I grabbed a basket while Dad took out our list. Mom learned long ago to never send me and Dad to the store without a detailed list. “The two of you are dangerous together,” she said. “It’s like the blind leading the blind!”
She’s right. One time Dad and I went out to buy a snow shovel before a big storm and came back with two movies, a jigsaw puzzle, and a couple of beanbag chairs. But no shovel.
The baking stuff was in aisle six. I started grabbing what we needed, and Dad followed behind me. “Go for it,” he said, holding up the basket. I took aim and tossed a bag of M&M’S right in.
“Nothing but net!” Dad said.
A gray-haired lady nearby shook her head at him, but Dad kept smiling this goofy “Who me?” smile. He was gonna be a great teacher.
While we were checking out, I asked Dad if I could have money for a Slushie. He handed me a five, and I headed over to the service counter, where the Slushie machine was.
Just as I started filling the plastic cup with blue raspberry, I heard giggling. I looked up and saw Madison and two of her friends tagging behind one of their moms. The mom walked up to the counter to return something. Madison and the girls wandered over to a claw-machine game in the corner.
My nerves tingled, but I concentrated on pulling the Slushie-machine handle and the blue liquid filling my cup. Had Madison and her friends seen me? Maybe they hadn’t. I couldn’t help it. I dared a quick look their direction. Madison was playing the game, but the other two girls were looking at me and whispering.
I tried to remember all the things I’d ever been told about how to deal with people being jerks. Just ignore them.
I looked away, but then I swear I heard someone say, “Every day.” The whispering turned into laughter.
My throat hurt. Don’t cry! Don’t give them the satisfaction.
My Slushie cup was full so I reached over and grabbed a straw. I knew I should grab a lid, too, especially since we’d come in Dad’s bumpy Jeep, but I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could.
I walked away. I don’t know why, but I glanced in the girls’ direction one more time. Madison was saying something to the other girls.
It was weird. She looked kind of mad.