telling me..." he whined sadly on the other line.

"Sorry, had to. I have to check up at home, don't worry, I'll make it up to you."

"It's okay. Then I'm off to football practice, tell the others for me too?"

"Sure. Bye T,"

"Bye! Ace hand over the shoe before I slam your face in!!"

I rolled my eyes, muttering "Boys," as if I wasn't one, and quickened my pace on the sidewalk. I called Jerry to tell him, it took a while before he picked up.

"Hello?" Tom's voice came from the other line.

"Hey..." Why did Tom have Jerry's phone?

"Oh, Loess. Jerry's not free right now."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"We're at Lily's, it's his turn to order, and he's freaking out at the counter right now," he chuckled.

"Oh yeah, speaking of, Taurus and I can't make it. He has football practice and I have a criminal in my house."

"Riiight... want me to send you a video of little J?"

"Definitely,"

"Hehehe," he giggled eagerly and hung up.

I got home after a few and unlocked the door, looking around the empty house before stepping in and closing the door behind me. "Hello?"

Nothing. But at least the house isn't burnt to a crisp.

I kicked off my shoes and fell backwards in the couch, making myself comfortable, I played the video Tom sent me.

Jerry was standing at the counter, his hands clenching and unclenching beside him. He was in a blue long-sleeved turtleneck shirt over some jeans. His face, at least the part I could see, was a pretty, rosy red. I chuckled.

"No, I - I didn't mean hot ch-chocolate, I - uh, I f-forget the name... uh, well it-it's brown a-and-"

"We have several 'brown' drinks here." The guy at the counter laughed softly.

"I - I know, I - just gimme a minute," he looked like he was taking a deep, deep breath. I laughed.

"What're we watching?"

"Gah!" I shrieked, and I think my soul left my body for a second there... "Oh my god, why did you do that?!"

Mica laughed, "Ha... you scream like a girl, " he moved away from the too-close spot near me and into the kitchen, probably on the hunt for food.

"You don't have mayo?"

"Ew, no." I got up, leaving my phone in the couch, and heading to the bathroom.

"Wow. You have a lot of snacks in here..."

"No! Don't touch those!" Dashing in there I slammed the cabinet closed.

"Why? Because it's your secret stash?" he smirked, questioning.

"N-no,"

"There's a label on the door saying 'secret stash'," he gestured at it.

Oh yeah, I did that some time ago. You never know when you'll need an emergency food supply.

"No there isn't, I'll just order some food," I really don't feel like cooking right now, and I'm in the mood for shrimp. "From the Thai restaurant downtown,"

"That'll take too long," he groaned.

"Deal with it."

"Or I could cook,"

"Oh yeah, that's a much better idea -" I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

"Great! Let's go grocery shopping," he grabbed my wrist and pulled me along.

"Wait, wait, wait..." I took my hand away and rubbed my temples gently, "what is going on? I'm not going grocery shopping with you. Do you even have the money? "

"How could I go shopping without money? That's dumb."

"And where did you get this money?" I asked, suspicious.

"... you think I stole it, don't you?"

"Kinda,"

"Well I didn't." He said defensively.

"Did Chief give it to you?"

"Um... no-"

"Aha!"

"But I didn't steal it! Please just... just trust me."

I don't know why, but I already did. "Fine, but I'm still not going shopping,"

"Why not?" he crossed his arms.

"Because I don't want to be involved with the purchase of goods with potentially stolen money," I turned around and lifted my nose up, like a snobby child.

He gave me a look like, 'For real, dude?'

I began walking away, "Bye-bye then, hope you enjoy - aaah!" I was lifted up into the air by the waist. "What are you doing?!"

"Taking you with me. I don't know the way to the grocery store."

Liar! It was right down the street, with a big sign that said 'GROCERIES'.

"Put me down!"

"I'm hungry. " He emphasized, ignoring my order of distress and opened the door, walking out and then locking it. All the while, my upper body hung at his back, accepting fate.

On the walk there, I saw a lady pushing a stroller and the baby in it watched us, in this case, watched my hanging upper body and Mica's back, in fascination.

I waved at her while she clapped her hands and laughed a sweet baby laugh.

***later on***

We were finally in the small store's cold room, and while Mica searched for his preferences in the freezers, I fidgeted around. He'd put me down when we entered the store, not because there were many people, but I told him to. And now I was regretting it.

The floor of the cold room was also cold, and I was barefoot.

I'd only just realized it.

"M-Mica, my feet,"

"Hm?" He looked down, "Oh shit, uhh... hold me."

"What?" I looked at him like he was a crazy person.

"Just do it, or do you want them to go numb first?"

I think they already have...

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he grabbed my waist, lifting me up and putting my legs around his waist. "There. Better?"

"Yeah, this is better," I muttered, sure he could hear me, because we were that close.

Then I wasn't worrying about my cold feet but my warm cheeks.