How this Hippie Fell in Love

Chapter 3

The rest of the week flew by in a flurry. Lena and I are standing in the snack food aisle of "The Market Basket", our local grocery store. This store is what you would find in any small town, USA, they provide the basics, but anything too fancy and you will have to go to the next town over.

We do have a large produce section and an on-site butcher, but only the basic toaster pastry flavors.

You can't have it all.

"How many bags of chips do you think we need?" Lena asked mulling over our selection.

"A minimum of three for sure." She nodded in response.

She grabbed sour cream and cheddar, cheese flavored corn chips, and nacho cheese tortilla chips. I silently clapped in approval.

"Do you want to pick up a pizza or get frozen pizza?" I asked

"Pick up a pizza." She responded "With crazy cheese bread."

"How can you have pizza and not get crazy cheese bread?" I asked mostly sarcastically, but also kind of seriously because I'm sure there are people who do.

"Can't trust a person who passes up crazy cheese bread." Lena agreed.

We went further down the aisle and stopped at the candy. I grabbed red licorice, jelly beans, and a bag of assorted chocolate.

Lena nodded her approval.

"On to the drinks!" I exclaimed

We round the corner to aisle five.

"So Coke is a must." I insisted

"As is red cream soda." Lena countered

I grabbed a six pack of each in bottles. I also grabbed watermelon flavored sparkling water just because it sounded good.

"Cookie dough!" Lena shouted

I slapped my forehead for nearly forgetting. Who forgets cookie dough?

We followed the perimeter of the store to the cold case where the cookie dough was housed.

"Sugar or chocolate chip?" She asked picking up one of each. I gave my friend a reproachful look. "Good point." She said tossing both in the cart.

We checked out, paid, and headed to get our pizza.

"I'm going to call Link to see if he wants anything." She opened her phone, pressed a button and put it to her ear.

"We're getting pizza, do you want anything?" She asked

"Well what do you guys want?" I guess Taryn's there

"Okay. We'll see you soon." She hung up. "Link has one of the football players over." She explained. She dialed another number and put the phone to her ear.

"I want to place a carryout order." She said sweetly.

"My name is Lena." She paused

"Can I get a large meat lovers, a large one with bacon and mushroom, and two orders of crazy cheese bread? Oh, and two bottles of ranch." She hung up.

"Boys are so expensive." She complained. I nodded my head in agreement.

I started up my car and we headed to Pizza Express, a mom and pop shop in town.

Our town being as small as it is, it didn't take me any time at all to make it to Pizza Express so Lena and I hung out until we thought our food was ready.

"You know who's working today, don't you?" Lena asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Let me see…" I feigned thinking while tapping my chin "Is it Patrick Thompson?" I asked knowing how much she hated him.

She pushed me and squealed. "No!"

"Jeremy Dean!" I cooed. Lena has had the biggest crush on Jeremy since fifth grade. In fifth grade Lena had braces and was just starting to get acne, she was super self conscious. Now, Lena is a bombshell, but she still sees herself as that insecure ten year old.

"I wonder if he's working the counter." I mentioned casually

Her eyes got huge. She pulled my visor down and flipped open the mirror. "Do you have lipgloss?" She asked, a little panicked.

"I have lip balm" I offered

She shrugged her shoulders "That will do." She slid my lip balm over her pouty pink lips and smacked them together.

Lena pulled her hair from her ponytail and finger combed it. "How do I look?" She asked

"That depends, can I get your number?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows. She laughed and smacked my arm.

"I'm being serious!" She squeaked.

"So am I!" I countered

She rolled her eyes "Let's go." She sighed opening the passenger side door.

I followed her in the red brick fortress housing the most important part of our girls night.

Sure enough Jeremy Dean was standing at the counter, smiling at us as we walked in.

"Hey Lena! Hey Emma!" My friend's crush greeted. "Your order will be up in a minute!"

"Th-Thanks!" Lena stuttered

We walked up to the counter and watched our pizzas come out of the oven.

Pizza Express uses a brick pizza oven so the crust has those perfect burnt edges. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. They also make their own ranch, which is why Lena made sure to get two bottles.

Lena paid, barely saying a word. My beautiful, confident friend was a silent mess around only one person and he happened to be the one working today.

Walking out the door, I could see Lena visibly relax. I just shook my head and smiled. I know how she feels.

We headed back to Lena's.

"Oh Linky-Pooh!" I called knowing how much he hated that nickname.

"In here!" He called from the living room "The only reason I'm letting that slide is because you have food!"

He does love food.

I rounded the corner and stopped dead. Aiden Gray was sitting in the recliner in their living room. There were twenty two players on the football team, why did he have to be the one here.

"Hey babe!" Link greeted when he saw me. He stood up and grabbed half of what I was carrying. "You know Aiden, right?" He asked but I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. We've all known each other since we were in diapers.

Aiden waved to us from the chair, controller still in hand. I don't understand boys and video games.

"Emma Jade!" Lena called from the stairs.

"She only uses my middle name when I'm in trouble." I laughed and headed in her direction.

"I think he likes you, Em." Lena whispered as we climbed the steps.

"Um, he's gay." I explained looking puzzled.

She shook her head. "Not Link, you dumb dumb, Aiden." I rolled my eyes and kept walking.

"You, my friend, are delusional." I said "Where have you been for the last twelve years? He had been nothing but mean to me." Lena bit her lip like she wanted to say something. "What is it?" I asked

She sighed "I just feel like there is more to it." She started to explain while opening her bedroom door. "I know he hasn't been the nicest-" I scoffed "I know he hasn't been the nicest person to you, but there is something in the way he looks at you."

I set the food down next to me on her bed. "I don't know, Leen." She sat down opposite me and held my hand.

"I'm not saying he is right for everything he has done, I'm saying there may be more to him." She explained with a squeeze. "Enough mushy talk, let's put on jammies and bash some junk food!" My friend exclaimed.

Lena's room was pale purple and has been for as long as I can remember. Her queen sized bed frame is white with a tufted headboard and pale purple bedding. Above her bed she has a cork board with pictures and a calendar. Her closet is across from her bed and she has a white desk to the right of her closet.

Lena pulled her shirt over her head exposing her small breast and flat stomach. Oh how I envied her. Lena was the only person I felt comfortable changing in front of and only because we've done it forever.

I dug around in my bag for my baggy gray sweatshirt that hung off my right shoulder and blue short shorts. I pulled my shirt over my head and unclasped my bra.

"I would kill for your boobs." Lena said, pulling up her flowery bottoms.

"I would kill for your stomach." I scoffed pulling on my shirt. She rolled her eyes and kept dressing.

"Isn't funny how we both want what the other has?" She laughed "I really would take your body in a heartbeat and I know you would take mine." She mused as I pulled on my shorts. "I feel like a twelve year old boy. Just flat." She said looking deflated.

"You do NOT look like a twelve year old boy! I said maybe a bit too loudly. "You are beautiful and hot!" I exclaimed, licking my finger and making a sizzling sound when I touched her.

We both laughed and hugged.

We spent the next few hours watching cheesy T.V. shows and eating as much junk as we could. I looked at my phone and realized it was after midnight.

"I'll put the leftovers away." I volunteered stacking what I could on top of the pizza box.

"Thanks, boo." Lena said, making a kissy face. I rolled my eyes and opened her door.

The house was eerily quiet, everyone must be in bed. I silently crept down the stairs and turned right toward the kitchen.

Standing there in the light of the full moon, shirtless and in navy pajama bottoms, drinking water with his back to me was Aiden. I opened the refrigerator door hoping it would be silent- it was not. The condiments clicked together just loud enough to alert him to my presence.

He jumped and turned around. "Jesus, Emma, you scared me!" He exclaimed dabbing water that dribbled on his chest.

"You're the one standing in the dark." I countered.

"Because I didn't want to blind myself for a glass of water." He defended

"I'm just putting our leftovers away then I'll leave you to your midnight drinking." I muttered suddenly feeling very exposed in my pajamas.

Aiden took note of what I was wearing. I saw him look me up and down lick his lips and turn around. I hastily put the food away and hurried back to Lena's room.

I must have had a distressed look on my face when I returned.

"What's wrong?" Lena asked, looking concerned.

"Nothing." I said, trying to sound casual. She c****d her right eyebrow at me with disbelief. I sighed and explained what had just happened.

"Told you so!" She squealed, clapping her hands. I rolled my eyes and climbed in bed next to her.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.